HER LAST WISH

part 14

Astha’s seven wishes had started haunting me. It had been six months since I had known her, but it suddenly felt like I didn’t know her at all. How could a
modern and ambitious girl like her wish to be a mother? There ought to be a reason. After a sumptuous dinner, we were relaxing in front of the television. A news channel flashed that Sushmita Sen, a famous actor, was planning to adopt another girl child. She was not even married. Being a single mother must have been so difficult, I thought. Her courage intrigued me to ask a dangerous
question which most men dread to even think about.
“Astha,” I said hesitantly, “I think it is time for us to extend our family.”
“Oh my god, Vijay. That’s great! Mr Vijay is finally ready to be a father!” The excitement in her voice was in sync with the spark in her eyes.
“Yes, I am thinking of adopting a child.”
“Adoption!” she said. “Why adopt when we can conceive one?”
“Astha, there are many orphans in our country. So instead of making an addition to the already growing population, we should adopt a child.”
I am not a saint, but the reason I presented for adopting a child had definitely categorized me as a stupid man, at least to my wife. As a reflex action to my words, she frowned, mumbled something and finally she said, “No, I will not
adopt a child. ”
“Why?” I countered. “What is the big deal in adopting a child?”
“Nothing, I just don’t want to.”
“Are you hiding something from me?” I was fully aware that the chatter box that Astha was, she would surely tell me what was on her mind.
“I was a step-daughter for my father’s second wife, and when she had a baby girl, everyone shifted their focus from me to her. Whenever my mother went out to shop for something, she would buy stuff only for my step-sister. Every year, her birthday was celebrated like a carnival. No one would even wish me on
mine. Only my father would occasionally gift me a few dresses. I protested, only
to realize later that I had always been an unwanted child – an unwanted illegitimate child,” Astha said with tears in her eyes. I hugged her tight and said, “As I had told you when we first met, it is not the child who is illegitimate, but the parents.” How difficult it must have been for her to put up a smiling face. Who could have guessed from her happy-golucky nature what she had been through and will be going through!
“I know that,” she said composing herself. “I am not at all responsible for what my parents did. But Vijay, throughout my life, I have remained confined to
myself. I never had anyone to hug. You can never imagine the plight of a motherless child. I always wished to have shown my idiotic mom...” She went
silent.
“What Astha?” I said holding up her chin.
“That one day I will be the world’s best mother.”
He sentence gave me a mini heart-attack and for the first time, I decided to lie to her on her face. “Of course, you will be one. ”
“What if we give birth to a child after adopting one? We might not be able to avoid differentiating between the two.” He fears were coming forth now. “I am sure we will love both of them equally. Suppose we don’t have our own baby, then adoption is the most feasible option.” I cursed myself the moment these words slipped out of my mouth.
“That’s right. If you use this fucking condom every time we make out, then we’ll end up only with an adoption,” she said in despair. I smiled.
“Why are you laughing?” And again, she had considered my smile to be a laugh.
“Nothing, I am sure of one thing.” Making someone happy with a lie is always better than hurting them with the truth. “You’ll be the best mom ever.”