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They were the most adorable power couple, she a banker and he a lawyer who were quite popular among their mutual friend circles. Abhi had worked his way to success and Neha had never given up.
Neha had been dating Abhi for almost three years now, but he hadn’t proposed to her yet. However, this time it was different. He had asked her for dinner in one of the finest hotels in the city, not those shady Chinese restaurants which they usually visited.
Everything was planned for Friday night it was going to be her big day, the gossips had made their way to her. She tried to be happy, but something was just not right. In the three years of her knowing Abhi, she hadn’t quite been herself with him.
They were the most adorable power couple, she was a banker and he a lawyer who was quite popular among their mutual friend circles. Abhi had worked his way to success and Neha had never given up. When they had first met at the elegant wedding of one of their common friends, they had been attracted to each other like magnets and that was that.
Now both of them in their mid-thirties were the talk of the town. Even their friends wanted them to settle for good. So, Neha was quite not sure whether she should be bothered about her past or be happy.
Neha didn’t exactly have a happy childhood, her parents died in a car crash when she was twelve and her sister, Nina, was nineteen. They got to know that their parents weren’t exactly rich and there was nothing much to inherit. None of their family members who had come to the funeral had shown any interest to be their guardians.
So, at an early age, her sister took a job. She started working in a Non-Government Organization, planning their work and making field visits to the orphanages. At times she would take Neha along with her and both of them would sit on a bench and watch the children play.
Nina often used to say, “There are so many children in this world who need a home, I would rather adopt one than having my own” and Neha would chime with her, “me too”. That was their new world without their parents. So, Neha was devastated when she learnt that her sister had an incurable brain tumour at the age of twenty-eight!
Life was never the same anymore. She had just graduated and joined one of the top five banks. After that, she turned into a workaholic working even on most Sundays and public holidays. She relaxed a bit after she met Abhi. He knew about the facts in her life, but her feelings were her own, she kept them to herself. Abhi didn’t sense that, so it had worked so far.
Friday arrived, she had chosen the best dress she could find in the store, a rather expensive one. If she had to do this, she would do this with grace. She took a cab and reached the hotel an hour early. The table was reserved, everything about the place was posh.
The walls were a pasty shade of white and brown with huge paintings hanging on them, the floor covered with red carpet and furniture made of mahogany wood. She waited and waited, Abhi was late as usual. When he finally arrived, he was on this mobile and he signalled at her that he was winding up a call.
After about fifteen minutes they were seated at the dinner table. Abhi apologized profusely for being late and said that it was a big day. Neha didn’t mind as usual, or rather she didn’t care. Abhi ordered the dishes, he claimed that he had been there for business meetings and knew what was best. They chit-chatted till the food arrived and ate in silence.
Perhaps he was waiting for the desert, Neha thought, and she was right. After taking the last bite of the choco lava cake he held out a huge diamond ring and said with some excitement, “So, what do you think?” Neha knew what she had to say, and she had run the conversation multiple times in her head.
“I have something to tell you, I never want to have kids.” “Oh, there’s time, give it a couple more years,” Abhi mentioned with a smile. Neha held his hand and explained to him that she would rather adopt one. It is okay for him to move on if he wasn’t fine with it but that was her decision, never to be altered. “How come you never brought this up in the past three years!” Abhi exclaimed.
As though she was aware of this reaction she just repeated once more, “You are free to move on.” Abhi got up and left with utmost disgust. Neha pushed back her dessert, finished her wine, and paid the check. Tomorrow she would go to the orphanage, and she knew exactly what to do.
Image source: An image from Pexels
Mitra mostly writes poems and occasionally pens down stories or memoirs. She is a software professional with a passion for both technology and literature. She has published a book of poetry called, ‘Beginning’ and participates read more...
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Vidhya came home with Riya. She was surprised to see the same expectations from her that were before from having a child. Nothing had changed, and she felt that nothing would ever change.
Vidhya was just like any other normal girl who grew up reading Cinderella and Rapunzel, wishing to meet her Prince charming someday. Though not a topper, she scored well in school and college and fulfilled her parent’s dream by joining as HR in a reputed financial firm.
After she settled in her career path, her parents began their hunt to find the perfect groom and complete their responsibility in life. Finally, after seeking permission from the stars in her chart, they fixed her wedding with Rahul, who according to them, got a tick for most of their eligibility criteria. She obliged and got married to him as per their wish.
Mothers do things for you out of love, so please treat them with respect and dignity at your home, especially in front of your in laws, and ask your in laws to share responsibilities.
Motherhood isn’t just a word. It’s a world in itself…of love, labor and commitment that goes beyond a lifetime, when we don’t really have a concept of flying the nest and mothers are required to be battle ready to shoulder every responsibility at any age.
As a new mom I too had my share of struggles like every woman, and reached out to my mom for help. Sadly, since she had health issues of her own she agreed reluctantly and was uneasy throughout her stay, which disappointed me. Only later did I know that she had suffered from serious menopausal problems that made her edgy and nervous in difficult situations, and it left me with a sense of regret of not taking the effort of understanding her troubles.
An unmarried pregnant girl is considered a sinner, but what about the young man whom she willingly had sex with? How can his family judge only her?
A little tornado entered the house throwing his school bag, water bottle, shoes helter-skelter and warbling, chortling, calling out to his Badi Mummy in his sweet voice which was like nectar to his grandmother. He was so happy to be home from school – a warrior returned from the war front. Not that he didn’t enjoy school but to get back home and have grandmother completely at his mercy in the afternoon, was what he looked forward to.
Sita tried to discipline him, “Where do we keep our school bag?”
Falling in love, marriage, a hidden secret, divorce. Despite all this, Vinita noticed her life was full of love that came in various unexpected shades!
“Aap jinke kareeb hotey hain, woh badey kush naseeb hotey hain…”
Just as Vinita was settling down into the cab seat, the driver put on music and the song started to play. It took her back immediately to that evening ten years ago, when Gautam had sung that very same song to her on the first evening they had met. She could remember every single detail of that evening so very clearly.
She had been at Usha’s 30th birthday. Usha’s tiny flat had been crowded with friends. Vinita had poured herself a vodka tonic and walked onto the balcony. She had been standing there, enjoying the breeze while sipping on her drink. There had been the sound of footsteps and someone joined her on the balcony. She hadn’t turned to look.