I took a detour and kept my books aside for a while. I was stuck with this ages back. Gave the final touches and so here it goes.
Having you by my side
She was laughing hard with her hand on her stomach, but the moment she saw the sight in front of her, the laughter seem to cease and she stood numb there. Anyone on seeing the sight in front of Sharon would have a delightful feeling upon seeing a small baby learning to take his first few steps with his mother and father. But it was not the same case with Sharon. It would be injustice on her part to say that she didn't love babies. As much as Swayam did so did she love them and they had made plans as to how many they should have. To be precise Swayam had wished to have six babies, so that their babies won't face any problems in forming a team for footloose competition. When Sharon teased him about age difference, Swayam as usual came up with a solution of having two pairs of triplets. Whenever she thought about his suggestion she used to laugh on remembering that. But one year back, life changed completely for them and today on remembering that, a tiny tear drop left her eye, rolling down aimlessly.
Her heart twisted on recalling what happened exactly one year back. Against all odds Swayam and Sharon finally got married and after two years of their beautiful relationship Sharon got pregnant. It was planned by them that after two years they will start their family. So as per the planning everything was normal until one fine day when she was five months pregnant, students from her dance academy got selected to represent an international level dance competition. So in an attempt to teach them the dance moves she lost her balance as well as she lost their baby. Swayam at the same time was not in the town and so he couldn't be there with his wife at times when she needed him the most. Roughly after two days when he arrived in the city, he had planned to celebrate his success regarding the business deal with his sweetheart but was shattered on hearing their loss. Any normal couple would have blamed one another for the carelessness, but theirs was a different story. Sharon blamed herself for not being able to suppress her desire to dance and Swayam blamed himself for not being with her when that happened.
The impact was so much that Sharon never returned to her dance academy after that incident and quit dancing also. Their baby was her highest priority but ended up being the least one. On remembering that and the sight in front of her she moved her hand softly on her stomach to feel the non-existing life inside it and crashed down on the soft grass. It felt as if the soft grass was not soft anymore but few tiny thorns were peeping in order to prick her. She clutched the grass with her tiny fingers to vent out her agony and pain, fighting back her tears.
On the other hand she heard a muffled sound, only to see two cups of ice-cream hitting the ground and the scrumptious substance oozing out of it reluctantly. She looked up to see the pair of chocolate brown eyes staring her with a horrified expression. Few moments back Swayam was successful to hear the most beautiful music ringing in his ear, her laughter and now to see her back to her original state he felt he had yet again failed to see her happy. He saw the tiny tears rolling down her glowing skin. It seemed they were waiting for him to come out of her eyes. He looked here and there to see what made her devastated like that. And when he saw a couple holding a small baby, the sight which he feared the most for Sharon to witness was right in front of them. He then again looked down only to find a pair of greens demanding him why they can't be in that couple's position. Without saying a word he sat besides her bringing her closer to him pulling her by her waist. She rested her head on his shoulder and engulfed his neck and now allowed the tears which she was fighting back a while ago to flow down completely.
****
They were sitting on the bench in the park facing the setting sun. The same sun in the morning had vouched for Sharon's happiness as wished by Swayam. Each morning would give him hope about finding the lost happiness of his beloved wife, but his each attempt failed miserably. The sun had broken the promise ample number of times, thereby shattering Swayam's dream to see his original Sharon back. Sharon had cuddled herself in his arms, snuggling closer to him with her each uncontrollable sobs and clutched his shirt and buried her face in his chest.
Swayam had lost all the hopes and was cursing their fate so as to why both of them had to suffer this. He rested his head on hers and moved his on hand on her back rubbing it in a hope to forget whatever happened one year back. But he knew it was impossible for both of them to erase all the memories of their unborn baby. Their baby was symbol of their undying love, bringing so much of excitement and happiness in their life. His reminiscence of the old memories made him close his eyes and slide his hand on her stomach instantly. Sharon too immediately moved her other hand and placed on his hand and both of them cried their heart out silently. The surrounding was quite, the life around them the people as well the birds were retreating, leaving them alone in the park. They allowed the melancholy prevailing in the surrounding to elude them from their already shallow state.
After a while Sharon felt something soft on the backside of her hand. She opened her eyes to see a baby pink flower resting on her hand, it was light weighted and due to the breeze landed up on her hand. She gently caressed the petals feeling the softness of it. With her other hand she placed the flower on her palm and just when she was about to close her palm, due to the breeze it escaped from her hand, and for the situation to be more of ironical, it reminded of their baby. She twitched a bit on seeing that but Swayam was fast enough to get hold of the flower and placing it on her palm he closed her fist. This gesture of Swayam made her realized that no matter what their destiny has planned for them, he will try his level best to make destiny change its plan and promised that he would always be there by her side.
The sun had now set below the horizon thus spreading darkness all over the sky. The sky was a tinge of violet, orange and pink, a bit colorful against the grey background. Depicting that although darkness is surrounded in their life, few colors outshone the vast span of blackness and very soon the darkness in Swayam's and Sharon's life would be replaced by colors.
He then could after a while feel her soft and steady breathe on his neck telling him that she was sleeping peacefully; he gently stroked her soft plump cheek with his thumb. And scooping in his arm carried her to their car and drove off to their place.
****
It was past midnight and Sharon still was not sleeping but she pretended as if she was. She was resting her head on his shoulder and one hand on his chest. She could sense his unsteady breathe and so moved her face up to see him. Although he was sleeping he looked disturbed and was slightly shivering. One thing about Swayam that she knew was, he never let others know what he was going through. It was only Sharon who knew him inside out. She was well aware of the fact that he was trying his best to make her smile again. She hated it when she could not do it and thus would indirectly depress him more. She turned him towards her and made his head rest on her chest and brought him closer to her. She rubbed his back to soothe him so as to stop his shivers. Life had changed over the past year, but only thing that was left unchanged was their love towards each other. The incident had brought both of them closer .The slight movement waked him up and with a jolt he moved back. He looked at her with concern to get to know why she was not asleep yet but Sharon just held into him and pulled him back towards her. He snuggled into her neck and kissed it softly and moved his head up. Breaking the golden silence he muttered in a low voice "I can't see you like this Sharon."
He then placed a trail of kisses from her neck to her chin. She didn't move a bit and let the feeling of having him so close to her encompass her. "Talk to me, let your feelings out" he then firmly placed his lips on hers in an attempt to kiss away the pain. His movements had a surreal feel to it, making her forget the pain she was undergoing and lost herself in him. "I am always there by your side Sharon" To brush away her thoughts there was a sudden urgency in his moves now as he deepened the kiss. Sharon didn't stop him and responded back equally moving her fingers in his hair and pulling him towards her. They were about to lose themselves completely but suddenly the phone rang. They both pulled apart at once and Swayam received the call impetuously on seeing the caller's name.
After few minutes on phone, she could see the most beautiful sight in front of her. His smile which had the power to wash away all her worries, the smile which made her unknowingly smile too. As soon as he disconnected the call he pulled her in the tightest hug and mumbled in a very low happy as well as shaky voice "We are soon going to find happiness Sharon"
*****
A pair of black eyes were blinking and gleaming and looked out intently at two other pairs. The tiny tot in Sharon's arms raised his small hand to reach out to one long slender finger. She inched closer and pecked the baby's nose, which was representing Swayam's and she absolutely adored it. Swayam caressed the chubby little cheeks and kissed the small hand which was holding his finger tightly. The baby flashed a beautiful smile which reminded him of Sharon's. The baby was truly a perfect combination of two.
Tears welled up in her eyes and made their way on the baby's cheek. But before that they landed on Swayam's cheek that had leaned in to kiss the baby. On seeing the same he moved back and lifting up her chin by his finger he said "You are crying from now on, remember we need five more to complete the footloose team" She gushed over the baby and then looked at him with the same expression. She slightly nudged him by her elbow and he made weird faces and they both laughed at the thought.
Roughly after the miscarriage doctors were skeptical about whether she could have the baby or not. Swayam's undaunted efforts to make it untrue had paid off. She was undergoing a treatment in one of the well-known hospital in Rochester city of New York for the same. And the only hope she had was Swayam. Having him by her side all this time was the most positive thing in her life. And to add up now they had a little addition in their small family who had also decided to be with them for the rest of their lives, bringing out new found happiness and the same jest to life just like before. With this he put his arms around her and the baby as well, promising to protect both of them in every way possible
****
PS: Sudha,Meera and Shishir yeh hi hai woh OS jiska idea I had given you when we had a little chat!!!
My other works
comment:
p_commentcount