Family Short Story – I am not married but I have a daughter
Photo credit: mvictor from morguefile.com
I am Armaan singh. I can say I have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Everything worked out so easily for me. From the time I woke up I have someone to arrange my breakfast, to polish my shoes, to take me to different places in my own car. Usually after completing graduation, people wait for companies to hire them but in my case, a company is waiting for me to takeover. Everything was planned in advance for me. But I didn’t find the utmost satisfaction in all this. I wanted something more.
I decided and packed my bag and went to explore the world. I told my parents about this, they said ok , the best thing is they never say no to me.
I started my journey from Delhi to Kashmir, I stayed there for few months, the dazzling rivers, serene lakes, flowering meadows and mainly the Kashmiris were so affable. Then I went to Kerala, the coconut trees and the greenery captivated me and made me to fall in love with them. The people, their dense hair, their Indian wear and of course their food and the coconut flavor in everything was just flawless.
I spent few months there, joined in an NGO. In the Early morning, I go to the beach and travel through a boat to the NGO, I take classes to children and in the evening I turn some dreary walls into peppy and colorful walls and I pen down my experiences watching the sunset.
I started to taste the essence of my life.
Unable to get over with this greenery , I decided to go to Bangalore, the garden city. I love the clean and green concept of this city and especially the unpredictable weather conditions. I again joined in an NGO, I teach for kids and wander across the city in my bicycle and one thing I can say I was at peace.
The NGO was really good and they educate the poor children without any fees and the fellow teachers were very supporting and welcoming.
I was assigned as the class teacher for class VI. There were 20 students in the class and besides of their poor financial conditions , everyone in the class had that zeal to learn and that vigorous enthusiasm is portrayed clearly on their faces.
But out of the 20,one girl Akansha always fascinated me, she always ranks 1st in the class, solves every question and the best thing is, she is so neatly dressed up that it won’t look like she is from a poor background. She presents herself amazingly that I always say she’s got something in her.
Whatever I teach she picks up so good and she is my favourite student. She looks pretty good in that uniform which NGO provides to every student with neatly binding her curly hairs into a bouncy ponytail. But I never saw her laughing wholeheartedly.
I was feeling my life, the children giggles, their stories, the city, everything was just so perfect.
Then, Akansha didn’t come to class for two days. The third day she shown up but she looked so worn out and her hands were swollen , she was unable to write. I asked her for the reason, she smiled and denied to answer. I took her to the doctor. I know she was hiding something, then I thought it would be some personal issues and I didn’t forced her to say.
Again for a week , she didn’t attend to the classes. I was very worried. I thought of going to her home and find out what’s actually going on. On the way to her home I bought many chocolates for her from a shop beside her home.
But I was dumbfounded by looking at her house, it is a small hut with only one room. I went inside, I saw her mom lying on bed asleep. She seemed very ill. I searched for akansha. Beside her house there was an apartment which is under construction. I walked towards it . I stood completely grief-stricken by seeing her working there. Immediately, I went there and stopped her. She got terrified, she was not expecting me.
“Armaan Sir, You .. Here ?”, she stammered.
I took her to her home and I asked, ” what is happening ?”, in a loud tone.
“Sir , Mom used to work there but now she is not feeling well , so I am working there”, she said.
“There is no need to work, come to school, I will take care of everything and keep this money”, I offered her money and chocolates.
She just took the chocolates and refused bluntly to take my money.
” I am quite shocked by seeing this, I never expected you like this”, I said.
“No matter what ever the situation I am in, I always wanted to present myself the way I like sir. I never wanted to miss the school and I never wanted to display my situations. My dad died before 2 years and my mom worked so hard and she wants me to study and I am not able to see her in this situation sir”, she replied with tears in her eyes.
I was never used to this type of situations and I was depressed by seeing her. The next day also she didn’t come to class. I have this intuition that something is wrong.
I decided to go to her home again. On the way, I bought the chocolates from the same shop.
“Sir, yesterday the girl returned the chocolates and took the money “, the shopkeeper said.
I was baffled. Though I was angry I wanted to know the reason behind it. I went to her home. She was sitting beside her mom crying. By seeing me, she came running and hugged me.
” What happened “, I panicked.
“Ma is really sick, I don’t know what to do, I returned the chocolates you gave me and bought medicines for her, sir I am sorry ,save her, please sir”, she was crying so badly.
I hugged her and said “It’s ok, just relax, everything is going to be alright”.
I called the ambulance and took her mom to the top most hospital in the city. She was crying vigorously , though I had tears in my eyes, I had that hope in me. I have money and I can take her anywhere and I can cure her.
The doctor came and said, “It was in the last stage and it went out of our hands but still we hope for the best”.
I was doubting my ears. I was not able to accept that words.
For the first time in my life, I was experiencing pain, I was feeling helplessness, I heard the word ‘CAN’T’ for the first time. I thought money can do anything but I never knew time and fate are also important. But we had neither.
I stood there petrified. My mom called me. I was sobbing and unable to talk.
“What happened , Is everything alright Armaan?”, she got worried by my sobbing tone.
“Mom ! she is dying ! I am feeling helpless, Mom”, I wept bitterly.
“where are you right now ? Tell me “.
” Bangalore “.
“Send me the location, NOW”, she asked.
I sent her the location and she arrived in 2 hrs.
I saw my mom, I anguishly cried and said “She is dying and I am not able to anything. Mom do something, save her”.
Akansha came and she fell on my mom’s feet and cried “Save my ma, Save her”.
Mom talked to the doctor, called the specialists and experienced doctors. Everyone are trying their best to save her.
Mom never saw this side of me. She got tensed and worried.
“Mom, I thought I can do anything with money but there are things which we can’t buy with money”, I said.
“Armaan, Its ok son, Please control yourself, Sometimes things happen for a reason”, Mom said holding my hands.
I was sobbing, I hugged my mom and said, “Thank you for everything mom , I am so lucky to be your son “.
The doctor came and said “Sorry Mrs. Singh ! We tried. But her condition was so out of our hands, We are sorry”. They brought her mom’s dead body outside the ICU.
Akansha was crying so terribly falling over her mom’s dead body. I tried to control her but she was so heartbroken. Her mom was the only one left for her in this world. They took her mom’s body.
I hugged akansha tightly, turned to my mom and said with teary eyes, “I want akansha, I’ll adopt her ” .
Mom nodded. She felt proud with my decision.
I took akansha to Delhi and gave her all the things which she would never thought of. And turned her life in a way she deserved and in a way she would never imagined.
I travelled many places in search of life, in search of satisfaction but being her father, seeing her radiant eyes, her wholehearted smile, her giggles, watching her growing up in front of my eyes gave me much more satisfaction ever and I felt so complete with her.
Now I am a happy and proud father of Akansha Singh.
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