Short Story Family – I Saw My Reflection in Her Eyes
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
‘The life after marriage is never too easy’, is what my friends told me, a day before my wedding. But, I never really gave too much thought of it, as my mind was pre occupied with the excitement of my new job, at The Times Of India. I was selected as a counsellor for kids at different schools. My work was to go to each of my assigned school and stuff the young brains with new ideas and improve their thinking. It was such a dream job for me that I even forgot, I was getting married to my love.
After marriage,the next few days went by fast. One night,as I sat busily working on my laptop, I felt a cool hand on my shoulder. It was my wife.’You are working way too much nowadays’,she said politely.
‘I have to make up for the time I have lost during the marriage, my boss has high expectations of me’, I said,still working.
‘I can understand, but, I feel we must spend some time together, I get too bored, alone all day’,she said sadly.
I looked up and felt bad and guilty, seeing her troubled face.
‘I have an idea, which will solve your problem of loneliness permanently’,I said smiling.
She looked at me puzzled.’Let us have a baby’, I said smiling wider. She could not believe her eyes. She flung towards me and held me tightly, slightly crying, slightly nodding.I felt great.
The year went by hastily and we had our dream come true. As I held her in my hands, I saw my reflection in her eyes. She was my girl. She was my daughter. I could feel my love gushing out for her.At the same time, I guiltily looked up at my wife who seemed more happier than me. I felt guilty as I had not been able to spend time with her when she needed me the most. I had sent her to her mother’s house for more than four months, as I was busy, out of town on work. But,she had forgotten all of it and was looking at me and our daughter, lovingly.
Some years flew by. One sunny afternoon, I had an interactive session in one of the schools.
‘I want each of you to tell me about your experiences and your views of a traffic jam’, I asked loudly to whole class.
I made each student stand up and answer. I got similar replies from each of the student, of the traffic jam being polluting and irritating. At the next turn, a small girl stood up. She looked very similar to my daughter, who was of the same age. She timidly spoke up ‘Traffic jam is the best time of my day’,she said.
I was stunned at this reply. I had never expected this. ‘How is that so?’,I asked her, impatiently.
‘It is the only time of the day, when I get to talk to my dad’,she said.
I was dumbstruck as I saw my reflection in her eyes.
That was the day I realized what my family was going through. I had spent way too much time on work and neglected the most important part of my life. I had neglected the two most important people in my life. I came back home driving as fast as I could. As my wife opened the door, my cute daughter ran to me. No money could bring the happiness I saw in her eyes. A tear rolled down my eye as I took her up in my arm and kissed my wife.
__END__
