Ray of hope

“Happy Birthday, Sudha! “ A modulated and appealing voice came from behind, awakening me from my daydreams.

I looked back, it was him, my friend, Navin; holding something behind his back, greeting me affectionately.

“Thank you, Navin.” I returned the gesture elegantly.

It’s my first birthday in this old age home. I’ve spent a few months here and, fortunately, I’ve some good friends here, Navin is one of them. Making good friends in old age home is so easy, as we all witness each other’s loneliness, consoling each other silently ‘you are not the only one who has been isolated’.

“You look so lost, Sudha! It’s your birthday. Cheer up!” Navin tried distracting my thoughts.

And I came back to the real world, pushing away my gloominess and faking a smile on my face; that is what a real world is all about, right!

“What are you hiding Mr.Navin?” I asked out of curiosity.

And unveiling the surprise he put a gift in my hand and a bouquet of flowers.

My face lit up leaving behind the gloominess. No matter what age you are, realizing that people who you live with, care for you makes you feel blissful.

I opened the gift and what I saw was a watch, and it surprised me even more! As just before a few days I had broken my watch, and I really can’t go without a watch; not only because I value time but also as I am fond of it. And receiving the exact thing I needed made me feel more grateful.

As I was about to ask Navin how he had known about my need for a watch, I noticed my phone buzzing. It displayed the name ‘Nikhil’, my son. That is when I realized how important a cell phone is in my life.

Yes! The much awaited phone call. I’ve been waiting for him to call me, I was eager to hear from him. Because whenever I call him he remains so busy and can’t talk to me for longer than a minute. He is a senior manager in an international company after all. He left me in this old age home only because he didn’t want me to suffer while shifting of home. He has promised me that he will take me along with him soon.

I knew he would call me. He loves his mom after all.

Navin witnessed my overwhelmed expressions as I talked to my son. As I ended the call, I informed Navin with sheer pride in my voice, that my son is coming up to celebrate his mom’s birthday.

Navin faked a smile, I could sense it, I felt like he scorned at my excitement. But I ignored it, sometimes ignorance helps. I was just preparing myself for the happy hours to come.

Deep down inside I had a hope that my son would take me home along with him today as a gift for my birthday saying, ‘mom, I miss you a lot, let’s go home. I can’t live without you’; and all my gloominess disappeared and I smiled to myself. My excitement was growing every minute, so much so I couldn’t focus on anything else.

I greeted Navin a goodbye as I headed towards my room thanking him again for the beautiful gift. But then something crossed my mind and very rhythmically I turned towards the kitchen area, my son was going to turn up for the day and I wanted to make his favorite chocolate cake.

As I gathered necessary ingredients for making a scrumptious cake, unknowingly I went down the memory lane. A flashback of my life!

An accident took away my husband when Nikhil was just seven months old. That time I had thought that my life was over. But then I saw my beautiful infant, blissfully sleeping, cuddled in my lap. He was my ray of hope, even in the darkest hours. And I decided to fight against all the odds to make my son’s fortune. With unstable employment, I somehow managed to raise my child giving him every possible comfort. I had gone through many bad times while living the life of a widow without anyone’s support. But I had overcome all those hurdles, had led a model life.

And the ‘beep – beep ‘noise of microwave brought me back to the present. The cake was baked. And after working for a while on it, the cake was ready. Nikhil’s favorite cake. Nikhil, my son! Oh! He is coming up to meet me; my only ray of hope. My happiness knew no bounds.

I was standing in the balcony of my room facing the main gate of the old age home, eagerly waiting for my son’s arrival. It was 4 o’clock in the evening, I checked the time in my new watch, wrapped around my wrist.

And he came; I couldn’t take my eyes off him. My little Nikhil, my lovely son. He was looking adorable in the black blazer he wore. As he headed towards my room I held myself together and tried not to let emotions take a toll on my face. And I started counting reverse under my breath, “ten, nine, eight, seven…”
“Mom” finally I heard the magical word from him.

He came in, came close to me. My son! He was just a few inches away from me.’Happy birthday my dear mom’, he wished as he came close and I hugged him tight; and then tighter. And irresistibly, I burst into tears. Tears streamed down my face like the flow of the river. He held my hand, and I was trying to feel his warmth around me. And he helped me to move towards my bed. As I leaned on my bed he settled himself in the chair next to my bed.

Oh! My ray of hope was in front of me pouring water into a glass for his mother. And my new watch suddenly drew my attention for a second, the gift I received in the morning. I wondered how time can change from a gloomy morning to a heavenly evening.

I was expecting him to say what I had already portrayed in my mind, I wanted to hear from him a few words of affection; his longing for his mother.

“Mom,” he said handing me a glass of water. “I’ve got a promotion at work, and I am transferred to another branch of our company, at London,” He said.

“Oh! Son, that’s the great news, what else could make me happier. Congratulations.” I felt as grateful as any mother would feel for having such a talented son.

And a voice came inside of me ‘he has come to give you a surprise; he wants to take you along with him to London’.

“It’s my flight today mom at 8 o’clock,” he said distracting my thoughts. “I’m planning to shift there permanently with my family”.

He just mentioned ‘my’ family, that means he has definitely come here to take me along with him far from this lonely old age home. And I smiled at myself. My face lit up.

“I need to go mom, I just came to say goodbye. It’s already 5 o’clock”

He was leaving! Without me!!

“But, Nikhil I…” I animatedly gestured at him in awe.

“Yes, mom! I’ve told Navin uncle to look after you, and I’ve given a huge donation to this old age home, and have got an assurance that they will provide you with best of the facilities. So you dont’t worry at all” He said with a flat face “Now, I’ll take your leave mom, I am getting late”

I swallowed a lump in my throat, and hardly found my voice to offer him the cake I made for him, “I’ve made your favorite chocolate cake Nikhil, please sit for a while, and have it. I’ve been waiting for you since morning beta.” what was this unconditional love that a mother has towards her children no matter how they behave, or how they abandon their parents.

He had a bite of it in a hurry “Goodbye, mom! Take care” he touched my feet and made his way to the door.

There was still a ray of hope deep in my heart that he will turn back and tell me that he was just kidding, and will start packing my suitcase. “Turn back Nikhil, your mom would not be able to live without you son! I’ll do anything to make things up to you and your wife. Just take me along with you” my soul was screaming.

‘Don’t worry Sudha, he will turn back, he will, yes! He will… ‘I tried to console myself. ‘Turn back son, turn back…’ My soul was screaming.

I observed him carefully as he walked to the door. I took a deep breath and started counting in reverse under my breath. “Ten, nine, eight, seven…”

–END–