The Christmas Surprise – Short Story of Grandmother’s Love
The Christmas Surprise – Short Story Family
Photo credit: caz1958 from morguefile.com
Little Sandhya was a 5 year old girl with chubby cheeks a dimple chin rosy lips and tooth within, her eyes weren’t blue but black but lovely too and the most important thing she was her teacher’s pet. Sandhya was waiting for her mother outside the school gate. It was her last day at school as her school was closing for the winter break. She enjoyed a Christmas party at school and she loved it. Christmas was one of her favourite festivals after Diwali and Janmastami. Her mother was late today and Sandhya was eagerly looking forward to meet her granny who was arriving today from Guntur her native.
A BMW car made its way through the dusty roads and stood before her. Sandhya’s mother a mid aged house wife opened the door with a warm smile and went to cuddle Sandhya and the little girl readily accepted it. They both got into the car and the car made its way to their dwelling.
On the way Sandhya was telling her mother about the wonderful Christmas party she enjoyed at school and her mother was hearing her childish talk with apt attention.
“ Amma ! can we also keep a Christmas tree at home? You know if we keep a tree Santa Clause will come and give me presents I want please amma ! Please!”
With a sweet smile her mother replied “Look Sandhya! I will get you whatever you want, you don’t need Santa for that”.
“But all of my friends are keeping a tree and cookies for Santa”.
Just as every child of her age Sandhya was fascinated by Santa Clause and she was eager for a new bicycle and a new barbie doll. She was born into an orthodox Indian family and her grandmother was really a conservative women keeping this in view her mother decided to end her daughter’s fascination.
“Sandhya sweet heart! Listen to me just tell me what you want? I will get you everything you want… Just don’t put up a sorrow face my darling” said her mother trying to convince her angle.
Money was never a constrain for them. Her father was a business man dealing with textiles and it boomed as Sandhya was born and every one considered her to be at the helm and eventually she became the sweet heart of everybody at home.
“ Amma please! I want to keep a Christmas tree” pleaded Sandhya and eventually she started crying.
Her mother was sad too and tried hard to console her child she was ready to buy whatever her child wanted but she could not go against her mother-in-law’s wish. As the car was passing through the market almost every shop displayed artificial Christmas trees and decorations and little Sandhya was getting enamoured seeing all those glittering decorations.
As, the car entered the gilded gate Sandhya saw her granny at the entrance and soon forgot everything about Christmas and her wish for a Christmas tree.
“Nanamma!” (daadi) and went straight into her arm the old women as described earlier was a conservative women who only wore white as she was mourning her husband’s death which about 15 years. She was tall and had a whitish complexion wearing a tulsi mala ( beads of the Holy Basil ) only as her ornament around her neck. The little girl loved her granny very much and loved the stories of Lord Krishna and Lord Rama she told Sandhya while putting her to sleep.
“My little angle!” cried out her granny she was seeing her after a month and her expression was as if they have just met each other after ages. The old women took her grand child into her arm and cuddled her.
“Nanamma I can’t breathe” chuckled her grandchild. The old women took her hands and examined her grandchild holding her as if she was sending her to the army selections.
“Atayya garu (respected mother-in-law) let’s go inside it’s getting really cold” said Sandhya’s mother.
“Yes, let’s go inside my angle!” said Sandhya’s granny holding her grand child’s hand and taking her inside the big house.
“ Nanamma! What did you bring this time for me?” questioned her angle in her grandmother’s room.
Her grandmother smiled and opened her suite case and showed her a frock white in colour with wings like that of a fairy. Suddenly Sandhya put up a cheerless face she remembered the Christmas play enacted by her seniors’ today at school where some of them dressed as angles.
Seeing her angle sick at heart her grandmother was confused “was it because of her?” She thought.
Sandhya went out from her grandmother’s room with tears. Her grandmother could not see her angle weeping and she went straight from her room to the kitchen where she knew her daughter-in-law was cooking food.
“Why is Sandhya crying?” questioned the old women in a loud voice enough to shake the whole house.
The old women was used to authorize the whole house and nobody objected it.
“ Attayya garu! She wants a Christmas tree in the house and she also wants Santa Clause in the house. I have tried my best to comfort her but she does not even listen to me. What can I do?” Maybe, for the first time her mother-in-law gave her an understanding nod and went away looking for Sandhya.
As she approached Sandhya’s room she saw Sandhya sleeping and her pillow wet. Even at 70 her eye sight was that of an eagle. She felt bad and with heavy steps she made her way to her room. The old women could stand anything except her granddaughter crying. She sat on her bed ignoring her daughter-in-law’s call reporting that the dinner was ready. The old women did not know what to do and started flipping through the newspaper on the table and an ad caught her attention it was about a shop selling Christmas decorations.
Around, 6am Sandhya woke up and went down stairs for breakfast and was surprised to see a huge Christmas tree in the centre of her house it was being decorated by her parents and her grandmother with the help of a few servants.
“Sandhya won’t you come and help us set this tree up?” questioned her grandmother smiling.
“YES!”
Sandhya smiling came dashing towards her granny she loved the most and decorated the tree to the fullest.
“Happy Christmas my angle” wished her grandmother hugging her sweet granddaughter.
“Nanamma, it’s not Happy Christmas it’s Merry Christmas! I love you! You are the best” Chuckled Sandhya hugging her back.
“ What merry? I can’t understand you English medium students” her grandmother replied her face shining like that of a 100 volts bulb. She did not care for anything else except her granddaughter’s happiness and she would do anything for that.
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