Shattered Hope…

Shattered Hope… – Social Short Story
Photo Credit: www.cepolina.com

I had 2 days left for the presentation and was busy adding the final sales figures to the slides when  Mom  called me downstairs to meet someone .

“Coming Mom, just 5 minutes” I replied her, putting the laptop off to leave.

Walking down the stairs, as I made my last steps to the living room, I see her sitting with my mom. As a kid, I always questioned my Mom

“Why do you let her come in the living room, she is all dirty”, Mom would simply smile and ignore.

Excited to see me , she gets up from the chair “How are you? Didi ji(as she addresses my mom) told you are home for vacation so I came rushing to  meet you”

“I am all good. How are you Lakshmi” irrespective of her age, I always  call her by name .

”Who is this boy?” I asked pointing at a child accompanying her. He was around 7 years old and was busy eating wafers probably my mom had given him.

“This is my son – Puru.  Say Namaste to didi” she asked the little boy. The boy did as asked and again got involved with his packet of wafers.

I was surprised at her answer. Lakshmi’s Son? But her husband deserted her long ago and was living with another woman. She lived all alone and for her livelihood, sold vegetables at a nearby market and that’s how was known to my mother. My mom had special sympathies for her.  But I disliked Lakshmi for my own reasons. She was a dark complexioned woman in her late twenties with posits on her left eye. She was illiterate and would often stammer while speaking. She carried a peculiar smell . Her body odour was noticeable from distance. I hated that smell. She often came to our home to deliver vegetables. My mother always welcomed her with a cup of tea.

“She looks ugly, anybody would leave her”

I had mentioned once. Mom got really upset on my comment

“Appearance  doesn’t always matter in relationships. You are too young to understand this.” She replied.

I always wondered why my mom favoured her so much.

One particular incidence is strongly etched in my memories . Lakshmi was talking to my mom and was very worried. Her husband had asked her to leave the house she was staying at as it was her husband’s property. She had no where to go and her parents refused any help.

“Why don’t you ask him for divorce  . He has cheated upon you and betrayed you. Without a legal separation, he is living with another woman. If you ask for divorce, you can claim that house and more from him” I interfered.

My mom looked puzzled at my reaction . Lakshmi said nothing but a tear rolled down her eye. She was staring at an old silver ring on her finger. The silver was tarnished at my places yet she was admiring the ring as her most priced procession.

Gathering  a little strength , she looked into my eyes and said  “My husband gave me this ring  on our marriage. . Every time I see it, I feel I am still married. It gives me hope that he might come back some day. A divorce will be an end to my hope.”

That was the first time I felt the pain and sorrow in her words.  My perception about her changed since then . I no more looked at her with hatred .

“Lakshmi  adopted this boy a year back . He is her son now“ Mom’s words brought me back out of my memories. “He is studying in class two and is a very sharp child”.

“Life has to move . My husband has his own family and I know he will never come back. The boy was an orphan and had no one to look after. We both are support system to each other” Lakshmi added.

There was a  confidence in her tone today. Her words radiated happiness and she seemed all contented.

“How is your husband. Has he come with you?” Lakshmi asked me .

Before I understood what to answer, mom replied “He is out of town for a few months due to  some official work. She was along in Delhi and had a few days off on job ”

I stood up and came back to my room. To avoid the uneasiness, I open my laptop to complete the pending presentation job but I could not concentrate . I was still stuck in the living room , stuck at Laskhmi’s question. I wanted to scream at the top of my voice to tell her and tell everyone that Gaurav and me are not together any more. I wanted to tell everyone that after 2 years of being happily married , my husband left me for another woman.

We have been separated for an year now but I am not able to accept the fact. It was the day of our second anniversary when Gaurav disclosed his secrete affair .  The day we should have spent in celebrations was spend mourning on our lost love. I was shocked, shattered and broken after he left me but he never came back. It took me months to recollect myself and start with the life again. Me and Gaurav had a love marriage. Life with him was fun and romance. One day, he proposed to me with a  diamond ring and said that it’s the symbol of our eternal and everlasting love. With all my heart I accepted him as my soul-mate.

Wishing to find that lost love again , I look at my engagement ring but all I could see was an old silver ring, all tarnished. …….

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