The Cherished One

“Parents are not interested in justice, they're interested in peace and quiet.” 
― Bill Cosby

The baby gave a loud bawl as it grew restless in its grandfather’s arms. Nothing could divert the baby’s attention. The grandfather  Mohan, quickly began showing the baby the cars, buildings, dogs and whatever he could to divert its attention. The child whimpered and kept gazing at the car in the parking. There was a black car parked outside a huge building. The streets were empty being early in the morning. On either  side of the car stood the baby’s parents. The mother was ready to go to the office while the father was trying to enter into the driver’s place. The baby laughed and jumped into the arms  of the old man with a ferocious intensity of joining his parents. The mother looked on lovingly while trying to wave. The father admonished her saying he would get late. The car moved away. Old Mohan was tired as he sat on a nearby seat to rest for a while. It meant a whole day managing the baby. The child now started playing with his face and lovingly took his face very near his as if he wished to apologise. The chronic pains of aging and other physical ailments flew away making him happy that he was able to help his children… His mind wandered as he looked on at nothingness. It reminded him of his trip to his childhood friend Alka.

Alka and he were neighbours in their childhood. They grew competing with each other in every field. Yet when they had to choose their professions, Alka was married off. They met often when Alka came to meet her parents. As friends, they often discussed how lucky she was to have a caring husband. Alka’s husband loved her and was willing to do anything to put back a smile on her beautiful face. Mohan got a job in Bangalore  and shifted there. His problem of loneliness and food resulted in an arranged marriage to Kavita. Life went on, it turned busier with the birth of his son and daughter. Before his retirement he could get both his daughter and son married. Alka’s parents sold the house and moved to Chennai to live with her brother.

Alka was bestowed with riches and a loving husband, but she was not blessed with kids. The absence of kids bonded the couple greater as the pain was a common one. A mutual decision prompted them to adopt a baby boy. They wanted one in the family as they felt the caste and creed of an orphan is not known. Since they were well to do, Alka’s brother in law gave them his child. A piece of property was registered then and there in his name.  Nothing deterred Alka’s spirit as she loved being little Akash’s mother. The child grew well in the presence of two sets of parents. Prosperity moved the family from a small house to a bigger one. The love and affluence spoilt Akash who desired for more and more from his parents. The last straw was a shock when Akash walked out, leaving Alka distraught. He wanted all that they had on his name.They had grown old and had no more wealth to shower.

Mohan and his family moved back to the city a couple of years back. He renewed his friendship with near and dear ones in the city, yet he could not meet Alka. Alka made a number of excuses avoiding Mohan. Yesterday when Mohan visited Alka he was speechless to see Alka pale and weak. They said she suffered from typhoid, but his experience told him that she suffered from something more than typhoid, perhaps she had a cancer that ate her internally like her thoughts. She had no hair on her head and her nails were black. There was pain written on her face as she eagerly awaited her end. The little baby slapped softly on his cheek diverting  Mohan’s attention to him. Mohan smiled at the little one wondering how the strength of love transforms into a weak spot when a child grows and matures into an adult.

 “Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them.” ― Oscar Wilde