“It has been 15 years. Whenever I ask you about dad, you either ignored me or just said he lives out of the country. Why the hack I had never received a call, letter or even a single message from him. Just a gift once in a year that too on my birthday tagging from dad, nothing else. Why? Why? Why? Wait!! If dad is out of the country for work, he must be sending us monthly expenses right?? Then why are you working day and night for our expenditure??” Kiara let out her frustration, “You know what, you’re a liar. A bloody liar.” Kiara accused her mother, not knowing what impact her words had on her mom.
Arnali smiled sadly. It has to come one day and today is the day, she thought.
No one had dinner that night. Nearly 12:00 nights, Arnali went to see Kiara but she was not there. Knowingly, where she would be, Arnali made two cup of coffee and went to the terrace.
It’s Kara’s habit whenever she argues with her mother, she comes there.
Arnali smiled seeing her daughter sitting on a swing, lost in her thoughts, most probably crying.
“Sorry mommy, I should have not talked with you like that. I’m sorry.”, Kiara apologized.
Arnali kept quiet for a moment . “I was in my teens when I and your dad met,” Arnali said suddenly.
“No mom! I don’t want to know anything.”, Kiara cut her in mid.
“You have the right, sweety. You should have known why you’re not with your father. It’s time to tell you the truth.”, Arnali said and continued, “I’m from an orthodox family but they loved me a lot and never said no to me. But I was caged. They gave me what I wanted till it’s good for my reputation. I’m the pampered one for sure but I was bound by rules. After 12th, I got admission in university but no one wants me to go out of the city. Mom and brother were supporting me. After long three days of arguments, they allowed me but with strict warning.”
” What happened afterwards? “, asked Kiara.
” Like everyone, I too felt like a bird who got all sky for herself after being caged for years. There l met Amaya and Radhika. They were my roommates and classmates. Amaya, she’s a girl with morals. She would help you if only if it’s not harmful for her. And Radhika, loved to be called Radz. She is a perfect example of beauty and the brain. She loved herself. She was so jolly and sassy. Both were from rich families and had no tension about the future as they were going to settle in the family business.
With time we become a gang of five ; me, Amaya, Radhika, Abhi, Rohit; their boyfriends. No one was there to stop me, to scold me. And in a year, I was fully changed. I stopped going home. I started wearing western clothes. I made my account on social media. A lot of things changed. Then he came into my life,” Arnali smiled sadly.
“He??” Kiara asked in confusion.
” Your dad.”, Arnali replied
” Oh.. Then what happened?”, Asked Kiara, taking interest in her mom’s love story.
Arnali smiled at her daughter’s curiosity and continued,” I still remember that day, when we met for the first time. He was a friend of Abhi from another stream. He gave flirty vibes. So, I decide to not interact much. But you can’t change your fate. He used to tease me every now and then. But also helps me. Suddenly he started to spend more time with us. Now, one more person is added to the gang. We exchanged our numbers. Sometimes, it feels like he was intentionally giving me attention. But I chose to ignore. With time, we started to chat. I started to enjoy his flirting. His cheesy comments made me blush. Our phones were always busy. I stopped calling home. I started to show my right on him. You know friends are bitches. Radz and Amu never left a chance to tease me. And their teasing made my feelings strong.
“Time passed by and we completed our second year. At the beginning of last year, he proposed to me. I was so happy that I, without thinking about pros and cons, accepted his proposal. You know, our mind stops working when our heart is in charge. Same happened with me. Everything was perfect. We were love birds. I was in so much love, I forgot all the warnings and on our farewell I submitted myself to him. Next morning, I was a mess. I was guilty, not for loving him but I crossed my limits. I cheated my family. I broke their trust. But he made me understand that nothing sort of happened. We’ll keep it a secret. Then before our last exam, I went through sudden nausea. My mind tricked, my body showed the symptoms. It was like a horrible dream. I want to talk to him. But before that I had to be sure. I went to the hospital and had a checkup. It comes true. I cried the whole night. No one was there to console me. Radz and Amu were out with their boyfriends. He had an exam the next day. I don’t want to disturb him. But I want to share it with someone. Who? I didn’t know. I called mom, talked a lot. I wanted to tell her but how shamelessly I could have told her that her daughter is…” , Arnali paused.
” Pregnant! “, Kiara completed her mom’s sentence.
” Yes! I was pregnant. Next day, after the exam, I told him about the pregnancy. He supported me. Told me to concentrate on the exam. I was relieved. After my exam, I searched for him the whole campus. He was nowhere. Radz told me, he went home as his mother was sick. I went back home. Days flew by, he stopped calling me. I messaged him, but he never replied back. Slowly, he blocked me from everywhere. I lost his contact. No one noticed my sad face, my dullness. But one person was observing me. She observed every change in my body, my nature, my mood swings ; my mom. She confronted me. I told her everything but to my bad luck my grandma listened to our talks. And a huge argument happened.
Grandpa and grandma called me with different names. Mom and brother were quiet. They were being accused for sending me to University. Then after a lot of arguments they came into the solution. They told me to abort my child. And marry their choice of person. I was horrified. I can’t think of killing anyone. If that anyone is my own child who was not even born, no. Everyone forced me. But I denied. In anger, dad told me to leave the house if I wanted that child. My child was not a thing to call that. I left the house and came to Delhi. I called my friends but no one helped me out. That day I understood one thing, friendship should be limited from classroom to college campus. I somehow managed to get into a women hostel. After a lot of struggles, taunts, here I’m with my only family and strength.”, Arnali let out a breath after completing her past and smiled seeing her daughter.
Kiara was unusually quiet for a time. Then suddenly asked, “Do you regret giving birth to me?”
“No! Not at all,” Arnali replied, “you are my part, my life. How can I regret it? I hate your dad. I hate the fact that I loved him. I loved a cheater. Maybe he never loved me. But you are part of my love. Maybe I loved a wrong person but I loved truly and I was honest with my love. And you are a symbol of my first love. You are part of me. You are proof of my honesty. You are the reason for my existence. And now, I only love you,” Arnali confessed.
” You never told me his name.”
” Do you want to know??”
“No! I already know the name of my dad.”
“Really?? What is the name??”
“Ms. Arnali deshmukh!! MY mom, my dad, my friend, my sister, my everything is you mom. How can I call him as my dad who ran away with the news of my birth. You are my everything. You single-handedly managed everything. You single-handedly gave birth to me. You single-handedly brought this house. Working, house chores, my stuff and then our financial condition. Mom I have seen you working day and night. I saw you crying at night. I saw how you skipped your sleep just to give me the best. Mom I have you to share my problems but you had no one. I’m sorry mom for being a bad daughter. Today, I promise I will be your best friend. Now, I will proudly say that my mom is a single mother. ” Kiara said.
Author’s Note:~ It’s so hard to be a single parent, either it’s a mother or a father. A single parent, not only plays the role of both father and mother but also plays the role of Being, a friend, sister, brother and a lot more. And we should respect them for that. They single-handedly raise their children and make them a good person.
Writer: Meenakshi
Artist: Kavya
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