She came, she conquered !
When I opened my eyes in the hospital, she was there.. She looked dark, short, friendly and in the latter half of her life (read above 50s). Her hair was neatly bunned up, had a red bindi on her for-head, and wore a printed cotton sari, the worth of which showed that she came from the lower middle class section of the society. One end of the sari was tucked in and she looked ready to take on a task if given. More important than whatever else she wore on herself, she wore a lively smile.
I had just delivered a beautiful angelic baby girl and she was the nanny who would help me to take care of the child for the critical first 40 days of my daughter's life. Though I had spoken to her on the phone earlier, I was seeing her for the first time.
Once the morning visitors at the hospital left and boredom set in, we got talking. She was easy to talk. She trusted people easily and within ten mins into our chat, she told me that she was a manglorean married to a malayali( a keralite ). "Yenkulna love marriage "(Mine is a love marriage- in tulu) she said with a broad smile and a hint of blush :) Sounded nice to hear that!
Over the next forty days she was with us, she told me about her four children - two girls and two boys and her husband. She had known her husband since she was young, fat, round and was 16. But love struck only when she was 21 she said. Acquaintance of 6 years, courtship of one, married to the person you love and respect - you couldn’t have asked more, right? But life hadn’t been exactly kind to her. At the young age of 32.. She is 54 now, her husband to whom she had been married for about 11 years now - and with whom she had four children - got into an accident and lost mobility in both the legs. Doctors had given up and said he wouldn’t be able to walk any more.
Life couldn't have turned worse, right.. ?
Not for her. Challenges come up so that you can experience life. She groomed her children to strengthen themselves- took the help of a few close friends - braced herself up for the challenge. Her faith in God and life intact - she boosted the doctors to not give up hope. Not losing her characteristic humor and good nature - working very hard, putting all her savings of 16 years ( she had been working since she was 16 ) into her husband's treatment, she got her husband's life and mobility ( partially - he is able to walk slowly with some limp ) back from the very clutches of fate. I don’t mind spending my money - I got my husband back - she says with a relieved smile that betrays the tear that moists her eye.
Today her children are all grown up and are all earning members of the family. The family together earns around 25K per month- Hardly sufficient for a decent life. But I couldn’t have had a better example of living!
She tells me - Once in fifteen days if not in a week, we go out a restaurant and have food together and then end the day with a movie. My husband has no other outing - I need to give him at least this entertainment - he used to love eating out earlier - now because of the accident, why should I deny him this pleasure.
My second daughter is dark - but beautiful. I think people find her eyes and hair beautiful. What do I say akka - all the guys who come to see my elder daughter, end up asking my younger daughter's hand in marriage. I have said no to a lot of proposals - but this time, when an hotelier came and asked my daughter in marriage - I couldn’t say no -she told me once.
My daughter was not interested too much (she says with a giggle) - he is crazy about her! - She tells me with a mischievous happy contended smile.
She loves her job and is extremely good at it. All the newborns find a second mother in her. She took care of my angel from the day of her birth to the 40th day - understanding and decoding her every cry. Whether it was hunger, sleep, to be cleaned, or some discomfort - Aunty( as we called her ) would understand her. A slightest sound from the angel would wake her up in the night from the deepest of her slumber.
No wonder as the days of her assignment with our family is getting over; she is finding it difficult to hand over the child's responsibilities that she had been taking care to us.
Yesterday, I asked her - you might be finding it difficult to leave the newborns after your assignment na.
Yes beta.. Yesterday I had tears in my eyes..If I had not taken on the next assignment, I would have stayed back..
I could see she had fallen in love with my angel.. :)
I don’t do outstation assignments these days.. But somehow I ended up taking this assignment. I guess there was some favour left from the previous births, which I had to return, to this kid and you. - She says with a smile and trying hard to gulp down the lump that is beginning to choke her throat.
I agree aunty! My thoughts too!
