Life can’t see you content. I and Naina met in college. Today we are happily married for 10 years. We become friends in first year, and then gradually we accepted each other as Life partners by the end of Second year of our college. We belonged to the different casts, so convincing parents was the toughest job. Before ten years, marrying guy from different cast was not a joke for a middle class Marathi girl. But Naina was truly committed to me. After convincing her parents for couple of years we got married. We were so Happy. I thought we are 100% happy and content. I don’t need anything else now. But as the days turned into months and months turned into years, we wanted to be parent. After 10 years we didnt have any issue. We, especially Naina feels strongly that we should get a chance to raise a child.
One fine evening, Naina came to me, rested her head on my shoulder. Few moments passed in silent. She said, Suresh “I want to be a mother”. I was not surprised to hear this as even I wanted to be a father. Naina, shall we go for medical check-up and find a way out of it. Naina looked to be in deep thought. I said again, “Are you listening me?, These days, medical science has solution for our problem. I’ll take doctor’s appointment today itself”. Listen Suresh, “I love you and you love me, we have accepted each other as we are. So what’s the point in going to doctor and finding if there is something lacking in you or me. Anyways your parents think something lacking in me and tease me. And my parents think it’s wrong with you. So, why make it an issue. Is it necessary that we should have our own child only? Can’t we adopt a child?” Now I constantly looked at her. She talked a sense. But I asked her for some time to think on it. I knew our both families will not agree on it as they wanted us to go doctor and get a medical solution to this problem.
After couple days, I told her that I like her idea of adopting a child. She was overjoyed and said, “Hey! Thank You! I have everything in my mind. We will adopt a girl child.” A girl child! I was ok with it. We both sat together and decided to adopt a girl child who is ugly. Yes! You read it right, We wanted to adopt an ugly child. An ugly child whom no one else would have adopted. Also we wanted child to be grown enough to know that we are not the biological parents of her. Next day only we both conveyed our decision to our respective families. In next couple of days we visited an orphanage. There, we like one girl. A six year old girl, she was black with no attractive features. The one no one will prefer to adopt. We decided to adopt her. Her name in Orphanage was “Gayatri”. We decided to accept her with her name.
Gayatri came to stay with us. Naina and I welcomed her with lots of gifts like clothes, toys, books,etc. Also, I admitted her to a school near to our place. Now, Naina was in dilemma, to retain the job or quite it. I advised her to keep her job for couple of months, see how our repot with Gayatri goes and then we can decide upon it. Gayatri was one of the most well behaved child I have ever seen. She used to pack her bags, Tiffin, water-bag herself. She used to clean her room herself. She looked somewhat introvert, she will hardly come out of her room and connect to us. But this is where it was not possible for Naina to get along with her. She used to call us Mummy and Papa. Naina wanted to be called as “Aai”. As I used to drop and pick up her to school she started to be friendly with me. But even after four months situation couldn’t change for Naina.
After Gayatri’s term ended, We decided to spend some time in Naina’s parents town. It was the tiny, beautiful village situated at the Satpuda hills in central India. We went there for 8 days. Away from city and pollution, it was very peaceful. This is the place where Naina was born and brought up. She has her special memories here. Coinsidently, there was a fair in a village nearby. Such a fair is called as Jatra. We decided to go for it. Naina couldn’t stop to remember the memories of her childhood related to Jatra. When we reached there the scene was awesome. A beautiful temple situated at river side. Thousands of people were bathing. Ladies were busy cooking food in huts. Other entertainment like joy rides were also available. There were lots of Feriwalas selling various toys and food items. As we were wondering through Jatra, a red watermelon stall captured Naina’s attention. She almost rushed to the stall and asked Bhaiya for one piece. Shortly Gayatri ran behind her ordered one for her as well. Naina and Gayatri both were excited to test sweet and red watermelons. Naina Started to tell Gayatri that when she she was of her age she used to eat dozens of watermelon pieces in this Jatra. And order one each for them . Now, Naina and Gayatri couldn’t notice when the watermelon juice stared rolled down from their fingers to arms and from mouth to neck. They were enjoying like both are 6 years old and were constantly teasing each other for the red mouth. After having 5-6 pieces each and when both were enough tired. Naina told “Come Gayatri, we will clean ourself in river”. Naina took her to the river. She cleaned her mouth and hands. But Gayatri was waiting outside. Gayatri said “I am afraid of water”. Naina hold her, took her inside and bowed down to clean Gayatri’s face. In a fraction os seconds, Gayatri kissed Naina with her red mouth and ran shouting “Aai, tuze pan gaal laal zale”. Even Naina was running behind her like a child to catch her. I was really content to see the bonding has stared and hear that Gayatri called Naina as “AAI”.
