Sia

                    She was early as usual. Everyday she was the first to reach the place of work.She opened the windows letting the cool breeze kiss her face and make her shiver.It was after the long winter day that sun peeped in ruling over the dark witty clouds.

                                     
                   She worked in a baby care centre and she absolutely loved her work. In about a hour or so, parents would come and leave their children here and rush to their offices.
 It was a bliss to be with children all day long.For all the little things they do, for all the smiles they shower when she plays with them,for all the innocence, sensitivity, delicacy they own..She adored being with them.She slowly took out her old brown diary,which she started writing just to re-read those moments of bliss when she would grow old, become a toothless granny and laugh her lungs out of how crazy she was!. She picked up her pen and started doodling little hearts in red ink in torn corners of the page and this brought memories back. Memories of silliness. Memories of bitter-sweet-pain. Memories of HIM...Adarsh,name that brought butterflies...



July 20th,2007:
                         They were together through out their school days. They planned their future together.They had their careers planned accordingly.Life was beautiful with each other in their lives. She was madly head-over-the-heels in love with him.He was too, atleast she thought so..

                                       

                          One abstract thought, and she tore the page off. Of all the love she had for him, he left her at the end of the day. He could'nt support his decision in front of his Mom and she wanted a high-educated wealthy bride for her precious son.She could'nt blame his mom for her fate. She convinced herself that she did'nt want someone who could'nt stand up for the decisions they take!.

                          She felt cheated.He promised to grow old with her.Listen music and watch bad TV throughout the day's length.Why did he have to break it? Time moved too fast for her to keep up with its pace.They said it'll be painful for a few months and then her life would adapt itself to this subtle change. Why was'nt her pain subsiding? Four long, wistful years had rolled by. Had'nt she suffered enough? These questions itched her fate and she could'nt scratch it. Once again they were no answers. She did'nt know what to feel anymore. It was tiring task. Right and wrong agreed with each other. Her face broke into infrequent tremors of grief, pain and wishful longing.

A tear fell, hot as acid, and scarred the flimsy white.

Nostalgia won.Again.

She wrote.And then ,some more.

      "Good Morning! Ciyah Are you there?" and she was back to this world.There was a man holding his daughter who was half asleep glaring stunnigly at her unusual numb-attitude.Shuting her brown diary and putting it back in its place, she retorted "Uff! Mr.Sekhar,Its S-I-A not Ciyah,short and sweet" ."Oh yeah! such weird name it is! Okay I'm in a hurry.My wife is coming back today and she will pick up Aria at 5 in the evening.Is it fine?" he fumbled handing his daughter to her and left without even waiting for her reply. Her day has started, she hugged Aria in her sleep and tried to cuddle off her morning weariness. Surprisingly enough, she hugged her back.

  Yes! her job filled her emptiness.

      Eventually, the place got filled with children cries,sounds of laughter and voices of nannies...she got herself occupied with talking to parents, enrolling new names into the list...

She sat with files dealing with the enrollment numbers, arranging them in order to make her work easier.

"Excuse me! where can I register my child's name?" she heard a woman's voice.
"Hmm U need to fill in the details here" she said without looking up,handing over a aplication form, disliking the interruption.
The woman took few minutes and handed over the form to her.
She examined and looked up reluctantly pointing "You did'nt fill your husband's designation"
"My husband's not here any more...He died in a accident 6 months ago" she said trying to control her tears with the end of  her saree.
"I'm so sorry!" she hurriedly said cursing herself  hard for asking this. She looked intently at that woman then, she looked tired, weary who was trying her best to fight back her tears.
"Its fine.You did'nt know" that woman smiled with a voice that filled with pain.
There is always something so intriguing about a broken shy smile she thought.
"What's your baby's name?" she asked trying to divert the topic, she sympathised her situation.

"Oh its Sia.S-I-A short and sweet. Actually my husband loves that name" the woman breaked out silently

 The pen fell from her hands!.The world stopped for her.Her heart skipped a beat. Her eyes and mouth opened wider

"UHH!What's your husband's name?" she asked slowly breaking down

                               


NO...She didnt want to know the answer.Never.She stood there voice dead.


Nostalgia won.Again.And she surrendered to it willingly.