The air conditioned bus ran smoothly on the expressway, on its way from Pune to Mumbai. It was Sunday evening and the bus was full. Weekly commuters, living in one city and working in another, made this trip regularly, refreshed after a leisurely weekend, recharged and ready to face the hectic week ahead.
In the front seat was a young couple. They looked as if they were professionals in the field of Information Technology. The wife held a sleeping infant in her arms.
“Is she still sleeping?” asked her husband. “That’s why she’s in my arms. She never comes to me at all” the wife answered sarcastically.
There was a look of frustration in her eyes as if she had reached the end of her patience. Both of them looked down at the beautiful baby, blissfully asleep with a serene expression on her face. The eyes twitched and the mouth curved upwards as if in a slight smile. Then a little hand moved up and the baby tucked it under her cheek. The expression changed and the face looked woeful as if the baby was seeing a sad dream.
“I wonder what is going on in the little mind of hers” mused the husband “I wish she could speak and share her thoughts”.
The little baby was lost in a dream world. Scenes flew in front of her eyes, scenes which made perfect sense to her, which she understood instinctively. She did not need any learning, her baby mind understood perfectly. She saw herself as a six year old sitting in a flower bedecked hall. Her beloved father was sitting next to a lady dressed in a red and shimmering saree, laden with jewellery. Her face was hidden by a veil. A priest was chanting a holy prayer and making offerings to a sacred fire.
Snatches of conversations could be heard. “So sad to lose her mother at such an early age.” “It’s lucky her father found Radha. She will be a good mother to her.”
“Yes, it’s a second chance in life.”
The scene faded away and the baby saw herself as a ten year old sitting next to a little boy. She saw Radha giving a biscuit to the child, but none to her.
“Can I have one please?” She asked hesitatingly.
“Have you done the work I asked you to do?” Radha screamed at her with fury with written on her face. Tears came into her eyes. She had never felt so alone, unloved and unwanted. If only Papa was home, he would give her as many biscuits as she wanted.
The baby moved uncomfortably in her mother’s arms. “I think she is going to wake up” murmured her father.
“Be prepared, only you can handle her,” his wife whispered.
“I wonder why…”
The baby, lost in her dream world, saw her father looking extremely upset and bewildered. “I can’t believe that Sumi has stolen money. Why should she? She knows she only has to ask me” he said in anguish.Radha dominated the scene, “I have told you so many times that Sumi has developed bad habits and you would never believe me. See, the hundred rupee note was in her pocket. The proof is in front of your eyes. ” Sumi was sobbing brokenheartedly. “I don’t know how the money came in my pocket. Papa, please believe me, I haven’t done anything wrong.” She looked up and saw her little step brother smirking. He enjoyed seeing her in trouble. She looked pleadingly at Radha, but she could see only hatred in her eyes, eyes that looked as if they would devour her…
The baby woke up with a start. In the unfocused way babies have, she looked around. As she looked upwards she saw her mother’s face with the same eyes, Radha’s eyes, looking down at her with hatred. She started sobbing, “Leave me alone, I haven’t done anything wrong” she cried out in pain. Her sobs made no sense to her parents. The baby’s cries increased in volume until she became almost hysterical.
“Take her!” her mother said exasperatedly. “Only then will she quiten.”
The baby almost leapt into her father’s arms. When she saw the eyes of her beloved father, she felt reassured and her cries became muffled. The father gave a weary sigh and lovingly cradled his daughter in his arms. He spoke in a soft soothing voice telling her how much he loved her, until she was comforted. As if the sun moved out from behind a dark cloud, her face lit up and she smiled a beautiful baby smile and cooed to her dad. Passengers could only stare at the perfect picture they made, father and daughter in joyful communication with each other.
