Every dark night brings with it the thrill and fear, but courage and trust can let one see the bright day that follows… A lie is not just a lie when trust is at stake!!!

“Come Sarah, have your dinner, father will come soon. I am waiting for him; you come and have your dinner at least.” Sarah was sitting at the front gate of the house, looking at the road, she said, “No, I will also wait for father. I have to tell him a lot of things. I got the first prize today for essay. You don’t understand. I will eat with him and by the way I am not that hungry even, so I can wait. You see, my stomach is so full!” and she showed her tummy to her mother in a very credulous manner. They both sat again.

Though Sonali was being impatient and tensed yet hope was what overtaking her fear and insecurity. She had to maintain that image of certainty in front of Sarah so as not to frighten her. It was going to be 9 o’ clock, an hour late from the regular arrival time of Srijit. She had also called his office only to know that he left in his usual time. Srijit also doesn’t have any habit of staying midway for anything as his work or any bad habit or any shopping. It has been more than 10years to their marriage and Sarah is their daughter, but never did Sonali experience this before. But today, things were as if out of place. Sonali was not being able to connect the dots. Keeping the uncertainty within herself she was trying to make Sarah sleep as she is only 7years old, but Sarah was insisting on to have dinner with her father as it was her glorious day of celebration.

Time passed. And it was now 10pm. Now Sonali couldn’t resist her desire to go for an investigation! She didn’t know where to go and how!! She saw today in the television that a train got derailed near her place but Srijit didn’t come by train! Suddenly she cursed herself for what she was thinking but then again thoughts of the same kind came to her mind, again and again!!

She decided to go, go at any cost without thinking of the inconvenience but then what will she do with Sarah!

She asked her again to have her dinner and sleep, that is when Sarah agreed to eat and sleep as she was extremely sleepy. But she needed a promise that mother will wake her up when Srijit arrives, to which Sonali agreed happily. She fed her and then took her in her cradle to make her sleep, but her eyes were moist and repeatedly she was looking out of the door to find a trace of Srijit, which will make her rather certain. Beyond the happiness of Sarah’s success she also had good news to share, for which she was being too impatient the whole day for Srijit’s arrival. Silently her hands went to feel the little life bud blooming inside her! Tears rolled down her cheeks, she was as if feeling something!

She then found Sarah sleeping and locked the house from outside, with complete determination in her mind; she stepped outside at 11pm in the night and started to walk in the direction of the office of Srijit. She then found Kabool Bhaiya, the auto driver who stays near their home and once got help from them during his need. He called out from the auto to know what happened to her, and she explained. Then kabool said her to get into his auto as he also wanted to help his neighbour. They both went ahead, tearing the silence of night. Sonali was on the verge of breaking into tears and was feeling extremely tensed, when she felt sweat drops rolling down from her forehead in the chilly night of November.

They went slowly to find any trace or signal to look for Srijit! Sonali was about to cry when she found the bike of Srijit lying on the road near the railway track.

She shouted at the top her voice to stop when she broke into streams of tears; both of them went down from the auto to find Srijit. At a distance he was lying with blood trickling down from his body, his head was hit, while Sonali ran to find him, Kabool followed her. They found him senseless, frightened Sonali along with Kabool took Srijit to the auto to take him to the nearby hospital. They went to the hospital near their home only to find that it was too late at night. Sonali was standing there clueless when she remembers Mr. Gupta, who was a very good friend Srijit. She immediately called him to ask a favour of doing something for Srijit. Mr. Gupta knowing about the condition his dear friend went directly to the Lifeline Hospital and talked to doctors over there. Srijit got admitted and bottles of saline water were charged into his body to make him move! When Sonali looked at her watch, she found it was 4am in the morning. Then she suddenly remembered that Sarah was alone at home. She was feeling extreme helpless, when Mr. Gupta assured her about the condition of Srijit improving quite well and he can stay there until she returns keeping Sarah in safe hands. Sonali decided to go back to home in the morning, so that she can make Sarah get ready and leave her at her friend’s place for some days. By the time dawn was getting its colours of mixed orange and red, Sonali was feeling safe about her red bindi staying intact for a long time now! Srijit came back to his senses by morning and talked to her for a moment, which made her day; though she burst into tears thinking about the night that just passed she was now feeling good about the day that just broke.

With feelings of pain and pleasure, she rushed home to find that Sarah was sleeping quite peacefully. She then woke her up and made her get fresh in their regular style handling her sleepy mood well. Then Sarah suddenly realized that she didn’t see her father and it made her ask a lot of questions.

To address the questions of the tiny tot Sonali at first thought of telling a lie to manipulate the little one’s feelings, but then didn’t want to lose the trust of her little daughter.

She simply asked her to have her breakfast following which she will explain everything to her. Sarah sat uncertain about what was happening and then had her breakfast without the regular drama and looked into her mother’s eyes. She then said her everything as how Srijit faced an accident and now is in hospital, only leaving the part that she had to leave her alone at home the previous night so as to make her feel safe; and then she explained her that now she has to stay at her friend’s place for some days, which Sonali has already talked to the aunt. That made Sarah unhappy but she didn’t want to bargain looking at the expressions of feeling in the face of Sonali. She just requested her mother to take her once to father, so that she can see him. To which Sonali agreed, giving a kiss on her daughter’s forehead she said, “We will go together on Tuesday, and father is very happy hearing about your prize in the essay competition and he said that when he will be completely alright we will go together to the water park to play and celebrate and he will buy you a new watch.”

This made the dawn even more beautiful, both the ladies hugging each other, gave another strong emotional rope to bind their relationship!

Image Source: hanofharmony.com