It is a story of a two year old Indian girl, who is orphaned and then later adopted by an American couple.

 

India always fascinates me.Her vibrance,culture, and natural beauty,all interwoven in a beautifully  intricate society, has always fascinated me.From all the places I have ever visited,either as part of my passion for travelling or as part of my career,this motherland,of crores of people with diversified caste,religions,languages,sects,races and beliefs,has always welcomed me with a new excitment.

As I said,this place is different,it is really a magic with mystery.Unlike the way people live in the countries of Europe and America,where people may even take appointments to meet their near ones,indians,stick to their family,their roots and their ancestors.I have felt that they value their bondings with the near and dear ones,the most.So when I,Richards Humble,National Managing Director of my company’s Indian Headquarters,came to India,as part of my one year long directorship,fell in love with her,once again.

More than anything,I love the way people dress here,the most.Their most complicated drap-wear,which I later found is called a ‘Sari’,that too worn in different styles denoting different regions,the way they meet each other,their varied cuisines,which I find extremely spicy,every little thing,just fascinates me.I don’t think,that these people would have ever thought about this speciality of themselves.I don’t think that they ever observe themselves in such depths.

Hey,……wait,this is not what I was actually wanting to talk about.But yes,how can I say about it,without mentioning about India,which is her mother land too.’Her’??? who is she?Well,that is what my whole story is about….

To start with,lets do the impossible,hehehe…..nothing sci-fi,lets just go back a year,in  my past.The scene is my office Caffeteria,I am sipping coffee with my subordinates.Its just two months into my stay in India.I am quite settled,although have issues dealing with linguistic differences between me and my immediate helpers,the milkman,the newspaper boy,the vendors, and so on.But,still,I am liking this place a lot.

I had left Lucine,my better half,back in London,my native,so that she could finish her research on some exotic species of Africa.I remember,back then,I just hated the way,she would draw wild and crazy looking plants,animals,and some structures,that she would christen, as tribals of Africa.I amuzed myself in watching them,as a child would,on seeing cartoons.But,whatever she did,she was my sweetheart,my strength,my weakness,and she would do anything,to make me happy,and fill the void ,of a child,that God didn’t gift us.She was depressed about it too but cheered up whenever I was around.She may have thought,that I won’t notice the way she looked at babies,their mothers caresssing them,children playing in the garden,all the excitment of children around us, and so on.But I did see it.I was much disturbed to see her so I tried to bring happiness around her,as much as I could rather than being sad myself.

Although we tried everything we could,like medications,excercises,yoga…etc,in the early years of our marriage,we left it to our destiny,when all attempts failed.Although many  suggested adoption as an option,Lucine,didn’t approve of that at all.She felt that,an adopted child would never ever love her  the way,her own child would do.So,we lived childless……living for each other…keeping our sorrows within us…..

I loved India a lot.Even Lucine did,when she came here for an ayurvedic treatment in Kerala,that was a few year back.But then,we lived in a hotel,travelled with a guide and so I feel now,that we didn’t really experience India at her depths.Delhi,where our Head Quarter is,is very different from Kerala.

It is a metropolitan,with a huge population of people from different walks of life.Everyone is in a hurry here.everyone is rushing.But it has its on beauty,may be that beauty is only visible to me..hehe!!!

That day was a very tiring one.After my coffee time,I had two meetings,back-to-back with our Swiss and French clients respectively.After that,I had a group discussion with my managing team,which went on for two hours at a stretch,before I was done for the day.I didn’t have the strength to cook,so,packed a burger from Mc Donalds,to relish at home.When I reached home,my daily help,was standing on the gates to go home.

He was a kind man,in his late thirties,with a plain look always on his face.I wasn’t very close to him,but as I was in love with India,the same way,I had a liking for him,just like that. He came running to me as soon as I came out of the garage.He said that he had cleaned the house and done all the jobs he was asked to do.I liked to cook myself,so he was not made to cook for me.That day,I was a bit over tired.So,without any much conversation, I send him away,with a five hundred rupee note,just a token of appreciation,for his day’s work.

Next day was a sunday.I used to use the day to explore the city.But that sunday,I wasn’t in a mood to go out or say,was a bit lazy,probably because of the previous day’s tiredness.Anyways,Kishan,my help,arrived at his assigned time.Without any delay,he took to his work.In an hour,he cleaned up the whole house.I was still in bed.He came up to ask,if I wanted anything.I asked if he could get me a cup of hot coffee.He quietly went away and came back with coffee soon.I asked him that why did he always look gloomy and if he had any problems in his life….

He said that nothing was bothering him.And went off to the kitchen.I sat there thinking all the possible reasons that would be making him so sad,like finance,family,or health…..breaking my chain of thoughts,he came in with the hot brewing coffee and was about to leave,when I stopped him,and asked him to sit down with me.He very meekly sat down.I started in with asking about random things like his stay,his family members and so on.I found out that he used to live with his mother and little two  year old daughter,Meera in his rented one room accomodation.It was a mere settlement which would anyday be destroyed with a strong storm.He lost his wife with his daughter’s birth.Meera was his sole motive to live.

As he further got comfortable with me…..I once again asked him about what was bothering him.He started with tears in his eyes.His mother had died a month back.Till then Meera was safely taken care of,by his mother,but now,he had to leave her with their neighbour,who wasn’t so good to be dependable of…..I just sighed…ohh,was it the thing he was sad about?…….I thought that further interrogation would make him more sad..so,I asked him to bring his daughter  along with him..the next day.

Meera  was a darling.Though at first,she was apprehensive of my presence,but as the time passed,she became more and more closer to me.

As time passed,I asked Kishan to bring Meera along everyday,which, I thought,would relieve him of his biggest tension.

Day by day,I came so closer to her,that I even found it hard to leave her, to go to the office. Most days,I would leave from home ,late…and would return as soon as possible.Weekends were spend playing with her.Her innocense,her chirpy and loving nature,would just melt any hard hearted man…….and the time went by….

A few months after that,one day,Kishen suddenly fell ill and had to be hospitalized.By the time,I came to know about the incident,he was in the ICU.I took a leave and went to visit him.Meera had been taken care of by their neighbour.I was more worried about her than for Kishen,don’t know why?,but I was loving and caring her soo unconditionally,so as Kishen would have loved her…may be even more…..well,I think,now I am exaggerating…..hehe..

Anyways,Kishen was not supposed to talk much.When I saw him,he was all laid with tubes and pipes from the supportive machines to his body.His face had a solemn look,the room was silent,if we neglect the sound of the machines…..there was an eerie silence…which added to the seriousness of the situation.

I sat by his side for around half an hour,before he opened his eyes.His joy,on seeing me,could be easily seen in his teary eyes.In his cracky voice,he asked me to come closer to him…As I came closer,he started narrating,something,which I didn’t ask him the other day.He told me,that he had got addicted to alchohol,because of loneliness,after his wife died.A year ago,due to sighting of blood in his vomit,he went to the local health centre,to be diagnosed.There,he came to know about that cause of his sadness,that I was longing to ask him.He had liver cirrhosis. He knewed that he had less time.Death didn’t scare him much but thoughts and anguish for Meera did.He was worried,of what will happen to her if she was left all alone in this world.I assured in the possible ways I could,but he couldn’t be calmed.

Next day onwards,Meera was kept at my place.I apppointed a female domestic help,so that even Meera could be taken care of.This marked a new stage in my life.Gradualy enough,we became inseparable.She missed her father,but my presence was so much appealing to her,that probably she didn’t remember him much.And within these few days of happiness,Kishen passed away.Little Meera wasn’t informed.I didn’t think that she would understand anything.So,gradually she stopped remembering Kishen and moved on.

Soon my directorship was going to end.Lucine had completed her research,so I asked her to join me,as where was I to be transfered,was yet to be decided.So,during the last month of my stay in India,Lucine stayed with me. As now,I was well acquainted with Delhi,for the least,we spend most of our time,visiting different places around.Meera was always accompanying us.Even Lucine got very close to her.Seeing her closeness,I thought,taking Meera along with us would fill the void of a child in our lives.But..when I discussed the same with Lucine,she stood by her prior decision,as she still thought that someone else’s child would never love us as our own would.Then,what to be done for Meera,was a problem,we had to deal with,urgently,as our time to return to London was coming near,day by day.

So,we talked with the authorities of a local orphanage,for keeping her.Within a week,all the documentations were over.We could keep her,only till the day we were leaving.Next few days were spend,buying things for Meera,to take along with her.And finally,that day came,she left,so did we.Back at London,India,seemed to be a dream.Even before I reached,I started missing her.I thought,probably,I was so used to her,that I was finding it difficult,to leave her behind. But days went past,I joined my company at London,for a temporary period,as my new place wasn’t still assigned.Don’t know why,London,my city,my office,Lucine,I did had a interest in life.It seemed quite monotonous.It seemed as if life had no meaning.I was finding myself alone,even when surrounded by own loved ones.Lucine talked about this tome.She said,I had changed a lot since I went to India.Even I think so.But,I couldn’t help myself……I was feeling sick at heart and mind…

It was my birthday.Lucine had an assignment in Africa,so she had left a week before.It was a sunday,a boring one,I still remember.I was sitting on my rock chair,listening to my favourite albums from 80s.I was thinking of all that happened in my past year.Me,going to India,meeting Meera,spending time with her,losing her….all seemed as a prior planned play of someone.

Breaking my chain of thoughts,I heared the doorbell ringing.On opening,there was a bouquet of red roses,my favourites,on the floor,with a messege,”Happy Birthday sweetheart”.Suddenly the phone rang,it was Lucine,I expected that,because she hadn’t wished me yet,unlikely to her nature.But,what she said,was unexpected.After wishing me,she asked,what did I want as a present,to which I said,That I only needed her support,as she always did,till the end.She said that I surely had that as my present,but to say something apart from that,to which I replied again in negation.She asked me to open the door once again.I did that without any second thought as I thought she would have some gift waiting for me outside.I was right,but,her gift,her surprise,was really an unexpected one.When the door was opened,there stood my heart,my bundle of joy………………Meera.

She ran towards me,and hugged me.I felt the feeling of electricity passing all over my body.My heart leaped with joy,as if my whole body and soul would have been waiting for this one moment.In my excitment,I didn’t see Lucine standing in front,until I stopped huggging Meera.It was all her plan.Oh my God,I have got the best soulmate in the world.As she unfolded her voyage,to surprise me,I came to know,that she had actually gone to India,in the context of going to Africa,completed the documentation of adopting Meera,with the help of my collegues back in India,and worked it out.I couldn’t stop the tears in my eyes,on hearing that.I felt complete as a family.Meera completed us.A day,which I thought would be spend like that,was made the most memorable day of my life.

the day…..I found,the love of my life..Meera.

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