Born Alone

Neera rang the bell of her neighbour but there was no response for a long time. She tried calling Sulu on her mobile but though she could hear the phone ring on the other end, nobody picked it up. Feeling something was amiss, she went to her room and brought the duplicate key to the flat and opened the door. What she saw was quite disturbing. Sulu was in labour and had almost passed out. She immediately swung into action – called for the ambulance, the security guard and the Secretary of the building's association and when the ambulance came went along with Sulu not before packing up a few clothes and things which she thought would come in handy when the baby was born.

Sulu and her husband had shifted to the neighbouring flat only a few months back. Sukesh, her husband had lost his job thanks to the pandemic and had to surrender the flat they were living in till then. Fortunately his friend who was a non-resident offered this flat to them and they had moved in. Neera immediately took a liking to the soft spoken couple and would constantly be in touch with them particularly because Sulu had almost reached full term of her pregnancy. The couple were both eager and anxious about their first child and were happy to have found a mother in Neera. Both of them were orphaned and had grown up in an ashram together and when they grew up and were on their own, realised that they were made for each other.

Soon the ambulance drove through the hospital gates and nurses and ward boys readily wheeled Sulu in. Despite her wobbly knees, Neera tried to keep pace with them. Sulu had gone into labour a fortnight earlier than the scheduled date which was a cause for concern. Sukesh who had just gone to fetch the groceries rushed to the hospital. He was immediately prescribed to undertake the RT PCR test as he would have to stay back with Sulu in the hospital. Once Sukesh arrived, Neera was quite relieved.

He gave the sample for testing and sat with Neera as Sulu had already gone into the Labour Ward. Neera spoke reassuringly which reduced his stress a great deal. After they had moved in, this was the first opportunity for them to talk to each other.

Neera told him that she had lost her husband within a year of their marriage. After that she had joined a local school as a teacher and retired as the Principal. She had no siblings and lived all alone. Sukesh recounted their days in the ashram and said he was blessed to have found a life partner in Sulu. Once the baby was born, he would collaborate on a start-up which catered to the needs of a pandemic society and was hopeful that they would do well in business.

Even as they were chatting and at the same time praying, they saw the nurses rush in and out of the Labour Room. The senior doctor arrived and after a few minutes came out to say that Sulu was critical and that they needed to perform a Caesarean section to save the baby and attempt to save the mother. Sukesh was dazed and signed the necessary papers mechanically. Within an hour, the nurse came out to say that a baby girl was born but that Sulu was still struggling. The doctor came out briefly to say that there was very little chance of saving Sulu as she had developed pulmonary embolism. Within minutes she came out once again to say that all was over.

Neera and Sukesh were shattered to hear the news. Sukesh could not hold back his tears and wept like a child. The nurse had bathed the baby by then and brought her in a tray for them to see. A very beautiful child, blissfully unaware that she was born all alone. Sukesh did not even glance at the cherubic baby, but rushed inside to have a last glimpse of his dear Sulu.

In the meanwhile, Sukesh’s name was called out and a nurse attired in her PPE brought a wheel chair to take Sukesh away as he had tested positive for COVID!

Neera had to take the important decisions now. During the course of their chatting, Sukesh had shared the contact numbers of the ashram and its head. Neera rang them up and gave the news. Apparently both Sulu and Sukesh were quite popular there and very soon the Ashram Head himself arrived. As Sukesh had been taken into isolation and treatment, he was not allowed to perform the last rites of Sulu. The ashram Manager arrived with his staff and took care of all the rituals. The nurse handed over the baby to Neera as there was no one else to receive the baby!

Neera’s mind was in a whirl, but very soon she composed herself.  The baby was a Godsend for her - a lovely companion.The ashram Head was still around and she asked him whether thay would take her as an honorary teacher. She could then shift to the ashram and also look after the baby too. Her request was gladly acceded to and after the formalities were completed in the hospital, Neera went to the ashram with the baby. A few days later she came to her apartment cleared up her things and moved in to the Ashram. Sukesh recovered from COVID but was too depressed to live alone. Neera tried to convince him to join her and baby Jiya in the ashram but he wished to be alone for a while.

Neera found a new purpose in life and though this opportunity had come her way late in life when she was past sixty, little Jiya inspired and motivated her to forget her health issues and learn to enjoy life. All of us are born alone, but in the life's journey, weave a network of relations which gives us a purpose to live and an opportunity to radiate happiness and help keep us going and make life worth living.