One In A Million ‘Smile’

The car, running on the road in high speed. I could only hear the humming noise of air, coming through the window, slight open.

I was sitting at the back seat of car, struggled to eat my hamburger.

My dad driving the car, and mom sitting at front next to driver's seat.

Mom said to Dad," I pray to Jesus, Principal of school, should accept the application for the admission of our son. I don't want my child to learn in special school."

"Don't worry Rachel, I have already talked to the Father of missionary. We just have to do the formalities today", said Dad.

We entered the Holy Mount Missionary

School. I was excited to see the big campus of the school.

"Come Ivaan, lets go, That would we your new school", said mom.

"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Mathews, I was waiting waiting for you", said Principal.

"Thank you Miss", said Mr. Mathews.

"How are you my child, How are you doing?" asked Principal.

I never answered, and just looking straight to the photo of Jesus at the wall. Not able to utter a word.

"Miss, Our son is very intelligent, we just want to see him happy. I am sure, he will be able to fit in with other childerens in school", said Rachel.

"Sure he will be Mrs. Mathews. You don't worry. Ivaan will be fine here. We will take all the care", replied Principal.

"Thank you Miss", said Mr. And Mrs. Mathews.

We are driving back home. I see my mom's face smiling, and she looked at me couple of time throughout the ride to show her joy.

She knew I smiled back but, it could not show in my facial expressions as I have a Moebius syndrome, which means that I have a paralyzed face. I can't smile, close my eyes completely, blink or frown. Sometimes I felt, the tuff part about Moebius is that it is so rare and hard for others people to understand it except my parents.

One week later, Mom and Dad drop me off at school. My mom concerned and telling about me to the carer about all my needs and things she was supposed to do.

Today, was my first day in the school. It could be my third time as first day in any school, as I remembered. I entered in the the class. Miss introduced me to other childeren of the class. They glanced at me like a puppet with poker-faced. I thought it as weird and felt embarrassed, but I was learning how to handle it.

I entered the classroom and after couple of rows, I found a bench to sit. On same bench on my side already sat a girl. She looked like a Barbie doll having golden hair tied with two side ponny tale and fair face with blue eyes.

I saw her and sat on the bench. She looked at me, with her wide open eyes. I glanced at other childeren, and they were still looking at me in strange manner.

After class, I was sitting near the play area, all my class fellows were playing games. I was looking at them and trying to cheer them with my cracked voice though, no one noticed me.

That time, the girl came and sat near me and introduced herself, Hey! I am Myra.

I was not able to speak, but tried hard to just drool at that time and gesture her through my hand as reply.

She must have thought, I was avoiding her, but I was not.

She also looked at the childeren playing, when one of her friend called her for playing.

Bye Ivaan, She waved her hand and started playing with her friends.

I watched her the whole time. She also saw me for couple of times, while playing.

In next few weeks, Myra and I became good friends. She liked to sketch different types of funny faces of animals. She always brought them to class and showed me. I always referredi to her as funny.

She shared many things with me about her parents. Hes father who was a neurologist and worked in a big hospital and hes mother was an investment banker.

She told all about her weekend plans, where she went for vacations and hes aunt who visited her home every Sunday.

She usually said the jokes that I enjoyed, and she wanted me to reply but I was not. She eagerly waited for the same some times she told many jokes in a row to expect that, I would laugh.

One day after school, Ivaan reached home. Rachel check her notebooks. She found the sketch made in his notebook and mentioned as 'My mother'

Rachel saw the sketch and got very happy and asked Ivaan, "Did you made this sketch?"

He wave his head to say yes.

She gave a kiss on his forehead.

Then he showed a picture to his mother, and with a difficulty he said with drooling 'Mom'

Rachel heard word 'Mom' the first voice of his son in 8 years since he was born.

She hugged and kissed him again on his forehead. Tears had come from her eyes.

Later, she told all this to Peter. This is the best day of my life, Peter you should have been presented there.

"Yes Rachel, Ivaan has said first time in his life and I missed it," said Peter.

"Hey Myra, How was your day ?"asked Robert.

"That was good dad," said Myra.

"You know Dad, If I tell you a joke, will you laugh at it", asked Myra.

Yes my dear. Tell me one.

Myra shared one joke. Robert laughed and told Myra you are very funny.

But dad, I have my one friend in my class, I always tell him the jokes, he never laughed and not even smiled on my jokes.

But Why dear? I don't know Dad.

You should tell him today's joke.

I tell him every possible joke I had but he doesn't laugh.

"Don't worry Myra, When we meet him, we will ask him why he is doing that to my Myra. Ok!" said Robert.

After a month, there was Parent teachers Meet in the school. Myra introduced his father to Ivaan.

Hey Ivaan, How are you? Asked Robert.

He wave his head,but said nothing.

Hello! I am Peter Mathews, Ivaan's father.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Mathews, I am Robert Sebastian.

As it is, he is not able to say word clearly, Don't mind. I understand Mr. Mathews, I am a neurologist. I know about this disease. Haven't you taken any treatment for this, Mr. Mathews.

He has gone through many treatments and speech therapies. But, he could barely say the words.

"At what time, did you know that, he is diagnosed with the disease."

When he was just 6 months old, Mr. Sebastian. He is 9 years old but still fighting against this disease.

It could still be possible to cure the disease. I would not say completely, but it possible to make it better. I would recommend, you must go for muscles transfer surgery and continue therapies. So, he would be able to talk with few complete sentences and able to make expressions and able to smile. Yes, we want to see our son smile, at least once. We have never seen him smile in all these years.

He will, Mr. and Mrs. Mathews.

"Myra say bye to Ivaan", said Mr. Roberts.

"Bye Ivaan", see you later.

Ivaan gestures bye to Myra.

Rachel asks Peter, will it be possible to hear our son say clear words and smile and laugh, Can we go for the surgery Mr. Robert suggests.

It might be possible, we should understand the procedure of therapies and the surgery before we take the decision, said Peter.

I laid down on the bed, after my surgery. My face was covered with the bandages all over, my head. I saw my mom and dad sitting infront of me. Myra stood infront of my bed. Also, Mr. Robert was looking at me who was about to open the bandages.

The bandages were removed. I could feel a mask added on my face.

I saw my mom and dad, said without drooling, "I love you mom and Dad"

I saw Myra, and smiled.

She smiled back.