The Birthday

The bright blue sky had started turning dark. The sun was on the horizon for the second time in the day and the birds were returning home after a busy day.

Even the day had lost hope, but she hadn't.

Every half an hour, she put her head out of the window in her room. She looked towards the main gate of the bungalow to check whether the car had arrived.

"Ma'am, I don't think anyone would be coming now. Are you sure, you want me to leave you alone?" Kusum asked the lady in the wheelchair.

"Yes, of course. I am sure they will come to visit me. It's my birthday after all! They must have been stuck in the traffic or left the house a little late." Mrs Sharma replied firmly.

Why wouldn't they come? She knew her sons loved her a lot. So what if they didn't live with her? She knew they had a life of their own, many problems to take care of and she didn't want to be a burden on them. That was the only reason she opted to stay alone, all by herself in the buzzing city. Or she had convinced herself so.

They had given her a choice of returning to her village. But, she was reluctant. Going back to her village meant staying away from them. How could a mother manage to stay away from her kids? What if they ever needed her?

Normally, all the work in the house was done by Kusum since Mrs Sharma was in a wheelchair. But, that day, she decided to cook for her kids with her own hands. They had always loved her laddus and pickles. She still remembered the old days when they would come back from school crying or complaining that their friends never let them eat their own tiffins; as the food she packed for them was better than the others at school.

She would then console them with her laddus and enjoy the smile on their faces.

The freshly prepared laddus were sitting on the kitchen counter with some more food prepared by Kusum. Every time she glanced at the kitchen counter, a smile lit up her face with the memories.

The evening turned to night, but there was no sign of the Sharma brothers. But, their mother didn't lose hope. She had decided to eat with her family on her birthday, at least.

Though Kusum had warned her to take the tablets on time, she waited for her sons. They wouldn't like it if she ate without them. Plus, they would bring a cake for her, wouldn't they?

The stars started twinkling in the dark blue sky, but their twinkle wasn't happy. Even the moon hid himself in the darkness as he couldn't bear the sadness on her face.

That day, the wheelchair saw a tear escape her eye for the first time in many years. That night, even the howls of the dogs turned into cries when a Wonderwoman slept in her wheelchair waiting for her worthy kids.