The Unexpected Destiny

                              Sheila was approaching her twenty-fifth birthday. Though she was born on the seventeenth of September, her mother used to celebrate it sometimes on the next day as she came into this world at five minutes to twelve at night. She loved to keep up her birthdays as she felt it was something special, only for her. Her mother used to make it a point to bake a beautiful chocolate cake for her with her name artistically written on it with white icing. She used to proudly carry it to school and all the students sang for her. She loved also distributing the cake, as she got tremendous satisfaction to see them relishing it. On their birthdays the students were allowed to wear casual dresses. Her Mother used to stitch pretty dresses for her birthday and Sheila would show them off to the envy of her friends.

            Gone were those beautiful days and the thought depressed her. She had no one to even wish her on her birthday. Her father had died in his youth being afflicted with Thalassemia. She had heard from her mother so much about him---how he had suffered but he never complained. He bore it bravely when he gasped for his labored breath. By and by he refused food and turned a sickly pale. Gradually he withered and wilted and finally he dropped, leaving a child of two in her mother’s arms.

                Her mother was the sole bread earner. When Sheila was small, she used to work at home, manage her baby, do the household chores, as well as stitch garments and sell them at a local store. But when she grew up, her mother would leave her alone in the house to work in a factory. She said she had no option as the meager income from her stitching was not enough to defray the monthly expenses. At such times she gave instruction never to open the door to anyone.

               One day when her mother had gone out, her next-door neighbor came and knocked at the door. He said that he was in pain and could not go to the pharmacy. He asked her for some analgesic. Sheila had a very soft heart and a helpful temperament. Immediately she rushed to get a tablet to alleviate his discomfort. As she opened the door to hand him the medicine, he grabbed hold of her hand. She got a start and immediately tried to withdraw her hand but he held on like a vice.  All her effort to extricate herself from his clutches was in vain. She tried to shout but he muffled her cry by covering her mouth with his smelly hands. She tried to push him away but that only prompted him to put both his arms around her.

She squirmed and wriggled but could not get away. His evil face in close proximity was repellent. His touch was repugnant and his voice grated in her ears. What followed was a nightmare. His arms entwined around her like that of an octopus. His lascivious kisses were galling. She could not break away. She panted in desperation. The monster satisfied with his kill decided to move away. Before he left, he threatened to throw acid on her mother’s face if she uttered a word about the incident to any living soul. He further added in a venomous tone that he would be back the next day and the next. If she did not open the door to him, then woe would betide her mother. Sheila could only tremble and shake and break down in a paroxysm of tears. She found herself entrapped in a vicious situation and like a lamb is taken to be slaughtered, she succumbed to the inevitable. Sheila suffered in silence, not being able to confide in her mother. She loved her mother more than life itself. She could not jeopardize her mother’s life by not keeping the despicable episodes to herself, though she longed to pour out her heart to her and find comfort in sharing.

                     It was in the fifth month of her pregnancy that her mother noticed that she was carrying a child. The revelation was like a thunderbolt striking her mother. She became numb with the shock. She simply could not believe that it was happening to her own little girl-her baby. Besides, how could she ever do such an abominable act knowing fully well how it would hurt her mother! Now how would she face the world! Sheila would always carry the stigma of being an unmarried mother. Then and there she made up her mind that the conception would have to be terminated. The mother tried to give vent to her bitterness and disillusionment by bombarding her with all the invectives at her command. Sheila felt that her mother’s words were like hot lava decimating her entire self into nothingness. She listened in silence ----only large pearl-like drops of water ran down her cheeks. She dared not open her mouth—if she did, her mother would definitely react and take action, thus jeopardizing her life.

            Sheila and her mother went to the gynecologist for terminating the pregnancy but after hearing the details, the doctor shook her head and said that it could not be done as the case was far advanced and there would be a risk for Sheila. They had to let the baby have his full term. From there Sheila was left to do her marketing and her mother went home. But when Sheila returned she stood aghast. Her mother lay sprawled on the floor in a lifeless inert heap.

Sheila immediately put two and two together. Not being able to face the world, she had taken her life. Sheila knew now she had to have the courage to take the entire burden on her shoulders ----there was no scope for tears or weakness. But she could not get over the irony of fate. She had submitted to the humiliation and torture only to protect her mother from harm and now her mother herself had destroyed her own life, unaware of the price Sheila had paid to keep her safe. After she had performed the last rites for her mother, in a reckless determination to avoid future intimidation, Sheila packed a small bag with the essentials and left---where she was going she had no idea. She knew the innocent, unborn baby, who bore her blood would be there for her in a few months and that gave her solace. She would begin life again just for her baby.

           She first went to the NGO center for help. She was frank with them and told them about her predicament. They fixed up a room for her and gave her a job in one of the centers for destitute children. She would get a nominal salary to defray her expenses. They arranged for the baby’s delivery in one of the hospitals. The red-letter day arrived but what a disappointment for Sheila. The baby looked so sickly and undeveloped, and yellow. She thought to herself that he looked like a little mouse. Perhaps the baby could not grow as Sheila had neglected herself, economizing on her diet for want of money. The hospital ran a few tests to find out the cause of the baby’s emaciated appearance. They then diagnosed that he was suffering from Thalassemia. The pediatrician said that the baby needed a blood transfusion otherwise they could not save him. The problem was compounded because he happened to have the not too common blood group, -O. When they could not get the blood from the Blood Banks, they advertised in the papers. But there was no response. Sheila prayed to God with the intensity that she had never done in her life. She could not understand how this unwelcome stranger had become so dear and near to her heart. She had to save him. Day after day she held the baby tenderly in her arms and prayed silently.

                 Sheila watched her baby and suffered. He did not seem to have an appetite. He was listless and lifeless. There was no gurgling or cooing or any other baby sounds. She waited and waited—her patience knew no bounds. She had prayed and she knew her prayers had to be answered. The ‘Little Bundle of Joy’ was her world.

                When all chances seemed to have petered out and the prospect of getting the blood seemed slim, light and hope illuminated her joy-less life. There was a call from the NGO centre that a gentleman wanted to meet her urgently. A pleasant-looking man, perhaps in his mid -thirty’s entered the room. As he entered, he wished Sheila with a friendly smile and let her know that he wanted to be of some help to the baby. He bought out a medical document that showed his blood group to be -0. Then without much ado, he started telling Sheila why he was there volunteering to donate his blood. He said by allowing him to give blood for the baby, Sheila was doing him a big service. He seemed to be a very frank and transparent person without any artificial frills. Despite his happy-go-lucky attitude, he was burdened with a lot of mental affliction.

                    His story was short and pathetic. He had a lovely family. He had got married only two years back to a girl whom he loved very much. They had a child six months old. He used to drive them around the town. His wife used to ask him to drive slowly but not him. For him driving was a sport. Once when he recklessly drove on in wild abandonment, in a blinding split second, his car crashed against the edge of a bridge and though he himself escaped from being crushed, his wife and baby never saw the light of day again being pinned down within the mangled remains of the car. He had been carrying his guilt every minute of his day to day existence, like a festering tumor eating into his flesh. If he could be instrumental in saving the life of Sheila’s baby, perhaps he could condone himself somewhat.

                        Whenever the need arose, he was there for the baby. Rohit, as the boy was called, grew in strength and size. He became a vivacious and playful child. He took to Ashok, his benefactor, like a duck would take to water. A subtle bond existed between them which left Sheila wondering. At times she felt that she herself was excluded. He was very gentle and tender with Rohit. The Little One also clung to him in a way as if his presence was indispensable. Ashok started spending more and more time with them. They went out together, ate in the restaurants, and moved around like a family.

              Sheila had confided in him about the child’s background. He was very sympathetic and vowed to teach the monster a lesson. He said that his blood boiled hearing the grotesque details and made Sheila file a case in the police station. He assured her that there was nothing to fear as he was there to protect her. For proof there would be the DNA sample of the baby. He arranged for a good advocate to plead her case. It was not long before the miscreant was apprehended. Sheila had been smart enough to have tape- recorded all that had transpired and the threatening words used by the demon so it was not difficult to pin him down. The judge gave his verdict that the culprit was to get life imprisonment for the heinous crime. This made Ashok feel that his own guilt had been somewhat mitigated. His wife too must have forgiven him for the grievous injustice meted out to her in the prime of her life as he had given another less fortunate woman a new lease of life. Sheila did not need to live in fear anymore.     

                            The baby had grown to be a chubby, cheerful boy, bouncing with energy and fun. Sheila often gave a sigh of contentment and felt all her happiness was due to Ashok. Her gratitude knew no bounds. Somehow or the other in his mind Sheila has been transposed to the place of his dead wife and the toddler seemed to be his baby. Automatically Sheila and her baby became a part of his life and he could not think of his own existence without them. The day both of them signed as husband and wife in front of the marriage registrar was the happiest in their lives.