Muskan...The Silver Lining

It was a pleasant morning. The sun had sprinkled its radiance around, sparkling the dewy petals of the flowers and blooming the still night to life. The crackling sound of the hopping chameleon could be heard outside Muskaan’s little abode.

Muskaan was aiming at the drooping fruit from the tree when her grandma called her out.

“Muskaan…Come now?”, her grandmother’s voice beckoned her.

“Coming dadi, she hastily replied and began to run towards home with Ammu, his childhood friend.

Delighted to see her mother with a plate of her favourite dish, she pounced with joy upon her, “Maa!”, forgetting about her state of expecting motherhood.

“Muskan, you should be careful with your mother now…after all your brother is on the way”, chided the grandmother. Muskan gave an ear to ear smile to her mother while clinging to her tightly.

As the day drew to a close, Muskan retired to her bed but was soon interrupted by the clamouring sounds in the background.

“If it’s not a boy, then you won’t keep the baby”, darted the grandma’s voice. Muskan saw her mother rushing into the room in a pool of tears.

Unable to understand the ongoing dilemma, she tried to console her mother, “Mumma, what was Dai saying about not keeping the child? what did she mean...tell me?”

“Muskan, you are too young to understand this world and its expectations”, cried the inconsolable mother.

“Uho mumma, I’ll talk to Dadi, Mission Muskan is on…” zipping around the room with crackling laughter.

The next morning, while Muskan was humming the song that grandma made her learn for the school competition and getting her hair plaited, she asked, “Grandma, Don’t you love me?”

“I do, my dear”, replied the grandmother by planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Then why did you say that you don’t want the baby if it’s not a boy?” urging innocently.

“You wouldn’t understand such things. These are the concerns of the elders not kids, so stay quiet.” retorted the grandmother and left.

Muskan refused to eat that day. She wouldn’t budge until grandma said, “Okay Muskan, you’ll have to prove that girls can match up to boys in all respects. Are you ready for the bet?”

“’Yes”, said she, jumping to her feet with delight.

“So begin to eat now and we’ll talk tomorrow!”

Next morning, while Ranjana, the young NCC Scout girl of the neighbourhood, was leaving for her college, Muskan was busy collecting proofs to win over the last night’s bet.

“Muskan, find me one girl who can drive heavy motor vehicles?”, smirked the grandmother.

Muskan began to rack her brains and the whole day passed till she saw her uncle waving Kalpana Chawla’s poster in the air. “Dadi, (brandishing the said poster) you would know her, she charted her path across the skies, forget mere vehicles.” dancing to the joy of her victory.

But her happiness was short-lived as it was interrupted by the worrisome Ranjana’s mother, who was waiting on her as it was dark and she hadn’t returned from college. Saket, Muskan’s uncle, went to look for her. “A young girl is a burden on her parents. I’m scared lest she becomes the victim of the cruel world”, cried the inconsolable mother.

Meanwhile, Ranjana returned, escorted by a lady constable and Saket. In a moment of fury, she’s slapped by her mother for being so irresponsible. Before she could blurt out outrageous words, the constable intervened, “Madam, you should be happy that you have such a brave girl, she knocked down a bunch of hooligans who tried to violate her and dragged them to the police station.”

 Ranjana’s mother covered her face with regret and begged apology from her daughter. Grandma’s face, on the other hand, fell in distress.

The next morning, Muskan’s grandmother along with her son and daughter-in-law left for the hospital for the check-up and the final discretion.

Muskan began to weep profusely and declared herself a loser on not being able to convince her grandmother to keep the baby.

The hospital witnessed another event. The nurse, after the medical examination, signalled to Muskan’s father and the old lady to see the reports from behind the curtain. Before they could enter the doctor’s room, they were met by Muskan’s school principal, “Hello Mr. Ravi, you are Muskan’s father, right? I’m glad I met you as I wanted to congratulate you for Muskan’s selection in Singing competition at the national level.

 As soon as they entered the room that saw Muskan’s mother sitting anxiously in a chair as if waiting for a trial, the reports were brought.

No sooner did the doctor begin to speak that the grandma enquired about the well being of the baby.

“The baby is healthy…but…” the Doctor replied.

“I don’t want to hear anything else. I don’t want anything if the baby is healthy and fine.” intruded the old lady.

Muskan’s parents gazed in huge amazement and gleamed peacefully at each other.

As they reached home and announced, “Muskan, Look who’s here! The baby is fine and you won the bet!” Muskan rushed to hug them with tears of joy.

After all, she was going to join the clan of elders now!