Surprise

When I was a little girl, I always worried how to stop the time, now I often think how to pass the time as most of the days go uneventful. I am a typical Indian housewife, following the steps of my husband, mostly like a compartment attached to the engine. With a caring husband and loving children, everything seems to be going smooth.

I am 50 yrs old now and I must be the happiest person living on this earth. When I look back, I feel content with the life I have lived so far. My childhood was a bit bumpy with ups and downs. Teenage was like for many other girls, born in a typical Indian family, with lot of restrictions from elders, don’t do this, don’t do that…. With lot of doubts and tons load of fear, I stepped into my in-laws house. My mother-in-law is unlike others, who taunt their daughter-in-laws for money or for power. She was a soft lady with a generous heart. May be she understood me better because she herself had two daughters, whom she got married single handedly. My father-in-law is the kindest person I have ever known. There was nobody who went empty handed when asked for any help from him. He did not know the tactics of this cunning and meticulous world. All he knew was to do good for others.

My husband mostly got his characteristics from him because, he is also like that. He is now retired, but could not sit in the house idly, so he started a small printing press. He always had a flair for writing and wanted to write some good novels. But he never got a chance to fulfill his desire because family and career always took most of his time. Now he had lot of time on hand and what age could have been better to look back and tell the world what he had done with his life than 60. He finishes each book and gives me first to read and asks me to tell my opinion, and what do you think I do? I read and always say, “This is the most wonderful book I ever read in my life” and to add to it, I say, “I absolutely fell in love with this story”. And then with his wonderful smile, he goes, “really?” and says next time he would write an even better one.

My daughter, Kirthi, is a doctor. Most of the time, she is busy with her patients and emergency wards. But she always tries to meet us on special occasions. After all, taking care of both her family and her career is not an easy task to do. My son, Vineeth, is getting trained to become a pilot. That was his dream from the beginning. Now he is happy that he got selected but the only draw back is he had to go to another state for the training. Though he is all grown up, he misses eating my recipes and sleeping in my lap.

Yesterday would have been like any other day but it was different. Morning was like any other, I got up early and prepared breakfast. My husband was in a hurry to go to press, so he did not eat properly and said he would come home for lunch little early than usual. I then took bath and did ‘Pooja’ and immersed myself in cooking. I waited and waited but he never turned up. Then at 2 O’clock, he called up and said that he had met an old friend and had lunch with him. Because I am getting old, my bones lack in strength and health seems to be deteriorating, so Kirthi had given me calcium and other tablets to take after lunch. So I had my lunch and took my tablets and lied down to rest for sometime.

Vineeth had called just the day before. It was a casual call, enquiring about his father’s and my health. Laying there I was thinking about him, I missed him a lot because it was long time since I saw him. This was the first time he ever stayed away from me. At least Kirthi was near so that even if she cannot visit me, I could go and see her some times.

I felt little weak and tired and I must have dozed off, for I got up with a startle because phone was ringing continuously. I picked up but it was a wrong number. I saw the time and it was already 5 O’clock. I got up and made some tea and switched on the TV. I don’t enjoy seeing TV much. Usually, my husband comes home by 4:30 or so but yesterday I felt all alone. I was still watching, when the door bell rang…

Wondering who it was, I opened it. With a big bunch of flowers covering his face, it was Vineeth, singing ‘Happy birthday to you, dear mummy’. He threw his bag on the sofa and lifted me up into the air. Following him was Kirthi and her husband. They brought a big cake which read, ‘Happy 50th birthday’. I was totally in shock because I had not expected them at all. In fact, I had totally forgotten that it was my birthday. I hugged Vineeth and Kirthi and was totally in tears. It was very emotional and I could not fight them back. I was so engrossed in seeing my children that I did not notice my husband come in. I asked Kirthi what was going on and she said that everything was planned by her daddy. He had told them all about it long back and everybody was in it. They made me blew the candles and cut the cake. Though I did not want to go out, all of them insisted that we go out for dinner. So, we went to a fine restaurant and had dinner. Kirthi and her husband went to their house from the restaurant itself and we three returned home.

I had thought that the surprises for the day were over, but least did I knew that there was an even bigger one waiting for me. When we returned home, Vineeth said that he was very tired from the journey, so he was feeling very sleepy. He kissed me good night and went to his room. We too returned to bed. Even I was very tired with all the excitement and was just about to fall asleep. I ran my hand under the pillow to adjust my position. My fingers touched something cold. Curiosity overtook my sleep….

I had already turned off the light by then and there was only bed lamp glowing in the room. I put on my glasses and turned on the big light. It was a book! There was a small post-it stuck to the cover. On it was written ‘For my beloved wife, who made my life more meaningful’. At that point my husband, who was acting like he was asleep all the while, opened his eyes and looked at me and smiled. 'I have been writing that book from past 2 years in the printing press. I never told you about it because that book is all about us and I wanted to give you as a gift for your 50th birthday'. Sitting up in the bed, he said, 'you seemed to be very tired; would you like me to read it for you?' That was the greatest surprise I ever had!

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Previously published at www.e-katha.com