Meera
was all alone on the road and was walking towards her home. Her silver toe
ring, the only ornament she had, was making a periodic sound as she was walking
the road with bare feet. Her long brown curls were tied very neatly. A small
red Bindi on her forehead was complementing her dusky skin
tone. She was in her favorite purple saree, the only worth wearing saree she had. There was a big box containing lanterns
on her head. She used to stride very fast while going home but her today's walk
was rather slow. After spending two consecutive sleepless nights to prepare
paper lanterns, Meera's hopes, to get money by selling lanterns, had raised.
Conversely, she was not able to get rid of any of the lanterns. Meera was
extremely upset and was into bottomless thoughts of her four-year-old - Shiva.
Shiva was eagerly waiting to get new clothes since last six months and Meera
had already promised him to buy the one on Diwali which was hardly two days after from then.
As she reached home, Shiva ran towards the door and opened it. He
already knew that his mother was coming. Her toe ring sound was quite loud and
made him always know his mother’s arrival. Shiva was sure that his mother would
have got new clothes for him. Thinking of new clothes, he was so excited that
he brought a glass of water for his mother before she came inside. She entered in
the house, kept the box down and gave him an innocent smile. While his
mother was having water, he started checking the box to see if she had bought
new clothes and had kept them inside the lantern box but he could not find
anything inside the box apart from lanterns. He was deeply hurt but didn't show
his sadness on his face. Meera was noticing his actions and could understand
his feelings. She didn't say anything as she was helpless and went inside to
cook something for dinner. Shiva went outside and sat alone staring at other
kids playing around.
That day after their dinner, Meera started making new lanterns
with more intense colored papers, hoping that intense colors would attract
people. That night was again a sleepless night for her. She got ready in the
next day morning, wearing the same purple saree and left her house to put up lanterns for sale.
The place where she used to advertise her lanterns was a road signal and it was
almost forty five minutes away from her house. That day Meera could sell only
two lanterns and earn forty rupees. Her son's new clothes priced Rs. 220,
she was again very disappointed and came back home with a deadly
face. Before she was at the door, hearing the toe-ring sound, her beloved son
opened the door. She avoided eye contact with her son and went straight inside
to cook something. Shiva understood everything and convinced himself to spend Diwali without new clothes. He was all the way trying
to hide his sorrow from his mother ;Meera was trying to hide her frustration
from her son but they both were unknowingly failing to do so. That day Meera
had no dinner, after making her son consume some food they both slept. Next day
it was Diwali, she got up early and taking her lantern box she left home.
That day, fortunately, she was able to get rid of few of her lanterns. It could
make her earn only hundred rupees, though. With a heavy heart, she left for the
day and picked up the usual road to go home. There was nobody on the road apart
from her but her toe-ring sound was accompanying her. After an hour or so she
reached home and called Shiva, almost twice -thrice, to open the door. He
opened the door; she went inside, kept her lantern box down and took out a bag
out of it. Shiva was curiously looking at his mother as he was not sure of her
proceedings. She handed over the bag to her son. Shiva peeped inside the bag
and was more than surprised to see it. The bag had not only new clothes but
also crackers. He was extremely happy. He hugged his mother and very
exaggeratedly started dancing. Meera was much energized; she was laughing a lot
looking at her four-year old. She was satisfied and relaxed. Shiva wore new
clothes and went outside to burn crackers. Meera was happily looking at him and
was finding her happiness in his joy. They both were very happy and fulfilled.
Everything had happened as per their wish, the only difference was - there was
not going to be a toe-ring sound anymore and they both were going to miss it
badly.
