The Immortal Bond

    

    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.