“I am so proud of you Ananya”, Rohan hugged his wife They had just returned after a successful presentation of their new project.  Ananya looked just the successful entrepreneur who could transform her business ideas into a fully operational business. She stood out in a room of ambitious entrepreneurs with her resilience and creative skills. AS they entered their sprawling house, still absorbing the exhilaration of the event filled day, the magnanimous structure seemed too wide and desolate. Rohan loosened his tie and made a drink for himself. He opened his laptop to read the congratulatory emails. “Ananya…. His voice echoed in the vast house. “Look at the number of emails that I have received. My social contacts contribute so much the success of our venture. They all have complimented me for today’s presentation”. “Ananya, tomorrow you have to see Rakesh Malhotra, we have to finalize everything with the investors. “I know it Rohan, I have scheduled the meeting”. The lights of the house dimmed as silence spread all over. Life for Rohan and Ananya was just about business meetings, finance, socializing into high profile circles. The limelight, accomplishment, advancement soon reached a saturation point for Rohan. “I am sorry Rohan, but at this stage I cannot afford to be pregnant and bear a child. There are too many commitments. My career graph will take a different turn. The upward movement will be difficult to restore”, Ananya was quite firm about her decision to not have a child at that point. “Ananya, I feel incomplete without a child and this large house is just too big for us”. After completing the necessary formalities Ananya and Rohan walked into their home with an adopted baby boy. The cherubic child had caught their attention on one their visits to the orphanage. A nanny for the child also joined them. Prem became apple of the eye for Ananya in particular. Ananya appointed a known architect to design Prem’s room. A beautiful crib with a colorful mobile toy hanging over it, rattles, teethers, squeaky toys made the baby’s room lively. The colorful toys probably did not attract Prem’s attention thought nanny. Madam, you have perhaps not bought the right toys she said to Ananya. “Oh, babies are selective and moody sometimes, said Ananya as she hurriedly went towards her plush car. Prem rarely cooed or babbled. Rohan and Ananya were engrossed in their professional life. Prem soon became a toy to be played with in leisure time. The prosperous parents got Prem admitted to a nursery school. Prem’s inability to speak was viewed as delay in developmental tasks and absolutely normal. “All children don’t speak at 3, Amit’s son also spoke at 4 but look at him now. He is brilliant in studies”, Rohan consoled Ananya. At school Prem was a loner. He did not have any friends. Soon there was a call from school- Prem has pushed a child from his class. “Prem…. Rohan screamed as they came back from school. Prem huddled in a corner with lowered eyes. “Next time I get a complaint from school you will get a beating”, Rohan went on ranting. ” Rohan, he is just a 3-year child, you cannot raise your voice like that”. There were calls from Prem’s school about his disruptive behavior.  Ananya was worried and began to lose her focus on business. The last straw fell when Prem was referred to the school counsellor. “Prem is diagnosed for ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder), the school counsellor told his parents. “How can this be possible”, Rohan was enraged.  Rohan refused to accept that his child was ASD. “Ananya, Rakesh is waiting for you, where are you” Rohan almost yelled into the mobile phone speaker. “Hi Rakesh, sorry I had taken Prem for an outing” Prem, with a blank look, began to play with Rakesh’s mobile. Rohan was furious. Ananya gently led Prem to his room. “Ananya, we want you to take up our new investment project”, Rakesh smiled. “Who could be a better person than Rohan to handle this”, Ananya smiled back. Prem had become her topmost priority, which she took up with dedication. On Prem’s birthday, Ananya lovingly decorated the house involving Prem too. Her soft gentle voice was soothing to Prem. A sozzled Rohan entered their home late into the night. “Come Rohan, I have saved a piece of cake for you”. “Oh, so there was a grand celebration in my absence”, Rohan roared. “Prem and I cut the cake, we missed you though”. “Prem, Prem, Prem… Ananya, do you realize what you are doing. A businesswoman has become a housewife. Prem will go to a boarding school soon. Enough of your drama”. “No Prem is not going anywhere”, Ananya’s voice reached a higher level. “In that case you have to choose between Me and Prem”, Rohan walked away in a huff. “Ananya…, as usual Rohan called out the next morning. Ananya and Prem were missing from the house. This came as a big jolt for Rohan.  ***** Ananya just smiled but Prem’s development was uppermost on her mind. Life was almost back to square one for Ananya.  But her never to give up attitude kept her going. She met Prem’s school counsellor who was very supportive. The counsellor introduced Ananya to a friend who had long experience with handling ASD children She was impressed with Ananya’s love and dedication towards her child. “ASD is not a big challenge though it is. With professional support and family involvement things can fall in place”, she said in her gentle manner. The wind chime hung in the room made a melodious musical sound. Prem went towards the window and looked at the wind chime. He shook his head and his fingers moved to the tune of the melody. Both Ananya and the counsellor looked at each other. They had a Eureka expression on their face. **** Rohan led a solitary life beyond his business. His office, laptop were mute spectators to the agony and turmoil that he was undergoing. Even his regular drinking hangout places felt uncanny and bizarre. The sprawling house that Ananya had so tastefully decorated, filled every corner with her smile and love became desolate and eerie. “Acceptance begins in the family”, Ananya had said when he called her. Her words still echoed in his ears. Ananya’s pleasant persona Ananya giving him coffee in the morning Ananya’s radiant face while she discussed business and made presentations All appeared before him like pages of a photo album. The next page had one more picture – that of Ananya and Rohan bringing home Prem snugly wrapped in a soft blanket. A shocking lightning passed through Rohan as few more pages of the photo album turned. Rohan remembered the outing at the club. He was enjoying his drink with a business associate. Just then Prem came along and hugged him. The drink spilled and in a fit of anger Rohan pushed Prem away from him.. Ananya had rushed forward to pick up Prem and console him. The incident had shocked onlookers too. Back home then Ananya unlike her normal self was furious. “There is no such thing as a perfect family. Behind every door there are issues, the difference is accepting each family member as they are and not as we would like them to be”. These words were now hammering on Rohan’s mind. Every incident of hatred and annoyance flashed before him. On other such occasions Rohan would have resorted to flinging things around. But today even his untouched neat drink meekly stared at him. He was now increasingly becoming restless. Repentance and remorse were pricking his conscience. His soul stirred with feelings of love for his family. He wandered around the whole house, opening doors, looking on beds and behind cupboards for his dear ones, whom he had owned like all his other assets. He picked up his mobile phone trying to dial some numbers. But the blank screen smirked at him. Like a madman he wailed loudly, throwing up his arms, tearing at his hair and clothes and dropped down on the couch. Rohan struggled to open his eyes. His body felt numb. The tubes hanging around him, devices with low beeps and a stark white room- where am I he thought as antiseptic mixed with undertones of artificial fragrance of soap reached his olfactory senses. He blinked to see faint figures around him. It took him a while to clearly see Ananya, her parents, Rakesh standing beside him. His eyes moved around to see the hospital room with its fresh from laundry curtains and linen. Ananya came forward and gently took his hand. Her eyes had the same love and affection for him that he had seen Twelve years ago. Rohan’s guilt surfaced and he lowered his eyes. He felt ashamed to face his own family. In spite of his erratic behavior ,family was there for him in his critical time. But one face was missing. Rohan desperately looked all over the room. A dear family member was missing. He looked at Ananya with a question mark on his face. Ananya just smiled. Just then he heard a melodious sound of harmonica. Prem walked in playing the harmonica. Tears rolled down Rohan’s cheek A poster on the wall had a smiling face with a quote saying: “I can do it, so can you”   Penmancy gets a small share of every purchase you make through these links, and every little helps us continue bringing you the reads you love!