“You married a girl of your choice, and she can’t even give us an heir.”
“You are going for an abortion; we do not need a girl. We want a son.”
“Why don’t you say something to your mom? Why is she behind my unborn child? And why is she so sure that our child is a daughter? Why does it even matter?”
“Oh, and so she did that test without my knowledge? And you didn’t even say a word to her? Do you even love me, Sagar?”
“You’ll pay for your deeds one day, Mr. Sagar Singhania.”
She snaps out of her memory lane with baby cries. A baby, two months old, is crying for her mom’s attention. She lifts the baby in her arms and tries to calm her. Yes, the baby is a girl, her name is Sanvi, while her mother’s name is Sritha.
Sritha has a broken heart, but her daughter’s arrival has started to heal her. She begins to feed her baby, and her eyes are teary at the moment. She is unable to forget the wrath she faced at her husband’s home.
Her mother-in-law got a prenatal screening of her child without her knowledge; she was just told that it’s the usual tests that need to be done. She tried to oppose them when she got to know the truth, but they didn’t pay heed to her, and neither did Sagar oppose the happenings.
She had no option other than to sign the divorce papers and leave him. She had loved him with all her heart, but he didn’t, maybe. When his mother pushed her out of the house, he didn’t even try to stop her or take a stand for her and their unborn child. Not only did her heartbreak that day, but her soul did too.
She is here now, cradling her daughter, leading the life of a single mother, and handling everything single-handedly.
***
Sritha works for an IT company and is responsible enough to handle her professional and personal life well. She has learned to wear a mask for the world and to show them that she’s happy, but under that mask lies a broken heart.
Her daughter, Sanvi, is the light of her life. This girl rules her heart, though she is a replica of her father and reminds her of Sagar. Sritha has heard that Sagar has remarried a girl of his mom’s choice, and his remembrance fills her heart with bitter memories only. His silence during the familial clash washes away all the sweet memories Sritha holds close to her heart.
“Ah! Ma, you spaced out again. Where do you get lost, huh?”
“You know what? You think too much. I have told you to stop thinking of the past, but you still do it. I just can’t see you upset, Ma.”
Sritha comes out of her trance only to face her daughter, Sanvi. Time elapses by really fast, and her little one is not so little anymore. Sanvi is sixteen years old. She often chides her mom as she slips through the lanes of the past.
“You must think about me, Ma. Why do you think about those who don’t care about you?” Sanvi poses her question.
“You’re right, Beta. I am thinking about the person whom I trusted a lot, but he broke me beyond my understanding. But, you’d better not be rude to others, or someone you don’t know.” Sritha gazes at her daughter.
“Trust? Mom, it’s hard to trust people these days. And you’re saying it? Your husband deceived you, and you say I shouldn’t be rude to anyone? Why?” Sanvi gazes sharply at her mother, who smiles lightly and makes her sit on the bed.
“Sanvi, the world works on basics like trust, love, and hope. Don’t you love me? Don’t you trust your mother more than anyone else? And I have hope in you, baby. You’re the light I needed in my life. Just because one person isn’t behaving well with you, it doesn’t mean everyone else is bad. No, this is not how life works.”
“Yeah, people comment, they taunt me, but then there’s Asha Kaaki, who always supports us, doesn’t she?” Sritha gazes at her daughter talking about the ladu who has always supported them, and the girl nods positively.
“People can be the way they want to be, Sanvi. But we’re not going to walk in their footsteps. You have your uniqueness, and I want you to work on that. If you’d be the same as others, what’ll be the difference?” Sritha looks at her daughter, who’s staring at her mom.
“You’re right, Ma. And in the same way, you should work on your dream project. Are you getting me?” Sanvi gazes at her mom.
“Sanvi….”
“No! You told me to be myself, right? Then why can’t you do what you’re good at?”
“Sanvi, I am okay where I am.” Sritha interrupts her daughter, understanding the meaning of her words.
“It’s not okay, Ma. I saw your designs. Why don’t you go ahead with your dream? Ma, please! You’ve done a lot for others, and now you must focus on yourself.” Sanvi replies.
“Sanvi, you know you’re my focus. Don’t you?” Sritha looks at her daughter.
“And I want you to focus on your fashion design course. See, I got this for you.” Sanvi says and forwards an envelope towards her mother.
Sritha opens the envelope at Sanvi’s insistence. She’s amused to find a letter from a prestigious university that allows for diploma courses in interior and fashion design.
Sritha has always been afashion design enthusiast. She also loves to design homes. The current home where the mother and daughter are living is designed by Sritha herself. Sanvi is well aware of her mom’s admiration for fashion and interior design but she has immersed herself in her regular IT job. Sanvi wants her mother to move ahead in her life.
“You’ve taught me to focus on myself, then you should do it too. We must move ahead in life, Ma.” Sanvi says, trying to convince her mother.
Sritha says nothing but embraces her daughter closely. She just can’t choose the next steps. After all the bitter moments of her life, she has lost confidence in herself. Sanvi is only trying to get her mother to embrace her confidence.
***
It’s a fine day, Sritha is working on her laptop when her daughter enters her room with a tray in hand. The tray holds two mugs and two bowls. She keeps the tray on the side table and then hugs her mother, clinging to her shoulder.
“Mumma! Please shut it off. I got you Upma and tea, have some food, first.” Sanvi nudges her mother.
“Sanvi, a little bit is left, let me finish it.”
“No, Mom, have something first. You didn’t even have lunch properly.”
“Sanvi, keep it here, I will have it,” Sritha replies, her eyes fixated on the laptop screen.
“Mumma! This is not fair. I think I will have to use your trick.” Sanvi grins.
She picks up the tray and keeps it on another folding table. She takes a spoonful of upma and begins to feed her mother. As she forwards her hand towards her mother, Sritha is surprised but intakes the upma.
“Hm, I knew it, this will work. You could say you want me to feed you. I can do that, Mumma.” Sanvi teases her mother.
“You do this during my assignments and exams, I can also do this. After all, it’s your exam tomorrow.”
“Sanvi, this is too much of a responsibility.” Sritha breaks her silence and glances at her daughter.
“Mom, they have trust in you. They have seen your work and they approached you. This is high time, Mumma. I know you will do good.” Sanvi explains while holding her mom’s hand.
“But, I have not done this…” her mother begins to explain but she cuts her off.
“You said, “Everything has its first time”. This is your first time, Ma. Trust your instincts and yourself.” She convinces her mom, who’s looking at her affectionately.
“Don’t stare at me, eat it.” She commands and feeds her mom with a spoonful of upma.
“Mom, I know, you’re nervous, it’s okay. I will be there with you. This is just one chance, you only say, failure doesn’t define you, you learn from the failure and do better. So, we will do the same.”
Sritha gazes at Sanvi; she doesn’t say anything but pulls her into her arms, in a warm embrace. The girl is trying to convince her of something they’re doing for the first time. Due to her interest in fashion design, Sritha likes to design outfits. Most of Sanvi’s dresses were designed by her mother and she flaunts them proudly.
It happened one day when, in her mother’s absence, Sanvi shared a few of her designs on her social media. Luckily, the designs drew attention and without her mom’s information, Sanvi created a social media page. As a result, a fashion hub VogueVista Creations is all set to deal with her. They want to hire her as a designer. Moreover, they want her to lead their design team.
Sritha is bound to meet the owner of VogueVista Creations, Natasha Oswal, and she’s preparing for the same. She’s picking out her best designs and she’s also creating some designs. As the mother-daughter duo finishes eating, Sanvi begins to help her mom with her work.
***
It’s a day of great importance to both Sanvi and her mom. Sritha has to meet the team from VogueVista Creations. She’s nervous at the moment and lost in thoughts as well. She’s still lost when Sanvi keeps her hand on her mom’s shoulder and asks her to relax at the moment.
“Mom, relax! Do not worry. Everything will be fine. It’s just a matter of seconds. Once you meet them, you will be able to handle it well.”
“It’s not that easy, baby. It’s something I have never done, and it’s the first time that I’m doing it. And what if they reject my designs?” Sritha poses a question.
“Mom, why do you think like that? You always taught me that we should be positive in any situation. So, why are you thinking negatively?” Sanvi questions.
“Mumma, this is the beginning. When you have the skills, why not use them for your passion? Your designs are so beautiful. We must do something that benefits us. And this is the best. If VogueVista approves, we can begin a new business venture. I am so glad. And I will do the same. It will be fun.” Sanvi tries to convince her mom.
Sritha glances at her daughter. The girl is constantly cheering for her. She wants her mom to move onward and upward. Life has not been kind to Sritha, but Sanvi’s presence has made it beautiful. She thanks God every single day for sending this pretty girl into her life. She comes out of her trance when her daughter tugs on her hand. She pats her cheek lovingly.
“I’m lucky, Sanvi, that you’re here for me. And yes, there’s always scope for change and improvement. We must keep doing our work; the rest will fall into the right places. Thank you, beta, you often become my eye-opener.” Sritha thanks her daughter.
Sanvi gazes at her mom and then hugs her tightly. For her, she’s the epitome of love, courage, and independence. And all she wants is for her mom to be confident and proud of her.
***
Sritha and Sanvi reach the hotel, Emerald Heights Inn, for the meeting. The former is still a little nervous, but she knows that she has to set an example for her daughter. She wants to tell her that you can do anything you want, and age doesn’t matter in that case. However, Sanvi’s motivational words boost her courage, and she is here for the meeting. After all these years, she feels that it’s better to work on her terms.
The receptionist directs them towards the conference room. Upon entering the conference room, Sritha is surprised to find that many people are waiting inside. They take their seats, and Sritha looks at her folder. At the same time, Sanvi holds her hand and assures her that she doesn’t need to worry about anything and that she must concentrate on herself.
Sritha feels lucky to have her daughter by her side. The bitter past still lingers in her mind, but having Sanvi alongside her gives her comfort, and she’s here, all set to begin a beautiful phase of her life.
***
After the meeting with Natasha, the CEO of VogueVista Creations, Sritha is glad to have grabbed the deal. She will be heading the fashion team at VogueVista. She has also told Shikha that she works in an IT firm and is not leaving it anytime soon, so Shikha has agreed to let her work according to her availability. They have signed the deal, and Sritha’s happiness knows no bounds. Sanvi chuckles. As for her, this is a big win; her mother has taken one step forward in the direction of her dream.
As the mother-daughter duo head out of the hotel, Sanvi insists they visit the restaurant within the hotel to have something. Sritha smiles.
“Oh yes, I owe you a treat, honey. Let’s go.” Sritha entangles her hand with Sanvi’s, and the two head into the restaurant.
“This is beautiful, Mumma. I am glad you agreed.” Sanvi thanks her mom.
“I had to. You inspired me, dear. I am here holding these papers. Now, I think I can start a business of my own.” Sritha expresses her desire.
“We will start, Mumma. I will help you. I have always wanted to help you in your work.” The girl replies excitedly.
Sritha watches as Sanvi places an order for the two. Her demeanor shows that she is happy with her mother’s achievement. Sritha is also genuinely happy. She has done something that she has been hesitant to do. She had almost forgotten herself when bringing up her daughter. Her past experiences stop her from trusting people around her. This time, after much insistence by her daughter, Sritha agreed to meet Natasha and work with her. Life has always been surprising to her.
Sritha comes out of her trance upon Sanvi’s call. Their food is served, and there’s tea as well. She smiles at her daughter, and the two indulge in a lively lunch. They seem more like best friends who share everything with one another.
Thirty minutes later, they finish their lunch, and Sanvi excuses herself on the cue of freshening up while Sritha makes the payment. She walks back to the table to pick up her bag and file.
As she turns around, she comes across her ex-husband, Sagar. She stands rooted in her place; she never thought she would come across him like this. Many bitter memories flash in her mind. At the same time, a lady of her age calls his name, and he follows her. Most probably, it must be his wife. Sritha gazes at them for a while until Sanvi comes by her side.
“Mumma, let’s go. Let me hold the folder.” Sanvi takes the folder and holds Sritha’s hand as they walk out. Sritha can feel his gaze on her, but she leaves the place in a jiffy.
***
Sagar is beyond shocked to see Sritha in front of him. It’s been sixteen years since they parted ways, and she’s still the same. He also noticed a young girl by her side. Is it his daughter? Suddenly, he has an urge to go and talk to her. All these years, he didn’t even try to find her whereabouts, and suddenly, having her in front of him has made him yearn for his lost love. His trance breaks as his wife calls his name, and he has to push his thoughts aside. He’s astonished to find her in the same city and that she is doing well in her life.
***
On the other hand, Sritha is lost as well. Seeing him again after a long span has brought back all the bitter and sweet memories that she had buried away. The majority is from bitter memories. She comes out of her trance, as Sanvi calls her. She glances at her daughter, who looks at her suspiciously.
“Mom, is everything okay?” She inquires and Sritha sighs.
“Yes, darling. Let’s go home.” She responds while glancing at Sanvi.
“You said we would go shopping,” the girl whines.
“Sanvi, please, some other time? We will go tomorrow or on Sunday.” Sritha makes a promise to her daughter.
“Okay, but you will tell me what is bothering you? I know there is something.” The girl glances at her.
Sritha doesn’t say anything but nods positively. Sanvi smiles, and they board an auto and head home. The girl notices the changing facial expressions of her mom and wants to ask about the matter, but she feels that it’s better to give her time, so she stays silent.
Once they reach home, Sanvi prepares tea for her mother and decides to give her some personal space. Sritha is aware of her daughter’s gesture, so she pulls her hand and makes her sit by her side. She asks about the matter, but Sritha just hugs her, taking her by surprise. Sanvi hugs her back, tightening her grip around her. She’s quite sure that there’s something that is bothering her mom and she’s not able to express her feelings.
They stay in the warm embrace for a long time, after which Sritha breaks the hug. Her daughter notices the tears in her eyes, and she wipes them off. She’s aware of the anecdotes that her mother has told her; she knows that her parents couldn’t get along well, and so they parted ways. At times, she feels that her mom still holds feelings for her ex-husband and often remembers him. She glances at Sritha.
“Mom, you say that things will eventually fall into their desired places. Then why are you crying? Is Dad the reason?”
“You’re not supposed to think about it, Ma. We’ll strive hard and achieve all that we want. You say that a soulmate isn’t a protag for a couple; it could be for anyone, and mothers and daughters are soulmates in the true sense. We’ll prove it to the world, Mommy. We don’t need someone who can’t even stand for us.”
Sanvi explains; that she is angry about the fact that her dad left her before she was born. Though she doesn’t know the whole sequence, her mother often says that her husband didn’t treat her right, and so, the two of them are the only family that they have.
Sritha is surprised by her sudden outburst. But she knows it’s the right time to show female power to the world, which thinks only sons can take the legacy forward.
“You’re not supposed to hold any grudges against your dad, Sanvi.” Sritha cups her daughter’s face.
“And what did he do? Except to earn my grudges. You know what he did with you, yet you’re saying it?” Sanvi responds; her tone is rude.
“Sanvi, what did you just say? We’ve got to show the people that we’re enough for each other. And the person who left us years ago will surely realize our worth, very soon. He might ask forgiveness, but…”
“He doesn’t deserve any forgiveness from us, Mumma. So, let’s close this topic.” Sanvi responds firmly.
Sritha nods positively; it’s that chapter of her past that she doesn’t want to read again. She embraces her daughter in her arms once again; these two are the sole support for each other, and nothing is better than being together and leading a happy life.
***
They say time passes by, be it good or bad. A year passes by in the blink of an eye. Sritha finishes her diploma in Fashion and Interior Designing. Moreover, she also took the biggest decision of her life and resigned from her IT job and has established her fashion business, Srinvi Glamour House. Sanvi has been admitted to college and is studying fashion. She wants to help her mother and take their business to new heights.
Sritha started working for Natasha, and now she owns a business under the name. She’s lucky enough to have earned goodwill and many good customers. Srinvi Glamour House ranks among the top five businesses in the fashion world. Life has surely taken a good turn for the mother and daughter, and they are highly pleased with themselves.
It’s a fine day, and Sritha is in the office, working on some designs. Meanwhile, her phone beeps, alerting her to a text message. It’s an email, and as she reads it, she’s elated. She’s been nominated for the yearly business awards that are usually held in December, and she hopes that there’s a high chance of her winning. As she’s contemplating her thoughts, she’s hugged by her daughter.
“Sanvi, what are you doing here?”
“Mom, my classes got cancelled, so I thought to accompany you to the meeting. I will also get some exposure.”
“Please, Mom, let me come. You say, that when we watch or observe things, we tend to understand them better. Isn’t it?” Sanvi asks while explaining her point.
“Yes, honey. But…” Sritha is at a loss for words; her daughter has started making some valid arguments.
“Fine, you can come. And guess what, we’ve been nominated for the yearly business awards.” Sritha breaks the news to her elated daughter.
Soon, the mother and daughter get ready for their meeting, and they only hope for the best.
***
Life takes unexpected twists and turns, and Sritha’s life has taken a positive turn. A few months pass by, and it’s December, the time of the Yearly Business Awards. Sritha is happy; she has bagged many good deals, and her goodwill has only spread in the business world.
Sritha is in a conversation with Natasha, her friend, and mentor on the business front. The latter is introducing the former to some other fashion enthusiasts. While meeting her acquaintances, Sritha bumps into someone unexpected.
It’s Sagar, again.
Sanvi holds her mom’s hand tightly, not letting her break down. But Sritha asks her to reserve a table for them. Sanvi is hesitant but agrees. He tries to initiate a conversation.
“Congratulations on the nomination!” He greets her.
“Thank you. I know you’ll take the award this year too. That’s what you’re good at – Business.” Sritha comments.
“I – I am sorry. Is she my…” He stutters as he watches Sanvi walk away.
“She is my daughter, Sagar. And you know what, she’s a blessing, but maybe you didn’t want to be blessed with the best.” Sritha responds firmly.
“But you won’t see beyond your son. Right? I heard a few police cases were recorded against him. Is it true? Is he the right heir for your family, Sagar? You wanted such a son? And you pushed me out of your house!”
“When you can’t take a stand for us, you’ve got no right to call her your daughter. She’s my child, only mine. Better stay away from Sanvi.” Sritha warns him and walks into the auditorium while he stands rooted in his place.
He follows her and takes a seat among his colleagues. From his seat, he could see Sritha and Sanvi sitting ahead of him. They’re beaming with pride. This is their first time attending a business award ceremony.
The program starts on a sweet note, and soon it’s time to announce the businessperson of the year. Over the years, Sagar has been taking away the award. But this time, maybe his honoUr is at stake.
Sritha is surprised as her name is announced by the host. One year is a short span to claim the award, but Sritha has achieved the impossible. It’s all due to the hard work that she has put in while setting up her business. Sanvi hugs her mom out of excitement and pushes her to go ahead.
Sritha holds her daughter’s hand, and the two make their way onto the stage. She receives the award and is overwhelmed. She holds the mic in one hand and greets the people with love and gratitude. She then casts a look at her daughter.
“This is unbelievable for me, but this pretty girl standing beside me believed in me. She’s my daughter, Sanvi. Usually, they say that you need a son to take your legacy forward. But I am glad I have my daughter to take forward my legacy.”
“Today I want to tell everyone that if I can be the businesswoman of the year, every lady sitting here can do anything that they want to. Men have not claimed their right to be businessmen or hold awards.”
“And to my daughter, I will just say that believing in yourself can help you go a long way. So, don’t hesitate to try out new things. I am always there.”
She concludes her speech with gratitude yet again and leaves the stage, holding Sanvi’s hand. As they reach back to their table, Natasha hugs Sritha, congratulating her for the success while Sanvi holds a proud look in her eyes.
Natasha proposes to have dinner, and the ladies begin to depart from the hall. As they’re walking out, Sagar interrupts Sritha again.
“Congratulations on your win, Sri.” He refers to her with her nickname.
“Ah, you’ve lost the right to call me Sri. Because you pushed your “Sri,” your wife out of your house.” Sritha responds to him.
“Mr. Sagar, I hope you’ve got your answers. A girl can do anything they want to. I am glad my mom left you and chose a difficult path. And now she has everything she deserves, which you couldn’t have given her. Well, you didn’t even take a stand for my mother. So, bear with what you have.” Sanvi replies this time, and Sagar is stunned.
“You don’t deserve us, Mr. Sagar. We’re enough and perfect for each other, my Ma and I.”
Saying so, they move past him while Sagar is shocked; he has suddenly realized his deeds, but it’s too late.
***
Sanvi and Sritha reach home after a dinner treat with Natasha. Sanvi hugs her mother out of love and pride. Finally, her mom has moved on and achieved everything that she desires.
“Thanks, Ma. For choosing yourself. Also, for teaching me that a woman is enough to fight with the world alone.”
“I must thank you, honey. For showing me the right way. Had you not been there, we couldn’t have got this.” Sritha says while looking at her award.
The mom and daughter have paved paths for each other and have achieved the solitude they wanted to create for themselves.
Women are the true game-changers.
________________________________
Connect with Penmancy:
________________________________
- Trapped in Memories - 17 May 2024
- Essence of Friendship - 8 May 2024
- Unraveling Dreams: Quest of Love - 27 Apr 2024