Awakening

This was the first short story I had written long back and for my creative writing class I had modified a bit to fit the word length.

The door creaked again as the nurse walked in carrying the baby. Sneha clenched her fists to stop herself from yelling. “She was very hungry” said the nurse as she laid the child down beside Sneha. “Mamma is right here so you need not to cry again” she said in babyonese as she smiled and opened the door. The door creaked again.

There was a monologue in the background. Her mother-in -law was elaborating her pains of mother hood to ma. “It’s so convenient these days, we just had a nurse and she too even left soon after the delivery as if there was nothing for her to do after it.” The shrill of her voice was making Sneha edgy.

Her father sat quietly in the waiting area and went through all the newspapers provided by the nursing home. The door screeched again. “How are the mother and baby today?” It was the doctor this time. The nasal tone of the doctor was irritating. Strange Sneha had never realised that her doctor had a nasal tone.

Soon everyone was in the nursing home, with gifts for the baby. Sneha wanted to sleep but every time she would try to sleep the door would squeak again. She wanted to hold the baby and did not want anybody else to pick up Chidiya. But no one would listen. Chidiya too did not like being disturbed, she cried every time. The door creaked, “Lunch time” The food was all bland, “no salt for you” ma said, “Have some dalia or halwa instead”. Tired Sneha now started crying and shouting. Her father came in and sat on the foot of the bed and asked, “Is she sleeping?” Unable to eat, sleep, or rest Sneha could not take it anymore. “You people have never taken any care of me. You just got me married and then forgot about me. I do not want anyone of you here”. Mother-in-law hurried out saying, “My sister has come, and I have to bring her up here. Will be back in a minute.” The door squealed. Ma took the milk pot and went out to get more milk. “Screech”, said the door. Sneha was livid, “how dare they run away like this? Can’t they stand up to the truth?” All this shouting had woken up chidiya; she opened her blue eyes and started wailing. That was the last straw, Sneha turned to her father, tears running down her cheeks, “When will I get some rest?” Her father gently picked up the baby, rocked her back to sleep, put her in her crib, and then turned to Sneha and said, “I have four kids. I will inform you the day I get some rest.”

Ashamed Sneha went to sleep.