Sushmita was a lecturer in a renowned university. She loved her job and smiled a lot happily. Everywhere she went she caught the attention of people by her gracefulness, gentleness and above all, liveliness. Two happy years went by when her parents started looking for her bridegroom.
Guys liked her a lot for her openness and warmth. That is why Sushmita fell into a dozen of problems as well. She used her Dad’s influence or authorities’ help to recover herself from these problems. Otherwise her life was very interesting because she held interesting conversations with just anybody and she was well known for that.
More than anything her current ambition was to go abroad and explore the world. Now that her parents were looking for her a husband, she was doubly curious about materializing her dreams with him.
Her parents were looking for a bridegroom through a matchmaker. There were two proposals but they got rejected as they were unsuitable. The third one seemed to stick so far. Yet, the man wore a beard and was religious. Sushmita’s parents liked him because the man wouldn’t be an alcoholic or go against the rules of life. He seemed the perfect man for their daughter.
When Sushmita had her first conversation with the man, she was disappointed in his appearance. So when she went on her second date, the man tried to look more attractive to her by shaving off his beard. And Sushmita liked him better and conversed better.
So it was arranged Sushmita would marry this man whom she had dated twice.
Invitation cards were printed and distributed to relatives, friends and acquaintances. It was celebrated with great pomp and show. There were lighting decorations all over the community center with flowers and paintings everywhere. The food ordered was ensured to be the best quality and definitely well cooked. Everything about the ceremony was supervised and well managed by the girl’s Dad’s authorities and influences.
Soon the girl would be departing with her man for her in-laws’ home and she couldn’t help missing her parents and cried helplessly like a child. And then as the car outdistanced them further and further away, Sushmita knew she had to stop crying and get back to her normal self. ‘Don’t worry”, she told herself, “You are in good hands”.
Her husband had a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering – something Sushmita’s parents further liked about him.
They would soon be flying to US after Sushmita got her visa. Accordingly she faced the embassy formalities and her husband helped her to get the visa. Soon they would be flying to US and this made Sushmita further sadder to be away from her lovely home and close parents and family.
Sushmita never thought she never would never embark on a career or pursue with her studies because within six months of settling abroad, she was pregnant and was always concerned and tensed about her baby inside being okay. In fact she was okay. Her husband ensured both were okay.
After nine months passed away, Sushmita gave birth to a healthy child. As a young, inexperienced mother, she was always confused about how to make the baby comfortable.
One day the baby was crying nonstop and Sushmita didn’t know how to ease her down. Her husband was away at the mosque nearby. It was the mid nineties and she didn’t consider having a cell phone. But she called by land phone to her family back home and completely gave in, crying helplessly while talking with her Dad. She needed a quick fix to stop her child from crying. Her Dad was a doctor and she was hoping he could give her a fast solution. But her Dad just couldn’t give a solution. He had to know a few facts. He asked her a few questions but her daughter was exasperated on the other end and she wouldn’t just calm down. He tried to soothe her down. “It will be okay. Lay her down on her tummy and see if she burps. Maybe the milk she had is causing her problems. See if she would excrete. Best of luck.” He said heavily and hung down.
God came to Angel Sushmita’s side and the baby burped and calmed down immediately. Her husband came home at the same time, seeing a quiet and serene environment and said nothing. Neither did Sushmita who was half-asleep from the day’s burden. This way every single day would pass away struggling with the baby for Sushmita and her husband would while away at mosques when she needed him the most.
When the baby was age three, they made an unannounced flight back to their home country. Sushmita’s parents were horrified to see their poor daughter lose so much of her health. Sushmita’s husband announced late at night that they would be leaving for Hajj at Mecca the next morning and that they would have to take care of their three-year-old daughter meanwhile. Sushmita’s parents were even more surprised. They asked themselves if they were in for more astonishments but apparently they weren’t.
Daughter and husband were out early in the morning towards the airport while three-year-old baby lay in the cold bed sleeping. Her grandma went and lay beside her, questioning for the hundredth time if their son-in-law was a mistake for their daughter. She wept quietly while granddad watched from the door, with the same question in mind. “Maybe after their daughter grows up, there will be life in the family. Just maybe…”, thought the gray-haired man.
After over a month’s time daughter and husband were back from performing their Hajj. The two of them seemed happier, which was not expected by their parents which rather perplexed and confused them. Looking after their three-year-old daughter was a daily battle so far. She wouldn’t eat, sleep properly, enjoy any toy and kept crying all the time. She just always asked for her mother. By the end of the month, she was cooperating better and showed joy in this or that but now the grandparents knew they would be returning to US and expected their sonin-law to speak up any time. Well, he did speak up and said he was willing to stay for two more weeks. Grandparents sighed in relief and held a quick chit chat with their daughter.
The family would be leaving for the daughter’s in laws’ home soon. This further bothered her parents and asked gently their son-in-law if their daughter and her girl could stay in their place for some more time. The son-in-law thought for some time and finally said yes. So only the son-inlaw got up from the table and headed for the door and finally ventured outside.
Indeed Sushmita felt free for the first time in years. She held her daughter in her lap and chatted with her parents more freely and warmly. She spoke of her daily struggles back in US and also about her experience in performing Hajj.
Sushmita took her child back to her room and kept her busy with toys while she herself made a To-Do list – she put on her list some of the things she would like to buy for herself and her daughter. She had her older sister in mind to go shopping with in the coming weekend. She chatted with her sister at work for some time and she agreed to accompany her to shopping.
Meanwhile the husband reached his parents’ home and his youngest sibling greeted in surprise. She created chaos in the house, announcing to everyone that their eldest brother was here. His parents met him immediately and asked him what on earth was going on. He said meekly he was sorry he didn’t let them know before but he had just performed Haaj with his wife and went on with the tale of his wife and their daughter staying back at her parents’ place.
Immediately the parents suggested that he bring his wife and child quickly back to their home. But their son lightened the matter saying, if they were happy there for the time being, why bring them? Now he had to excuse himself because he wanted to go for Zohr prayers and then have lunch.
The next two days Sushmita spent a major part of the time sleeping with her child. She got some peace of mind for the first time in years and her child followed her. Weekend would soon arrive and her sister would be here from her in-laws’ home. At 2.30pm on Saturday her sister, Shaon showed up when Sushmita was almost all ready. She was keeping her daughter in her mother’s care for the time being. They visited Karnafuli Garden City, Twin Tower, Eastern Plus and Eastern Plaza and had a lot of shopping done now that Sushmita didn’t know when her husband would come to pick her up and there might not be any time left for shopping, even if she desired.
Done and satisfied with all the shopping, her sister dropped Sushmita at her place and headed away. Taking all her shopping bags in the elevator, Sushmita smiled to herself- even she smiled she realized after a long time. At the door her daughter greeted and immediately wanted to go through the bags but Sushmita kept them safe from her child. She handed out a packet of Kit Kats to her and she happily went to the room playing around with it. Daughter and mother were chatting happily soon.
Sushmita’s husband didn’t call for about a month until one day her husband ordered in the morning to pack her suitcases because they would be leaving for US that very night. Sushmita was habituated by now with all her husband’s drama making. She held herself together and said, “Yes, okay.”
Gradually after lunch, she made her daughter understand that they would be leaving for their home in US with her Dad that very night. She needed to pack her suitcases. Her daughter was allowed to watch her pack but not touch anything.
Finally the clock struck 8pm and Sushmita and her daughter were ready to leave Sushmita’s childhood residence. But her husband was late. At 8.30 pm he did arrive and asked them to ride immediately inside the taxi that was waiting for them. He said a few words of farewell to Sushmita’s parents and got inside the taxi. They were soon going to embark on a journey back to US.
Their daughter talked a lot on the journey and soon became the life of the family. She kept her parents together and made them laugh their heads off by her amusing and funny remarks all the way. No one would ever notice the differences between husband and wife because their daughter concealed everything by her happy and adventurous ways and amazing words. She was intelligent like her Mom no doubt.
The daughter would keep the family together for years until her Dad would have a head stroke and pass away immediately. Sushmita would find life again and her daughter would be the symbol of love and joy. She herself might not have pursued a career or higher studies but she was determined to give all that to her daughter. As days progressed by, mother and daughter relationship would go stronger until the daughter would find a husband for herself and leave Sushmita. Sushmita had her own circle of friends and neighbors who would come to share their stories and listen to her stories. Sometimes Sushmita’s daughter would drop by along with her husband and the trio would have a grand time, eating out and visiting places. Life goes on – nothing remains still. It’s up to you to make the most of everything and live moment to moment. Sushmita learned this the hard way and her daughter lived by it as well, learning from her Mom.