Love finds a new meaning

Everything seemed to be in a blur, as me and my mom hurried to get dressed. We had just received news that we had to reach the hospital immediately. With scared eyes and dried lips we got into our car and waited with bated breath as the hospital came into view. It was on 30th May, 2008, a day I can never forget. The hospital had an apt name, ‘Pratiksha’, as all we did was waiting. Me, my mom, my brother, not to mention a very scared bhindow, sat down on the benches provided there. Time went ticking by and I started pacing the floor, at times running around to bring the long lists of medicines the doctors handed us. I did that just to get the tension out of my head… sitting without anything to do was getting on my nerves. Night dawned and with it our worries sky-rocketed.

At precisely 10:04 pm, our tensions ceased to exist as the nurse brought out a tiny cubicle on wheels. All of us got up to take our much needed glimpses of the precious commodity inside. Bundled in pink, I had never seen a more beautiful and heart warming sight ever in my life. I fought back tears which seemed to be overflowing in abundance. Tuki had entered our lives and how. I always knew what it felt like to love and be loved, but this felt like an entirely different feeling altogether. As I took her in my arms, I felt the overwhelming desire to protect her and love her. My neice, Devakshi (I call her umpteen number of names, getting more weirder as days pass by) holds my heart like no other.

There are so many memories attached with her… like the first time I held her, the times she used to turn completely red while she cried (inheriting one of my qualities!), the times she did potty on my lap (yeah! That memory too is fresh in mind), the way she looked at me with glee whenever I talked to her. I could even understand her giggles and gurgles. Although we used sign language and the ancient guggle-buggle language (only babies understand) we shared a very special bonding. I couldn’t believe that someone needed only one smile to make her place in my life (not to mention a place in my things as well!)

I still remember her first steps in our home, when she wobbled towards me, with me and my sister clapping our hands in appreciation, eyes in anticipation and our arms ready to dart forward to catch her if needed. Now as she’s turned into the most beautiful girl ever, I just look at her in wonder, still imagining that night which changed all of our lives two years ago.