THE SCARLET WOMEN

Story 1 - Evening

Finally, the day arrived which I was eagerly waiting for. I was the happiest person in the world being blessed with a baby girl. For both of us, that moment was unexplainable. She really was an angel down to earth for both of us. When I was just holding her in my arms I felt like holding my own life. We all were happy at that moment. Father, Mac, Sumi, Mr. and Mrs. James, Aunt Helen and Uncle Sam who has just arrived from the nearby village in such short notice, medical assistants, some other friends and my teachers all were holding her turn by turn. I just took a moment out and sat beside Nat.

-Aunt Helen just took two or three thousand rupee notes and gave them to the medical assistants. 'This is for my child and making us all happy,' she said to them. Uncle Sam just came near to her,' Look isn’t she a real angel? 'Yes she really is,' Aunt Helen just kissed her and hold her in arms.

-Nat, my love, thanks for giving me the most beautiful gift of my life,' I just kissed her in the forehead and she just smiled with tears of happiness rolling down her eyes. She just holds my hand and kissed it.

-She just has got eyes of her mother and face of her father,' Sumi and Mac came inside holding her. God bless you all. You guys are really blessed of an angel,' she just kissed her and put beside her mother.

All were standing beside us and Father already was distributing sweets to everybody out there.

-I'm really happy to see my granddaughter. After your mother's death, this is the first time I really felt happy to be a grandfather. God bless my entire child,' Father kissed her and put a piece of sweet in our mouths. He just hugged me like this after a long time. And then I felt like being a father how much the happiness of his child means to him.

From that day, I started trying to build a new brave world from my family. I also posted a letter to Mr. Anderson about my new life and also my willingness to stay here with my family and start my own medical practice. I also asked him for some medical equipment that only is available in the city. Nat was kept busy being a mother, daughter, and wife. Father was doing his best for the development of the school. He was being absent more at nights saying he has to be at school taking care of the officials. Mac and Sumi were busy with their daily chores. And I started working in my small medical shop helping people out of my medical practice.

We all were busy this day. It was the day we are going to name and baptize our child. All our near and dear ones were invited to this ceremony. Father left early in the morning with a promise that he will be at home early along with other teachers too. Nat started cooking some exquisite foods along with Sumi. Sumi was at our home from the early morning to help Nat. I was just holding my baby and sitting outside.

-We just need some more oil for the cookery,' Nat came out and said to me.

-Oh..ok. I'll go and bring it from a nearby market. She took the baby from me and started singing a lullaby for her. I just hugged both of them and kissed the baby. As I moved forward to steal that moment and kiss the mother, Sumi came outside…suddenly I moved back and pretend like looking for a bag to carry the groceries. Here it is,' Nat gave me the bag and just smiled seeing me. I just smiled back and left for the market.

It was around 7 o'clock and people started arriving at our place. I was standing at the door trying to make everybody comfortable with chairs and drinks. Father too was busy with the guests and introducing me to those new faces. Almost everybody had arrived including Mac and Sumi, my other friends and neighbors, our school teachers, Mr. and Mrs. James, Aunt Helen and Uncle Sam, and a few other relatives too.

Nat came out wearing the same sari and bangles I’d brought for her. She looked really beautiful wearing them. Our eyes struck like she asking me,' how do I look? – I just replied, 'Beautiful.' She was holding our baby and I was standing beside them.

-Let me hold our angel,' Father came and carried her gently.

People started coming to him and started holding her turn by turn. Everybody had brought many different gifts for our angel. We all were more than happy at that moment. It seemed that the whole world was blessing her fervent wishes. In no time she became the apple of everybody's eye.

-So what name have you guys settled for? –Aunt Helen asked while holding her.

'Emma', I want to name her after my mother. Everybody started clapping and shouting 'wow'. I turned to father and saw his eyes wet and standing speechless. Nat just hugged me and Aunt Helen.

-I'd like to thank you all for making this auspicious day more special with all your wishes. I'd like you all to enjoy the feast and feel homely,' I said like addressing to everybody.

'God bless your child,' few voices came from the crowd. Uncle Sam started singing falsetto holding her. He just carried her to the Father and said,' Look Emma has again come to you. Father just stared at her for a while, 'I never could believe that I'm holding you again my love,' Father just kissed on her forehead. He was surrounded by more of his friends. I and Nat were sitting beside Mac, Sumi, and Aunt Helen. Let the ladies talk their hobby-horse,' Mac just holds my hand and asked me to join the group of our old friends.

I saw Father and Uncle Sam enjoying their friend's company. Nat with Emma on her lap, Sumi and other women from neighbors were enjoying the talk of Aunt Helen. I and Mac were enjoying remembering our old days with our friends. This evening was just impeccable and memorable.