Short story
The smell of tears
Today, after a long time, Sudha got free moments, which she was not looking good at all. Taking a deep cold breath, resting his head against the back of the bed, he closed his eyelids, then the day came as if he returned from New Jersey after three years, his only son Anupam was standing on the threshold… as delicate as new leaves and like flowers. with a beautiful girl. Before she could ask or understand anything, both of them bowed down to touch her feet and Anupam hesitantly said, “Mama! This is Aaliyah… your daughter-in-law.”
"My daughter-in-law?" Like the earth slipped from under his feet. She would have stumbled and fell, if her husband Suyash had not taken care of her. She almost ran out of her grip and went to her room. After a few moments, opening the blown door, Suyash came in and holding his hand said in a soft voice, “I understand your pain, Sudhi! But what was meant to happen, has happened. Now go ahead and bless the children and bring them inside with respect. Think… if you have this attitude then you will lose your only child.”
He performed all the rituals with a dry and dry heart. He took one step forward and Aaliya took four steps. Now the distance started shrinking and both of them went on opening like layers of onions and the house became a flower of laughter and happiness. How those beautiful seven weeks had passed due to the spectacle of some magician, I did not know, and this morning at the airport, when Aaliya cried bitterly with him, she also started crying. Suyash, standing nearby, put his hand on her shoulder and said, "This is not the time to cry, it is time to take care of the precious tears of Alia's daughter."
When he raised his questioning eyes on them, he smiled and said, “Our Aaliya came as a daughter-in-law and is going as a daughter. You know Sudhi! Only the daughter sheds tears in Bida-Bela…not the daughter-in-law.”
Sudha slowly opened the lids of her eyelids and smilingly kissed the core of her lap, in which the sweet smell of the salty tears of her beloved child lingered.
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