Tiny Fists Breaks Wall

"All this happened because of you" Chonel Sharma roared at Vinayathi, who was meekly sitting on the floor at the corner of the room leaning against the wall. The air inside hung as though a death has incurred there. Indeed it was somewhat like that. The only daughter of the Chonel eloping with the son of a Chowkhidhar cannot be taken lightly. Now Vinayathi has to take the entire blame for the only reason that she used to be little lenient towards her daughter. Chonel Sharma was not only a Military man by profession, he was also with his strict discipline in the house as well. This ignited friction between their daughter Gopika and father. Often Vinayathi intervened to make the situation light by siding Gopika. So now Vinayathi became the accused.

Neighbours came pouring to check the authencity of the elopement. This infuriated Sharma more and he bowled " I shall shoot them both on sight, are they thinking that they can defeat me, I am not going to let that brat son of Chowkidhar get away with my daughter, nor am I going to accept them as my own again". Again Sharma turned his fury towards Vinathi and continued "I have warned you several times not to let that Leech enter our compound and mingle with our Gopika"

Vinayathi didn't open her mouth. With all the experiences as Mrs. Sharma for the past 23 years she has already procured a Phd, how to behave when her husband has wild tantrums. Vinayathi had always cautioned Gopika not to get close with Shekar , the boy with whom she has eloped, knowing Sharma's Self esteem and egoistic nature. "But why?" Gopika used to wail, whenever she heard her mother's warning. "Shekar is so nice and well behaved, Ma do you know that he is the topper of our class?" Vinayathi couldn't argue due to many reasons. One was that whenever she had come face to face with this boy Shekar, he used to behave very politely giving her due respect. After all they all lived in the same compound and all were militants. Another reason was Gopika too was a very sensible and intelligent girl. Though she was an introvert unlike her dad, she was very much like him in adamants. So Vinayathi was always led to play the role of an NGO. Vinayathi was aware that Gopika has never let them down in any aspect for all the twenty years of age. She was appreciated by the faculty for the meritorious performance throughout. She had come out with flying colours in all the Btech semesters' along with Shekar.

Vinayathi didn't know when these youngsters planned their elopement. Knowing Sharma's nature both of them had waited for the campus selection and completion of the course. Vinayathi remembered how excited Gopika was the day she got selected for a job abroad. She expressed her joy that Shekar too got it easily. But seeing her mother's impassive attitude she didn't continuo the subject. She might have known that being the wife of a person like Sharma, the laws and rules cannot be amended by her. And now Vinayathi was left to bear the total blame.

The top officers who came to know about the unfortunate incident called for Col. Sharma to their apartment. May be they might have explained the amicability of the situation, because Sharma came back home and never opened his mouth again. Vinayathi guessed the logic as after all both of them were qualified in professional level, and both of them sensible and intelligent adults, law protecting them to take their own decision. So to find the suitable match of their choice is not a crime.

Twelve months rolled twice to make two years. Sharma and Vinayathi continued their normal life outwardly, though there was a heavy curtain of silence in the house. Earlier when they both went for morning walk Sharma used to resemble as the leader of the sea-gull flock in the sky making loud noise as they pass. But now it was as in a convent where the nuns have taken the oath of silence. Sometimes in some people the pain and sorrow becomes like hardened lava and nothing will dilute or dissolve it. But Vinayathi was sleepless. She missed her only daughter. Her presence in the kitchen. Her frequent talk about the classes and coachers. Her craving for some favourite delicacies. Sometimes she was just like a kid asking her mother to massage her hair with oil; she used to keep her eyelids closed enjoying the hair massage Vinayathi gave. After all she is her own blood. Oxygen supplied from blood right from foetal stage. Fathers don't own that right.

One day the maid secretly passed information, which made Vinayathi loose her sense. Gopika is hospitalised nearby and is seriously sick after her delivery. She has given birth to a little baby boy. Vinayathi immediately rushed to share the news with Sharma. His cold reply was shocking, He said "Serves her right, let them reap what they sowed" the way Vinayathi reacted startled Sharma. She shouted on top of her voice "How dare you........?" so saying she rushed into her room. After a few minutes Sharma saw that she was dressed and was leaving in a hurry with the maid. He tried to interrogate but she left in haste.

Time went without waiting for any. But Sharma was waiting for Vinayathi's return. He has walking to and fro in the veranda for the hundredth time. He was really shocked by Vinayathi's behaviour. So unlike of her. Are women so complicated to understand? After few hours he saw Vinayathi and the maid returning. Sharma held his normal serious posture. The maid was carrying a basket and Vinayathi a bundle. Not looking into her husband's face Vinayathi slowly walked towards Sharma. Reaching near him she with a strong force straightened his hands with her one hand holding the bundle with the other. Then slowly she placed the bundle in his stretched hands. He felt the bundle wriggle. Vinayathi slowly removed the thin white cotton material and showed what she had brought with her. Sharma didn't know what to do. For he was holding a very tiny baby. He couldn't drop it down as it is alive. For a moment he thought about the day he held Gopika for the first time in his arms at the hospital where Vinayathi delivered. The little baby freed from the cloth it was covered slowly stretched its hand. Curled it as cats paws. With the tiny fists it hit against the chest of its grand dad. In between trying to focus its eyes upon his serious face. It also made some kind of noise. Or can say, may be words or sentences of its own. Its fists hit again and again against Sharma's chest. Something strong was working within as each time the fist hit against his chest. A high wall was collapsing. Great wall of self esteem, pride and ego. It broke first, then gradually melted down. Sharma slowly lifted the little one and gently placed a kiss upon its forehead. Tears trickled down Vinayathi's face.............

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