CHRYSALIS

CHRYSALIS

Stuck at a stand still in the middle of prime time traffic, Krishna looked around. Passengers with luggage some sitting, while some clung to the poles trying to not knock into the passengers beside them. Her eyes rested on a Kashmiri couple for a while then came back to her fellow passenger beside her. He was a young boy with his eyes closed and headphones plugged into his ears. A smile appeared on her lips. Looking at the boy, a wild thought came to her mind- holding her hand Peter Pan is taking her to Neverland, so that she will remain a girl…. forever.

Since she was a girl she had a wonderful quality; the gift to read the minds of the people. Yes, she could make out what a person was thinking with just a second glance. But no one could quite read her. You would never have guessed seeing the sixty-year-old, Krishna, wanted  to live her life again, right from childhood. That was the reason while leaving home, a week ago, she could sense that her daughter-in-law was quite happy and relieved when Krishna’s bus had onset its departure from the station. Her daughter-in-laws, “Come soon Mamma! Miss you.” was superficial.

Krishna could not figure out what makes her presence undesirable to her daughter-in-law. She could not have survived a single day with my mother-in-law, Krishna thought sarcastically.

It had been very difficult for Krishna to adjust after her marriage. She entered a home with a terror of a mother-in-law, and husband who was less of a companion and more like a teacher. He always coaxed her to study, regardless of her unending household chores. Her only horizon were her kids- Avni and Akash, as they filled her with joy.

“Hoooonk…”The loud horn of the bus snatched her from her past to the present. She could not see of a single reason to why the driver had honked the horn. The bus could not move even an inch within the jam packed highway. Silence fell for a few seconds within the bus, but it was not absolute. Krishna could hear a soft, deep moaning. She knew it was the Kashmiri lady. She was in labour pains.

The picture of labour room, women crying in pain, started coming like a slide show before her. She closed her eyes tightly, but it did not stop. Tried taking deep breaths but it did not stop. Her nightmare refused to fade away and she was about to break down.  Suddenly, someone jerked her. It was that boy, her co-passenger.

“Aunty, are you all right?” he asked.

She just managed to nod. He gave her some water and it helped, but only temporarily. She took out a string of beads and started chanting some mantra that the life coach had taught her. She had spent the last week, away from her home, in his workshop to deal with such panic attacks she had been going through for the past year. Though she had doubts about its success. In all of this chaos and her chanting, she could clearly hear the ladies’ moaning. She knew things would worsen with time. Soon, the whole bus became aware of her plight. Her husband went out of the bus in search for some help, but returned with no luck. 

Everyone on board started advising him, making things only more difficult for the poor couple. Only Krishna was chanting mantras, indifferent to her surroundings. 

Past events were flashing before her eyes.

“Come on study, you are not that tired.” demanded her husband, coaxing her to study.

She was running to college, wearing a white coat. At-last earning respect from her in-laws as her career proceeded to a success. Her kids grew up, got married. Avni came home  for her first delivery. Her last breath….Her hope filled eyes.“Maa, you will save me right?” Her last words.

The leading Gynaecologist of the city could not save her own daughter. She left her career and cocooned herself in guilt and fear.

“Maa..” the lady screamed in pain and her voice penetrated through Krishna’s cocooned heart. It broke free from the chrysalis of despair and grief.  

She got up authoritatively, “Don’t panic, I am a doctor.” 

Her words changed the scene of the bus. She caressed the forehead of the Kashimiri lady and murmured, “Avni, this time I will not lose you. I am with you. Everything will happen naturally. You will be alright.”

“She understands only Kashmiri.” Her husband said. Krishna smiled and replied, “It doesn’t matter.” 

She did what she was best at, keeping the other passengers on tenterhooks. Within a few minutes, a healthy baby boy was on the bus. The crying sound of the new born brought cheer to not only the passengers of the bus, but to the people in nearby vehicles as well.

The couple thanked Krishna. The Kashmiri language was foreign to Krishna’s ears, but familiar to her heart. She looked at the new mother with teary eyes and a warm smile. The bus soon started crawling . With in a few minutes the road was clear as if it had been waiting for the baby's arrival. An ambulance was awaiting at the Toll Plaza, thanks to the smart phone in the hands of the boy sitting next to Krishna. One by one, they all three stepped off the bus.The woman turned to look back at Krishna.Her eyes were filled with gratitude. All the passengers waved at them as they were some long lost kin.

It was a smooth ride after that. They reached their destination very fast.Krishna got off  the bus to see Akash already there for her. He walked up and hugged her tightly.

“Mom, you are a hero! Look!” He exclaimed, showing her his phone. It was her with the Kashmiri women and her child. Someone had uploaded the whole story with the caption ‘New Life in a Jam’.

“Welcome home, Maa” Her daughter-in-law greeted. 

Krishna smiled because she knew it was a real welcome. A real home coming for her with a new life ahead.