Stamped

‘You killed my child. I would never forgive you,’ he said and slammed the door of her room. She was left there alone to bear the pain. That moment, she was unable to decide which was more painful- her pain or his words. She felt deep void within herself. She too had lost her child. She still remembered the day when the doctor disclosed that her report was positive. She was very happy. She became restless and it was difficult for her to wait for her husband till evening. She remembered how out of excitement and nervousness, she had messed up everything. She tried to share the happiness with her husband but failed terribly to tell the reason. And when she felt she could not, she handed the report to her husband. She observed her husband and his expressions. He smiled when he knew the real reason behind his wife’s happiness. He hugged her and planted a kiss on her forehead to calm her down. They shared a close moment with each other and she thanked him for he made her complete as a woman.  

 Last six months, she had only thought of her child- her first child. She waited eagerly for the moment when she would take her baby on her hands. Hardly did she know then that it would remain an unfulfilled wish.

As she stepped into the seventh month, her husband advised her to quit her job. She was working in a private school. She had been an independent girl since her college days and refused to do so. It was the question about her self- respect. So, she continued with her work ignoring her husband’s advice. Everything was going well until that fateful day. She was in the school. She was taking the last period in class VIII. She became too engrossed in the chapter that she did not care to look at the watch. Every day, she used to leave her class before the bell rang in order to avoid the last minute rush. But that day, the bell brought her back to reality. She was forced to accompany the students. As she came out of the class, she saw students were running towards the exit. She stood at one corner. Suddenly, a student pushed her. She could not keep her balance and fell on the floor. That student fell over her. After that, she did not know what happened. She became unconscious.

The moment she regained her senses back, she found herself in a room unfamiliar to her. She realized soon that she was in the hospital. She was under keen observation of the doctor. She was unable to move for her body was attached to all possible medical equipments available in her cabin. All her family members were there. But she could not see her husband. She sensed something was not right. She tried to think of all possibilities and suddenly her heart beat increased when the thought of her baby crossed her mind. She could not feel her child. Tears rolled down and she screamed in pain. Nobody could soothe her. She was uncontrollable. After sometime, she again lost her consciousness.

When she again opened her eyes it was midnight, as she presumed. She saw her husband sitting on a chair next to her bed. His face reflected their loss. Their baby was no longer part of their life. All the dreams that she had woven in past six months suddenly turned into her worst nightmare. She could neither accept the reality nor could she bear her husband’s silence. Every minute passed like a decade. Her husband had become a stranger. The night passed and they had not spoken a single word.

As the morning rays fell on the window pane of her cabin, she looked outside the window. She searched for hope. She had to live. She had to join the broken pieces of her life and mend them carefully. So she thought of giving the first step. She slowly reached for her husband’s hand. His hand was cold. She gathered all her strength to speak.

‘Our child...’ she said and stopped. She could not frame the next part. Tears slid down her cheeks. Her husband pushed his hand away and without looking at her eyes uttered, ‘You killed my child. I would never forgive you.’