Mala gets pregnant - Part 4
As soon as I came home from the office, Amma gave me sweets to eat with tea. I asked- Amma, I never brought sweets, then where did this sweet come from? Amma came to me and said- I have got a second grandson, so I have brought sweets to sweeten your mouth. I was surprised and said- Amma, second grandson! I don’t understand what you are saying. Has your elder daughter-in-law or younger daughter-in-law given birth to another child? Amma said laughingly – No, Sir, this time not the elder or younger one, but the middle daughter-in-law has given birth to a son. I asked in surprise – You mean Mala has given birth to a son? When did she give birth, and how are both of them now? Amma replied – It was forty days ago when I took her to the hospital. Now both of them are at home and are absolutely fine. I asked in surprise- Forty days ago, and you are telling me today? But Amma, her husband has been in Dubai for the last two years. Then how did Mala get this child? Amma looked at me smilingly and said- Sahib, now don’t act ignorant. This child is yours and Mala’s. I looked at her in surprise and said- Amma, what are you saying? How can this child be mine and Mala’s? Amma said- Sahib, when I had gone to Choti Bahu, I knew everything about the Raas-Leela that was going on between you and Mala. Because this was a well-thought-out plan of ours, Mala used to tell me everything on the phone. When I returned, she told me everything in detail. After listening to Amma, I asked- Amma, I am not able to understand which plan you are talking about. Can you tell me about it in detail? Amma said- Okay, I will tell you everything. Till then, you sit comfortably, drink this tea and eat sweets. After this, Amma told me the following things: Her middle son was married to Mala three years ago. For the first year, her son stayed with Mala. Despite his best efforts, Mala did not become pregnant. After getting tests done by doctors, she came to know that her son does not produce sperm. Hence, he can never make Mala pregnant. After the tests, the doctors also told her that Mala is completely healthy. There is no deficiency in her, and she can become pregnant by having normal intercourse with any healthy man. When her son found out that the deficiency was in him, he became very sad. He kept on persuading Mala to have sex with some other man and produce a child. When Mala did not agree, he got desperate and found a job in Dubai. Since then, he has gone there and has not come to meet her even once in the last two years. In these two years, she kept on explaining a lot to Mala. She kept on pleading with her to have sex with some other man and get pregnant. But Mala kept on avoiding talking about this subject. Amma said that one day, there was a function in the house downstairs. She sent Mala to work there for a few days. One day, when Amma was late in returning home after finishing her work, Mala came to my house and saw me. Then Amma came to know that her younger daughter-in-law was pregnant. Mala became sad due to this news. Amma once again talked to her about sex with another man. Then Mala agreed to Amma and said that she would like to have a child by having sex only with me. After that, Amma talked to me about going on leave and employing Mala in her place. After listening to Amma’s entire story, I realised that both of them had cheated me out of having a child. For once, I got very angry, but I controlled myself. I thought again about how much love and happiness Mala had given me in those four months. When I compared that deception with that happiness, I realised that they had not cheated me. But they had taken my help in bringing happiness to them in their future life. My anger cooled down, and I said to Amma- Amma, whatever happened is fine. But why are you feeding me this sweet after so many days? When are you introducing me to Mala and your grandson? Amma said- Puja to mark the completion of forty days was done this morning, and this sweet is the prasad of that puja. I will bring both Mala and the child to meet you tomorrow. At night, I ate the food prepared by Amma and lay down on the bed to sleep. The scenes of the four months spent with Mala started flashing before my eyes like a movie. After being lost in those memories for a long time, I did not know when I fell asleep. Since the next day was Saturday, I slept till late. I woke up to the sound of utensils clanging in the kitchen. I got up and went there with the hope that Mala would have also come, but was disappointed to see only Amma. Amma understood what I had come to see. She said- You wash your hands and face quickly, till then I will make tea and bring it. I will go home after some time and bring Mala and the child to meet you. I washed my hands and face and sat in the living room, where Amma gave me tea and then started working again. I was very eager to meet Mala. So, seeing Amma working, I was getting angry at her for not bringing Mala. Seeing me upset, Amma said- Sahib, I think you are very anxious to see and meet the child and Mala. I have finished all the work now, and I will go and bring both of them. On hearing this, I blurted out, “Yes, Amma, go quickly and bring them. I am sitting here waiting.” After about twenty minutes, when the doorbell rang, I ran and opened it. Amma was standing there with a child in her lap. Mala was trying to hide herself behind her with her head bowed. Amma handed the child towards me and said- Take it, Sahib. This is the crop of the seed you planted. I took the child from Amma and kept looking at him for some time, and being fascinated by his beauty, I kissed him. Seeing me kissing the child, Amma looked at Mala. A wave of happiness ran across their faces, and both of them smiled. Then Amma went towards the main door and said- Mala, I have to go to other houses to work, so you finish the work here and ask Sahib if he has any need, then fulfil it.