Mother

The morning sunshine brought in a new life to Susanna, and also a new life into this world. It's a new life for Susanna as she has just then stepped into motherhood.

There was lying right next to Susanna, near her hospital bed, in a cradle, a cute new born baby which she gave birth few hours back, and was wrapped in a bundle of white cloth.

Susanna couldn't help stop glancing at the baby, and her heart leapt with joy every time she got a glimpse of the baby.

For a moment she was trying to make herself believe that the baby was her own and only her own. But the harsh truth that was always underlining, infact she was well aware.

Right beside Susanna was her mother and a maid there, and it was a sunny morning. Their room was basked in the morning sunlight, which spread a golden glow around, and all shiny objects were glistening in the bright light.

Susanna turned to her mother and in a wavering voice asked her, "Have you informed Mrs.Emily about the child birth ?"

The instant reply was, "I tried calling her, but she wasn't reachable. So I called her husband Mr.Samuel and informed him".

Susanna turned her head to the window and gazed out for sometime, with her eyes swelling with tears.

Her mother added, "They will be here shortly and ...." She paused.

Susanna nodded her head gently.

Her mother continued, "Well you needn't worry too much or be upset. Anyway we are all well aware, ...and ...the payment is done ...".

She turned to her mother, and in an annoyed tone remarked, "I know !!! No need to keep telling me the same thing over and over again."

The maid though she was listening to the conversation, sat silently beside Susanna 's mother on the couch.

 

Quite soon, they all heard a sudden knock on the door of the hospital room, and her mother clumsily got up to walk towards there, but before she could reach, they all saw the door flung open and a couple rushed into the room. Seeing the two new familiar faces there, they extended a greeting but infact a cold one.

The lady Emily rushed towards the cradle and in great joy kept staring at the new born baby. She wanted to lift the baby and hold in her arms but others forbade. The baby was fast asleep.

Emily continued staring at the baby and tears were rolling down her cheeks out of sheer joy. 

Mr.Samuel who stood few feet away from her, also couldn't hide his joy and happiness, and he too kept staring at the baby. Quite soon he stepped forward, and extended his hands, and placed over Emily's shoulder and they both stood there staring at the cradle.

Then Emily shot a quick glance at Susanna and asked her if she was fine, and how everything went well.

Well Susanna in a weak tone replied that she was alright. She continued, that she had developed labour pains the previous night and her mother and their maid rushed her to the hospital and subsequently the childbirth too happened in wee hours after 2:30AM, which Susanna's mother had informed them.

Emily nodded her head.

 

After talking to them for a brief time, Samuel and Emily stepped outside.

When they had gone, Susanna with tears swelling in her eyes, uttered in a very emotional voice to her mother, "I don't think I can give  away my child to them !!!"

"Then what do you suppose ? And is it "your" child ?"

Susanna didn't reply anything. 

Her mother continued, "You have already signed the contract. Then why did you agree for surrogacy?"

"I have always told you to keep in mind that you are just a "carrier", nourishing 'the life' which was within you, which never belonged to you."

"When the opportune time comes, you should be ready to accept the reality. Nothing belongs to you. You were only doing your part and the new life or the new being, you should obviously return to the owners to whom it belongs. There ends your motherhood !"

Susanna couldn't hold back her tears. And she sobbed in anguish and wept bitterly.

Quite soon the couple Mr. & Mrs.Samuel walked into the room again along with the doctor, and as they walked in, Susanna heard the doctor explaining about the vitals of the baby to them, and affirming that the baby was fine.

After the doctor left, they all remained in the room afterwards, trying to put up some conversations.

It was a mixture of various emotions and sentiments there in the room. 

Though they all mostly remained quiet and just brief conversations in between, each of their faces revealed the true emotions straight from their hearts and it was quite evident to all, the amalgam of several emotions ranging from happiness to agony. 

Later, the couple (the Samuels), got busy with several paper work and hospital bill settlements, and Susanna continued in her hospital ward with her mother and her maid.

 

After two days it was time for Susanna to be discharged from the hospital, and for the couple to receive their baby.

It was around 4:30PM in the evening and in the doctor's cabin.

Across the table sat Mr and Mrs.Samuel, and Susanna, her mother, and their maid. Susanna's mother was holding the baby in her arms and placed over her lap. 

Susanna sat with a heavy heart.

 

Well, the discussions that proceeded were all that was as anticipated and nothing out of the blue, yet Susanna sat there silently 

deeply grieved and in anguish listening to the regular routine conversations and the dialogues. 

She tried to still keep up the slight ray of hope she had, that finally the doctor or the couple would end up saying she can keep the baby for herself and raise the child.

But the bitter reality was the fact that everyone knew and was well aware, and the conversation ended in those lines itself.

 

So finally Emily, and Samuel turned to Susanna's mother to receive the baby, while Susanna sat there silently with her head down and her eyes filled with tears. Her mother gently handed over the baby wrapped in a bundle of soft clothes, to Emily who received with both her hands, welcoming with a warm smile and with lots of love. Tears rolled down the cheeks of Susanna but she still continued to remain silent, and sat as if she was staring at something down on the floor.

Emily and Samuel looked too much happy and joyful after receiving the baby and both of them were gazing down at their bundle of joy. 

Finally everyone got up and the overjoyed couple thanked them and was about to leave. Susanna too got up and she too shook her hands with Emily and also nodded her head faintly trying to put up a smile, when Mr.Samuel too thanked her.

Then Samuel and Emily walked out of the cabin holding their baby in Emily's arms, and Susanna and her mother too stepped out of the doctor's cabin, as they walked away through the corridor.

Susanna continued to stare at them until they reached the end of the corridor and turn right, and until they completely disappeared from her sight.

Susanna's mother placed her arms over her shoulder and beckoned her to return home. 

"Come dear, now let's go back home".

She nodded and followed her mother without uttering a single word. The maid who stood beside them too added, "We'll be back home soon, and shall be back to our old life."

Again she nodded, but still preferred to remain quiet.

 

Her mother and the maid carried most of their belongings, as they walked out of the hospital. While Susanna gently walked behind them.

Quite soon they were in the taxi and were heading towards their home.

Her mother kept glancing at Susanna occasionally, who sat beside the window of the cab,  gazing outside and was lost in thoughts.

Now she seemed to look better, and not so teary eyed but yet very much depressed. It was as if she was now trying to accept the harsh reality of her life.

Her mother broke the silence, "We will be back home, and don't keep thinking of all these." She tried to pacify and cheer up her daughter.

"Yes, I know", came a faint reply from Susanna.

"In our life we are here just to do our part, and for no parent their child is their own, and same is the case of any relationship. All of us are "surrogates" in one way or the other, sooner or later we shall realize..."

"Hmm", nodded Susanna.

They continued their journey further and mostly everyone was silent; either they deliberately preferred to remain in silence, or ended up being in silence.

Susanna turned to her mother after a brief while and asked innocently, "So, can I atleast get to know the name of the baby?"

Her mother nodded her head, and they continued their journey ahead.

 

 

Written by,

Suveen Jacob Abraham.