Across the Tide

It was on a sunny afternoon that Nidhi got a new ayah.Her parents were happy. .But not Nidhi.But she was unable to deliver her temperaments...yes she was a mentally disabled autistic child..But her mental prowess was not languid..it had awarness. Her catatonic structure constrained her movements.She could make meaningless sounds as her grey cells failed to imbibe words.For, her inner tongue was missing.But Nidhi knew love and she had plenty of it in her incapaciated form.A trapped bird with wingless hopes.That was Nidhi.She wanted her parents near her always.But her parents just waited for the first opportunity to flounder ..
It was to such a house that the new ayah came .Ayamma ..as she was callled by everyone who knew her, saw Nidhi and something clicked inside Ayamma..Nidhi looked pathetic and vulnerable. As if she had an untold sob story swelling inside her .Ayamma agreed to look after her.Ayamma and Nidhi were transported to a place where there was a school for such children.
A rented house with limited means and money .That was how they started their life together.
Nidhhi's parents were initially very liberal fiscally ..But the heat of romance and their urge to parent a normal child took them away from Nidhi mentally.
But for Nidhi life was heavenly.Ayamma danced to all her tunes and tended to her with utmost care . Nidhi felt loved .Now she shouted less in her owlish sound.she dribbled less and cared to look around her surroundings. She understood sounds and watched television and laughed and cried at emotions.She was transforming in to more of a human nature..But her parents never knew it all..Their parental duties towards her ended with the monthly frugal amount that reached Ayamma.
Fifteen years passed by thus . Nidhi grew up to be an imbecile with a beautiful physical appearance.
Ayamma felt things falling in to places with in her family by then
.Her penury went against her two daughters getting married. But by and by things started getting rectified.Her younger daughter married a sober and settled govt servant and her elder daughter fell in love with her master and they got married.
Ayamma related all this to the immense love Nidhi and she exchanged .Nidhi blessed her .That is what Ayamma told all and sundry.
But the snare of the patronizing society made Nidhi's parents think otherwise ..What if the so called society thought ill of them for discarding their sick child.
So without prior notice Ayamma was dismissed.The reason they gave her was harsh and pathetic.Ayamma was expensive and that they got a second hand information that Ayamma was rude .
Ayamma felt tears sting her eyes the day when they dragged Nidhi away and out of her life .
Ayamma was devastated.The world came tumbling around her.Nidhi wept silently.
As far as she was concerned her parents were alien creatures, who snatched her away from her Ayamma....
Everything became a painful memory for Nidhis clouded mind.She was lost.
Ayamma was disowned by her children.Because she gave all her love and affection to Nidhi and Nidhi alone
Ayamma decided to end her miserable life .she didnt know how to exist with out Nidhi and her dribbling mouth and wet kisses on her cheeks and the loud inaudible sounds that reeked of love and care..
Her grief over flowed ..it was then that her kind neighbour found her a job.it was just to attend to an old woman who was alone all week .week ends her son and wife came .
On one of those days the old woman told ayamma to accompany her grand daughter to gulf . As they had a 3 year old toddler.Ayamma was also happy.Because she really needed a change . Her lone hours pulled her mentally to Nidhi.She often wondered why she was so attached to Nidhi and why it all had to end so abruptly. .Cruelties of destiny can not be judged with any yardstick.
Nidhi was admitted in to a school boarding meant solely for such children.Dumping would be a better word for the same .A lifelong abandonment for Nidhi..
Little did her parents realize that it is at this stage that she needed parental care and love .Those callous parents didnt realize that Nidhi missed her Ayamma too.
Days passed by ..Nidhi became more morose and she fell sick often.
The management was more interested in the pecuniary benefits rather than the welfare of Nidhi.They observed that Nidhi's parents too had little or no interest in their firstborn.Nidhi's little mind felt stranded .
Ayamma was happy in her new dubai set up .she didnt have much work.looking after a sane child after all ,was just music for Ayamma.
But every day her thoughts strayed to Nidhi.".what is she doing now .is she fine..as if her parents were bothered.
It was then that they had a guest .She was sister Aloshia, from st george special school in kerala..A teacher who got a job in dubai school. And she was a friend of ayamma's madam Nayana.
While conversing, sister Aloshia mentioned about a particular ward in her school at kerala .A student who had sad eyes which spoke volumes .A catatonic mind that reacted subconsciously. .
Something prompted Ayamma to ask sister Aloshia about that girl's name .."It is Nidhi.."
Ayamma stoid transfixed.Her dear Nidhi stranded and bereft.
She poured all the story to them then . the unusual bond Nidhi and herself shared for 15 long years and how miserably it all ended and also about how she missed Nidhi and how her parents ditched her ..
Sister Aloshia then came up with a brilliant idea to get Ayamma appointed as a help in Saint George special school..Sister also promised Ayamma to get her in charge of Nidhi !
That was 3 months ago....
Now ayamma was on her trip down to kerala and Nidhi..
Opening the gates of saint George Special school ,whatshe saw first was the gentle face of the Saint's statue.She felt as if The Saint smiled at her .
Ayamma was home and her Nidhi was going to
be back in her arms forever.....
Love conquered the tides of the odious sea called destiny. .....!!