A Short Story

A Short Story

She was very happy today. It had been a great great day after a long time. She was just short of dancing on her way back home. She felt extremely happy, extremely blessed.

As she entered her house, her kids approached her and hugged her. It had been a long day- away from her home, away from her kids. She had two kids- a boy of eight and a girl of five. As they embraced her, she reverted back with the tightest hug she could manage. Even the kids realized their mother was very happy today- they could make it out from her face- the way she had entered the house with a huge beam on her face, eyes glittering with joy. and her hug spoke millions of words.

Though the kids were very young, they knew their mother had been working really really hard since the last few days. She had been dull, worried and striving to make the ends meet.

And yes, she had struggled a lot in the past few months. She had strived to her bits ends. But it had all finally payed off today.

As she cooked food for her kids, she realized how happy they were to look at all the tasty food she had made tonight. Not that it was a huge sumptuous meal, but she had cooked 5 chapatis for the 3 of them and a sabji. She had also picked up  a small ice cream for both the kids on her way  back home. That had made them even more excited.

As she looked at her kids, hogging on to the food so happily, she remembered her previous months. There had been times when she had been able to barely manage any food, and there were days where she had slept empty stomach, because they could not afford food. The days that broke her heart were those when even her kids had to sleep empty stomach. 

Warding off all those thoughts, she smiled again looking at her kids.

She was a small food vendor, in the city of Lonavala. Rather, a “tourist hill station-Lonavala”- as people called it!  She had tried her hand at various things, but everything failed to help her. The village she lived in- it was difficult for her to travel to the City and even when she could, nobody offered her work. That was when she had spoken up with people and started selling vegetables. But even that became a task provided the location she stayed at. Finally, as the monsoon arrived, she came across a lady selling corns- an old lady- she became her messiah and here she was now- selling corns, or what we call bhutta famously. 
From the start of the day at 9 AM up to evening 7.30 PM, she stood at the "Shooting Point"- the famous, high peaked tourist attraction- selling bhuttas. At the start it was very difficult for her- she would freeze in the cold weather, she had to stand barefoot, there was competition, and on certain days the weather would be so bad, she would freeze to the extent of not being able to do anything. But she did. She overcame the difficulties and her hardship had paid off-today.

She did not know if the next day would be the same. And she did not wish to think for what would she do again after the monsoons. 

But today, she was happy. She was satisfied. She felt blessed.

With the monsoons approaching, so had her happiness approached.

The cold rains had brought a long lasting warmth for her family.