They had the most perfect life together. Other couples were in awe of their “made for each other” match. They were the perfect example of the fact that love does not die after marriage if only you give it your 100%. Sneha’s mind rambled as she thought of all those happy moments that Rahul and she had shared. A drop of tear rolled down her cheeks, she held back the rest as little Tanisha burst in the room.
“Where’s daddy mom? I called on his phone… he scolded me!!” Sneha held her as she sobbed. “Don’t worry baby... daddy will return soon” she said, whispering to herself, “how I hope!”
Everything was fit and fine till the day Sneha asked Rahul not to let Tanisha go to an elderly neighbour’s place alone. He lived next door- a man well in to his sixties. Rahul was amazed. He forever had looked up to him with great regards. He would not have Sneha doubting people he respected! He demanded an answer. Sneha fumbled.
“What is it Sneha? You can tell me!! You know I care for Tanisha as much as you do dear…”
“I’m afraid, Rahul, you won’t understand.” She was searching for the thoughts that were playing in Rahul’s mind. She could not find any.
Yet again Rahul asked, a little more severely this time. “Tell me Sneha!!”
“Listen if you have to!” She gushed out everything from within herself- all the pain and frustration she had held in herself for all these years, wondering whether Rahul would be ready to accept what she had to say. The last thing she wanted was a broken love marriage!
“I loved chocolates …” she started. “One evening, the uncle next door told me he has chocolates for me. My parents respected him a lot and let me go. I still wonder why!!” She paused. Rahul was waiting… amazed.
Sneha was a victim of child abuse… and this was the first time Rahul got to know of that!
“No Rahul… I don’t want to take any chance… I don’t want my daughter to carry this burden of guilt that never was hers… I don’t want her to suffer!!!”
Rahul rushed out of home. He didn’t return for the next four days. He didn’t take calls. In fact Tanisha’s was the first call he had taken in the last four days. As Sneha sat crying, Tanisha woke up and searched for daddy. The paradise seemed to have vanished from these three lives. Neither Sneha nor Rahul wanted to discuss their personal lives with any third person… Rahul drowned himself in alcohol, Sneha in grief and tears.
The bell rang. Tanisha was expecting Rahul every time there was a knock on the door. This time she said “No mom, this isn’t daddy, I won’t open the door”. There was a knock again and then the latch turned.
It was Rahul. “I’m angry with you Sneha! Not because you were molested as a child… but because you thought I’d leave you for this. This is how much you trust me!! Is this what my love is worth?”
Sneha fell on his chest and cried… “Every girl isn’t as lucky as me. Everyone is not Rahul!! Not everyone would understand that the fault wasn’t mine…” Her voice choked…
Little Tanisha didn’t understand much of it. She simply and solemnly asked, “Why is mom crying dad? Is it because the doll is for me and not her?” Rahul and Sneha hugged her, “Yes our little doll…”
