What's her mistake ? - 37

“When I reached the place i remembered that this was the place where I was kept captive. I should carry my child from here and somehow reach my home, I thought. I was expecting a lot of resistance. But nothing came up to my surprise!’ Dammu smiled. But the smile did not reach her eyes, I observed.

“’Welcome, the mother of the child!  You can have a look at your child. After all, you have taken the trouble of holding the baby in your womb!’ I looked up when I heard the voice. Of course, it was my husband’s first wife. Miraculously her tummy was flat! That means the drama is complete. Now she can say that it is her baby. But I was preparing to collect all my inner strength. I knew I need every ounce of my strength to take away the baby. I had lot of thinking done on my way to this place. I first thought I will go to the police. But I immediately rejected the idea.  I had seen her to be very powerful. What is the use of going to the police? For all I know, she may have all the police eating out of her hands. I decided to rely on my wits and of course, the four types of tricks which our elders  had taught” Dammu stopped and started fidgeting with the edge of her dupatta.

It must have been very painful to go all the way back to the haveli after so many troubles she underwent. Now comes the important part. Did she get the baby?

“I saw the baby. It was peacefully sleeping. I did not have the heart to touch it and wake it. As expected, I could not know the gender of the baby. So I asked her. She rudely said, ‘I hope you heard me saying. You can have one look at your child. Since it is not going to be with you, why should you know what baby it is? Whether male or female? It is born by my husband’s seed and it is mine. Like I said earlier, I owe you one look at the baby. May be for this moment only, you escaped your death. The sedative which was given to you must have killed you. But you came out of it and have taken the trouble of coming up to here. My people were behind you all this time. They saw my husband’s brother’s death. I only let you come up to here. If I had minded I could have got killed you on your way here’.  After her long talk, I felt very annoyed. But Nammu! I was helpless. I decided to play all the tricks I had known. I pleaded with her. I implored her. I begged in all possible manners. She was like a stone. I then offered my whole property. She scoffed at me. ‘Your property? Do you know how much I have with both the brothers gone? With the kid being born? The figure is not even countable. So, with the money I could buy anything or anybody!’ I decided to threaten her. I told I will go to police. But I knew that my threat was very much useless just by the look on her face”  Dammu’s eyes started to get wet.

Nammu Aunty responded by shedding tears herself. I was getting very uncomfortable about the next part of the story. I was sure it was not at all happy after listening to all this conversation.

“Now, I decided to act fast. I rushed towards the baby to snatch it from its cradle”