This story is part of a novella – A girl was born

Do check out the first and the subsequent chapters – https://firsttimemommy.net/category/a-z-blogging-challenge-2018/

Tara got married for three reasons – to make her parents happy, to try to move on in life and to be a mother. Her biological clock was ticking. Nikhil was not too keen on bringing a baby so soon into their married life, but Tara was adamant. She wanted a baby, and sooner the better. Finally, he conceded. And, as luck would have it, the storks visited the newly wedded couple even before they could celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

Little Tia soon entered the world. She weighed 2.2 kgs, the same as her mother when she was born, and just as tiny. She resembled like an overgrown gecko. Fortunately, no one gave her any funny names. Her mother looked at the tiny wrinkled baby and cried. Tia had her dark complexion. Papa Nikhil couldn’t guess the real reason why Tara was upset. He thought they were the tears of a happy new mother.

Tia changed the life of Tara and Nikhil. Tara for the first time in many years came to love another person so completely. Her world revolved around Tia.

She spent less time with Nikhil, refused to go out with him or socialize because her baby needed her more. The chasm between the couple started widening with each passing day. Nikhil realized that but Tara was oblivious to it. Or maybe she didn’t care. She wanted to be a mother, she was one now. The rest was not important enough.

As Tia grew up, Tara realized that though Tia looked like Tara, she was a lot different than Tara was when she was small. While Tara was outdoorsy, Tia preferred reading books or drawing in a quiet corner of her room. She remembered her childhood days when her mother had to send a search party to bring her home at dinner time. Tara had a horde of friends, while Tia preferred the company of a few chosen ones. Her quiet demeanour and liking for solitude exasperated Tara.

Nikhil tried to explain to her, “Tara, Tia is not you. Just because she came out of your womb, she doesn’t have to be like you. She is a person in her own right. So, stop expecting her to do what you did or what you want.” It took a long time for Tara to understand the wisdom behind those words.

Motherhood makes you forget many other important things in your life? What do you think? Read further in the next chapter Past is never dead.