I find Majrooh Sultanpuri's lines very apt to describe what i feel at this moment
Main akela hi chala tha janibe-e-manzil magar
Log sath aate gaye aur karavan banta gaya
I started all alone towards the goal/(but)
people kept joining and it began to turn into a caravan
Thank you all for turning the solitary stride into this beautiful cavalcade.
Link for previous chapters
Chapter-13
As soon as the last the last sentence was uttered by Mrs. Chapman, Aryan and Wendy's Principal, sending both the kids to the State Run Establishment, left all the four visitors, Ashutosh, Nidhi, Rohan and Anji, shocked... Completely shocked... The looks told her, that they were rudely brought out of their own comfortable world, into the appalling reality, where, their kids are being taken away, because, somehow they are unable to protect them from the harsh realities at their very tender age...
The shock started getting replaced by disguised expressions, the first one to hide his shock was Rohan, who immediately hid behind his anger, showing his eyes blazing, and stormed out of the room, rushing away with his car. The other three were still shocked. Nidhi had been helplessly looking at Ashutosh, asking him his help, wanting her kids back. But, the calls on their phones for their respective duties at the hospital, made them come out of their shock, and a hasty nod at Mrs. Chapman, and their eyes telling they shall talk later for sure, they too rushed out of the room. And finally Mrs. Chapman looked at Anji. But this Anji looked different, not the timid one, that she looked in front of her husband, but a determined one...
Mrs. Chapman looked at Anji and very politely asked- "Yes Mrs. Malhotra? You need to say anything else?"... Anji nodded in a yes...
An: Ma'am, I needed to talk to you... Something in private, that I could not talk in front of my husband...
Ch: Yes-yes... please Mrs. Malhotra... You may freely speak out...
An: Ma'am, I do sincerely feel, that all this bizarre is all because, my husband wanted to create this.
Ch: Mrs. Malhotra, please be free to say... What do you mean?
An: I feel, both the kids should be given back to Ashutosh and Nidhi, instead to the State run Establishment.
Mrs Chapman adjusted her glasses on her nose to look squarely at Anji's face and then said...
Ch: You know what you have just said Mrs. Malthotra? You are going against your husband's wish, and giving away the potential to take Aryan with you, if in any case you could have.
An: I do know Ma'am, what I'm saying. I would not support my husband in his wrong doings. When I can clearly see that his ego, and chauvinism is bitterly hurting two innocent kids, I certainly cannot let him keep doing this, hurting another couple, who need some peace for themselves, when they are just trying hard and harder each day to collect every broken piece of their family, especially when another little one is on the way to enter this world... I cannot keep all of them hurting because my husband is simply not any interested in looking into the point with some emotions.
Mrs. Chapman still kept looking in Anji's determined eyes, trying to gauge what she might be thinking. And to ward off all her doubts, she again asked-
Ch: And how do you think Mr. and Mrs. Mathur are going to take that proper care of both the kids, and specially after the little one coming into their lives?
Anji gave a wry smile, and then looked into the Principal's eyes, and then sadly begun-
An: When Aryan was born, Nidhi had nobody with her. I was starting my own life with my husband, and her husband was busy with me. It was Nidhi, who had taken care of herself, Aryan, her profession, home, everything she took care of... And then Dr. Ashutosh, from the time being Wendy's parents passing away, he had taken care of her, and Nidhi too took Wendy's responsibilities very lovingly, as lovingly as Dr. Ashutosh took Aryan's... They have genuinely loved both the kids with their heart and souls, how would they not love them forever, especially when they were on a verge of losing them both... And as far as the new baby is concerned, well, needless to say, when the couple themselves are happy with the good news, there is absolutely no question about the care and love they are going to give to their children.
Ma'am, it's my genuine request to you, to please consider my proposal, and send both the kids in the Mathur couple's custody. And then you see, how the children groom back into their normal life.
Mrs. Chapman, stood up from her chair and came to Anji's side. Seeing this, Anji too got up from her chair, and looked at her nonplussed, not sure what will the lady say on her part.
The old lady humbly smiled at Anji and then said-
Ch: It's out of my professionalism, but I'm bound to do this.
And she hugged Anji very lovingly...
Ch: Who said, you are not a mother? You certainly are. You don't need to bear the child in your womb to be called a mother. A mother is the one who sacrifices her own happiness for the betterment of her children, and look, you surely are doing this. There was no percent a doubt in my mind as to the Mathur couple being better parents for Aryan and Wendy. Not because you and Mr. Malhotra are any less capable, but because, the kids love them more as their parents.
Mrs. Malhotra, do not lose your heart, you can adopt any other kid in this world, but, taking away somebody's else's kids is never a good option, and you have been seeing the outcome of them too...
I am very glad to hear your part. I don't know how your husband is going to react, and what method he takes to get the kids back, but I am surely going to recommend, that the kids are going back to the Mathur couple only. They are their OWN children, and they must get them back!!!
**~~THANKS FOR THE READ~~**