It was Ankush’s 14th birthday. The evening saw the house filled with guests. It was a grand party, with lots of eating, dancing and playing. It was always the brightest day of the year for the whole family. The centre table in the living room was now hidden underneath a mountain of gifts. And like every other kid, Ankush too was waiting for the guests to leave, so he could open his presents. Finally, after few hours, the wait was over. Mom insisted that he first changes into his night clothes, but he just started opening his presents one by one.
Ankush was unwrapping his presents, and his smile only got wider every time. Just then mom, who was sitting in front of the dressing table taking off her make-up, called Ankush to help her with the stuck necklace hook. Ankush took only a second to unhook it, and ran back to his gifts. Mom started taking off the rest of her jewellery and started keeping them in the safe. Ankush too got lost in his presents. All of a sudden, he felt something around his neck. His hands reacted, and a single touch was enough for him to realise that, mom was putting her necklace around his neck. And by the time he could say something, mom had secured the hook. Ankush stood up at once, and started asking mom to take it off. But when he himself started pulling at it, mom got worried that he might break the chain, and she unwillingly slapped him. She instantly realised her mistake, and started consoling her son, asking for his forgiveness. Ankush kept on crying and soon he fell asleep resting his head in his mom’s lap. He had forgotten that he was still wearing the necklace. Mom slowly raised his head and rested it on a pillow. And then continued with her work.
It was Sunday next day. After a long night’s sleep, Ankush woke up fresh, and smiling like he never cried. He ran into the kitchen and hugged his mom tight. Mom asked him to do his morning rituals, and come back fast for breakfast. He brushed his teeth over the washbasin in the verandah, and came back to join his mom at the breakfast table. Mom served him his favourite aaloo paranthas, with lots of butter and herself sat in the opposite chair and started admiring her son enjoying his breakfast. Ankush noticed her grinning and asked her the reason but she just shook her head.
After finishing his breakfast, Ankush went to his room, took out the book of his favourite subject, Science, and started reading. While he was studying, mom would show up every few minutes with the excuse of giving him something to eat or drink. She would look at him, smile and leave. Ankush was finding her behaviour strange. After a while, mom came to check on him again, but only to find him asleep at his study table with his head resting on the book.
About an hour later, mom woke him up. She was running her hands through his hair, giving him a slow head massage. He really liked it. So when mom began to leave, he held her hand, gesturing her to continue. She lovingly continued and said; “Your hair has grown too long. Why don’t you get it cut?” He once again said, what he usually does; “Oh come on, mom! They are not that long too. In fact, almost everyone keeps long hair these days. Besides, I am also a part of the school’s music band.”
Ankush was really enjoying the head massage, and his eyes slowly began to close with relief. Without saying anything, Mom pulled all his hair back, and tied them in a big bun like she was wearing herself. And before he could say anything, she took out some pins from her hair, and secured his bun with them. Ankush jumped out of his seat and was about to untie his hair but mom grabbed his wrist. “Please let it be like this for a while. Please. For me. Has your mom ever asked you for anything? Can’t you do such a small thing for me?” Saying this, she pulled him by his arm, and took him to her room. Ankush headed for the couch opposite the TV, when mom stopped him from sitting there, and asked him to sit on the stool in front of the dressing table.
Now he was getting doubtful of her intentions, so he clearly denied, and tried pulling his hand out of mom’s grip. The moment he was turning, his eyes caught a stranger’s face in the mirror, his own face. That’s when he realised that he had slept wearing the necklace, and it was around his neck all this while. He noticed that even he hadn’t grown a single hair on his face. His cute, innocent face, the gold necklace hanging under it, and the thick hair bun caught him by surprise and he froze there, unable to say anything. It wasn’t him in the mirror. It was a 14-year old girl. That’s when, he noticed his mom standing behind, looking at her son admiring himself. He again tried taking off the necklace, but struggled with the hook, and left it there. His hands now went towards his bun, when mom once again held him by his hand. “Please allow your mom to admire you like this for a while. I know you are my son, but even if for a while, let me live my desire to have a daughter. Just a little more time. Only till lunch maybe.” She said this, and took Ankush along to the kitchen with her. She would ask him to pass something or the other every second, and kept him too busy, to get conscious about his hair or necklace.
Soon he forgot about his hair and necklace, and started helping his mom. After leaving the curry to cook, she started preparing the dough for making breads (rotis). He was watching her do it, when suddenly mom took his hands and put them in the bowl with the material. He tried pulling out his hands but mom stopped him by saying; “Please! My hands are paining. Can’t take the pressure.” And holding his hands in the bowl, she showed him the right hand movement, and then slowly took her hands off his. Soon, the dough was ready. It was now time to make breads (rotis), from the dough. Ankush washed his hands under the sink tap, and was leaving when mom stopped him saying; “the breads are yet to be made.” The moment Ankush’s expression changed, she again showed him her paining hand. “Why don’t you hire a servant?” Mom replied smiling; “When you start earning yourself, do what you want.” And she handed him the bread roller (belan).
But a belan in Ankush’s hand, was like a bat in a bowler’s hand. Mom noticed his confusion, and showed him the move by rolling one roti. Then she helped him rolling, while holding his hands, and showing him the correct move. Soon, mom took her hands off, but Ankush didn’t realise and ended up making the remaining rotis without any further help. When he was not stopping, she shook him out of his dream world and said; “Enough! We are just two in the house. We are not supposed to cook for the entire family.” Ankush quietly kept the belan, and was leaving when mom said from behind; “Ya, but if you have started enjoying it, you can also cook the dinner tonight.” And she burst into laughter looking at his irritated face.
After a while, mom called him for lunch. All Ankush was thinking about, finishing the food as quick as possible, and put an end to the torture. At the table, mom put the serving bowls in front of Ankush, and herself sat a couple of chairs farther. Ankush stood up, and went across to serve mom first, and while he was doing that, mom was still admiring his face and couldn’t stop smiling. Ankush noticed that, and said “Enjoy it while it lasts. Your fun will be over as soon as the food is.” He served himself then, and just then mom said; “I am so lucky! Otherwise, being a mother of two sons, how would I get to enjoy food cooked by my daughter.” Ankush got up to leave, when he saw that his mom was not smiling or laughing anymore. Instead, she had tears in her eyes. He went closer and hugged his mom tight. After a moment, when he got up again to leave, mom whispered; “Can’t I keep my daughter home till morning?” And her eyes were wet again. Seeing mom getting so emotional, Ankush also had his eyes moist. A tear flowed down his cheek, and mom instantly took it on her fingertip and kissed her daughter’s eyes. Her daughter was going to stay with her for the night.
As the day turned into night, mom called Ankush to her room. He was still wearing his necklace. And his hair bun was also intact. Mom pointed towards the changing room and said; “It’s late now. Go get changed. I have kept your clothes inside.” For a moment, Ankush thought his embarrassment is over. But the moment he stepped inside, his jaw dropped. Behind the door, he saw a satin pink floor length nightie on a hanger. Confused, Ankush called out; “Mom, where are my clothes?” Mom replied instantly; “Behind the door. On the hanger.” Ankush didn’t say anything now. The changing room’s door was closed for a while. So mom got a little worried. She was about to knock at the door when it opened, and she stepped out. She, because nobody would have been mistaken her for a boy, by looking at her now. Not even Ankush himself. The nightie fitted and suited her so well as if it was made for her. Mom couldn’t hold her tears anymore, and she now hugged her daughter tightly.
This time Ankush didn’t oppose, when mom took her towards the dressing table. She sat on the stool. When mom took off her necklace, she was a little surprised. But just then, mom took out a pearl necklace with a pink stone pendant from a drawer, and put it around Ankush’s neck. She was not saying anything anymore. Just sat there quietly, and it was like, she was looking into her mom’s eyes in the reflection and saying; “Do whatever you want. Live all your desires. Your daughter is here with you tonight.”
Soon, mom helped her stand by, holding her from her shoulders. Ankush’s hair bun was even bigger now. Mom had added hair extensions to the bun, and gave it more weight. A pink rose was adding to its beauty. The eyes were now outlined with thick eyeliner. Lips were full and bright pink. And in her ears, which were pierced during childhood only as per Rajput culture, there were huge studs with a big pink stone at the centre, and small white pearls all around. Both his wrists now adorned 9 beautiful glass pink bangles each. All his 10 nails were painted in a similar pink. Now, mom took off her mangalsutra and put it around Ankush’s slender neck as well. “This is to remind myself that, my daughter is here only for tonight, and will go back to her in-laws in the morning itself.” Ankush was quiet. But she did something that made mom happy beyond expectations. Ankush went inside, and came out wearing one of her mom’s dupattas and touched her mom’s feet to take her blessings. Mom knew nothing to say except; “May your husband’s blessing be upon you forever.” Saying this, mom adjusted Ankush’s sliding dupatta and secured it over her head with a pin, and embraced her daughter.
Both mom and daughter were now not sleepy at all. They kept on talking all night. Ankush kept on smiling for her mom. As if, in her heart, she was saying; “Let me just fulfil all my mom’s desires of having a daughter, tonight.” Mom also painted Ankush’s hands with mehndi (henna) that night.
In the morning, mom was woken up by some noise coming from the kitchen side. She looked her left but Ankush was not there. The smile on her face just vanished instantly, as she thought her daughter has gone back now. She had just started to miss her when Ankush entered wearing the same gold necklace from yesterday. Not only that, she was also wearing matching jhumkas (hoop earrings) and bangles. But she was not wearing her nightie. Instead, she was now looking gorgeous in a silk red salwar kameez suit. The kameez was a little loose at the top, but she was still looking beautiful in it. The dupatta had small ghungroos tied around the borders, that were making tinkling sound with every little movement. She was also wearing the dupatta in the same manner, as mom had fixed on her head. The glass bangles, this time, were in red. She didn’t know how to do make-up, so she was just wearing lipstick in same deep red colour. Nails were still pink. Mom was crying out of happiness by now. With her mehndi donned hands, Ankush now kept the tray with tea cups on the bed. And said while handing over a cup to mom; “I have been trying to wake you up for so long. God knows, where were you lost in your dreams.” But mom was still weaving that same dream, – the dream of doing all those things with her daughter as any mom does.
