How Saira found her family

By Payal Dhar on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - 10:26

Saira is convinced that 'normal' families only mean those with mummies and daddies, but a phone call one night makes her realise that that is simply not true...

Saira turned this way and that, hopelessly lost in the sea of people. She craned her neck to look for her mother, but all she saw were strangers. The little bubble of doubt inside threatened to grow.

Mummy hadn’t forgotten, had she?

As the auditorium slowly emptied out, Saira made her way towards the exit. The November night was chilly and she wrapped her jacket tightly around her, sitting down on the steps, her bag on her lap.

What if Mummy had forgotten?

“Saira!” The familiar voice made her jump.

“Oh, Saira, you gave me such a fright!” Gauri Aunty jogged down the steps to where the girl was sitting. “You were supposed to wait for me by the green room, remember?”

Saira remembered—how could she have forgotten?—but all she could feel then was overwhelming relief, and that made a huge lump in her throat. She hugged Gauri Aunty more tightly that she usually did, surreptitiously wiping her eyes on her sari.

“Are you all right?” Gauri Aunty asked, frowning down at her. She brushed the hair from Saira’s forehead and peered carefully into her face.

“Yeah,” said Saira, embarrassed. She turned and skipped down the path towards the car park.

Silly me, she thought. Of course, Mummy wasn’t supposed to come tonight—she had a dinner meeting with the Swedish delegates, whatever that was. Which was why Saira had fixed to meet Gauri Aunty outside the green room.

“Byeeee!” A high-pitched voice called out from somewhere. It was Jatin, her friend. He was getting into a giant car, waving at her, while his driver held the door open for him and held his backpack.

“Bye,” Saira waved back.

“Poor Jatin,” said Saira, as she strapped on the seatbelt in the red Swift that Mummy and Gauri Aunty shared.

“Why do you say that?”

“His parents never come for any of the recitals. Nobody from his family ever shows up. Mummy is always there when I’m performing. This was the first time she didn’t come because of the Swedish delicates.”

“Delegates,” corrected Gauri Aunty automatically. “I guess there’s more to families than mummies and daddies,” she added, reversing out on to the road.

“What do you mean?” asked Saira curiously.

“Don’t you think we are a family?” asked Gauri Aunty, in a rather mild tone that made Saira look at her. It was the tone she sometimes used when she caught Saira doing something she shouldn’t be doing. Somehow it was much worse than Mummy yelling at her. However, this time, Gauri Aunty didn’t seem to be angry—there was a small smile on her face.

“We-ell,” said Saira, thinking, “I suppose, in a way, but not really. Right? I mean, a normal family would have to have a mummy and a daddy.”

“There is no such thing as a normal or abnormal family. Mummies and daddies are just one.”

“What do you mean?”

“That a family is about belonging with people who love you, people you trust and feel safe with. I never really had a family till I met you and your mother.”

“I’m glad you did,” said Saira shyly, for she was really rather fond of Gauri Aunty.

“The feeling is mutual.”

Saira wondered at how life had changed since Gauri Aunty had come into their lives three years ago. Now they all lived in a bigger house, and Mummy didn’t have to work so hard as before, which meant there was more time for fun things like holidays and outings. Last year, when they went to Goa was the first holiday that she had ever had in her eight years.

In fact, she couldn’t imagine a life without Gauri Aunty now.

“You won’t go away, will you?” she asked, suddenly afraid.

“Only if you’ll both come with me,” said Gauri Aunty, with a wink.

That night, Saira woke with a jump. She couldn’t tell at first what had woken her. The house was dark, and through her open bedroom door she could make out the dim night light in the passage. It was quiet... no, wait a minute, what was that muted musical sound?

Befuddled with sleep, it took Saira a moment to recognize Gauri Aunty’s mobile ringtone. It stopped, and then there was silence again. But Saira couldn’t sleep. She got out of bed and padded barefoot towards Mummy and Gauri Aunty’s room. The door was ajar and Gauri Aunty was sitting up in bed, shivering in her nighty, staring at the phone in her hand.

“Where’s Mummy?” asked Saira.

Gauri Aunty started like she’d been shot. Suddenly, Saira felt wide awake. Gauri Aunty’s face was ashen.

“There was an accident, Saira. Mummy’s all right, but her cab was hit by another car.”

Saira simply stared, and it was a very long moment after which the pieces finally fell together. There was a buzzing in her head, and arms and legs felt numb and heavy.

“Is Mummy dead?”

“Oh dear god, no!” exclaimed Gauri Aunty. “She’s got some minor injuries, but she’s fine.”

“Then why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so relieved that’s she’s fine.” Gauri Aunty’s head dropped into her hands, and her shoulders heaved. Saira went up to her and they hugged each other so tight that it almost hurt.

“Can we go see her?” she whispered.

“Yes, yes. Get... get dressed. Put on something warm.”

Later, Mummy and Gauri Aunty both said that Saira had been so calm and poised and grown-up that day. Of course, she was almost ten, which was quite grown up. But she suspected it was more than that. It was about feeling safe even while she was so scared for Mummy. About being with someone she knew she could trust even on that worst day of her life.