"Don't worry, he would come around. Kids usually take some time to accept their siblings and the divided attention of their parents," Sharmila assured the worried mother. Perhaps it was the creases on the forehead of Kamla or her balled fists, Sharmila realised that Kamla didn't agree much with her statement but what else could she say to relieve Kamla's brooding?

Subtly nodding, Kamla superficially agreed with her elder sister-in-law, diverting her attention back to her eldest daughter Pratibha who was gaping at the child. It was the first time in her small life that the girl had seen a child as young as one before her. Though the visage of the child was not very attractive, the tiny stature of the baby amused Pratibha a lot.

All her life, Pratibha only had interaction with adults, people who were older than her but now with someone younger present, there was something that made the girl feel giddy. She already started planning all the fun she would experience with a little sister.

Maheshwari already had a younger sister so the charm of having another sister was hardly alluring to him but for Pratibha who has yet to experience this, it was new and exciting for her. She desired to spend more time with her sister and was unaware of the reason why her brother was angry with having another sister; for her, this sister was much more attractive than having another brother.

With great caution, Pratibha slowly forwarded her finger to touch the baby who was still sleeping, only to be caught by her mother. Kamla eyed her daughter with a raised brow, relaying her discontent about actions desired by Pratibha. Her eldest daughter was way too young to contact the newborn without supervision and in the direction her finger was moving, Kamla feared that Pratibha might poke the baby's eyes.

Pratibha who was yet to know the reason behind her mother's warning was disgruntled. For her, it felt like discrimination that her elder brother got to look at this new sibling up close while she was stopped doing the same. She puffed her cheeks in annoyance, also trying to convince her mother to caress the baby just once but her efforts were fruitless.

"Looks like Pratibha wants to touch her baby sister," Sharmila cooed on seeing the exchange between the mother and daughter. Taking the sleeping newborn in her lap, she cradled her, rendering both mother and daughter to continue with their disagreements.

"Chachi!" Pratibha gasped and got her hand out of her mother's hold. She was disquieted by the fact that Sharmila easily got hold of the baby while she, her elder sister was stopped from even getting near to her. This event made no sense to Pratibha who enviously looked at Sharmila's lap where her sister was sleeping soundly.

"What little lady?" Sharmila smirked at Pratibha's reaction. She anticipated this retort from the girl and for some reason, it amused her too. After all who didn't like to witness the antics of a child?

"Give her back to me! She is my sister," Pratibha puffed her cheeks even more, trying to establish her ownership of the baby.

"If she is your sister then she is my niece too and since I am elder so I have more rights over her than you," Sharmila twitched her lips trying not to laugh at the angered face of her niece. Kamla on realising what Sharmila was doing pressed her lips together and leaned on the pillow.

She was glad that at least one of her children was interested in their new sister but her joy soon diminished on the mere thought of her children getting to know about their sister's condition. The possibility of their children possessing the same agony as their father or– the possibility of repulsion from their eyes was piercing for Kamla. These musings also nudged Kamla to also ruminate in the alley where all possible outcomes from the presence of her child's disability resided.

This corner of Kamla's mind held obscurity that was birthed by her desire to please everyone around her. If not for Pratibha's stomping her foot, she might have gotten tangled in those assumptions. Shifting attention back to her daughter she witnessed the annoyance splayed on the countenance of the middle child who was still struggling to get hold of her sister.

"Pratibha," Kamla's chiding voice scolded Pratibha for her stubbornness. This strong-headedness of her middle child made Sharmila worried about her daughter's future, it was not a desirable trait for a housewife to be this stubborn; it will only attract a bad face for the family.

"Ma, why is chachi not letting me hold my sister?" Pratibha complained to her mother. Her prior anger was masked with vulnerability and she trotted to her mother, only to hold the hem of her mother's saree. "Shouldn't she ask sister if she wants to come to me or leave things as it is? I am sure my sister wants to be with me more than chachi, after all, I am her elder sister."

The reasoning was too cute for Kamla to just let go with a placid face so she smiled at Pratibha and caressed her cheek adoringly. "My dear Pratibha, your sister is unable to speak, so how would she answer?"

On listening to the question, Pratibha's lips immediately took a downward arc. The baby can't speak in her favour making her realise that it was near impossible to hold her, how else would she get her hands on this new sibling if the sister doesn't speak to get close to her?

Suddenly, she realised what her grandmother told her regarding this new sibling when the baby was in Kamla's womb, "Your new sibling would take time to speak, patiently wait for that and when he does, he would be better than any of your dolls."

At that time, Pratibha's chocolate-hued eyes glimmered beneath the sunlight while she waited for the baby to come out with anticipation. Now that the baby is here, she just has to wait for some time after which this newest sibling of hers would turn into her best toy that could talk.

"How much time would it take for my sister to speak?" Pratibha eyed her sibling in the arms of Sharmila who was still sleeping while getting cradled. Her dissatisfaction was clearly visible, she could not wait for her sister to leave behind Sharmila to play with her. Once her sister would start talking, she would easily speak her mind to play with her and no one could stop them then.

The words of Pratibha made Kamla's posture stiffen as she pressed her lips together unable to answer the question directly. She was drowning in self-pity and the words of her daughter made her sink even further.

Noticing the expression of Kamla, Sharmila couldn't help but sigh in her heart. Earlier, when Kamla was newly wed to Gopal, Sharmila used to be envious of Kamla's fortune. Not only did she possess the love of Gopal but also was considered the most beautiful woman in the village.

Now looking at her state, she couldn't see anything good with her life. The struggle of last night's labour was clearly visible on Kamla's face, her lips were chapped and there was a bruise on her lower lips from biting them due to the immense pain; a pain that only resulted in an unpresentable mute daughter.

The luck that earlier she used to possess was now replaced by sorrows. Sharmila was well-aware of the struggles that Kamla would have to face. The path of Kamla's future would have been less unfortunate if she would have just discarded her daughter but now with a mute baby as a stain on her being, Sharmila would like to see how long would Kamla last in this vicious world.

Seeing her mother not responding to her queries, Pratibha's attention diverted towards Sharmila who too was silent. Since Pratibha was way too young to understand the situation, in the fleece of her innocence, she asked the same question to Sharmila.

"Chachi, how long do I have to wait?"

Both Kamla and Sharmila knew that Pratibha will not let the matter stay unless she gets a proper answer but Kamla felt as if her mouth was on fire to relay the condition of the baby to Pratibha. A lone tear slipped past the cheeks of Kamla ruminating over her condition that garnered enough sympathy in the heart of Sharmila to take the question.

Keeping the baby aside, tucking her between the pillows, Sharmila stretched her hand to bring Pratibha closer to her. Tightening the braid of Pratibha, Sharmila muttered in a mellow voice, "You see Rasgulla when Krishna was sending your sister to us, she saw how well you treated your dolls. She was so happy that she requested Krishna to be your doll. Since Krishna had already given her the strength to move, he was in a dilemma of how to turn her into a doll, so he just kept her ability to speak so that she would stay just like your doll, just better."

Sharmila didn't know any other way for Pratibha to accept that her sister is mute so she spouted random nonsense while making it as believable as she could.

"So she can't ever speak?" Pratibha whined, she felt wronged as she had waited for a sibling, not a mere doll who could just move its body and by the looks of it the baby was even unable to move. She was aggrieved and eyed the baby with indignance, why did her sibling have to make such requests with Krishna? She ruined all the plans Pratibha had made for her. "I don't want her now."

The small statement of Pratibha was like a thorn in the heart of Kamla who gulped down her saliva, trying not to cry before her daughter. It was like a nightmare for her, the repulsion she dreaded to see in the eyes of her family for her new daughter was playing forth her eyes and she can't say anything to coax them to feel otherwise.

"Now Pratibha, is this how you are going to treat the gift from Krishna? Don't you think he would be disappointed? Janmashtami is in a few months, do you think he would let you play with his flute after this?" These words alarmed Pratibha and she hurriedly shook her head.

"No! I want to play with Kanha's flute. Last year I hardly got to play with it before Dadi caught me with it and returned it bhaiya to keep it. I want the flute this year!"

Knowing that her words managed to hold the desired effects on Pratibha, Sharmila smiled with satisfaction before patting her niece's head with adoration.

"Then you better care for your sister, just like how you take care of your dolls. If you would fail to do so then who knows Krishna might be so angry that he would take away all your toys," Sharmila face was too serious for Pratibha to realise the glib so she nodded her head with wide eyes.

"I love my toys too much, I promise you chachi, I will take care of my sister very well," Feeling as if this was not enough, she looked up and at top of her lungs screamed, " I will take care of my sister, Kanha please don't take away my toys."

Seeing the scene before her, Kamla didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her daughter accepted her sister for toys, not because she wanted to. Regardless, Kamla felt a bit lighter than before, knowing that for years, she was not required to explain the condition of her baby to Pratibha.

Since the voice of Pratibha was so loud, the baby stirred in sleep and finally woke up with teary eyes. Her choked cries were enough for both women to turn vigilant and get the baby to cradle her back to sleep.

"Little Rasgulla, see what you have done. Your sister was sleeping. Hurry let's go back home and not create any more trouble for your mother," Sharmila handed the baby to Kamla, then turned to Pratibha to drag her back home.

Though she was reluctant, Pratibha didn't put much resistance as the baby's cry felt annoying to her ears and she quickly dashed out of the room, making Sharmila rush after her.

Just as she was about to leave, Sharmila once again turned back to Kamla and with a soft smile told her the news for which she visited there, "Don't ruin your body thinking too much, Ma has accepted your daughter. She was indeed reluctant but things are less turbulent now. Tomorrow, I will send maids to get you, for today, rest and recuperate your body."

With this, she left, leaving the mother to coo her daughter back to sleep with little peace in her mind on knowing this development. Seeds of hope germinated on the arid soil of the weeping heart.