Just Another Mother

Chapter-9

After the kids went to bed, I focused on my pending works. I'm not a workaholic, but I love my job and my office! Whenever I hear my friends complain about how difficult it is to manage home and work together, I realize how lucky I'm to get a job in this company. If they weren't supportive, my life wouldn't have been like this.

It was like yesterday that I stepped into my company's branch in India as a fresher with all the enthusiasm and passion. To prove to the world that I'm finally a responsible, independent, and proud woman! As they had started the branch only a few months before I joined, almost everyone was new in the company.

I still remember the pity face my mother's friend, Susheela aunty gave me when she realized that I haven't got placed into any of the 'famous' companies 'known' to her. She even generously offered me a recommendation to her genius son, Arjun, my batchmate, to help me get into his company. She pitied me, without even knowing that I got placed in a well-established firm based in the US, and I was getting paid much higher than my other batchmates, including her son! Arjun and I are good friends, so we both never bothered about her fake concerns or jealousies. Later when Arjun made her realize the fact, her face was funny. But it was funnier when she came to know about my onsite offer. Poor aunty, she was so shocked! But, I wouldn't blame her, even I was shocked! I was just two years experienced then! I know I'm not that bad at coding, but still, I don't know what caused my manager to trust me.

It wasn't easy to convince my parents when I got the offer. Though they are supportive parents and want their daughter to be independent and bold, sending me to a foreign land alone was not digestible for them.

After a lot of emotional blackmailing and promises from me, and Sachin, I finally got their permission. Their main concerns were my safety and whether I will settle down in the US or even fall in love with a foreigner and marry him! I had promised them that I would go back to India as I would miss them too. But, I couldn't fulfill that promise. They must be regretting it now. I sighed!

Though I was excited about the opportunity, I was equally nervous and worried about how I will cope up in a foreign country with an entirely different culture! But Neena, Susan, Chris, and the kids made my life easier.

They became my family. Susan and Chris used to treat me like their little sister.

I miss you, Susan and Chris.

After Susan and Chris left, if my colleagues and company were not understanding, my life wouldn't be like this. I wouldn't have had a promotion or career growth if they forced me to stick onto office timings. They have always been lenient and at the same time recognized and appreciated my talent and efforts. I'm very much grateful to my company because of all this. Not only me, but most of them are long term employees, and who would want to leave a job which recognizes our talent and at the same time let us enjoy our family time. Because of this, we also feel obligated to give the best performance in our work. Yes, of course, some of them exploit these privileges too!!!

But, for me, I'm forever indebted to my company and the people around me who have supported me a lot. For a person who never had to bother about anything other than scoring grades during studies, being a mother all of a sudden was not easy. Even when I was alone in this country, I never had to worry much other than project deadlines or what to eat or wear! So, when an overnight, I became a mother figure to 5 kids, with two newborns, along with the unexpected loss of two close friends, it was overwhelming, and it changed my life completely.

I was a mess, not knowing how to handle the situation. For a person who was not mature enough to handle themself, the responsibility of 3 toddlers and two newborns was too much to handle. The court proceedings were also not an easy battle. They were skeptical about handing over the custody of American kids to an Indian. If it weren't for the kids' plead, the court wouldn't have granted me the guardianship.

Later, the processing of the adoption request also gave me too much emotional stress. Those initial years, until I got the adoption rights, I lived with the fear of losing my kids. I always feared and had nightmares that the state will take my kids away due to my mistake or negligence. I was extra careful, and that only increased my panic. I was afraid to consult a doctor for counseling until the judgment day, with the fear of losing the kids, stating that I'm unfit to be a guardian. We wouldn't have survived those days if not for the lovely people around me.

At that time, I couldn't focus much on my work. It was difficult for me to have a work-life balance, and if my colleagues had given me more pressure to focus on my work or had sent me back to India, I would have lost my job and my kids.

If not for the support from my colleagues, Neena, and her family, Alice, the kids' emergency nanny, on short notices, though her job is only to clean the house on weekends, I would have lost my kids.

Above all, my parents. I know they are struggling a lot with the taunts from the family and society. I know how much they wish to see me married, and being a single child, I am their world. Though they have accepted my kids, I know they will always be worried about me and my future. I know I'm hurting them a lot, and I feel like I'm not a good daughter. Even though everything was unintentional, I wish for them to have a happier and peaceful life, but not without my kids.

My train of thoughts got interrupted by Sachi's phone call.

Author's Note:

I'm sorry.....I'm sorry... I'm sorry for the late updates!!!!!