My little one

Being a single dad to a daughter is a tough job, nevertheless I tried doing my level best. Aahana's arrival filled us with immense joy and pride. She gave us the much needed spur in our otherwise mundane life. I lost my wife, Brinda, in a car crash when Aahana was 2 years old. From then I've tried to be upto the mark in parenting. Since then life has been a roller-coaster. My little daughter didn't understand why I had to go to office every single day. Aahana was my priority, and balancing work became a challenge. However, I did pull through it. As she started growing up, I had to accustom myself with everything, starting with her doll house, to innovative hair-do for school. I became her best friend and she, mine.

Then came teenage, there was a change in the environment. I couldn't understand why, according to her, I didn't understand her and her mom would have done it better. "I did all I could", I thought to myself. I used to stay awake or pace infront of the door until her return. Anxiety tortured me, but I couldn't express, after all I am a father. Balancing Aahana became tougher than the regular office work.

She graduated from school and took admission in a college. Things became better. I became her best friend again! Life was content. I was a bit jealous of the boy whom she started mentioning regularly during our conversations. And being a cool dad, I couldn't express my anxiety. I used to be anxious and obsessed like a teenager. I could never come in-terms with the fact that she would want to get married one day. Aahana graduated from college, and became a young, energetic entrepreneur. I had never realized how these years have passed by, it all seemed like yesterday. My little angel was a working woman now and I was gleaming with pride!

After my retirement, we used to discuss about her work. She was very patient with me, acquainted me to her work gradually. One fine morning in October, Aahana sat beside me and told, "Dad, I need to tell you something", I said "yes, go ahead". She too was a bit nervous, and I had got enough hints already, just that I ignored. She replied, "there is a boy I know, his name is Aman, I wanted you to meet him". I replied "Yes! Sure" with a fake enthusiasm.

I invited Aman for lunch, cooked everything by myself just to set an example that my little angel wouldn't settle for anything less. I tried being judgmental, but the boy bowled me over by his gestures, his maturity, his vision towards life. In him, I saw a zeal that I had towards life, 40 years back. I had to succumb to my daughter.

The day of her marriage, I was proud and devastated. I couldn't let my little angel go away at any cost, but yes, she had to re-build a life of her own. She was getting in that red car, I was standing right infront, numb. She turned back and said "Will you take care of my doll house?", I answered, " 'for you, a thousand times over' ".