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My child and I: A story by Lalita Vaitheeswaran

The rummy party was bustling with merriment as the ladies dealt and distributed the cards.
Mrs. Rita Bakshi, the host was in her pink gossamer best as she put the small infant in the cradle.
Mrs. Bajaj, Mrs. Ghosh, Mrs. Arora, Mrs. Sharma ..all the guests envied Rita who had the best vital statistics even as she became a mom recently.
Bindiya, the help was running hither and thither carrying short eats and soft drinks to the guests.
As she passed the cradle, her longing loving eyes for the baby could not be hidden from the sharp eyes of Mrs. Ghosh.
Rita!! beware!! She whispered…
Your maid is setting her eyes on your angel…
Rita just laughed and let go…
Such small parties were a regular affair at Rita’s. 
Bindiya would be seen cleaning, and decorating the hall and also preparing lip-smacking snacks.
She would not miss her cooing and petting the baby at all times.
Every day she would overhear the grand ladies whispering and nudging asking Rita to be cautious of her.
On that day it was the child’s first Birthday. She has dressed up like a doll and her light angelic eyes lit up the ambiance.
Bindiya couldn’t control herself as she rushed to smear her forehead with a little kohl from her eyes.
That was enough for Mrs. Ghosh…who sprang to catch Bindiya by her arm and intimidate her with her stare.
Rita came in and joined the melee’…
How dare you…how dare you put that black spot on my baby?? The room echoed with her thundering query.
Bindiya’s lacrymal glands gave in to a deluge of tears…
And she stammered but asserted…
Who am I ??
I AM THE(biological) MOTHER
AND SHE IS MY CHILD…
Don’t forget that I made you a mother by surrogacy…you can physically take my baby but cannot cut the emotional umbilical cord!!
Cant I ward off evil spirits from my own baby?? I have never wanted anything more except that I could see my baby growing…..
The guests were flabbergasted as they listened to an emotional mother…..as they started dispersing from the party without eating…