Over the Rainbow

By Rajashree Bhagwat

Pallavi and Sagar had it all: a lovely family, defined career path, and most of all, a sweet three-year-old, Sonal. Sonals demand for a sibling steers their life into an unexpected turn. They end up adopting Arya.

As the baby grows into a toddler, he displays unusual traits. Its just the way the kids are; kids ought to be naughty. Things will be better soon, the couple believes. But as he grows into a little person, with his outgrown unusual behavior, the family encounters embarrassments. Eight years pass by. They try in every possible way to improve the situation, but it worsens day by day. They regret the hasty decision they had taken back then. In the meantime, the delicate bond continues to weave strongly.

Unable to cope with the mounting stress, they send him to a residential school, with a firm belief that the strict discipline of the school can mould him. They were wrong; rather, it changed their life forever and ever.

Why did the couple decide to go for adoption? What are the difficult situations they encountered? What changed their course of life? Would they accept Arya? Would they succeed overcoming the difficulty or will the wows be forgotten?

The story tours you on the journey of parenting an adopted child, encapsulating the emotions and experience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Dec 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781482842098

Rajashree Bhagwat

A human resources (HR) professional who spent more than twelve years with one of India’s leading steel giants before she turned to a career in writing, Rajashree Bhagwat is based in Bellary, Karnataka.   “Over the Rainbow” addresses the emotions and risks involved in adoption and the need for flexibility in parenting style. Her other book is “A Drop of Dew,” where she has explored the finer nuances of romantic love and relationships.   Her interests include photography, reading, writing, gardening, and travelling. Her ambition of transforming herself into a full-time author from a devoted housewife has been a long journey, which owes a lot to the support of her loving husband and three kids.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dusk set in with all its hues. The bougainvilleas bloomed white and pink in the median. People walked on the long stretch of road decked with trees on either side. Some walked at a brisk pace, sweating and panting, while some maintained a leisurely stroll, chattering away. A small crowd of older people were gathered at the entrance of the newly constructed park. A couple of people sat on the benches, seemingly in deep contemplation. The neatly maintained lawn edges with a clear demarcation between the grass and the ornamental plants and the newly created lake had several visitors. Some people could be seen rushing to the gate to return to their homes after work.

Entering through the large gate of the township, driving past the shopping complex, Pallavi slowed down the car and looked over the modified buildings. A fruit-and-vegetable shop, a sweet shop, and a grocery store were lined on the inside, and eating joints and a fresh-juice shop were outside the complex. Street lights turned on as she parked the car. She unlocked the door, and while walking to her room through the veranda, she noticed the little study table. Books were neatly piled on top of it, and the little backpack was placed in a corner.

Looking out of the window, she spotted her three-year-old Sonal in the playground outside their building. Shashi, their live-in maid, sat on a bench a little away from Sonal, chatting with a lady. Pallavi walked towards the kitchen; she thought a cup of tea would help her unwind after a long, tiring day. She always looked forward to such times and loved to prepare tea for herself with extra milk and sugar. She glanced at the clock; it was five past seven. After placing the kettle on the stove, she headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

With the pattern of a set routine from Monday to Saturday, thoughts of the leisurely brunch and watching television on Sundays always relaxed her. She poured the piping hot tea in a large cup and walked to the balcony. Reclining on an easy chair, she let the aroma of the tea fill her nostrils as she waited for Sonal and Shashi to return. The gentle breeze added to the serenity of the evening.

‘Mom!’ Spotting her mother from afar, Sonal called out and came running, leaving Shashi behind. ‘I saw the ducks in the lake. They were fighting,’ Sonal said excitedly.

‘That’s great. How many were there?’

‘There were many. Shaalu and Ruchita had also come!’

Shashi reached home and stood near the door, watching Sonal talk to her mother.

‘Ruchita has a baby sister, and Shaalu has a brother. I want one too.’

This was not the first time Sonal was demanding for a sister or brother. Today, there was an earnest plea in her voice. Trying to divert her attention, Pallavi asked, ‘What did you learn in school today?’

‘A new rhyme. I have learnt that already,’ she said excitedly. After a short pause, she continued, ‘Ruchita’s sister is very cute. Her fingers and toes are so tiny. And Shaalu’s brother played with me.’

‘Really? Now, can I listen to the new rhyme?’ said Pallavi. Her phone beeped.

It was a message from Sagar: ‘Reaching in ten minutes, get ready. Let’s go out for dinner.’

She texted ‘Okay’ and hit Send. Pallavi told Sonal and Shashi that they were going out for dinner and told them to get ready. As they were walking back in, Pallavi noticed there were no questions from Sonal about where and when they were going. She was not her usual self.

Ten minutes, Sagar had said. And it would take exactly ten minutes. The large piece of barren land located away from the hustle and bustle of the city was extremely clean and neatly maintained, with quite a large number of houses constructed in clusters. The school and hospital were constructed there to provide immediate aid for the residents of the township. A garden for toddlers, equipped with climbers, slides, and see-saws, was located at the centre for easy access. Some houses were ready to be occupied while a few more were under construction. A new restaurant was the recent development, and it was overflowed with people in the evenings.

Pallavi locked the front door as she heard Sagar’s car drive in. Sonal rushed to her father. The family walked to the restaurant. As they dined, conversation was temporarily suspended. The couple smiled at each other, watching Sonal enjoy the food.

‘Papa, I want a sister or a brother to play with,’ said Sonal as she carefully dipped the French fries in the tomato sauce. ‘I want someone to play with me,’ she continued looking at her father.

Nodding with an affectionate smile, Sagar turned to Pallavi and said, ‘Let’s talk about it once we get home. It’s too noisy here.’

Sonal was convinced by Sagar’s reply. As the family walked out of the restaurant, Pallavi said, ‘Can we go for a walk?’

‘Let Sonal and Shashi go home and watch television. It’s too breezy outside. Sonal may catch a cold.’

The couple set out for a walk, and, Sonal and Shashi made their way back home. The cool evening breeze soothed the couple as they entered a big open ground.

‘I think we should plan for a second baby.’

With the words coming out of Sagar’s mouth, Pallavi was startled. Up until now, she had not thought of it. The very thought of the first trimester made her sick.

‘Are you serious?’ she asked.

‘I think it’s the right time.’ After a short pause of contemplation, he continued, ‘Let’s not hurry.’

Pallavi could not stop thinking about a second pregnancy. The impending changes in their lives were something she was not ready for. Long after returning home, she kept tossing and turning in bed, thinking about the trimesters followed by the sleepless nights. And the break in her career was something she could not stand.

After some time of going over the pros and cons of pregnancy, she felt adoption was the better option. She couldn’t wait to mention it to Sagar and woke him up. Sagar’s positive attitude about giving a good home to an orphan was encouraging to her.

Chapter 2

Monday showed up after a long Sunday. The sun’s rays slowly filled the walls of the house with its warmth. Having finished her morning chores, Pallavi walked to the balcony. Immersed in the cool serenity of the morning, she sat in silent contemplation. Adoption, she realized, would be a life-changing event. Lost in thoughts of the impending change, she thought of life with a new child in their family.

‘Tea!’ Sagar bellowed from the bedroom.

‘Yes, coming …’ Pallavi called back.

Pouring the tea into a cup, she walked to the room and placed it on the table. Drawing the curtains apart, she came up with the topic uppermost in her mind. ‘Are you sure adoption is a viable decision?’

‘Why not!’ Sagar exclaimed.

‘It is a big decision,’ she said.

‘It is. By this weekend, we can call up an orphanage and find out the procedure,’ said Sagar as he sipped the tea.

He got up from the bed and headed for the shower. Pallavi prepared breakfast hurriedly, and they got ready and drove to work.

The entire week was spent either thinking or talking about adoption. The decision became more real. That weekend, Sagar called up an orphanage. They were relieved when they received an assuring response.

‘I think we should inform Mom and Maa,’ Pallavi broke in.

‘Let’s wait for some time. It is too early,’ Sagar asserted. After a short pause, he continued, ‘Even if someone opposes us, we cannot step back now.’

‘You think they will oppose us?’

‘Of course not … but we might have to convince them.’

‘Mom will not be against it, but I am not very sure about Maa. What do you think?’

‘Though she may not oppose us, there will be a lot of questions …’

‘What kind of questions?’ Pallavi asked hesitantly.

‘Like why we would adopt when we can have our own child.’

‘You can always convince her, right?’

‘Of course, but …’

Convincing was not difficult, but there would not be enthusiastic acceptance either. And he knew that convincing Lata would be difficult.

Being alone for the larger part of her life, Lata had embraced solitude happily. She preferred it to being in the clutches of the irresponsible man whom she respected only because he was the father of her kids. After his death, she had learnt to live a life of optimism, relishing the peace and quiet of a household void of too much activity or kids around with cries and tantrums. Being on her own, she was forced to learn to be happy by herself. Her small world at first included her son, daughter, son-in-law, and their child, and then came Sonal. Last was Pallavi, her daughter-in-law. Lata had never been fond of her but could not deny or refuse her son’s decision. A teacher by profession, Pallavi was now in the autumn of her life.

Looking at Pallavi intently, Sagar continued, ‘After all, it is we who are responsible for the child. Let’s proceed with our plan. Giving a better life to an orphan is a good cause—nothing wrong in it. I don’t think anyone would refuse.’

Pallavi nodded with a smile. She always admired Sagar for his confident decisions. The discussion continued the following week too, and it helped them settle all their doubts on the acceptance of the child by them and by Sonal as well. Embracing the decision, they kept waiting for a favourable response, which they knew would take some time to come.

*     *     *

‘Mom, I want to play with you,’ said Sonal, tugging at Pallavi’s dress while she was busy preparing supper in the kitchen.

‘I need to cook, baby.’

‘Let Papa cook today, and you can play with me.’

‘Please, baby … I have a headache. You can play with Papa. I want to rest for a while after cooking,’ said Pallavi as Sagar walked in.

Noticing the dull look in her eyes, he said, ‘You okay? Go and lie down for some time. I’ll be with Sonal, and Shashi can cook.’

Pallavi had had a light headache since morning. Though she had taken a pill, it had not helped. Now there was a light dizziness that made her feel nauseous.

‘We should go to the doctor,’ Sagar insisted.

‘The day was too hectic,’ Pallavi said, trying to reason. ‘I’ll rest for a while. If I don’t feel better, we can go to the doctor.’

As she lay down on the bed, the large calendar hung on the wall caught her sight.

‘Oh!’ she gasped. She scrambled up from the bed and walked to the living room.

Sagar noticed the worried look on her face. ‘What happened?’

‘We should visit a gynaecologist.’

‘Is it urgent?’

‘Yes. Please get ready.’

They drove to the hospital. Pallavi’s guess was right. She was pregnant.

They accepted the unexpected changes in their lives, and the plan for adoption faded away. And on a pleasant morning, a healthy little baby girl was born.

Chapter 3

Ten little toes, ten tiny fingers, Pallavi counted, holding the little bundle of joy. Watching the little eyes struggling to open, Sonal was overjoyed. Every little belonging of the new baby sister was precious to her. Her lotions, diapers, massage oil, and her little clothes pervaded every room in the house. Sonal loved to play with the little limbs, pivoting them about as if they were movable parts of a robot. She took it upon herself to arrange her sister’s pictures in a special album.

Both kids had inherited their grandmother Lata’s flawless complexion, not the dusky complexion of Pallavi.

‘Avni,’ Lata had announced, deciding on the name.

‘Avni too resembles Lata,’ Suma, Pallavi’s mother, remarked as she tied her thinning silver-grey hair into a neat bun. Even in her early sixties, she was a strong and determined woman. She carried herself with unexpected agility. She valued discipline above all and instilled it in her children; for her, going against the parents’ wishes was a sin. But her very philosophy of parenting had changed over the years.

‘You’ll pamper Sonal too much.’ She would always fret.

‘We have to be sensitive to her needs. We have to pay attention to her emotional and psychological well-being,’ Pallavi would argue.

Pallavi and Sagar firmly believed that the emphasis should be on building a child’s autonomy, self-esteem, and individuality. They would go to any extent to fulfil their emotional and psychological needs and to help develop their intellectual and social development, but this shift in parenting philosophy was unfathomable for Lata and Suma.

Avni was a quiet baby with few demands. Her little cries were cues when she needed cuddling or felt hungry. She always had a smile to offer.