A Son Who Could Never Be Born to His Mother

Short Story:

" A Son Who Could Never Be Born to His Mother "

In the year 1980 , in the remote village of Solu, a mother who had been caught in the whirlpool of familial disdain , betrayal , and despair , gave birth to a girl filled with hope in her heart. This girl was born into a world filled with fear , hatred , and resentment .

Born after a long and unbearable labor pain, following many days of hunger and extreme weakness, she was named Asha (Hope) by her mother in her mind. Those with a claim over Asha's life gave her different names, introductions, and experiences, concealing the reality of her existence.

If one were to start writing about the hidden, constrained life of Asha, it would not just be a short story but a novel.

Asha slowly grew up. She was the only companion in her mother's sorrow. Her mother's womb never bore another child. She was the lone child of a single mother. Amidst the heartbreaking poverty and the pitiful environment of a shanty, Asha grew up harboring the desires of her mother.

she never asked for a rupee to buy a red bangles for Teej festival nor the candy as she knew her mother wouldn't be able to afford it. Instead, she slowly started collecting bamboo sticks , learned to lit the fire properly for cooking . spread millet bread on the griddle, and go to neighbors to beg some wasted dairy.

Time never stayed the same. Asha, who was sharp in her studies from a young age, was separated from her mother's lap when she started the 6th grade. As her mother was unable to afford her books, pens, and paper, she moved from one relative's house to another – and sometimes to her step mother and completing her remaining school education .

Without the consent of 16-year-old Asha and her mother, Asha's wedding was conducted with much fanfare. The wedding hid the miserable poverty and struggles that Asha and her mother had endured. The relationships masked their shame and laughed heartlessly.

Asha's marriage happened in a wonderful family. She had no complaints about her marriage. After completing her master's degree in her home country and a degree in business management abroad, Asha took great care of her mother, ensuring she lived the life she desired. She had also established herself as a strong, independent woman.

Asha woke up to the sweet chirping of birds. She pulled her phone from the bedside table and checked the time. It was five in the morning. She started scrolling through Facebook, getting lost in the updates.

It was English New Year and Nepali Topi Day. After seeing pictures of Nepalis wearing various Nepali topis such as Dhaka topi, Bhaktapur topi, and others, Asha got up immediately . After completing her morning routine, she dressed up in a crisp white shirt, black pants, and a black waistcoat. Standing in front of the mirror, she put on a black topi with the moon and sun emblem and smiled subtly, perhaps lost in some thought.

Asha has a keen interest in Nepali literature. Stories, poems, and ghazals are her writing genres. She decided to participate in today's literary event, to listen to many, and to share her own work. With her heart full of the poetry of Sarubhakta, Sharan Ashu, and the ghazals of Pradeep Rodan, she headed towards her mother's house in the evening.

She was eager to open the surprise bag in front of her mother, which contained the revelation of her 15-day winter vacation and tickets for a Char Dham pilgrimage planned for both mother and daughter.

In the evening, when she arrived at her mother's place, her mother was sitting on a stool near the stove, stirring the food. Her mother said, "Asha, ! when you were in my womb , someone in a dream told me that as hope of lif a son would be born. But you were born."