WHEN THE WAIT ENDS

Kavita sighed at the little mountain of vessels that lay in the sink and needed to be cleaned. Some of them were from yesterday night. She had felt tired and had left them there, hoping to do it today.

But after dropping her younger one to school after she missed her bus, Kavita wished she had scrubbed some of the dishes yesterday itself. She had a submission deadline today and was running late now.

She wished she was the superwoman that the Vim ad showcased, wiping clean all the plates in a swish. She started on the task, one plate at a time. She needed to hurry up, it was already 11 am and the deadline for submitting the post was 5 pm and she was just halfway through it.

A graduate in English literature, Kavita had aspired to be a teacher when she was young. While at college, she decided that being a writer or editor is what appealed to her more. But ultimately what she ended up becoming was a homemaker in a small town and a mother to two naughty and quickly growing up preschoolers.

But she hoped her dreams would come true one day. In pursuit of it, she constantly bombarded the local newspaper with articles, memoirs, and letters to the editor.

She finished her chores and sat down to complete the 500 words that she had planned to send for the 'Mindspace' column in the Indian Express. She was just collecting her thoughts and starting to type on her husband's old Dell laptop when she was interrupted.

"Kavita, hey Kavita!", it was Shanta di, her neighbour and close confidant. They lived in adjacent houses for over four years now and had got to know each other well over the years. The wall on the eastern side of her compound was low in height and both of them spent hours there talking, exchanging recipes, sharing marital woes, lost dreams, and hidden ambitions.

Kavita went over to the wall, answering Shanta di's call.

"Take, I've made carrot halwa for the kids. They'll be happy when they see it", she said, thrusting a large bowl towards her.

"Oh di, it was not needed, I'd prepared batter for making vadas." "Maybe I'll use that for tomorrow", she said after thinking for a few moments, secretly happy that she now wouldn't have to prepare snacks for the kids and could spend that time writing.

Shanta di smiled, almost able to read her thoughts.

Shanta di was her senior by over eight years but did not have any children. She was chastised by her relatives for being unable to bear an issue and was always sad about this. She adored her six and four-year-old kids and prepared special dishes for them on most days.

"Were you writing? I shouldn't be disturbing you then", she said turning to go.

"Oh, it's not a problem at all, di. Anyway, whatever I write doesn't get published. I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe I should stop."

"No, no", Shanta di protested vehemently. "Everything has a time. I'm sure you'll be a well-known writer someday. Have patience dear, your time will come too."

Kavita smiled. She wanted to ask her about her recent doctor visit and whether it had yielded any results, but she caught herself, not sure whether she was encroaching too much into her personal space.

Again, as if reading her thoughts, Shanta di said, "Look at me. It's been eleven long years since I've been visiting doctor after doctor, temple after temple, but without any fruit. But I know my time will come soon. I'll also get a ladloo. "

Her eyes turned a little moist and Kavita realised that the latest results were not positive either. She squeezed Shanta di's hand across the wall. She patted it and turned back and left for her house, a hunched figure almost 40 years now, still waiting for the miracle to happen, without losing hope.

Kavita stood there for a while watching the figure go and then for a few more moments wondering what the future held for both of them.

She returned back to her writing, lost in thought, adding words, cutting out sentences and editing the text. It was 3 O clock in the afternoon when she was almost finished. Her kids would be back in half an hour and she had some more chores to complete before that.

She reread her article one last time, checking for minor things and finally pressed the send button, before going over to boil milk and get the dishes ready. Once the children came, she wouldn't get time for anything else. Their homework, playing with them, etc. took up all her time and energy.

She smiled at the thought of how they would react when they saw her name in the newspaper. The surprise on the face of her husband, the delight of her kids and parents. She felt herself blushing. Writing would give her a new identity, she felt, one different from the many personal roles that she juggled.

She felt sure that this time, it would get published. There was also a letter that she had sent yesterday. She had high hopes for its publication too.

Days passed. A week went by. But it never got printed. She was getting desperate.

"Hold on for a little more, maybe they are just waiting for the right moment", Shanta di said consolingly.

How long, she wondered. Maybe she should stop wasting time on writing and try other things like sewing or painting. Shanta di sewed well and had invited her many times to try her hand at it. But somewhere the itch to see her name printed on a sheet of paper that thousands read still clung on.

The rain was pouring heavily and along with it came other visitors to the house - viral fever, cough, and cold. The first one to catch it was her son and then her husband. Now it was the daughter's turn. Kavita was tired and was kept busy attending to their needs and didn't have time for much else.

Shanta di had gone to visit some far-off temple and to consult with more doctors and had returned only the previous night. The two ladies had just managed to exchange brief pleasantries and Shanta di had cheekily said that this time she felt positive about the results, treatment, and prayers.

Kavita was hurrying to go to the local temple when she heard Shanta di call her excitedly.

"Kavita, Kavita! Hey! Come here."

She went over to the low wall separating their compounds and had half expected to see Shanta di hold a pregnancy test kit with the two pink lines on it.

But instead there she was holding a newspaper and shouting, "See here is your name and article. I told you, right, it will come someday. See, I was right."

Kavita looked at the paper and smiled as she saw her name and piece.

"Aw, it was something I sent them almost two months back", she cried.

"See, I told you, they take their own sweet time. You just need the patience to wait and the willpower to continue. Now you must aim for bigger things."

Kavita smiled and prayed that Shanta di's wait ends soon too.