It’s 6 A.M. Vikram wakes up before the alarm goes off. He has a long day ahead. Silently he tip-toes in his daughter’s bedroom, covers her bare toes and heads to the kitchen.
Each morning, he remembers his wife and misses the enticing aroma coming from the kitchen that would absorb the home when he used to wake up. So much had changed since the past one year. It’s difficult to be a single dad he wonders as he boils milk for his daughter. But then his daughter comes and gives him a big hug and a peck on the cheek. ‘Good Morning Papa, I love you’ she says. Embraced in a bear hug, Vikram forgets his miseries and happily gets back to making his daughter her favourite breakfast.
Back after dropping Ria to school, Vikram gets to check on the emails. Giving up a high paying job to be a stay at home dad and to work from home was the toughest call he had to make. But Ria deserved it after losing her mom at the tender age of 10. She needed him and Vikram thought it was the right decision for him to take at that time. Thinking about how much he enjoyed having his morning cup of coffee with his office colleagues he gets on to check his emails.
The washing machine is whirling in the background as he answers the doorbell. Thankfully the maid has arrived today and he will have more time to concentrate on building his business.
After having lunch with Ria once she arrives from school, Vikram helps her with her homework. He thanks his stars that Ria is a bright and independent child so he can manage to raise her single-handedly.
Evenings are the most fun times that Vikram spends with Ria. They visit the club for a swim or visit the library.
Both of them love reading books and look forward to bedtime reading time together after having dinner.
He pretends to be asleep each night while reading the book as he treasures this moment the most. Ria removes his reading glasses, tucks him to bed, kisses him and says sweet nothings into his ears just as her mother used to do to her before going to her room to sleep. As she leaves, a tear settles on his cheek and he awaits a silent sleep.
I am taking part in the Write Tribe Festival of Words #6 and dedicate my post for today to all the single dads. It is my first attempt at writing a story, please provide me with your feedback on it. I will really appreciate it as participating in this challenge has been a huge learning experience for me and I aim to improve my writing skill through this attempt.
Featured image courtesy: Pixabay
