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The Miracle

The ringing of the phone cut into Aadya's concentration. She sighed in irritation, she so wanted to finish this portion of her thesis before Ankit came home from school.

"Hello? Yes, this is Aadya. Oh hello, Mrs. Gupta. Really? Today? Oh wow. Yes, yes, of course we will be there. Give us a couple of hours please. Thank you!" Aadya hung up in a daze. It was happening. It had taken five long years but they had finally got a call. She couldn't believe it. With trembling hands she dialed her husband's number.

"Sunil? Its me. We got the call. They want us to come as soon as possible. I'll ask Papa to pick up Ankit. How soon can you pick me up? Perfect. I'll be ready. "

Sunil and Aadya were married since 2007. They had been blessed with a baby boy Ankit who was now seven years old. One of the main things that had cemented their relationship was their shared desire to adopt a baby girl. They both felt very strongly about issues of gender discrimination and sex-selective abortions in their country and wanted to play a part in tipping the scales to the positive side. When Ankit was two they had started exploring the idea and had been taken aback at the long wait-lists in almost all the orphanages. While some of them allowed them to register, others were not even keen to permit that. After five years they had finally had a Home Study where the inspection officer had met them and their extended family.

Aadya looked around the house. A baby? It had been seven years since Ankit was a baby. They would have to buy everything new, rummage around to see if she had saved any of Ankit's baby stuff, they had to get clothes, diapers...Aadya felt herself panic and took a deep breath to calm down. She was putting the cart before the horse. They had to go see the baby and then decide. One thing at a time.

A couple of hours later Sunil and Aadya stared down at the angelic face of what could be their daughter. She was so tiny and looked so fragile. Aadya felt a wave of compassion wash over her. Who could abandon such a sweet baby? She tore herself away from the crib as the orphanage in-charge led them into her office.

"I will be very honest with you. The baby is quite sick. She had been left out in the cold all night and we only discovered her the next morning. I would like you to have a word with our doctor as well as get her examined by your pediatrician before taking any decision." Aadya felt her heart sink as she heard the words. A sick baby? How would they handle her? What if she didn't get better? Questions and doubts raced through her head.

The orphanage doctor delivered the same verdict. The baby had a host of medical issues like thyroid and problems resulting from over-exposure to the cold all night. She was underweight and weak. Sunil and Aadya next took the baby to their family pediatrician who gave an even more grim verdict and strongly advised them against the adoption.

On the way back to the orphanage, Aadya looked at the little baby sleeping peacefully in her arms. This child had been born with a destiny which didn't include her birth parents. But what was to say that she wouldn't thrive in a loving family environment. So what if she was sick right now, did that mean she shouldn't have a chance to find a place in a happy home? Did the odds that were stacked against her at birth have to continue to be so?

"Sunil, let's keep her. We'll deal with whatever has to be done."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, very. She's meant to be ours." Even as she said it, the baby opened her eyes and looked at Aadya as if to say 'there you are.'

And so little Aaira came home to Sunil, Aadya and Ankit. Within three months she was like any other baby, happy and healthy with all parameters normal. And each day that they looked at her, Sunil and Aadya thanked God for the miracle that they had taken a chance on and one that had filled the lives of all she touched with love, laughter and joy.

It is believed that souls choose the homes and families they are born into. But some souls are born as miracles to people who have no biological connection to them. And it is these miracles which restore one's faith in all that is kind and good and decent. The long wait of five years was, in hindsight, the universe conspiring to ensure that Aaira found her way into the family that she was meant to be with. A miracle, that was always meant to be...

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