Slivers Of Silver

ii | story

Dedicated to my Amba -my mother.

Edit: 14th March 2024- I want to dedicate this book to one more lady, the one who loves my husband more than her life- my mother-in-law.

~~*~*~*~~

"Why... Again?", she muttered under her breath. A portrait of a baby hung in the left corner of the room. It was a small picture, but she remembered it. That picture had been there from the time when she was pregnant, yet it was still fresh and she wasn't.

Her gynaecologist, who had already crossed the uncomfortable stages of womanhood, now scribbled down the meds for her abnormally heavy menstruation. Watching the serious expression of the old lady, she sighed. It was the same as last time.

Six months back, her situation was the same, sitting in the same spot, adjusting in the seat so she wouldn't humiliate herself by blotting red spots on the pristine white covers.

This game annoyed her, the play of hide-and-seek of hormones in her body. 'Knowledge is power', thus it wasn't a private hushed whisper amongst the women anymore. Everyone knew what menopause was, thanks to the internet for that. But what it forgot to emphasise was, how it felt to be the one undergoing the phase, and most importantly how to deal with the mood swings, which came as a fancy accessory to the premenopausal period.

The sound of paper being torn brought her thoughts to the present, the present which wasn't her favourite for now. She eyed the list of medicines in her prescription, ibuprofen and something else- most probably a steroid hormone substitute. It was the same as last time.

"Three hundred rupees.", the shrill voice of her gynaecologist echoed in that small room and she immediately searched for her purse.

"Pay it at the reception, please. And collect your medicines from there."

And with that, the hunt for her not-so-cool purse ended. She scrambled out of the room, trying not to worry about her saree or the red marks. But she failed as she turned her head as much as possible to search for any sign of embarrassment.

Sometimes, some things could never be changed.

~~*~*~*~~

A woman has to go through every stage of life, hard or easy, they finally bring peace.

She got what she needed, the tablets to lessen the menorrhagia and a fake assurance from the receptionist that she wouldn't come back there again, it did nothing to ease her, it never did. But she carried on her path.

A reflection of her younger self, her daughter was reading something on her phone. She guessed it would be the same old messages from any private college. Admission, this and that, advertising was a necessity.

"Nishita, we should get going.", her lips curved in a small smile even through her painful cramps when her daughter eyed the white chit of medicines.

Nishita had a habit of checking everything which they bought. Her daughter, who was on her teen journey, was always extra careful. Maybe she had taken 'Prevention is better than cure.' too seriously.

"What did the doctor say?"

That I will lack my female hormones and biological qualities soon. That I will be old... she thought, though her words faltered.

"Nothing... She said it is common at this age."

Her daughter held her hand as they walked back to the parking area and she cleared her throat, "You know menopause is inevitable.", she felt her daughter's warm hand, the warmth which she wanted to feel at that moment.