By Maureen Rampertab

The first rays of the splendid golden sunrise gently crawled through the open bedroom window, kissing the baby’s face as she laid half asleep in her crib. The bright light did the trick and she welcomed herself to the world with a long stretch. She laughed sweetly as her chubby little hands tried to catch the sun beams.
“Priya.”

It was her father’s voice calling her name, the voice she heard every morning and late afternoon, deep but calming. She cooed in answer, kicking up her legs as he picked her up gently in his arms. It was time for her bath and morning meal, something he did every day while singing a special song her mother loved. Before leaving for the day, he would kiss her goodbye and whisper in her ear: “Daddy has to work to earn money, to take care of his little girl.”

The nanny, an old humble woman, came in before he left, but Priya did not notice, her eyes were trailing her father to the door and not once did she cry. Despite her tender age, she was already accustomed to him returning.
Arvin on the other hand left his home in an emotional state; leaving Priya was painful, adding to that his heart was still heavy with grief for only six months had passed since that tragic night. He meandered gingerly to the gate looking at the garden hoping to see his devoted wife picking flowers for her morning prayers. But it was not to be, she was gone and he was left all alone with their baby.

“How could something like this happen?” he often wondered, “Why did God take her away from her baby?”
A bitter lump formed in his throat as he walked out the yard. In an instant, a songbird flew up from the Frangipani tree to the house. It stood on the ledge outside of the open bay window and sang sweetly. The baby laughed gleefully, stretching her little arms to the bird and soon her eyes closed in blissful sleep.

This was the routine since the baby was brought home from the hospital. The bird came every morning after Arvin left for work and stayed outside the window until he returned late afternoon, then it would fly back into the garden.

No one except the elderly nanny noticed, but she kept it to herself—she felt it was divine intervention.
People were shocked that Arvin was able to support his child the way he did, knowing how shattered his life had been when his wife died.
Just two years after they were married, tragedy had walked unannounced into their lives, and had ripped apart the script of their plans for the future. Yet, Arvin’s deep love for his wife had kept her in his heart and had given him the power to stay strong for his daughter.

The night he lost her was a night he knew he would never forget. She was about to deliver their first child, for nine months she counted down the days to motherhood. It had been a dark cold night when the labour pain began. He had driven her to the hospital, nervous like never before, but he kept calm.
As he sat outside the ward, he heard her screams and like an ominous warning, the sky reciprocated. At that moment, Arvin knew something was wrong; he had asked a nurse to let him in so he could be by his wife’s side but he was turned away.

He tried desperately to meet a doctor but could not. His calm composure soon dissipated and eventually he was gripped with fear. Sometime later, a nurse with a somber expression called him in the ward. He sat by his wife’s bedside and as he held her hands and looked at her tired face his world fell apart.
The glow on her face was gone and with the slightest of squeeze she whispered wearily, “I am sorry, please take care of our baby and remind her always that mommy loves her.”
The sky had opened angrily and lightning flashed menacingly as she closed her eyes.
He couldn’t remember how he walked out of the hospital, the deep pain numbed his entire body as he unknowingly stepping into the rain. Wet and broken he dropped down on his knees in anguish.

“Why dear God, why!”
The years went by and the baby grew into a pretty and sweet young girl. Arvin’s deep grief had slowly ebbed away. He treasured his wife’s memories through the growth of his daughter. She was the beautiful picture of her mother, her voice, her smile and her love for the flower garden.
One day, standing at the upstairs veranda, he looked down and saw her on the garden swing, humming softly the song he used to sing to her as a baby. He smiled, looking up at the Heavens and said,

“I did what you asked of me, to take care of our daughter. I wish you were here to see how beautiful she has grown.”
She was there, she had never left, but he didn’t know.

On Priya’s thirteen birthday, she wanted a garden party with an animal theme of butterflies and birds. Arvin happily gave into her wishes and had surprised her with a magnificent three-tiered pink butterfly themed birthday cake.

Priya cut the cake with her father and thanked him with all the beautiful words she knew, for the great role he played in her life, which brought tears to his eyes. Late in the afternoon when her friends were gone and only close family members were left, she said, “I want to speak also, of someone who has been in my life since I was a baby. During the hours when daddy was at work, she sang songs to put me to sleep, played with me, watched over me.”

Everyone turned to look at the nanny appreciatively, but she just smiled as Priya continued, “No one knew she was there but I did.”
She picked up a crumb of the birthday cake and stretched out her arm.
“Today, I want to thank you, mommy, for staying to take care of your little girl.”
The family and more so, her father looked around in bewilderment wanting to know how she could be talking to her mother who had died during childbirth 13 years ago.
The songbird was sitting on the branch of a colourful tree when she heard Priya calling for her. She flew down and perched on her hand, picking the crumb of birthday cake. Priya lifted her arm with the bird and said, “My mother, God’s angel.”
There was a loud gasp of disbelief by everyone. How could the songbird be her mother?

Arvin was stunned!
He looked at the nanny who nodded her heard slowly, tears in her eyes.
He had often heard the bird sing in the garden and saw it sometimes but he never knew that she had returned to help him with their baby. Tears streamed down his face and he said a prayer.

The bird flew onto his shoulder, pecked him lightly on the cheek, and flew into the sky.
It was time for her to return, for her work was now done.