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Chapter 13: The Man at the Window – Thunderstorms in Heaven – 14

Poppy was enjoying work. Amy was enjoying school. Mary was enjoying the doting. Baby number two was growing healthy. The sun was shining bright on this beautiful family. They lived in their own bubble, small and warm, full of love. Every evening, Amy and Poppy would wait at the bus stop for Mary to come home. Oh, the smiles when they would spot her in the crowd!! They would buy some “ pakodas ” and “ jalebis ” and would happily chat on the walk back home. Mary would freshen up while poppy would make her a cup of tea and give Amy her glass of milk. Yes, she was a big girl now, even though she would sneak in a few breast feeding sessions from her mommy darling, Mary, who couldn’t get her off the habit. “Tasty” she would say and ask for her share ensuring there was enough for the baby. It was funny and full of affection. The maid would cook the dinner while Amy did her homework and Mary and Poppy caught up on the activities of the day. Dinner was in front of the TV as everyone wou...
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The Man at the Window – Happy Home – 13

Mary loved Poppy more than her heart could hold and it was this love which made her forgive and overlook all his shortcomings. Poppy acknowledged his mistakes and promised that he would never put them through anything like that again. Now, Poppy would still go the club now and again because he was an avid snooker fan, however he would come home early and spend time with “his girls”. Life went on and before they knew it, Amy was three years old and ready to go to school. She was to join the same school where Poppy taught. So, they decided to move to a house closer to the school. It was a very emotional move, because now Amy wouldn’t see her grandparents ever day and they were surely going to miss her singing and mischief making ways. Amy took a lot of time getting used to the new place and school. Thankfully the nanny had stayed on with them and thankfully, that was one less thing she had to adjust to. Getting Amy ready for school was a task. She would scream, cry and bring the r...
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The Man at the Window – Ups & Downs– 12

Amy was a beautiful little girl. Her pink cheeks and toothless smile made her parents the happiest ever. Poppy and Mary were on cloud nine. Their little home was always filled with people who had come to see Amy. The little children from down the lane came every evening just for fifteen minutes of staring and giggling at Amy. It was a proud parent moment for Mary and Poppy. Oh! How they loved their little girl. Not before long, Mary went back to work and Amy was put in the care of her very proud and loving grandmother. Little Amy loved to hold her grandfather’s finger and stare at him with her big eyes, even though he wouldn’t always remember who she was. He would still sing and talk to her and not before long, she had started to mumble and grumble back at him in her baby language. As the months rolled by, Amy learnt to roll over, sit up, crawl and stand, time with a toddler surely went by fast. Amy was growing up at what seemed to be lightning speed for her grandparents who were ge...
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The Man at the Window – New Life – 11

My moods have been really bad lately, owing to the migraines I get. Work has been crazy too and I was wondering if I should go see Poppy today. I stroll past his house still trying to make up my mind and I see him. There he was - standing with his grand-daughter and feeding the street dogs, biscuits, flashing me the most welcoming smile. It was something I couldn’t resist. Poppy’s stories felt like home to me. I stood with them and fed the dogs too.   As Poppy settled into his chair by the window, I asked him if he had any pets growing up given he seemed to be very fond of animals. “Oh yes” he answered. They had cats, parrots, squirrels, dogs, ducks and chickens. I was very surprised because that was a long and varied list of animals. A faint image of Ol’Mac Donald came to my mind. “Wow”, I replied smiling. Poppy asked his wife to get me a cup of tea; I waited impatiently for a story to start, so I could forget about my nagging headache. Poppy and Mary were happy. Mary’s sto...
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The Man at the Window – Tidings – 10

It was a beautiful Christmas and New Year for the “lovebirds”. Still reeling from the season of celebrations, Poppy and Mary settled into daily life. They took up a one bedroom house close to Mary’s family. The room had a bed, a chair and a small cupboard. There was a little kitchen attached, big enough for one person to stand and cook. The few gifts they had got would come a long way in setting up their home. Poppy just had a box of clothes, as did Mary. That night as they sat on the bed looking at their wedding pictures, they looked at each other and smiled. This was “their” home. This was their little dream. This was where their journey would begin “together”. Life, bringing with it, all the surprises one could imagine. They held hands as they feel asleep, trusting fully in each other, knowing “together” they could face the world, brave and confident. Soon, Poppy and Mary got busy with work. Mary would come back and cook, while Poppy tutored a few children in the neighborhood...
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