A beautiful morning starts with clouds overshadowing the sun. It’s a rare sight in our place. The clock has just ticked seven and my heart is pounding fast. She is still sleeping. I am worried how the day will unfold.

We are just three of us staying together. We two and our little one year old daughter. It’s a five days week for him. We both eagerly look forward to a Saturday. That’s the most happy day for my daughter, out of seven days of a week. It’s because her beloved, her bestie , her entertainer, her father is with her to play.

This Saturday was really special. It was her birthday. She was surrounded by so many people , to wish her a happy birthday. She is a very easy child, goes in everybody’s lap, even strangers. This Saturday she was on cloud nine., as if she knew it was her special day.

Two days ended in a jiffy. We didn’t realize when it was already a Monday.   He’s arranging his office laptop bag. She’s now awake and watching us silently. Her eyes speaking a thousand words. She doesn’t want him to go. She wants to hold his hand and tell him to be with her. That plethora of emotions flowing inside her can be seen in her eyes. But helpless he does nothing.

After a few minutes when she realizes her eyes are not convincing him, she starts catching hold of his things.  The one thing she always sees his father taking with him before stepping out of the house is his wallet. Slowly she slips from my lap goes to him to divert his mind and grabs his wallet. She feels now she has secured him at home. We offer her toys as bribe to leave the wallet but she doesn’t. Instead she’s looking for another important thing to hold him. This time she takes his mobile too.

We , sure of getting the things back from her, get busy in preparation of breakfast. She’s in no mood to eat too. Usually she can’t hold her hunger, Monday morning is an exception. She’s getting sad seeing us ignoring her and getting busy in our chores.

Now it’s time for him to leave. He’s tying his shoe laces. She’s getting crazier. Holding his shoes in her otherwise feeble hands, she’s trying hard to stop him from leaving.

He holds her in his arms. She feels she has won a battle.  It makes him sad that he’s playing trick with her. He knows he has to go anyhow. It chokes his voice.

He leaves without meeting her, giving her a good bye kiss. I engage her in some other activity. But she is not willing to do anything but look for her bestie. She starts calling him in her own language. Unable to find him, she goes to bed again, without taking shower….

When she wakes up, she clings to me like a kangaroo kid. Holds me tight whole day in fear , not to let me leave even for a second…

It’s every Monday’s story. Toddler’s Monday blues are heart-rending. She’s too small to understand the importance of situation and at the same time she’s too mature in emotions to feel the pain of separation….