She was disturbed and lost, not knowing which way life was taking her. Her only respite was her 9 to 5 job. It was her me time when she was away from the taunts and miseries of the so-called home. Even when it comes to working, she had to brave all the odds which she faced in her home. After all, she was the full-time maid that her in-laws had lawfully received from their obedient son. So despite the fact that she used to complete the household chores before leaving for work, it was not sufficient to keep them happy.

But she braved it all. However, at the same time, she felt forlorn. She felt as if she was fighting a lonely battle with no one to support her. But life always shows its bright side, and during her daily commute from home to office in the local bus, she got befriended with many people who taught her several valuable lessons. They taught her to look at the positive sides of life. They made her realize that she had a much better life as compared to so many other souls who were leading a horrible life.

It was on this very bus journey that she befriended an old aunty and her daughter. A happy go lucky duo. They always wore a smile on their face. They used to be there on the bus twice a week. Smiles and hellos led to a friendship that taught her volumes about life. She always thought that the mother and the daughter used to come to this part of the city to meet some relatives or so.

Only after months of acquaintance, she learnt the bitter truth about their visits. The daughter had two failed kidneys. The old mother needed to get her to the hospital for dialysis.The old widow was spending every penny that she had for her only daughter’s survival. During one conversation the lady revealed how she sold the ornaments she had once collected for her only daughter’s wedding on her daughter’s treatment. With teary eyes, the mother shared how she and her husband had dreamt of seeing their daughter all decked up as a bride.

But fate had some other plans. Her husband had a tragic and untimely death after they got the news of their daughter’s terminal illness. Today they both are struggling for survival. The mother knows that she and her daughter are fighting a lost battle. But even then they are putting up a brave front, and the best thing is that they are doing it with a smile on their face.