Chapter 19-A Daughter Named Ganga
"It's a girl."
Lakshmidevi smiled through tears.
Vinaya lay exhausted against the pillows.
A tiny bundle rested against her chest.
"A girl?"
"Yes."
Vinaya looked down.
The baby had a full head of dark hair and a deeply offended expression.
Vinaya laughed weakly.
"She looks angry."
"She has your eyes."
"Already?"
"Allow me to be sentimental."
Vinaya touched the baby's cheek.
Her daughter turned toward the warmth.
Something inside Vinaya opened.
Entirely.
Completely.
"Ganga."
Lakshmidevi looked at her.
"You chose a name?"
Vinaya nodded.
"Ganga."
The Queen smiled.
"It is beautiful."
Vinaya kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Hello, Ganga."
Vikram did not enter for nearly an hour.
When he finally did, Vinaya was awake.
He stopped near the door.
His eyes went first to her face.
Alive.
Then the baby.
Alive.
Something painful crossed his features.
Vinaya noticed.
"Would you like to see her?"
He hesitated.
Then approached.
Slowly.
Ganga slept against Vinaya.
Vikram looked down.
His breath caught.
She was tiny.
Smaller than he remembered babies being.
Or perhaps all newborns seemed impossible.
Vinaya shifted the blankets.
"She has your mouth."
Vikram flinched.
His son had too.
Priya had said it.
He looks like you.
He nearly stepped back.
Then Ganga stirred.
Her fist opened.
Closed.
Opened again.
Vikram stared.
Vinaya saw his hand hovering nearby.
"Give her your finger."
He looked at her.
"She might wake."
"She will survive the inconvenience."
Something almost softened in him.
Vikram extended one finger.
Ganga's tiny hand closed around it.
Vikram stopped breathing.
So did Vinaya.
For one suspended moment, father and daughter were connected by nothing more than five impossibly small fingers.
Vikram's eyes filled.
Then Ganga tightened her grip.
And something in him broke.