Shelly carefully dressed up Ryan for the dinner that night. She had taken great pains in shopping for him last week after her mother confirmed the dinner date.
He looked smart, she admitted to herself. The blue blazer with a red bow tie suited him very well. He was quite tall for a five-year-old.
“Aha! Now that’s a handsome young man,” remarked Robin, her husband, as he looked proudly at his son.
“Ready to leave, darling?” he asked Shelly.
She nodded. They were on their way ten minutes later.
********
Ryan tried hard to take in the beautiful surroundings as they walked through the plush carpeted floor of the five-star hotel. An immaculately dressed concierge guided them to the rooftop restaurant where their table was booked.
Gentle music greeted them as they entered the place. The atmosphere was soothing and gratifying just as they wished it to be.
Shelly’s eyes searched for her parents and in-laws while Robin stood there, looking smilingly at Ryan who was busy counting stars in the night sky.
Robin spotted his parents and playfully dragged Ryan over to them.
The atmosphere at their table was soon charged with a lot of emotions – laughter, tears and the like.
“Oh my God, Ryan! What an adorable child,” exclaimed Mary, Shelly’s mom.
“Yes! He looks incredibly handsome, Robin” commented his mom, Bina.
“I must say you have made the right choice in adopting him,” said both sets of parents.
Shelly squeezed Robin’s hand. Tears of joy threatened to flow from her eyes.
Robin gathered her in his arms.
How impatiently they had been waiting for this day!
*********
The past ten years of their married life had been anything but fine. Needless to say, their traumatic and helpless attempts in having a baby had left both of them physically and mentally drained. Everyone around them had been supportive and sympathetic to some extent. However, it was but natural that the question “Any good news?” was writ large on their faces every time they met.
The chubby, playful five-year-old Ryan came as an angel into their lives, two months ago. He was the balm that soothed all their pains and a rainbow in their cloudy family sky. Shelly and Robin could just go on and on about him……
*******
Dinner was served. Ryan sat in between his grandmothers looking excitedly at the rich, aromatic servings.
Suddenly, Mary remarked, “Shelly, your boy isn’t answering me when I ask him his choice of vegetable.”
“He didn’t answer any of my questions either, just smiles and keeps looking away.” chirped Bina.
The moment of truth had come.
Robin said quietly, “Mom, Ryan is deaf. And we knew that when we adopted him.”
Both sets of parents looked at them and each other incredulously. They shrugged off Ryan’s hand and quickly walked away.
Shelly looked up. The stars had vanished. The sky was laden with clouds which could burst into rainy tears any moment at the dinner that had gone all wrong….