Secret Blessing

He closed the story book and gently placed it on the stand next to the bed. He watched his angel, his daughter deep in sleep with a gentle smile on her face.

The stars had not been kind to him and his wife in the first decade of their marriage with multiple miscarriages shattering their dreams of having a child. It had taken years of counselling and medication for them to get out of the depression and save their marriage .
God eventually smiled upon them and blessed them their daughter, Shruthi.

"We vow to keep you smiling always ." Gently kissing on her forehead he walked out of the room as his wife watched from behind .

She closed her eyes holding back a tear
"May God give me the strength to keep the secret ." She wiped her tear recalling the fateful night

" Sorry Abha,we could not save the child ." The words made the room spin, she wanted to shout but words choked in her throat.

" Knowing you well from so many years ,there is one way I can help you" the doctor glanced at the only nurse present. Abha just stared blankly, unable to understand what the doctor meant.
" We have a child delivered in the next room of a homeless woman, of whom we are not able to trace any relatives." The doctor paused as if measuring her words "We can switch the babies and alter the documents, only if this remains a secret within this room ."

It had remained a secret, even from her husband whom she could not see breakdown again.