Modern Parenting and Child Care – Mr. and Mrs. X and their Baby

MODERN PARENTING and CHILDCARE

The Story of Mr. and Mrs. X and their Baby  

Short Fiction – The Story of a Modern Urban Couple

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

Mr. and Mrs. X and their BABY – Fiction Short Story by VIKRAM KARVE

Mr. and Mrs. X desperately wanted to have a baby.  

So – Mr. and Mrs. X tried very hard to have a baby.  

Poor Mr. and Mrs. X – they tried and tried – they put in a lot of effort – but they could not have a baby.

As time flew – and the biological clock ticked away – Mr. and Mrs. X became more and more anxious.

So with resolute perseverance – Mr. and Mrs. X put everything at stake to have a baby.

Mr. and Mrs. X made determined efforts to have a baby – they consulted the best doctors and fertility specialists in town – they spent huge amounts of money on the best and most sophisticated infertility treatments possible – they tried all sorts of things – exoteric and esoteric – they left no stone unturned – they struggled and struggled – with dogged persistence – till – at long last – at the age of 36 – Mrs. X conceived – and she got pregnant.

Then – after a difficult, delicate, gruelling, backbreaking, anxious, harrowing pregnancy – Mrs. X overcame all sorts of complications – and finally – after enduring for nine long months – Mrs. X successfully delivered a beautiful bonny baby.

Everyone was delighted.

The parents – Mr. and Mrs. X – were proud that they had proved their mettle.

The doctors boasted about the success of their treatment.

The grandparents were relieved that the family lineage was preserved.

The soothsayers, the relatives, the friends – everyone was happy that the much delayed and much awaited baby was born after so many trials and tribulations. 

3 months after the baby was born – I happened to be in town.

I decided to visit Mr. and Mrs. X and their Baby.  

On the way – at the jewellers – I bought a gold ornament as a present for the baby.  

I found my way to their classy house in an elite residential society located in the most posh and exclusive neighbourhood of the city.  

When I reached the deluxe apartment – I felt a tinge of envy – thinking about Mr. and Mrs. X – the young IT “Techie” whiz kids – who could afford such an expensive apartment – and an ostentatious living style – so early in life. 

The proud grandparents opened the door.  

The bonny baby – on her grandmother’s lap – looked very cute.

Yes – the baby was very cute and cuddly.  

The baby’s parents – Mr. and Mrs. X – the young mother and father – were conspicuous by their absence.  

It was late evening – and I had expected Mr. and Mrs. X to be at home – doting upon their adorable little baby.

In fact – the baby was so small – that I thought that Mrs. X would be still breastfeeding her baby.

I was curious why Mrs. X was not at home – so I asked the grandparents: “Where is the young mother...?”

“At work...” the grandfather answered.

“Oh. The young mother is already back at work...? The baby is only 3 months old and the mother has already started going to her office so fast...? Okay – no problem – it doesn’t matter – I want to meet her – I am in no hurry – so I will wait for her – she should be back home soon – isn’t it…?” I asked, looking at the wall clock.

“No! No! She won’t be coming for at least 6 months now...” the grandfather said.

“6 months...? Mrs. X won’t be coming for 6 months...?” I asked, confused.

“She has gone abroad – to America – on an important project...” said the proud grandmother, cuddling and mothering the baby.

“And what about Mr. X – the proud father of the baby – he should be coming back from work anytime now – isn’t it…?” I asked.

“He is in Singapore. He got a fantastic job offer on the same day the baby was born...” said the grandfather. 

“What...?” I said.

“You know – the Baby has proved real lucky for her parents. The Baby’s mother got promoted as project leader with a hefty raise and was sent abroad to America for this prestigious overseas assignment – and – the Baby’s father got this fabulous job offer in Singapore...” said the proud grandmother, cuddling the baby.

The Baby suddenly started to cry.

“It is the baby’s feed-time...” the grandmother said.

The grandmother handed over the baby to the grandfather – and she went into the kitchen to warm up the baby’s milk.

“It’s good. I feel happy for my son and daughter-in-law...” the grandfather said – lovingly fondling the bonny baby, “for all these years when they were trying so hard to have this baby – they had put their careers on the back-burner. Now that they have got their baby – they can focus on their careers once again...”

The grandmother came out with the milk bottle – and she began feeding the bonny baby – while the doting grandfather lovingly looked on.

I looked at the grandparents – the “surrogate” parents – the glorified “nannies”. 

Then – I looked at the Baby.

Mr. and Mrs. X had indeed “produced” the Baby.

But – it was the delighted grandparents who would enjoy the joys of parenting the baby.

In fact – now – for the old couple – it was the Baby who was their “light of life” – their raison d’etre – their very reason for living – and certainly the source of all their present happiness. 

And – the parents of the Baby – Mr. and Mrs. X – both are busy in the pursuit of their careers – the mother in America – and – the father in Singapore.

Mr. and Mrs. X do not know what they are missing by “outsourcing” their parenting and child-care duties.

Also – I do not understand one thing. 

The “Moot Question”:

If Mr. and Mrs. X did not want to look after their own Baby – why did they make so much effort to produce the Baby...?

VIKRAM KARVE

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Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

I wrote this story Mr. and Mrs. X and the BABY more than 9 years ago in the year 2007 and I have earlier posted it online in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal and My Various Creative Writing Blogs a number of times including at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/mr-and-mrs-x-and-the-baby_491037_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/10/surrogate-parenting.html  and http://creative.sulekha.com/career-marriage-parenting_469617_blog and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/05/blog-fiction-story-no-39-mr-and-mrs-x.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/03/modern-parenting-mr-and-mrs-x-and-baby.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/03/modern-parenting-mr-and-mrs-x-and-baby.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/08/parenting-la-mode-mr-and-mrs-x-and-baby.html  etc