It has been a fun journey, trying my hand at writing short bits of stories that conjoin to form the bigger picture. An experiment of sorts, it has rather been a learning experience for myself. For all those who were waiting for the end. Here are the last three chapters of “Then Life Happened- A Collection of Micro stories”. Story so far:   
Chapter 1 –https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story/ 
Chapter 2-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-wake-up-call/                                                                                       
Chapter 3-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-silent-yearning/                                                                                 
Chapter 4-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-bystanders-shock/            
Chapter 5,6 &7- https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-strange-encounter-more/  

THE EMERGENCY ROOM             

The hospital staff had already begun their work. Joe had called in ahead, to ensure that everything was ready. He even insisted on accompanying the team into the emergency room and stood in a corner keeping an eye on Hae Rin all along. The team of doctors who examined knew that saving both would be a miracle, but they had to try their best. The operation room was booked, the assistants, nurses all scrubbed in. The guardians and friends, which now included Joe and Kimbal too,who had rushed in a few minutes after Hae Rin had been admitted, were explained the condition.                       

And then began the excruciating hours of dilemma. After the initial minutes of calm, all eyes now rested on Joe. Who was he? How did he know Hae Rin? Kimbal was baffled the attention was directed towards someone else, and was equally puzzled by the presence of a total stranger in their midst.

“Well,I…ehm!.” Joe knew he had to answer, but confrontation usually scared him and made him stutter. He took a deep breath and said, “I am Hae Rin’s brother, if that’s the way to put it. Actually her aunt is my step mother, so, that’s that.”

Oh Really! The exclamation was  unanimous. It was a revelation indeed, even for Martha who thought she knew everything she had to know about Hae Rin.

AND THEN LIFE HAPPENED

In the meantime, the doctors were at work. Hae Rin was losing blood, so they had to stop the bleeding first and then proceed with the C-section. A few hours after,the infant was handed over to the pediatric ward, shifted to the NICU, while an unconscious Hae Rin was shifted to the recovery ward. The child was born premature and the complications called for Kangaroo Care.                                 

When Hae Rin woke up 3 days later, she was greeted by the cacophony of the machines. The emptiness in her womb tore her, and she let out a painful shriek. Joe who was right outside rushed in in panic. Seeing Hae Rin awake he rushed out to call the attending. After an hour of checkups, often interrupted by Hae Rin’s queries,she was pushed on a wheelchair to the NICU unit. Kimbal paced impatiently in the corridors, and through the glass Hae Rin saw Martha clutching a tiny infant close to her chest.  

EPILOGUE

Two-year-old Jia, ran tirelessly on the moved yard. “Jia, come back right now”, Hae Rin yelled from inside. Martha walked out casually, grabbed her by the waist and carried her inside. Martha’s country home that she had received as an alimony from her marriage was now a home to Hae Rin and Jia too. Martha was now a mother and a grandmother doting over them both. Post retirement, Hae Rin and Jia had become her world. For the first time in her life she experienced true contentment.

Hae Rin was now pursuing her post-doctoral studies. Kimbal had finally settled in a job and dropped in from time to time. Joe had decided to apply for medical school and was trying his best. He dropped by every now and then to play with little Jia and spent hours caring for the yard too when time permitted. Hae Rin finally had the family she always longed for. And as for Jia, she had all the love she could ever ask for. For Hae Rin the bonds that life had created were stronger  than blood, and now life just happened each day slowly and peacefully.  

—–THE END——

Thank you to all who read through this entire series. Hope that you enjoyed the read. Drop a message if you are looking forward to more stories. 

This is Satrangee Parachute signing off with the hope to bring more interesting stories. 

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Here’s the 4th chapter of Then Life Happened- A Collection of Short Stories.

THE BYSTANDER’S SHOCK

Grant worked as a Lab Assistant in Hae Rin’s Lab. All that he knew, he had learnt over the years from different scholars who came and had gone. He was still learning. Hae Rin was a patient tutor when it came to explaining things. Grant had taken a liking for the soft-spoken girl and was quite taken aback when he found that she was pregnant and was planning on keeping the baby. He had tried to explain about the hardships of being a single mother and the kind of harassments she would have to face. She was adamant and wouldn’t hear a word. Gradually he had stopped talking to her, though it pained him to watch her struggle.

This day was eventful. They had couple of demos, a few elaborate experiments too that kept everyone on their toes. Reluctantly, he had coerced Hae Rin to take some time to rest instead of running around. The girl looked exhausted, what was she thinking working in this condition. But, who could beat sense into that girl. And then there she was a few hours later, lying in a pool of reddish distilled water. Grant was shell shocked. For him time stood still as Hae Rin crashed into the distillation machine and dropped down splaying water and shards of glass all around.

Read Chapter 1 here-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story/

Chapter 2-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-wake-up-call/

Chapter 3-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-silent-yearning/

Watch out this space for the rest of the story. Would love to hear from you. So do post your comments/feedback.

Adios for now.

This is Satrangee Parachute signing out for now.

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How have you been? Not really sure about the impact of the story so far. But, I do hope someone out there in the vast interconnected web is waiting eagerly to read the stories I write. For anyone who has been reading, here’s the next part of the micro story series as promised.

THEN LIFE HAPPENED

A Collection of Connected Short Stories-Chapter 3

THE SILENT YEARNING

“Martha, please stop dozing off will you”, that was Hae Rin’s opening line almost every other day. She needed to work harder on her communication skills. Martha was the Clinical Research Program Coordinator and Hae Rin was a 4^th year doctoral student, somehow a bond had developed. There was something about Hae Rin that soothed Martha. She would forget her past, her pain when she saw the bright smile on the face of the petite girl, who often carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

In the past four years, Martha had watched Hae Rin struggle through her financial crisis as she worked harder than anyone in the lab. She knew that her only living relative was an aunt, who would rather care for street dogs than look out for her own niece, and had supported Hae Rin time and again. Slowly and gradually they had confided in each other, shared their darkest secrets. Martha had been with Hae Rin during her medical checks and was the one who helped her take the decision to keep the baby. Martha had a purpose now, Hae Rin’s pregnancy filled the void that her infertility had created. Time that had once been too cruel seemed pleasant now.

That’s all for today..

Read Chapter 1 here-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story/

Chapter 2-https://www.satpar.in/then-life-happened-micro-story-the-wake-up-call/

Hope you enjoy the read.

This is Satrangee Parachute, Over and Out!

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I have always respected people who can concisely summarize their thoughts. Writing micro stories is something that comes in that category too. So, I challenged myself to write one. I tried, and here’s the output.

Posted it on a contest page- https://sweek.com/story/AgAKAQoDZgABBwgJAwACAwtsCAA=

Sweek #Microtime, but that needs Login. So, for all my readers who wish to skip the hassle, here’s my first micro story.

Then Life Happened

[A Collection of Connected Short Stories]

THAT DAY

Life was busy for Hae Rin. As if working on her research and part time jobs weren’t enough she now had a new issue at hand, an unborn child waiting to pop out any minute. The past months had been a turmoil of emotions and her work was getting nowhere. Serious relationships! She didn’t have the time or the luxury for that. And Kim, he wasn’t the right choice either. The rainy night, the drunken aggression. If only things had ended there. Why did she have to carry the memories of that very night within her. God is unfair, she thought for the hundredth time that day.

Lying on the hospital bed a few days later. The piercing pain, the wails that poured in through the walls, the blinding lights, the percolating spell of alcohol and disinfectants, the whispers of the hospital staff, the constantly beeping machinery, everything was driving her crazy. She could hear a distant siren of the ambulance, maybe the very ambulance that had brought her in two days earlier, when she had collapsed in her lab. Weeping, lamenting her fate, she laid semi-conscious, with broken ribs, an empty womb and all the Time in the world.

Do Like and share. If possible, do Login to Sweek and support me.

Adios untill next time Friends. This is Satrangee Parachute diving into the world of writing.

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