The Family

Flash Fiction

Sheila and I always wanted kids. Ever since we got married, that’s all we talked about.

Our financial condition was abysmal so we agreed to wait until our situation improved. It had to be the perfect environment for whoever we were bringing into the world.

A few years went by and we decided it was time. We both had high paying jobs and we had saved up enough for one of us to quit. Sheila was making more than me and was definitely the more ambitious of the two, so it was an easy choice. I was sick of the corporate life anyway.

The plan was for me to work until our child was born and then quit once Sheila was ready to get back to her career.

Life changed once the triplets were born. All we seemed to do was change diapers. The two boys were easier to manage but our girl Maya was a handful. Despite all the activities we had never thought about, I loved every minute and couldn’t wait for the three to grow up.

Sheila had taken the kids out one evening when my friend Vivek called and said he was in town.
I hadn’t seen him in many years.

“Come over!” I exclaimed. “You’ll meet the family!”

I hoped Sheila would be back with the kids soon. I so wanted to show them off.

“Long time,” he said as he walked in and stopped.

“Sit, sit,”

“Gaurav, I had a question.” He seemed puzzled.

“What?’

“There’s a photo of you with a woman three kids.”

I beamed. “That’s my wife and triplets!”

He looked more confused “Where did they come from?”

“What do you mean?”

“Gaurav, you never married,” he said

I turned to look at the photograph. Sheila and the girls slowly disappeared.