Was it me who changed you....?

She looked at the colorful portrait in her hands. The smile on her parents face in the picture spoke volumes on their happiness at welcoming her, their daughter, into the small family. She was 6 months old when it was taken.

They named her 'Diya'.. the light of their lives.

Now, five and half years later, she cannot remember a single day when she saw the smile on her parents face. The only happiness and joy she ever saw was all plastered on the multiple portraits and framed pictures which lined the walls in the house. The people who lived in the house did not reflect it on their faces.

Today, when she realized it has been a long time since she saw her dada, out of curiosity, she asked her mamma about him. And she always got the same reply from her. 'We need our space baby'.

Her 6 year old mind could not fathom what that meant. After all, it was a huge spacious house they lived in. It had so many rooms that even she dint know the count of it. Moreover, she was always ready to clear out her nursery room of all her toys if her dada would like to have that 'space'. Anything to have him in the house.

Without giving her a chance to ask any more questions, her mamma walked out.

She went back to browsing the album in her hand. Her parents in their wedding attire. Her parents on their world tour. Her parents at family gatherings. Her parents out on picnics with their friends. They were so radiant with the glow of their new life together.

From the day she could remember, while family members ogled at other little children, admiring them and telling them how cute they were...the only whispers she heard around her was about how sorry everyone was and what was to happen to her. She dint understand it then and she couldn’t understand it now either.

Her dada had come to see her, a long time ago. She had dressed up in her most prettiest dress and had packed all her new toys in her school bag to show him. When she finally saw him, she could barely manage to run into his outstretched arms. So excited was she on seeing him that she could hardly contain her blabbering. Finally, when she had calmed down enough she heard him say about how she would always be his first princess, and about how things were different and something about moving on and many other things of which she could understand nothing. But she dint want to disappoint her father. After all, if he was telling her all this he expected her to understand it. So she obediently nodded her head and intently listened to every word he uttered. She caught only one word from his talks - 'Drivers'.

On reaching back, when she was telling her mamma about the visit, she asked her what dada meant by saying that mom and him are getting drivers. Mom's eyes misted up. But she was busy comprehending the meaning in her own little imagination that she had failed to notice it. Probably they are getting new cars.

'Tomorrow is a big day' mamma told her.

She had heard something about the drivers being final tomorrow.

Early morning the next day, she went with her granny and mamma.

Dada was standing in one corner of the corridor. Mamma and dada walked in. She stayed out with her granny. She dint like the vibes she got in the place. Her heart told her something is not right.

Mamma walks out of the room right into granny's arms, gives her a tight hug and heaves a sigh and says it’s over and that he dint even request for the custody rights.

Little Diya turns to look for her dada. He walks out walks towards the opposite side. He holds the hands of the other 6 year old girl who was standing there and starts walking out without even giving her a look.

Diya turns to look at her mother who is already on her way out with her granny.

Stranded in the middle, she heard someone whisper that those 2 are now on their way to start to a new life.

No one realized that a third life had just ended......