This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 54; the fifty-fourth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.
“Happy
mother’s day dad”
“Anant,
mother’s day is for mothers and I am you father.” He tickled his son playfully.
He giggled.
“For me
you are both my mom and my dad. So happy mother’s day.” He said seriously.
His eyes
filled with tears, he was touched. He took the handmade card and bouquet of
flowers.
At night
Anant slide in beside him. He kept his work aside and hugged his son.
“Dad
will you tell me that story again?” He said with a sheepish grin.
“Again?”
He feigned
annoyance.
“Yes
dad, again.” They
both laughed.
“Ok.
Your mom and I were in college together but in different classes. We never met
each other. One day in the market, I was
walking on the road and a scooty stopped right in between my legs. The lady’s
face was covered with the hanky. Only her eyes were visible. Her big beautiful
eyes.”
“That
was mom, right?”
“Right.
She said sorry and I was so lost in her eyes that I didn’t even move for what
seemed like eternity. I didn't even realize she was gone until few minutes
later. I kept thinking about her. I had no idea about who she was or where she
lived. So, in hope of meeting her again I kept roaming around in the same
market day after day but never got to see her again. It was our college fest
when I saw her again. I recognized her from her eyes. I could never forget
those expressive eyes. I never let her go then. I collected all my strength and
complimented her on her performance and hence began our friendship. I knew I
was love in with her, I knew she liked me but wasn’t sure if she loved me. But
still I decided to propose her before it was too late. I asked her out for
dinner. I bought flowers and a ring. I went down on my knees, told her I have
always loved her and asked her if she would mind being my wife.”
“And
what did she say?”
“She
said forever my love, forever.”
“And you
got married.” He clapped.
“Yes,
and now it’s time for you to sleep.”
“Ok
dadda, good night.”
“Goodnight
son.” He kissed on
his forehead, turned off the light and walked out of the room closing the doors
behind.
He made
himself some coffee and sat on the chair. A hand touched him on shoulders.
“Trisha.”
“Same
story again brother?”
He nodded
his head.
“Why do
you keep doing this to yourself? You know it’s not true.”
“I know
but I can’t tell him the truth. This makes him happy and for a time being me
too. After all these years of telling the same story, it has started sounding
true to my own ears. False may be, but this story gives me hope and happiness.”
“As you
think apt brother. I am just worried to see you like this. I am going to sleep.
You don’t stay up too late.”
He nodded
and bid her goodnight.
He took the
picture of his wife and him that was sitting on the table. He lovingly moved
fingers on her face. Then kept it back, took his coffee and went to terrace. He
sat under the sky thinking of the first time he had met her.
He was in
the entirely new city, looking for a job. He had rent a room to stay. His
neighborhood was full of kids of all ages. He loved spending time with them in
the evening, playing cricket and football with them. There was this one girl
who sat quietly on the swing in her verandah and never said anything. She would
only watch whatever was going on around her. Once while playing a kid kicked
the football near her swing and stopped right under her feet. He went to pick
the ball. She pulled up her feet to her chest and buried her face in between
her knees scared. He was amused. He waited for a moment. She put her head up
just enough to look at him. The way she looked at him, the look in her eyes got
him spellbound. She looked at him like she was looking right into his soul. For
the first time he felt his heart beating loud. It gave him flutters in his
stomach. Never in his life had he felt so alive like he did now. He wanted to stay.
He wanted to talk. But the calls from his kid friends made him leave
reluctantly.
Later after asking about her he found out that
though she was grown up physically, she was still a child mentally. Everyone
kept teasing her always; some would even tease her physically. So she always
stayed at home, alone. His heart went out to her. He would deliberately throw
balls near her just to look in to her big beautiful eyes. Something in the way
she looked at him always pulled him to her. He had often felt the smiles in her
eyes when he was around. He just couldn’t resist those soft relaxed look. Just
her presence made his evenings livelier. He would go through the day dreaming
of her eyes.
His job
included travelling, sometimes days sometimes months. He often tried to resist
his tours but this time he had to take a tour of a month and half. When he
returned he didn’t see her for three days. He began getting restless. He tried
to ask casually to the kids. They nonchalantly told him that one day she went somewhere
and came back with bruises and her clothes torn. They haven’t seen her since.
From his landlady’s gossip he came to know that she went off wandering a day after
he went on tour. It is being said that she was raped yet no one knew who did,
nobody saw anything. Chances are she might even be pregnant. He even heard that
her mental condition wasn’t good. They
keep her locked and are planning to move away.
Something
inside him broke. He felt restless and desperate. He knew what he wanted to do.
He loved her and it’s about time he should make her his. It wasn’t an easy
task. His parents were adamantly against it and rightly so. Her parents were skeptical
but agreed. He knew his parents would never give in but he was never surer
about anything in life than marrying this girl. And that he did. He took care
of her like a child until Anant was born. Her condition started to worsen. She would
jump even at the slightest of sound and would calm only in his arms. It started
getting bad to worse. She, now, is in hospital where doctors are hopeless about
her. He could never get himself to tell this to his son. The story he keeps
telling him not only keeps his son happy but also helps him escape the reality
even if for a while. He knows his forever is coming to an end sooner than he
want it to. Forevers are never really for-ever.
The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. Participation Count: 18
