waiting2

"Perhaps because I'm a fatherless child. Being a single parent can be very difficult you know. She wants me to go abroad for higher studies and I don't want to leave her alone. So we had an argument the day before and perhaps all this is the result of my stubbornness. I hate to be away from her. She's done so much for me."
"You're right Shalini. All mothers do their best for their children."
"No, it's not like that, My mother is very special. She adopted me when I was very young. I used to be in the orphanage and was quite miserable. I hated it out there. She could have easily sponsored me like so many other rich women do and she wasn't so rich either, but she adopted me, did not even marry the man she loved because it would be embarrassing for him to marry a single woman with a daughter. Isn't that a big sacrifice? How can I forget the happiness that I owe her? I can only love her."
Pranesh could see the tears welling up in her eyes all over again. And he could feel a million incendiary bombs exploding inside him. Shalini's mother must be Chitra. Chitra, whom two years back he had refused to marry since his mother had thrown a fit in the house when she had come to know that Chitra had adopted a girl even before she had married, without even consulting her future in-laws. An unwed mother of a child whose antecedents were not known, such rebellion could not be accepted by a traditional family like theirs steeped in the pursuance of numerous rites and rituals. What would the relatives, friends, neighbours say?
"She'll enter this house with that unwanted child of hers over my dead body," Ma had said with finality.
Her words rang in Pranesh's ears. He could sense the venom that she had spewed then slowly paralysing him again. He remembered how much he had discussed about her plans while visiting "Aashray", a home for children; a home run by a non-govt. organization. He remembered all those wonderful happy moments spent in Chitra's house in F-Road, Sonari West and Mashima's love and warmth for her would-be son-in-law. The poor widow would prepare "paayesh" and "gokul pithe" for Poush Sankranti if he were around. He was like the son she had lost in his childhood.
He had let her down, just because he had lacked the courage to fight his stubborn mother. But she was a product of her age and mind set; what about him? After all, he was not going to stay with her permanently; only occasionally when he visited her or when she spent a couple of months with him. She had flatly refused to live with him permanently since she did not wish to be known as Pranesh's mother in an alien city or country, her identity in the house and locale where she had lived all her life with husband and in-laws was far too precious for her. Then why had he not fought back for the girl he loved and whose memory had made him a recluse all the rest of his life?
Strange, he mused that both these women were still fighting, battling for survival in the ICU now while their dearest one's waited with bated breath.
"We can only continue to love each other Shalini and wait. Your mother is a brave woman, much braver than the man she loved. You must be proud of her."
"Oh yes, I'm proud of Ms. Chitra Roy, my mother. Not many people have such courageous women as mothers. She fought against everyone, her family, and the family of the man she loved; the society just because she loved a poor orphan and thought that every child has a right to be loved and cared for. How can I leave her now, Uncle, when she's growing older and more lonely. I'd like to keep her with me all my life. But she says young people must live in the company of others their age or else boredom sets in. I argued with her on this point and she grew unhappy and sick."
"She'll come around, Shalini; believe me. Now, shall we go to the visitor's room and wait for the doctors?"
"Yes, it's been a long time. But I feel much better talking to you Uncle."
The sister-in-charge of the ICU came out looking for someone. She called out; Mr. Pranesh Choudhary? May I have a word with you outside?"
He knew that the battle was over. Sister told him she expired ten minutes back when he was away.
"I'm sorry Mr. Choudhary. We tried our best, but God knows better!"
"I understand Sister. Thank you for everything. How's Ms. Chitra Roy?"
"She's stabilized now. Dr. Gupta thinks the crisis is over but she'll have to be under observation for sometime before we send her to the ward. She may have to undergo an angioplasty though Dr. Gupta will speak to her daughter in a day or two. Do you know her?"
"Yes, thank you Sister".
Pranesh was never the praying kind unlike Chitra but now he wanted to join his hands in prayer and thank God for giving him another chance to prove himself after all these years of waiting.
"Shalini", he said entering the visitor's room, "Sister just told me your mother's already better".
"Oh uncle", she said throwing her arms around him like a child. "I'm so happy".
Pranesh could sense the curious eyes of the others around directed towards them. Disentangling himself from Shalini's embrace and seating her down he said, "We will fight it together, Shalini "won't we?"

Vishnupriya

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