GRANDSON


Her eyes were looking at the window, but she was not able to see anything. Tears were blurring her vision. Her heart was beating very slowly, as if it was going to stop any moment. She could see his small little frame, waving his hands and crying loudly. How she wished to run from the car to that balcony, and hug him, how she wished to stay there, where she was not needed anymore.

The driver could see the tormenting pain, but helplessly started the car, and drove it towards the gate. He hated this, but it was his job, which was paying good enough. The woman closed her eyes and ears, and was sitting silently. When they reached, he slowly called her, but she was sitting like a statue. He was afraid that she must be dead, but she was not. She got down from the car and dragged herself to the gates of Old Age Home, which was her home now, till she dies.

She was assigned a room, neat and clean, of her memories too. Nothing was welcome, just blank walls and a small window overlooking the lawns. She was able to see a huge tree, with a roundabout of cement. It was the most beautiful place. She was happy to see that. She started to arrange her wardrobe. This room was her home now. She smiled a bitter smile. Sixty-five years of her life were gone and at the end she had left with this? She was too tired and lonely, so left everything and slept.

    The morning was gloomy. It was a difficult task to open the eyes. No one was there, not even a sound. No one was pulling her or shouting in her ears. No one was hugging her with his small and tiny arms. No small fingers were holding her brittle hands. But she was not able to sleep either. It was too much of a pain. Unbearable. Tormenting. Her heart was aching. With blank eyes she looked at the sky and wished like a small child-‘Oh God! Please take me, I can not bear this’. The clouds burst somewhere and it started raining. Her eyes were dry and her heart was crying. When she could not tolerate it, she fell down, unconscious.

    The doctor was a sweet fellow, who was trying to distract her from her miseries. She was thankful, because he was tending her from the last four months. He was always there, whenever she opened her eyes from the blackouts. The staff was concerned, as her health was not stabilizing. But the doctor was sure that she will be out of the shock soon and will be all right. He was right that her mental state is not coping up with her present state. She was not even trying to accept this life. She just wanted to die. But this young doctor was determined to save her.

It was a beautiful day, and she was feeling better. She requested one of the staff nurses to take her to the lawns. It was a welcome change. She was taken on the wheel chair. She chose the huge tree, which was visible from her room and sat there. Suddenly her eyes were shining, she was speechless. She couldn’t believe her eyes. But he was there smiling, with open arms. Her grandchild was there? Slowly, she stood up and touched him, he hugged her. He was crying and laughing at the same time. They both were like small kids. Both were looking at each other with disbelief.

‘’I missed you so much, and I knew that you were missing me too’, the kid was telling her softly, and touching her wrinkled face with small hands. ‘Are you unwell’ he was looking at her with wide eyes, ‘you look so thin’.

    ‘No my child. I will be fine, I was missing you, now you are here, I will be good again’. She held him tightly in her lap, they were talking endlessly. Old age home staff was amazed. She was perfect, she was even running in the grounds, happy, carefree.

It was getting dark now. The sun was gone and the birds were returning to their homes too. There was a little chill in the air, and it was time to return to their rooms. The elderly volunteer went to her, and told her gently that it was time to go to her room. ‘Can I take him to my room? He slept in my lap and he is very tired’ she was caressing his hair affectionately.

    ‘No my dear, you know the rules. He is not allowed inside. As it is too late, he must return now. You give him to me, we will send him back.’ Reluctantly, she softly kissed him and gave to the lady and returned to her room. She was happy, had food herself, for the first time, in that old age home. She even went to others and shared little conversations. She was alive again, brimming with life. She slept peacefully like a baby.

    It was a constant affair now. The kid used to come every forenoon and used to stay with her till evening. They used to share stories, make faces, play, run and when he was tired she sang lullaby’s for him, till he slept. Old age home was witnessing the transformation of that lady, who was now a counselor for the other mates of the home. Her deep knowledge of relations and life were guiding others. She was a lecturer of science in the city’s well-known college. Her spiritual and philosophical discussions made her the soul of that home. It was a solace to listen to her.     

It was raining constantly from the last three days. It was impossible for her to go to the lawns and meet him, as it was impossible for him to come. She was drained out of all the energies she had. She was missing him. The mates tried to distract her from his thoughts, but she was feeling sick and praying that rain to stop. She was again bed ridden, stopped eating.

    It was the fifth day, when she saw the sun again. She tried to get up from the bed but her weakness did not let her. She wanted to go to the lawns and meet him, but no  one was letting her out. Finally, she managed to get up, with her will power and slowly started for the lawns. A new volunteer, girl of around sixteen, gave her a wheel chair and started pushing her to the lawns. When they reached near the tree, the woman told her to stop. Yes, he was there, sad, but the moment he saw her he jumped with joy. She was crying too. But they were happy together.  She left her wheel chair and sat near the tree with him, talking, hugging and kissing him again and again. ‘Whom you are talking to?’ The girl asked gently. ‘This is my grandson, can’t you see?’

The girl was shocked. She ran inside, she was sweating, her heart was beating faster, she was about to faint. She reached the reception and asked –‘Is she mad?’     

‘Who?’ the lady on the counter was surprised.

‘The woman, whom I took to the lawns, right now, she was talking to someone but there, was nobody’ She was speaking with great difficulty.

‘Oh my God! Tara?’ The lady ran to the lawns and saw her there, sitting peacefully, singing, and laughing. There were tears and smile on her face.

‘Thank God,’ the lady took a deep breath.

‘What do you mean?’ the girl saw her with amazement.

‘Thank God that you did not say any thing to her. We all know there is no such grandchild, but this imagination is keeping her alive. Because of this hallucination she is able to live normally. It is not bothering anybody, so let her enjoy her heaven. Although this is heart breaking, but what to do?’ The lady had tears in her eyes. Even the girl was shaking from inside.  

    Suddenly, they heard something and turned. Their blood froze. Tara was standing there, white faced, stunned.     

‘What were you telling her? Are you sure this is my hallucination, my imagination? Is there really a no grandchild?’ her speech was hardly audible, she was shaking uncontrollably.

‘I was dreaming this from last one year? He never visited? We were never together? I can’t believe this, it is not true’. Her eyes, were pouring, her body was wavering.

She held the lady by her shoulders and asked in the most heart wrenching voice-‘Are you sure of this? Please tell me the truth’.

 All the inmates of the house were there. Looking at her with sympathy and concern. But no one dared to speak the truth. Some were crying, and some were just feeling sorry for her. She looked at everyone and slowly went to her room. She opened the window and saw the tree. He was there waiting for her. Her heart stopped. ‘Why can’t anybody see him?’ She shut down the window and sat on the bed. ‘Are these people mad or am I mad?’ how could it be an imagination? I can feel him, hear him, he responds to all my things, how can it be hallucination?’ she was going through the most painful journey of her existence, at that moment. She again opened the window, and her heart stopped. He was calling her, she could see his little hands, waving, calling her. He was very much there. Her heart leapt and she collapsed. It was a massive heart attack. She died instantly. There was lots of confusion on her face. Old age home was in shock to witness the tragedy.

The head of the home called Tara’s son.

‘Hello, sorry, we have a very bad news to give you. Your mother died an hour ago, because of the massive heart attack’. The head was indeed very sad. There was a silence for some time, finally the son replied, with a great pain in his voice. ‘You please make the arrangements to send the body. I am sending my driver, right now. Actually my son also died an hour ago, without any apparent reason, he was just shouting – ‘Granny don’t believe them. Don’t believe them.’ The phone fell from his hands and he looked at his staff in great disbelief.