Years ago this day, she was happily attending her Uncle’s wedding. As a school going girl, she was over excited about the wedding. She was wearing a pretty lehenga choli which her Daddy dearest bought and there she was running all around the convention hall.
Only after a while had she realized that her mother and brother weren’t in the reception hall. They weren’t to be seen anywhere. Every guest that arrived, repeatedly questioned her where was her little family. She had no clue. Shortly after the wedding ceremony, she went on asking every other relative of hers if they had seen her mother, to no avail.
She strolled home which was a few kilometers away. Shockingly, there were none at home but her Grandfather. He then informed her, they were at the hospital. She certainly had no idea about what had happened. She inquired about the Hospital, which was again a few km from her home.
She walked to the hospital she was told about. As soon as she entered she saw many of her relatives in the hospital. There she saw, her mother grieving inconsolably. She saw her uncles talking to her mother. She looks here and there, she saw her brother in another corner. Running here and there with some hospital slips.
As an 11 year old, she barely had any clue about anything happening there. She walks closer and closer. She saw two of her aunts standing close to a private room, around which the hospital staff is running about. She tried to enter the room and nobody let her to. She now became more and more anxious. Her heart beats are at a varying rate now. When she finally entered the room pushing everyone aside, there she saw her father in tremendous pain and agony. She could only see the cries in and around the room. He was crying in pain. He wasn’t able to move. The doctors around were giving him the injections. Nothing seems to be serving anymore. He wanted to pass the urine but he couldn't. He cries in pain. She was allowed to stand barely for 2–3 minutes in that room. He was immediately rushed to an Emergency. She was sent away.
As an 11-year-old, once again she was clueless and crying. She was sent home with a relative of hers. When she reached home, the newlyweds were brought into the house. she went and locked herself in a room. She did not get out of the room until that night and surprisingly none even noticed it. At night, she walked out of the room only hearing her mother cry out loud. Her Father passed away that night suffering from Hepatitis B, until that day of which they were unaware of.
And that marked the worst 2 minutes at the hospital and the worst day in her life. Something she could never forget and something that would stay in her heart until the end of her time. Healing has its own way and it takes its own time. For every girl, her father is her first hero and for her, he lived up to every bit as a hero, a guiding light, a teacher, a superman and an amazing Daddy. He gave her the wings to fly and the vision to dream endlessly. The memories of endless love and the warmth make her all cold today. She is strong but tired. She wants a warm hug and a pat on the back. She wished if he could come back. She snuggles into her blanket and yet she is frozen.
She turns to the other side of the pillow as this side is already cold hiding her secrets. She slips into the sleep only to meet him again in the world outside this, the world of her dreams.
For he was the most beautiful thing she preserved in her heart and was her hardest Goodbye! Gone but not forgotten!
Love,
Vj (Nutty Wordsmith)
