We rushed to the hospital as soon as we landed in Hrishikesh. While Kartik went in search of doctor I went to see if Negi Uncle was alright. He was in the ICU, I signed Pungi to come out as I wanted to go in. I entered the ICU barefooted. I went to Negi Uncle my temper at its highest point.
I had left Hrishikesh, and only Hrishikesh. I was yet his daughter. He had no right to hide such a thing from me. I was only married, not dead. How could he even think that he would be successful in such a task. Was I so much of an outsider now that I didn’t deserve to know. He knew how much I hated to be kept in darkness, especially from stuff as these.
I was going to give him a piece of my mind. I went to him, he said, “Tina, child you didn’t have to come here. I’m fine really. It’s only old age.”
Only old age he says, so even if it only was old age, that is supposed to stop me from caring. He cared for me when I was young. From where this age factor came into care? God only knows. I replied, “Negi Uncle, you, I didn’t expect this from you. You should have called, which you didn’t, further you even told Pungi to not tell me. Don’t you love me anymore?”
“No Tina, never my child. You are the life of ashram. I, the kids, we all love you so much. We didn’t want to disturb your newly started married life.” He tried to explain.
I understood his concern, really did. But he didn’t get the point, being married had just added new people to care for, didn’t remove the previous one. Just because the page of my life turned it didn’t mean previous ones were deleted. All of them together made the book of life, and that I was incomplete and torn if any thing of that was missing.
Just then I saw Kartik coming in with the doctor. From the looks of it he had been in time to hear the last statement. And he spoke, “Yes she has started a new married life, and her only concern should be her new family, isn’t it? Making me and my family should be her life, she should forget she had anything else in her life. That’s what marriage is all about, isn’t it.?”
Reverse psychology, but he had his way with words and people. I left him to explain this, because I knew the way he can explain I never could. He had this vibe about him that he made everyone around him trust and like him. I’m sure if he wanted manipulate people for his own good he could, but that wouldn’t be the man he is.
Even Negi uncle understood what he was trying to say, “No. That’s not at all what I’m try to say, just that..”
“Yes, tell me just what? We came here the second we knew there was a problem. Tell me what was the reason you thought could keep your daughter away from you?” Negi uncle looked shocked. So was I. Where did this come from? He thought I wouldn’t care enough to come and see him? He didn’t trust me to love him just as much as I did.
Come to think of it, it was my fault probably, when he had said no that he couldn’t come to the wedding, I had accepted. I didn’t really crib about him not coming, I was disappointed sure, but I should have been stubborn, what person doesn’t when their almost father denies to come to her wedding? I was so involved in the new world that I had myself given him a reason to not trust me. But no more. I would never give him the reason to distrust me anymore.
“Negi Uncle, I’m sorry, really very sorry, I became so lost in my new world that I forgot what all I had left here. We talked and I knew we were good enough financially, but I forgot money could never bring the happiness which people being in your life brings. Can you forgive this idiot daughter of yours?” I begged him.
He like a father he was forgave me, kept his hand on my head and said, “No my child, you need not ask for forgiveness. You did what was important, I shouldn’t he kept this from you.”
“Now you should rest Uncle, I’ll be just outside if you need anything. We will even talk to the doctor.” I told him.
The doctor told us he had a dysfunctional heart, to cut the long story short, his heart wasn’t pumping enough blood. He should not take any stress, physical or mental. It could have catastrophic results.
I was freaking out, life in Hrishikesh was always difficult. When I was here, I remember the stuff I did to get some money. I wasn’t proud. I knew it was wrong morally to fool innocent people just for money. But I needed that money, I didn’t cheat anyone, I cheated the people I knew could afford me cheating on them. But it was wrong yet. After me and Pungi kids here were too small. And I really didn’t want anyone of them to do the things I did. We sent money sure, but people here wouldn’t accept if I gave anymore. It would be against their ethics. And would hurt their self respect.
I had to do something. Negi Uncle was ill, I couldn’t leave him alone even after his discharge. I thought to share this with Kartik, “We cannot leave them alone here Kartik. Not after what doctor just told us. He would be ok in a few days, but not completely. We have do something.”
“That’s what I was thinking jaan. We cannot leave him alone. We have to do something about this, but I have no idea as to what.” He paused, thinking. Then running hands through his hair, he said, “Let’s go keep our bags freshen up and then we can think about this.”
We went to the Ashram where I had spent 7 years of my life, and was hugged by all the kids at the same time. They had made arrangements for my welcome, they had decorated the place with ribbons, even had a cake for me to cut. Every little one of them gave me greeting cards, saying different things, “I missed you.”, “Congratulations”, “I love you” they were so pure, innocent souls. And they were all mine. I loved them all dearly.
We went and freshened up. We had dinner at a Dhabi near by, Kartik’s treat for my cuties. I loved being with them. They were so dear to me, all of them. We went back to Ashram after some stroll around the area.
Both of us were really clueless of what should we do. We decided to take a early night in, I went in his arms kept my head on his chest searching some solace. We were struck with problems to which we had no solution to, life was starting to happen. And only we were to make these decisions. Were we prepared? I didn’t know. But I knew, that with him by my side, I’ll learn everything I needed to. We will solve every problem together. Cross every bridge together. I drifted to sleep in his arms. We both did.
Precap – Decisions, decisions.
Authors notes-
Another chapter done. And in the last chapter I noticed there were many typos and I know it can be irritating, but I really can’t get on to editing. So ignore those small little typos.
To people who are unaware Tina is Naira only, and to expect a person who called her Tina for 7 years to call her with a different name is neither possible nor required. So I will keep Negi uncle calling her Naira.
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