44~ The Broken Daughter
Adhyay and I sat hands in hands together in the hospital corridor as they prepared the operation theatre for the surgery. With every passing second, I felt as if someone was choking me to death. My heart felt heavy as I tried to prepare myself for the upcoming events.
"Adhyay", a man greeted. I casted a confused glance at my husband who stood up and shook hands with the other man. By his actions I knew that the other man carried some importance. I stood up again and faintly smiled, that was all I could do at the moment.
"Aadhya, he is Dr. Ishaan Gupta and he is the one doing your mother's surgery", Adhyay explained and I nodded. Dr. Gupta smiled at me and said, "I wish we had met in some other circumstances Adhyay".
"Same but life is unpredictable", Adhyay said and laughed a little. I rolled my eyes at their exchange mentally cursing how idiot my husband is. By his looks, I made out that Dr. Gupta was young, barely thirty or something.
He looked similar Adhyay but not much. But then I remembered.
He was the same man with whom I had seen Adhyay's picture with on Instagram.
Although he looked a lot changed but I could still make out that it was the same man.
That would only mean that he is Adhyay's and Yash bhaiya's other best friend!
"I studied the reports, it's a cerebral tumour", Dr. Ishaan confirmed from Adhyay. My husband nodded in agreement and said, "We started the doses but no effect, surgery is the only solution that remains".
Dr. Gupta nodded and said, "I understand, is the patient ready? Is she prepared for it mentally?"
Adhyay looked at me with uncertainty in his eyes as if asking about my mother. I gulped and said, "Yes she is".
"Very well then, I shall ask the nurse to prepare everything", he said and we both nodded looking at each other. Adhyay instantly intertwined our hands together and smiled at me.
"Don't worry", he said. I nodded and with a sigh sat down on the hospital bench. I a, trying to not worry but how can I not? It's my mother whom we are talking about, how can I not think about her well being?
I know Adhyay and his team are the best in the field but what he said is haunting me. Last night he had explained that it's the person's will and I am not sure if my mum has the will to live anymore.
She has been through lots of downs in her entire life which makes me think if she even wants to live anymore?
Getting betrayed by the people you love is not easy to recover from.
I can't even imagine how I will react if Adhyay does the same to me.
I don't think I would survive through such conditions.
My mother is the strongest person I have ever met in my whole life.
I still question how she always maintains a smile after all of this.
Even the strongest of people crumble if they get betrayal from their families but my mum, her smile never diminishes.
She carries an aura of positivity and warmth around her as if her life would have been perfect.
But only I know how much pain she has gone through. No matter how much she tried to hide it from me, she could never. In my childhood days, she used to cry every night after I was asleep. In the morning she would smile brightly as if nothing happened. I saw that all clearly.
She always wanted a perfect family but got none. How can someone wish to live after all of this? I sometimes act selfish but she doesn't, she dedicated her whole life to bring up her daughter who was responsible for the pain she suffered from.
If it would have been someone else, she wouldn't have thought twice to throw her daughter in the garbage and live a peaceful life with her husband again, but my mother, she never let go of my hand.
I snapped out of my reverie when I felt his warm hand on my shoulder. I leaned towards his welcoming touch and mumbled, "How much time will it take?"
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "They are preparing stuff, it won't take much time to start."
I nodded and closed my eyes.
When I snapped out into my senses, I saw Adhyay talking to another doctor. He glanced at me and nodded at the other doctor.
"Akriti would you mind if I attend to my patient? It will take a few minutes", he softly asked. I rubbed my eyes and nodded.
"Of course, are they still preparing for the surgery?", I queried and he nodded with a sigh.
"It's taking time", he said.
Even though I knew that it was a long procedure, I just wanted to take my mum home and hug her tightly. I urgently need her hug and comforting words. The immature part of me wants to travel in the past and meet my healthy mother again. How I miss those golden days!
We didn't have much but everything I had was enough to make me happy. It's a loving family which makes a house and home. My mother was my family. That small shrewd house also appeared nice just because of my mum.
Every night she used to listen to my banters and how the other girls used to trouble me in school.
She would laugh and embrace me murmuring sweet words in my ears.
She gave me the strength to withstand all the storms that came in my way, I learnt to deal with hate because I knew that my mother will always love me even if the whole world disowns me.
She stood by my side, became my shield and today seeing her like this, it breaks me.
She still stands resilient, strong enough to fight from this storm.
The true definition of a strong woman doesn't mean that a woman drinks or wears short dresses like today's generation does but it means to be able to take her stand.
My mother is an Iron Lady and no one can ever argue on this fact. With simple clothes, soft spoken language and a firm belief, she always inspired me to follow her.
Strong has different meanings for everyone but for me, a strong person is the one who has the courage to move out of the league, inspire everyone around and enhance theirs and others personality.
"Ma'am, the patient wants to meet you", I heard the nurse say. I nodded and stood up, my legs wobbly and hands shaking with fear.
I am not ready for this.
She opened the ward door and gave me the way to enter inside. A sob broke out of my mouth when I saw my mother.
Her hair, her hair were shaved.
I muffled my cry and slowly took steps towards my mother. She must be devastated. Her hair was her pride, she loved them and now they are lying in the dustbin. She turned around and even though she was trying to hide her tears, I saw them.
I ran towards her and engulfed her in a hug. I kissed her forehead thrice when she cried, "They will grow back, will they?"
I nodded, muffling the cries of my heart and said, "They will".
"Ma'am we have to take the patient", the nurse reminded me, breaking our mother daughter session. I sniffed and nodded, letting go of my mother.
My mother smiled lightly and announced, "Adhyay don't hide son, come here".
I wiped my nose with the back of my hands and sobbed. I didn't want to show this to Adhyay, he will feel back but I can't help myself. He sighed and looked at me with uncertainty. He crouched down on the floor in front of mother and said, "Yes aunty".
My mother chuckled and caressed his face. She held his hands and said, "Call me mom or mumma, I am just like your mother".
Adhyay nodded and turned to look at me. I nodded and blinked my eyes, telling him to call my mother mumma.
"Ji mumma", he said and my mother smiled graciously at both of us. She extended her palm towards me, asking me to come closer to her. With shaky breaths, I did what she said and bent beside my husband.
She took my hand and kept it in Adhyay's with a smile. Kissing both of our foreheads she broke away from us.
"Promise me Adhyay, you'll take care of my daughter if something happens to me".
My mother said, her breath laboured. Adhyay held her hand and nodded. She took a deep breath and continued,
"Give her respect, love and everything a woman desires. Don't let her down, don't let her suffer, promise me you won't "
"I promise mom, I won't. I'll strive to be the best husband".
He said and I wiped away tears. My mother, my biggest supporter, the one who took care of me when the world was busy speaking shit about her, is saying such things.
Whatever I am today, is because of her, because she was strong to handle her pain and bear the needs of a daughter.
"You have to be strong mom, nothing will happen.".
I said, my voice cracking. She smiled weakly and brought her hand closer to my cheek.
"You are the best daughter and the best thing that ever happened to me".
She said as I sobbed. She held my hand and kissed the back of it as the nurse asked her to lay on the stretcher. She smiled at me and threw a flying kiss. The nurse drew the stretcher towards the OT
The doors closed and only I was left alone.
I felt a strong masculine hand wrapping around me and I knew it was my husband. I hugged him and let the tears down. For once, I wanted comfort and warmth which he gave me. He kissed my forehead and whispered,
"She'll be alright, Akriti. You both are strong. This will pass away".