He was 20, she was 19. He was from a village, she was from a small town. She went to college and he was an undergraduate. He was bold and handsome and she was beautiful and soft. Everyone named them "Uttam-Suchitra" of that era. They were in love and they got married after six years’ endless efforts and a strong commitment. Life was not so smooth because he was honest in his job in a bank. But they were the happiest couple. There might be lack of money but plenty of love and respect. They brought two little angels to enlighten their little world. He left job and started business. Dark days were left behind and their angels were growing up. They were busy enough, one in office with business, another at home. But still their love and respect remained same. After the end of the day they spent time together, sang songs, recited poems. 25 years of their conjugal life had gone still full of love, respect and romance as well. On their Silver Jubilee they cut cake, fed each other, laughed in happiness with their two angels pleasingly with those pleasant surprises! He had a dream! A sweet dream! He was planning to go back to village, make a bungalow there and spend remaining days together…
This story could be ended like they started living happily ever after. But perhaps the Almighty had a different plan. In one afternoon he left home bidding goodbye to his loving wife and his most loving little angel as always. But he didn’t come back with his prettiest smile and fruit cake that he promised to his little angel. It was four nights’ sleepless journey to bring him back, his loving wife’s endless prayer to the Almighty, two loving daughters’ endless waiting beside him. They didn’t know what a Brainstem Haemorrhage meant. They lightly knew what clinically dead meant but with their little knowledge they waited till the heart stopped beating. He went with all his love and respect leaving his part of soul and dream behind.
It has been 9 years they are living with his memories. Now his younger daughter knows what a Brainstem Haemorrhage means. She can interpret the meaning of every word she heard that time. As a doctor she spends whole day in the hospital whether she left visiting hospitals and ICUs after his loving dad’s departure. Time changes, people change too. But some feelings never change. Still she keeps searching those wonderful dayends with laughter. That empty balcony reminds those cheerful playtime of song and poem. It’s very tough to bear the silent tears of his better half left with deep breaths only. A song like “Main yahan tu wahan, Zindegi hai kahan” might sound pretty once but only brings tears now.
All stories never end like happily ever after…