The Tenseconds

“Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two and …”, “MooooM”, screamed Wilbur, “Oh, My God, why did you scream, you shocked me”. “Mom, Dad’s spaceship which would take him to space couldn’t blast off it burst into pieces at the last count”. Wilbur was weeping hard, he was uncontrollable” “Kid, Your dad is safe and sound at the space station”. “Did you have a bad dream child, don’t worry it’s just a nightmare, you dad is safe and we can speak to him this weekend”.

Wilbur was a 6 year old kid who was father Smith was on a mission in NASA. He had left for the mission when Wilbur was just 3 years. So he was very curious to know about his dad and his mission. He would always watch sci fi movies related to space. He used fantasise his dad in it, as a result he had nightmares which gave him shocks. Though this issue was worrying to his mother Kathy , she had her own strategies to pacify his instincts.

“Ma, if papa is working on a Mission in NASA why can’t he meet us, he just makes a video call every weekend and talks to us. This is not Mom, I want to see him person , I want to hug him and tell him “ I love you dad, please stay with us always”. “I want to see NASA, it always admires me, and I want to see dad’s work place, please take me there MOM”.

Kathy interrupted , “Relax kid, as you know , your Dad is on a secret mission and visitors are not allowed”. “But Mom, he can meet us right”? . “No , kid he is not allowed to “. When Kathy said that , she felt her heart racing hard and tears rolled down her eyes. She didn’t want her child feel that she was sad. She put a false smile on her face to make the atmosphere normal.

“Wilbur, it’s not Sunday today, if I’m not wrong today is Monday , and a tiny little boy here has a test in school”. She just gave him a little tickle which made him laugh. She tried to make the atmosphere light. “Maa, do I have to go to school , Look here I am feeling a bit feverish I can’t move out of bed. “. “You naughty boy, you want to skip your test, that’s not done here, wake up and get ready”. Kathy laughed and pulled Wilbur out of bed .

“Mom”, Wilbur’s voice was not usual . “What is it kid, why are you so dull? , didn’t your tests go well?” “No, Mom I did my tests very well and I will top the class as always”. “Then what’s the problem dear?”.

“Mom, you told me my dad is on a secret mission working in NASA right”? “Yes dear he is working for NASA “. “Why do you have such doubts”. “Mom, when I told my friends , they started laughing at me, they wouldn’t believe that my dad works for NASA”. “Is it, bring them to me I will tell them about your superhero dad”, said Kathy.

The next dad , Wilbur left for school, Kathy was a bit worried about the previous day. The child was a bit disturbed about the on goings in his school which was not a good thing for a sensitive child like Wilbur.

“Oh look who’s here the son of an Astronaut , working for NASA, “ “Hey Wilbur look up , your dad is waving to from the space station, hi Uncle Smith, and look down your son is here”. All the boys giggled hard , they couldn’t stop laughing. Wilbur was a laughing stock for the senior boys of his school . Wilbur couldn’t handle it, he was just a small kid , and he started crying and ran home .

He just collapsed unable to bear the humiliation. Kathy yelled at the school officials and took him to the hospital. The psychologist who treated him for his sudden shocks, said,” Your kid is very sensitive and I feel he should know the truth about his dad , its time you tell him that his dad is no more and that he will never come back”.

Kathy cried hard , she couldn’t handle her emotions , she had lost her husband in a grave mishap, when he was on a manned mission to space. The technical dysfunction at the nick of last ten seconds of launch destroyed the whole operation along with the crew. Wilbur was just 3 months old when he lost his dad. Though he was just an infant at that stage something went wrong and the baby had shocks. Wilbur had lost his dad , but the emotional connect between his dad and he was not dead. Wilbur’s condition was so sensitive that Kathy had to keep his father’s death a secret and had created an illusive portrayal of his father and lied that he was working on a secret mission. Now he was grown up and the secret had to be unleashed . He had every right to know the secret of his father’s death.

“Wilbur, my child, you have know that your father expired when he was on a mission to space, you were very little and delicate, hence I had to keep it as a secret I’m sorry dear, please forgive your Mom”. Though Wilbur was shocked to hear this he didn’t palpate he started crying hard and hugged his mother. He wiped her tears and said, “Mom, you are a great mother, and I’m the luckiest son in this world”. "Mom , I will make dad's memories revive back by fulfilling his dreams"

Years passed , Wilbur graduated in flying colours. He topped the university . And one fine day ,

“Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two and one”, boom, the rocket blasted off to space without any hindrance. Wilbur’s Mom Kathy looked through the NASA window , her thumping heart slowed down with sigh of relief. There was a huge applaud by the ground crew for their successful launch.  Wilbur had fulfilled his dad’s unfinished dream and made his mother Kathy a proud woman.