Gita

Tears rolling down through his sleeping eye mask, and the guilt of not being with her in the last days is depressing. Moment of turbulence shakes him up & bring him back to the presence.

"Mr. Karthick, Please wear your seat belt! We are about to land" said by air hostess.

He sees a Mom trying to soothe her crying toddler, sitting opposite to him. 

It reminds him of his childhood days, when his Mom bought him his first Bicycle and while learning, she used to run behind him to make sure he feels safe.

Flight landed, he was on his way to see her face for the last time, he couldn’t feel the bumps & the horns, it was all Gita’s memory flashing in his mind.He couldn’t help himself from crying and he is longing to see her.

He is deeply devastated to realise the fact that she is no more, his hands are shivering, heart starts pounding & he collapsed to see her as corpse.

Karthick could see it in her face, a face of ongingness, helplessness with no peace.

He falls down unconsciously and his stepfather rushed to hold him, he could hear people around him starts panicking and asking for doctor.

Prakash, Karthick’s Step father pats his face and said, "Karthick, wake up, wake up".

He could see Prakash in his blurry eyes, he started responding and they helped him to sit near Gita.

Karthick started thinking about the last conversation they had 3 years back, it was the last time he saw her.

Gita came and sat near him and said, "karthick, I want to say something".

Gita never lived her life for herself, It was all for karthick. It all changed when Karthick’s Father passed away, when he was 2 years old.

Her parents and the relatives told her to move on and look for another life, but even before those voices, she took the decision to live her life for him.

Gita Said, "I have never told you about this, I feel like telling you now. Don’t ever think this as justification for what I’m going to say after".

Karthick said, "Mom, I know you. You don't have to say this".

Gita said, "The moment your father passed away, I felt like all my doors in the world were shut and I didn't know what to do for a living or how to raise you. I still remember the day, I was holding you in my arms and waiting for people to guide me on what to do next".

Karthick didn't want her to interrupt, he laid on her lap and hold her hands to comfort Gita.

"Your Father didn’t allow me to work and after he left, soon my parents passed away. I thought of committing sucide & I tried, but I couldn't leave you alone, fear about your future pushed me to live for you".

"It was those days, when you became a part of me and my purpose of existence.My parents were matured enough to let me finish my college, It still helps for our survival".

Karthick asked in a crackling voice, "Am I Burden to you ?".

Gita showed him a calm smile and said, "you made me strong, you gave me a purpose to live." 

Gita asked, "Do you remember the first and last time I hit you?"

Karthick wittily said, "how can I forget that!".

"Do you ever know the reason I hit you?"

“It is hard to be a single mother, I couldn't able to know the intentions behind someone talking to me. I didn't say everyone is wrong, but there are some who tries to take advantage over your situation. It was one of those days & I’m sorry for being harsh on that day”

Karthick said, "Sorry Mom, I’m feeling ashamed!!"

"You don’t have to & I didn’t want you to.." Gita said.

Gita was reluctant to say something, he realised by seeing her taking a deep breath and rolling her shawl in one of her finger. he never saw her hestitating for anything. he realised that she is trying to say something.

Karthick said, "Mom, it’s okay! I know you are trying to say something, Just tell me."

"I don’t know how to say this but I’m planning to get married.His Name is Prakash, I met him while going for a walk in the morning, we became friends and so on. I have decided to marry him.I know, I should have said this before, but something stopped me from doing it, I hope you understand".

Karthick felt embarrassed and said, "Mom don’t play with me".

"No Karthick, I’m not joking. I have decided to marry him."

Karthick started baring his teeth, shouting and ranting about the decision she took and says, "No mom, you should not do this! What will society or my friends think and You are 45 now, what is the need for it? I’m here to take care of you and I’m being polite here!"

Gita took a deep breath and said, "It is not what you think, I think we will be happy if we are together and there is nothing wrong in it. Prakash’s wife and daughter passed away in an accident 5 years ago and we came to our terms, he knows about you and believe me he is a kind, humble and a good person, he needs us and he will be there for us".

"Mom, How can you trust somebody? I won’t accept it". karthick forcely removed her hand from his shoulder.

 "I have faced everything and anything you would have ever imagined while raising you. Do you think, will I make a decision for the sake or for pleasure?".

"And I’m not asking you the permission, I’m conveying it to you. I thought you will understand, respect and accept my desicion , but you are thinking like the rest of the society.If someone would have said this, I would have never mind it".

"You didn’t care to ask him about, but all you cared about is your friends and society"

Karthick said, "okay mom, You made yours and I will made mine.I’m leaving this house".

Gita didn’t stopped him and he packed his bag and left the house.

Gita bursted into tears, someone whom she cared for and for whom she spent her life didn’t understand her and decided to walk away.

Karthick never turned back then and he didn’t respond to her calls, mails and Gita didn't want to face him, she thought he would understand and he would come back but it cost her life to bring him back.

Prakash shakes Karthick to bring him back to the present, to perform the rituals. Karthick vent out his pain and touches her feet and says, "I don’t have the right to see her or to do anything for her, My mistake cost her life, I cannot bring her back now".

Prakash calmed him and said, "it’s okay, we will talk about it later".

Prakash helped Karthick to perfrom the rituals to bury her and they came back to the house.

Karthick is sitting in the living room where they had conversation last time, Prakash sits near him to give a shoulder to cry on.

Karthick said, "I know what I did was wrong, I should have understand her but I thought you might replace me or you might separate her from me.She lived her life all for me, but I’m being selfish, I didn’t realise or accept the fact that, she has a life too and she wished to have one.I can’t bring her back now".

Prakash consoled him and said, "she expected that you would come back till the last day of her life.She was a strong and Independent woman but when it comes to you, she is the weakest of all. Even when she decided to marry me, she told you are everything to her, she would always talk about you. The Moment you left, you took her 20 Years of courage, happiness and everything. I lived with the same woman, who hold you in her arms and had no idea on what to do in life. I wish you could have understood her".

karthick wiped his tears and said, "you were the first and last thing she wished for, I cannot afford to lose you. I know nothing would bring her back, but will you accept me as your son?"...