Family Short Story – A Father’s Promise
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
She gave a loud sniff and got her father’s attention, just as she wanted. Ranajay turned around to see his daughter’s teary face, and knitted his brows in concern. ‘Hey,’ he asked, ‘what’s up Reena? Fought with Joy again, is it?’ He lifted her chin with a questioning look.
Lifting her puffy eyes to her father she blurted out, ‘I broke up with him Dad.’
‘Oh!’ was all Ranajay could manage – this was quite unexpected. As she burst into tears again, he hugged his sobbing daughter while she kept on muttering,’You were right! How could I not see?’… and the rest drowned in her sobs.
Holding her in his arms, Ranajay did not understand whether he should be happy or upset about it. He never liked Reena going out with Joy – he did not like the idea of her having an affair itself. She was too young at all this, he had always felt. But deep down he knew that was his paternal protectiveness speaking, and his dear child was no more a baby girl. And he loved her as the most precious gem he had ever had. So at this development he should ideally be relieved, and happy. But his daughter’s heart-breaking sobs robbed him of his joyous mood. Her tears made his heart bleed. Torn between feelings he simply held her hoping she would calm down soon. Which she did – but not before rubbing her eyes on his sleeve, a gesture consistent since her babyhood.
‘Okay Reena,’ he spoke, setting her on the sofa. ‘Big girls don’t cry this much, not if they are their Dad’s only strength. Calm down and tell me what happened.’
‘Nothing much,’ Reena sniffed,’ he said he has got over me and is going around with someone else. I asked him since when and he said around a fortnight. That’s it, Dad. Serves me right I guess, for not listening to you.’
‘No baby’, retorted Ranajay. ‘Don’t think you deserved it because I was also behaving like a possessive Dad without even considering whether the guy’s good or bad. I didn’t know him you see…’
Reena hugged her Dad tight, murmuring,’ It feels difficult Dad. Seems like this hurting wouldn’t end!’ Cradling her head, her Dad assured her that all would be fine soon and that they should rather have hope than feel so strained about it.
Few weeks later, Ranajay found his daughter talking to a boy near the doorstep of his house. He felt the old possessive urge, to shoo away the boy, creeping up his spine. But he controlled himself, waiting until she bade the guy goodbye and went inside. He entered few seconds later and found Reena curiously looking at him.
‘I know you’ve been watching,’ she mused.
‘Oh,’ Ranajay blurted out, all the more flustered.
‘That’s okay,’ assured Reena, ‘he’s Joy’s friend. And he came to convey Joy’s apologies to me. It seems he wants to continue with our relationship. I would like to think that’s because he must have found that the other girl was cheating on him! Well, he says he is also repentant for leaving me… What do you think I should do, Dad?’
‘Hmm,’ said Ranajay, giving himself time to decide what he should say. ‘Well Reena, this situation is sticky. Since you are asking what you should do, it shows you still care a lot about him… No, no… Don’t deny it, that’s obvious. Regarding the reason of his wanting to some back… There’s more than one way to look at it. On one hand, it looks like Joy wants to be back with you just because he’s been dumped cold. And knowing him to be a brat…’
-‘Now that’s you personal opinion without knowing the guy, so that’s not counted!’
– ‘Ok, ok, what I mean is that he might do the same again. On the other hand, well, maybe this was a one-timer. In that case, both of you need to bridge your relationship again.’
-‘Bridging the relationship? That sounds all grown-up talk! How do we do that? Isn’t it as simple as say, “okay I forgive’… or “shut up and get lost”? You are making this sound complex!’
– ‘Uh…does it? But then, young lady, you are not having a fling but are in love! Now that’s serious and not just a child’s game is it?
-‘I guess so… I am not sure yet. How do I decide?
-‘Don’t rush Reena. Think over what you want from Joy. If you are willing to give him a chance then verify whether he is sincere to be back with you for good or is he using you to fill a gap between his flings. Talk to him and understand why he wants to be back with you. Then decide.’
-‘Oh! That’s going to be long then. But then, maybe it would work out’.
‘Sure it will,’ smiled Ranajay,’ and I shall always be with you, whether this turns out good or not.’
‘Thanks Dad,’ Reena beamed, ‘ I was scared to discuss all this with you, but now I am happy! How did you know all this?’
‘O that,’ coughed Ranajay. ‘Well… experience and advice from people around you know.’
Reena perched herself on a chair and insisted,’Which people precisely?’
‘Young lady’, said Ranajay, ‘I think we are late for your homework already so let’s go for it!’
And ignoring his child’s protest, he coaxed her to the study room. While going he just glanced at a small portrait of his lovely wife, Reena’s mother. And Reena thought she heard her father whisper, ‘If only I had understood this before…’ But when she looked up he was looking ahead and didn’t look like he said anything. ‘Maybe it rang in my head’, she thought.
‘I’m sorry Nicky’, he wept over his wife’s photograph. His loving wife… now dead. Dead because he couldn’t forgive her! How cruel was that? She had got involved in an illicit affair but had soon realized the mistake of turning away from her husband. She had wanted to return to him. But Ranajay had his heart and trust shattered by then. The only way he could think of nursing the invisible bruises was by refusing to forgive her.
He didn’t even let her see her baby anymore because he was angry she could even ignore the sweet bundle in the first place. Nicky had pleaded but Ranajay had stood his ground. He thought he was teaching his wife proper lesson, but when the next day he heard she hanged herself he knew the blunder he had caused. He then realized she was already repentant when he was punishing her! He knew she was already with him when he had thought she was just seeking his shelter. He had become blind with rage to not realize she had even considered him her sole forgiver and now he had lost more than he had bargained for.
He lost his love even when it came kicking at his door, he lost his daughter’s mother and he had created a permanent hole in his family just because he could not forgive! Ranajay sighed and kept the photograph back. Touching it tenderly, he said, ‘Nicky, Reena is a beautiful woman now, and well she is getting her due attention from around. I know you would want me to be with her always. I promise, I shall look out for her and also see that she does not repeat my mistakes. I do not want our gem to lose her happiness just as I had. That’s a father’s promise!’
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