Short Story of a Lonely Girl – Separated
Image© Anand Vishnu Prakash, YourStoryClub.com
She turned numb. Her heartbeat was racing up. All she could see was her entire world turning into a dark sphere – No hope not life, absolutely. The room silenced the silence. She could see her parents eyes asking her to understand each and every word they were about to say. The truth exploded to establish its existence.
‘We wish to be separated. We have been trying to nourish this marriage for years but, it seems our patience is taking its last breath. We both love you and nothing matters more than your happiness, dear. You are and shall always be the world to us. But child, we are sorry, we can’t do that stay it together any more.’
She had always seen them arguing. Whenever she her eyes rolled up with questions, all she was told is that they were clearing their differences, which is normal in a relationship. Though deep down she knew they were fooling her. Her curious eyes had to fight back her tears. Her pillow had witnessed every instance when she slipped into a silent breakdown. Who knew that the mid night cries, which people considered the result of stress of studies or some bullying in school, were actually because of dilemma she was drifting into. She was losing herself. Friends, relatives were faded into virtuality. Violence was never used, yet a violent streak had taken birth in her. The cheerful little girl was turning into an unsocial gloomy kid.
Suddenly all these thoughts came to a halt.” Pari?? beta are you listening? We are trying to tell you something serious.”.
Her dad’s words dragged her out of her thoughts.”Yes Dad, I am”, she somehow managed to utter some broken words.” I know you expect me to understand, I promise I’ll sincerely give it a try. Please go ahead and say whatever you feel like!” She muttered every bit of strength she had. She had to hold it intact.
Her dad took a deep breath and stared. He had expected a strongly remorseful reaction but it seemed she was preparing herself for this since long. A guilt was overpowering him. Her mom stood in a corner. Her swollen eyes radiated the pain she was undergoing. She blankly rested her sight on the two.”Pari, I know it’s horrible for you. But I guess you know how this has been. Even if we try to stick together, things would worsen. Not only for us but for you too. Now you have to decide between us. I know dear, I am speaking unbelievable. I know I am to blame. I spoilt everything. But.. But.. I love you, we both do. You’ll be our priority till our last breath. You don’t have to feel alone, dear. It’s just that one of us won’t be around very often. Pari… Dear.. We..”. He lost his words while saying. He wasn’t sure if she was listening. He couldn’t trace a response.
Pari sat clenching her pillow. Firm and unshaken.
“So, when are you filing your divorce? Are you both done with formalities?” She said with indifference. She strongly believed that only formality was left among the three. No matter how much it was piercing her heart, it was raw plane truth. Astonished at a highly improbably reply, her mother finally spoke embarrassingly,”26 th of this month. Aheem, yes.. almost done with them.”
“Great!! So what do you both want me to say in the court? I don’t know if I’ll be asked to chose between you two. Would I? Would my opinion matter?” She fought back her sorrow. She had often heard her friends talking about how divorces happen and how court works in these cases but she couldn’t get her facts right. She had been reading about it on internet for more than a month now. Every time she started an article she could feel a lump in her throat. After all she was just thirteen though she had grown a lot more than her age.
Her parents sank deeper in a disgusting feeling. They were hoping to make their reasons clear to her but her replies were diminishing them with pain. No matter how much they hated each other but the fact, that they had a thirteen year old daughter , was killing them. The choices were limited.” What do you wish, dear?” her dad finally couldn’t control his grief. He desperately wished to fulfill her every wish. She looked up and courage blared in her eyes.. She had made her decision long ago, she just had to speak.
” I want to live with grandma.” Her words created a vacuum in the room. Her parents seemed puzzled at her decision. “She loves me and I feel heaven when she embrasses me. She has been living alone since years. I understand you don’t have time to meet her very often but that’s okay. I’ll stay with her all the time. We’ll have fun. At least she will have someone to talk to, to share her food, to cook recipes for, to cuddle if she wakes up midnight, to offer water when she is coughing, to care for when she suffers cold… and even me too. I’ll there for her and she for me. We will be a family which I never had. ”
Her parents were left speechless. The realization they that done injustice to their dear ones was eating them up yet there was a long way to go. They couldn’t change their decisions. Nevertheless her words were thought provoking. Silence ran across.
–END–
