Life Goes On

                              Life Goes ON.

"Daddy has become unconscious. I am taking him to Jupiter hospital" mom said crying inconsolable over the phone.

"I'll get bachcha ready for school and come to you as soon as possible. Take care of daddy and don't cry. Be strong mommy." I told her trying to keep myself calm as I cut her call.
But the truth was I was shaken. Just as much as mom was.

"What happened bhai? What happened to daddy?" My younger sister asked me.
"Nothing happened bachcha. He is just feeling uneasy so mummy has taken him to the hospital." My phone rang as I explained this to her.

"Daddy is no more. He left us in this world alone son, he has left us alone." Mom cried over the phone. I had never heard her so broken. So shattered. So alone.

"I'm coming mom. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"Bachcha,  mummy is saying daddy is no more. But I'm not sure. Let me go and check. You get ready and go to school." I told my sister.

" I will come with you" She said completely determined, shattered, crying and not ready to believe all at the same time.
"Get ready and go to school!!" I said getting angry. "Let me handle mom. Carry your phone. I'll let you know what happens. It's your 10th, you need to study." She accepted reluctantly with tears continuously running down her eyes.

Me, my mom's cousins who reside in the neighbouring building started for the hospital.
"He is cool. He is not reacting. He will take it. He can take of her" I heard my uncle speak over the phone. But he did not know I was crying. I had an empty feeling. I was feeling vulnerable.  I had lost my protector.

"He left us. He left me. He left me so soon. Why did he leave me and go? Why did he leave us and go?" Mom cried inconsolably over my shoulder hugging me tightly. Rahul mama hinted at me saying let her cry. Let her get it all out. At that instant i decided i will not cry.

I sat beside dad's body in the ambulance holding his hand. The smile on his face, the smile of satisfaction bought a tear to my eye. It also gave me the strength I needed. He had taught me to fight no matter what.

"Stop crying bachcha." I tried to console my sister who just hugged me tight on seeing daddy's body.
"Why are you crying when you know he never liked you crying? He never let you cry and now you're gonna tell him goodbye crying?" I tried to pacify her.
"I don't want him to go. I want him with me. Standing by me." She cried out loud. 
"Just like you love him and want him, he too wants his mother and wants to be with her. Give him a smile and say goodbye. He will always be there with you. Even you know that." I told her. She understood. Stopped crying and made him a promise. Promised him to fulfill all the dreams he had for her.

" I want 50kgs ghee. And gold nuggets and 500 coconuts for his last rites" demanded my father's elder brother. He was a dual faced personality who had sent goons to get work done from dad without paying him what he deserved.

"Give me the keys to his office. I will handle all his clients and work from now on and give your child the money." Said the brother completely eyeing dad's office just moments after the last rites.
"I don't know where the keys are. I'll search and ill let you know when I find them." Mom replied.
He left the house stampeding without performing any further rituals needed for daddy.

" We will perform the further rituals" my mom's sisters and their husbands said together. Masi's and masa's have always been my 2nd parents. I've grown in their arms.

,Days passed by. The house felt emptier day by day. I out of habit kept calling his number at 9 30 to ask him where should I pick him up from only to find the phone ringing in the house. I had just landed up a job 15 days ago and dad was super happy but he couldn't even wait to see my first salary.

After seeing the entire situation mom decided she would take up dad's office and clients and continue working. Being a lawyer by profession mom barely understood the ABC's of Accounts.

"Mom you get back to your courts and cases. Let's give up daddy's files to his best friend whose always stood by him. You will not be able to handle it anymore." I told mom. No one from dad's side came forward to help her with the office being professional accountants. Mom did tutions, handled the office, managed the house only to keep us standing. She was broken completely but she never let us know.

"You will not stay at home. You will not do tutions but just go out and work. Move out of the house and work for your cases." I told her determined and angry when  I saw her cry. She reluctantly moved out. A few months  and she forgot about her emptiness for a while. Yes it's always there but at the back of her mind because the front is occupied with work. Yes she cries but only when she is reminded of the memories with daddy. Yes she stood up. She's standing strong for us.

In all of this we had sort of ignored my sister in the entire struggle to stand back up. She was in her 10th and her board exams were due in 6 months.

"I hope she studies and just passes her exams. Should we talk to a few people and have her admissions secured?" Mom asked me completely worried.

"Let her study mom. I'm confident she will do well. And I have no problems even if she scores a 40% or fails the exam. Let her do it on her own. Let her stand up on her own." I told mom. Though at the back of the mind I was a bit worried too. Her friends had told me that she used to cry in school the 1st few weeks.

"Study regularly. I don't have any expectations from you. I don't mind even if you fail. But just give in your best. Daddy always wanted you to study hard." I tried motivating her not knowing I was in for a shocker.
" I have promised him I'll score 90+ in the boards and study hard and become an IAS officer. I will study hard no matter what and fulfill his dream." She told me. She had a sparkle and determination in her eyes.

She studied hard regularly. Not the extreme ones like getting up at 4 or late night studies, just simple regular studies. She went for her exams. Mom would be worried every single day about what was going to happen. She ought to be.

"I scored a 92% bhai." She screamed over the phone announcing her results to me. I had tears in my eyes. Tears of happiness. She had done it and how. She had beaten my percentage even after going through a turmoil.

"Wish daddy was here to see your result" mom cried with a gentle smile on her face.

Life goes on. Does not stop. It's upto you to choose what do you want to do. Keep crying and keep the person gone unhappy or smile and fulfill the dreams they had for you.

As for me he had a dream to see me become a big industrialist in India. And I am on my way to work hard and fulfill his dream. Miss you daddy. You will always walk with us, protecting us. I know.

This is a true story. My own story. I lost my father a year ago. 15th July 2013.