The Tale

‘Are you going to say something to her today?’ Nandini Das asked her young husband of less than a year.

Raj, his dark brown eyes staring unresponsively out at the garden, where the buds had reached full lush bloom, answered in a bored tone, ‘Nandini, how many times have I told you that the entire reason I took leave from office today was to talk to her about the fortune.’

He looked across the elegant room, decorated in rich maroon colors, in which they sat sipping the morning tea and smiled cynically. ‘Believe me dear; I want this settled as much as you do.’

Satisfied with his answer, Nandini stirred her tea in its fine China cup and asked again, ‘Do you think that she would prove troublesome?’

Raj chuckled mockingly at that and remarked, ‘Not if she is wise. Mother has always been a very compliant lady, and when I explain the unpleasant alternatives to her, I’m quite positive that she will look upon our choice and consent to it.’

He looked at his youthful wife, conscious of how much she resented his mother. Well he could hardly blame her. He too, was of the same opinion as his wife.

His mother, the wealthy widow of the Passioneda Group of Cosmetics had inherited the company and family’s fortune after the death of his father. Rightfully, the company and the fortune was his, only his, but thanks to his mother and her ways, she had successfully convinced his father at his deathbed and denied him of his birthright over the family’s fortune.

Nandini, his wife had been right all along. Mother was a selfish woman. She only cared for her own self.

***

Bimla, not quite fifty yet, made her way to the room with an odd sense of foreboding. She always dreaded her ‘meetings’ with her son and his wife. She had almost been thankful for the months that she had spent away from them, in India, where she set off to the sanctified land of Rikikesh. At least there, she was spared from their acerbic remarks. It had gotten worse since Nandini announced her pregnancy.

Entering the dining room, she was thankful to find only her son there. Nandini must have retired to her room early for a quick nap. Determined not to let her motherly sentiments to get the better of her, she nodded her head at him and made her way to the nearest chair that overlooked the beautiful landscape of the garden.

‘Mother, I have something of importance to discuss with you about’. Raj said flatly.

‘Ah? With me? Discuss? That’s new! You hardly talk to me these days, let alone discuss!’ Bimla answered derisively at Raj’s statement.

‘Mother, please.’

‘All right then. So, what is this thing that you would like to discuss with me? And where is that wife of yours? Shouldn’t she too be here?’ Bimla asked, looking around the room for Nandini.

His eyes on her face, he stated bluntly, ‘Mother, Nandini and I want you to entrust us with the fortune you inherited after father’s death. Nandini and I have decided that it is time you hand over the fortune to us. You are getting older and there’s no guarantee of the future and we wouldn’t want any impediments in case of your death, later on. Please do understand ,Mother.’

His face taking on a scornful note, continued, ‘And now since Nandini is pregnant, it has important for us to plan for our future. We would be needing the extra money for the preparations of the arrival of the baby.’

Woodenly, hiding the hurt that she felt, Bimla answered ‘I see.’

Raj smiled. ‘I thought you would see the entire picture’

‘But what if I refuse to do as you asked for? Then what Raj? What will you do then?’ Bimla, suddenly asked, looking up at her only son, meeting his stare.

With a straight face, Raj replied, almost purring ‘Well, mother, then both Nandini and I would be forced to send you away to a nursing home. We could tell them, the authorities that you are getting older and is need of special medical attention, especially now when you are always forgetting things and your whereabouts. I’m sure you wouldn’t want that, now mother, especially at this age, where you should be soothing and not worrying about your old age. Right mother?’

‘But then of course, the decision is all yours, Mother.’ He continued. ‘Would you prefer to stay with us and allow us to take care of all your needs or stay alone in a nursing home all by yourself?,’ he added.

***

Her head was pounding like a drum, she tossed on her bed. The room was scorching hot in the heat of the afternoon. She was still suffering from the shocks that she had sustained during this disastrous morning. She could see no path open to her. Knowing her son, she felt certain that he will do as he threatened.

In the end, she decided painfully that Raj had to be told of her decision. There is no way she could allow Raj, her only son to treat her so badly. She had to speak to him at once.

She heard Raj come in not many minutes later, and before her courage failed her or before she could change her mind, she left her room and slowly made her way to his study.

It was only then that it occurred to her that her son might as well as cast her out into the streets or into a home. It no longer mattered. she could not allowed herself to be threatened by her own kin.

She stopped for a moment, shaking with terror. But she had to tell him. It was her life. It was her decision. It was her money.

Standing before Raj’s door, she took a deep breath, and quickly knocked before she had the time to think further. At his answer, she slowly opened the door and entered the room.

‘Raj, I’ve reached upon my decision.’

‘Ah, so I reckon that you have agreed to sign the papers and legally assign us to take care of the fortune? Good, very good mother.’ said Raj, looking very pleased with her.

‘No, Son. I’m sorry. I’m not giving you a cent from that fortune.’ She answered calmly, looking straight in to his blaring eyes.

‘I inherited the money after your father’s death. I am the rightful owner. I rather have the riches bestowed to a charitable trust after my death than to let you and your wife to lavishly spend it on yourselves.’

‘And for God’s sake, Raj, how can you even allow yourself to do this to me? I’m your mother! I am the one who bore you; fed you, clothe you, looked after you when you were sick. I was there for you every minute, loving you unconditionally… Why Raj? What triggered you to be so mean and ruthless? That too to your own mother? Why Raj…? Why?’ Bimla cried out.

Bimla’s lower lip begin to tremble and she knew that in another second she was going to be weeping like a child. Vainly trying to hide her growing distress, she swallowed painfully and continued ‘Raj, you’ve heard my decision. I’m not handing the fortune to you or to your wife. I might have had, if you and Nandini had treated me well, with the respect and love that I deserved. But the both of you have treated me so badly. What had I done to you? You are so blinded by love that you can’t see and ration your actions any longer. You are ill-treating your own mother for the sake of keeping your wife happy.’

Bimla sighed and then spoke once more ‘No. I rather be alone in an old nursing home than to hand over the money to you and your wife.’

His eyes serene, he said steadily ‘Very well, then. You left me no choice Mother. I will do what’s necessary.’

***

It was a place out of a dream, but to Bimla, it seemed more of a nightmare from which she couldn’t awake. She stared out at the gardens, sitting in a rose covered swing seat, where she had sat for hours and hours thinking back of her past.

A past, where thirty-two years ago, she had married a man whom she hardly knew. The ceremony itself was a vague memory of a Sri Laksmi Narayan temple, quite near to where she had lived with her parents. There had been white lilies and colorful lamps. There had been words spoken in Sanskrit, which she had not understood, a pair of pure gold rings, one for her and one for her husband. Her husband Pale, whom she married with her parent’s consent. Her husband, whom she had not known before their marriage. Her husband who kept his promise to love and cherish her till death does them apart. Her husband, who was no longer by her side.

They had slowly built their lives together. They had always been friends to each other, and over the years, learned to love each other. Together, they bore a child, Raj, whom they both loved unconditionally. They spoiled him with all the things that money could buy, without realizing that they were also buying his love for them.

Years flew by, and one unfortunate day, Pale suffered a heart attack that caused him his life. She was suddenly numbed by the sudden death of her husband whom she had leant to love with all her heart over the years.

It was only then, after the ‘antim sanskar’, when they, were preparing to leave the cemetery grounds that she did realized that she was all-alone. She had no one to talk to and no one to turn to.

Her only son, Raj was not on good terms with her. His flamboyant personality was the talk of the town and they always got into a row whenever they did meet up for a talk.

Time passed as it always does. Her relationship with her son had turned sour and bitter .It became worse since he wedded his college sweetheart, Nandini. Together, they had always persisted her to pass the family’s fortune on to him.

And today, here she was, in an old nursing home, all alone, by herself. With tears in her eyes, she looked around her. ‘This is my destiny. This is my karma’

***