Unfinished Story
HOMECOMING
Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
I am delighted to see my daughter waiting for me at the exit of Auckland
International Airport.
“You have grown so tall – and – you look so pretty…” I say to her.
My daughter smiles – she gives me a warm hug – and – she says to me:
“It’s been 3 years – I am so happy to see you, Daddy – I was eagerly
waiting to see you – but – you took so much time – your flight landed more than
an hour ago…”
“Immigration didn’t take much time – my bag arrived quickly too – but –
there was delay at biosecurity – an old lady ahead of me in the queue had
brought home-made pickles, sweets and mangoes from India – and – she was
arguing and was refusing to pay the fine…” I say to my daughter.
“How stupid – don’t they read the biosecurity rules before coming to New
Zealand…?” my daughter says.
“Forget all that…” I said, “in which hotel have you booked me…?”
“Hotel…? Why hotel…? You are going to stay at home – our home…” my
daughter says, firmly.
“But – your mother…?” I say to her, with a bit of apprehension.
(When talking to my daughter – I have always addressed my wife as “your
mother” – even earlier – when we lived together…)
“Mother…? You don’t worry about her…” my daughter says to me, “it is our
house – and – I want you to stay with us at home…”
“Okay – shall we go by “Airport Shuttle Bus”…? We can get down at Mount
Eden Bus Stop – and – walk down to our house in Epsom…” I say to my daughter.
“We are driving down in our car…” she says, with a confident smile.
“Car…? Has your mother come to pick me up…?” I ask my daughter.
“No – I am driving…” my daughter says.
“You…? But you are just 17…” I say to her.
“Have you forgotten the rules…? I got my driving license last year. Of
course – it is a restricted one – so – I can drive only during the daytime –
from 5 AM to 10 PM – next year – I will get my full-fledged driving license…”
my daughter says.
And – we – my daughter and I – we walk towards the parking area.
As we drive from Auckland Airport to our home in Epsom – my daughter says
to me: “I am angry with you…”
“Why…?” I ask her, “what have I done…?”
“You have come after 3 years…” my daughter says to me, “I thought you would
come more often – at least once in six months…”
“I thought it would be best to stay away…” I say to her.
“Why did you think it was best to stay away from us…?” my daughter asked
me.
“Your mother…” I say to her, “she has divorced me…”
“She may have divorced you – but – I haven’t divorced you…” my daughter
says to me.
I marvel at the profound truth spoken by my daughter.
Can children ever divorce their parents…?
Also – parents can divorce each other – but can they divorce their
children…?
I look at my daughter lovingly.
“I know you still love me Monika…” I say to my daughter, “Don’t worry –
I haven’t divorced you – I may have divorced your mother – but I will never
“divorce” you – I love you very much…”
We drive in silence.
In a few minutes – we reach the beautiful “bungalow” in Epsom – our
lovely home.
It is exactly the same as I had left it 3 years ago – lush green lawns –
lovely colourful garden – the same beautiful home I had bought 10 years ago –
when we relocated to Epsom from Sandringham.
Though it was expensive – and – a bit beyond my means – I had bought the
classy villa because I wanted to please my wife Nisha – who always wanted to
live in a posh “upmarket” neighborhood.
My daughter parks the car in the garage.
I pick up my bag and we go inside the house via the side-door in the
garage.
I enter the house – I look around – everything is exactly as I had left
it – 3 years ago.
“You have kept the house so well…” I say to my daughter.
“I love this beautiful bright and spacious house…” my daughter says,
“and it’s all thanks to you – if you hadn’t let us live in this house – we
would be living in a tiny “shoe-box” apartment on rent somewhere…” my daughter
says.
“It’s our family home – it will always be our home – whether I live here
or not…” I say, filled with nostalgia.
I look around – my eyes search for my wife.
But – I don’t see my wife in the living room – or – in the kitchen.
“Your mother…? Where is she…?” I ask my daughter.
“She must be in her room…” my daughter says, “Daddy – please don’t worry
about her. You go the guest bedroom and freshen up – I have made everything
ready…”
I walk into the guest bedroom – I am so familiar with it – I have lived
in this room for quite some time – ever since my wife Nisha and I began
sleeping in separate rooms.
During those sad depressing days filled with marital disharmony and
discord – we used all the three bedrooms in the house – my wife Nisha in the
master bedroom – my daughter in her bedroom – and me – I slept in the guest
bedroom – a “guest” in my own home.
I freshen up – shave – have a shower – and wear a fresh set of clothes.
From my bag – I take out the gifts I have brought from India – for my
wife and my daughter.
I walk into the living room.
There is no one there.
I keep the gifts on the table in front of the sofa.
I walk to the kitchen and peep inside.
My daughter is cooking something.
“What are you cooking…?” I ask my daughter.
She turns towards me.
“Ah – you are looking so nice – I am making your favourite – Potato Sabzi
– it’s done – I will fry hot Puris for you when we sit for lunch…” my daughter
says to me, “look in the fridge – I have made something special for you…”
I open the fridge and look around.
“Where…” I ask my daughter.
“On the top tray…” she says.
I see the bowl of Shrikhand.
“You made Shrikhand…? I ask her, feeling delighted.
“Yes – I tried my best to make your favourite Shrikhand – but – you
don’t get good curd here – so – I made it from yoghurt – so – it may taste a
bit different…” she says.
I take out the bowl of Shrikhand – dip my finger in the Shrikhand – and lick
the creamy Shrikhand on my finger with my tongue.
“It tastes wonderful…” I say with genuine appreciation to my daughter.
“Thank you…” she says, “Shrikhand, Puri and Batata Bhaji – that’s the
menu for lunch…”
“Perfect…” I say, “let’s go to the living room – I have got gifts for
you…”
“Wow – what is it…?” my daughter says excitedly.
“Come and see for yourself…” I say to her.
We walk to the living room.
“Call your mother…” I say to my daughter.
“First – show me my gift…” she says to me.
I look at the two jewelry boxes on the table.
I pick up the smaller one and give it to my daughter.
She opens it and sees the set of gold jhumka earrings.
“Wow – what lovely earrings…” she says – and – she kisses me on my
cheek.
“You like them…?” I ask her.
“Of course, I like them – the earrings are so beautiful…” she says,
“Thank you so much…”
“I really didn’t know whether you would like to wear such ornaments over
here…” I say to her.
“I am going to wear them tomorrow – and show them off to my friends – I
will tell them how much you love me…” she says.
She looks at the unopened jewellery box on the table.
“What have you got for mummy…?” my daughter asks me.
“Call your mother – I will give it to her myself…” I say to my daughter.
“Yes – I will call her – I don’t know what she is doing inside…” my
daughter says – she walks to the door of my wife’s room and knocks on the door.
“Daddy has come…” my daughter says.
“I know…” I hear my wife’s voice say from inside.
“Come out quickly…” my daughter says.
After a few moments – the door opens – and my wife comes out.
“Why have you come back…?” my wife asks me, curtly.
I am taken aback by her sudden question – no “hello” – no polite
greeting – no smile – she straightaway asks me “why have I come back” in a most
rude tone.
I recover my wits.
“My sabbatical is over…” I say to my wife.
“You could have extended it…” she says.
“I already extended it twice – I stayed there for 3 years – I can’t
remain as a visiting faculty forever…” I say to her.
“You could have taken up some other assignment over there…” she says.
“Why should I…?” I say, “I have a lien on my post over here…”
“So – you are going to join and stay here in Auckland…?” she says.
“Yes…” I say to her, “I plan to re-join as a Professor at the University
and stay here in Auckland…”
“Then – we will have to move out of this house…” my wife says – and she
looks at our daughter.
My daughter looks distraught.
“Why should we move out…?” my daughter asks my wife, “all of us can live
in this house as we lived before – there is enough space and separate rooms for
everyone – isn’t it, Daddy…?” my daughter says – and she looks at me.
“Yes – of course – we can all stay together in the house…” I say, “as we
lived before…”
“No – I can’t live with this man…” my wife says to my daughter.
I decide to change the topic.
I pick up the jewellery box from the table and hold it out to her.
“I have brought you a gift…” I
say to my wife.
“Why did you waste your money buying me gifts…? I don’t want anything
from you…” my wife says to me, tersely.
“At least see it…” I say – giving her the jewellery box.
My wife roughly puts the jewellery box on the table and says rudely to
me: “I told you I don’t want anything from you – so – don’t try all these
tactics…!!!”
I wince seeing her offensive behaviour – why does she hate me so much…?
My daughter picks up the jewellery box and opens it.
Her eyes brighten.
“Wow – a diamond necklace set – it is awesome – so beautiful – it must
be very expensive…” my daughter says – then she looks at me and feigns displeasure,
“What is this, Daddy…? For me – you get only earrings – but for Mummy – you get
a whole diamond necklace set – necklace, earrings, bangles everything – such
magnificent jewellery…”
“You take it if you like it so much…” my wife says brusquely to our
daughter.
I look at me with beseeching eyes.
“I got this necklace set specially for you…” I say to my wife.
“I don’t want it – I don’t want anything from you…” my wife says – and
she gets up from her chair.
“Please sit – I want to talk to you…” I say to my wife.
“I don’t want to talk to you – I don’t even want to see your face – I
don’t know why you have come here…” my wife says angrily – and she walks
towards the door.
“Where are you going…?” my daughter asks my wife.
“I am going out – you spend “quality time” with your father…” my wife
says sarcastically to our daughter.
“Please don’t go – I have made lunch – let’s have lunch together…” my
daughter pleads with my wife.
“I can’t stand the sight of this atrocious man…” my wife says angrily.
“Atrocious…? How dare you call me that…? Tell me – what have I done…? I
am trying my best – but – ever since the time I have come – you are talking
nonsense…” I shout at my wife – losing my temper.
“Please don’t fight…” my daughter says with tears in her eyes, “you are
meeting after 3 years – please be good to each other…”
“I didn’t ask him to come – I had told him clearly that I didn’t want to
see his face again – I don’t want him in my life…” my wife says – looking at my
daughter.
My daughter looks beseechingly at my wife.
“You don’t want him here – but – I want him here…” my daughter says to
my wife.
“Then – you stay with him here…” my wife says to my daughter, “I will go
and look for some place to stay and move out from here…”
“I want both of you – I want all of us to stay here…” my daughter says.
My wife ignores my daughter and she walks out of the house.
I can see tears well up in my daughter’s eyes – and – she breaks down
inconsolably.
“I shouldn’t have come…” I say to my daughter, “I sent her so many
emails – wrote letters too – but she didn’t respond to even a single one…”
“I respond to all your emails…” my daughter says.
“Yes – you told me to come – again and again – that’s why I decided to
come back and live here with you and your mother…” I say.
______
To be continued…
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