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Short Fiction
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PARENTING
Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
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PART 1
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She comes out of the College Principal’s
Office – she goes to her best friend’s room – and – she tells her friend the exciting
news.
“It’s a chance of a lifetime –
don’t refuse…” her friend says.
“But – what about my daughter – I
can’t take her with me…?” she says.
“Your daughter Nisha – she can
stay at your husband’s place…” her friend says.
“My husband’s place…? Why should
Nisha stay at my husband’s place…?” she says – taken aback by her friend’s
suggestion.
“Where else can she stay for 6
months…? There is no place in the hostel – there is a huge waiting list – and –
I don’t think she can manage living all alone in your flat – besides - it may not be safe for a young girl to live
all alone too – you know how the environment is nowadays…” her friend says, “I
would have kept her with me – but I live in a huge joint family – you know my
situation – so – I think keeping Nisha with your husband seems the only
option…”
“But – will my husband look after
her for six months…?” she says – looking skeptical.
“Why not…? He is her father…” her
friend says.
“But – he doesn’t know anything
about her – he hasn’t met Nisha for 5 years…” she says.
“That’s because you didn’t allow
him to meet her – your husband has visitation rights – but you told him that
you didn’t want him to meet your daughter…” her friend says, “I am surprised
how he agreed…?”
“That’s because I gave up
everything – no alimony – no maintenance – no child support – I didn’t take a
single rupee from him – not even my share in the house – nothing – absolutely
nothing – when I walked out – I took nothing from him – I just wanted my
daughter for myself – that’s all…” she said.
“It must have been painful for
him – for a father to be separated from his daughter who he loved so much…” her
friend says, “anyway – forget about the past – you call him and ask him…”
“Right now…? You want me to call
him right now…?” she says to her friend – feeling a bit uneasy.
“You told me that the Principal
wants your consent by closing hours today – so – it is better you call your
husband immediately and settle your daughter’s issue…” her friend says, “you
have your husband’s number – don’t you…?”
“I don’t know…” she says.
“What…? You don’t know…? Don’t
you ever call your husband…?” her friend says.
“I called him around 3 years ago
regarding some banking issue – I haven’t spoken to him after that…” she says.
“Look in your contacts…” her
friend says, “otherwise – we can find out from somewhere…”
She looks in her contact list on
her smartphone – and – she finds her husband’s number.
“It’s there – should I call him
now…?” she asks her friend.
“Yes – call him right now – if
you want – I’ll leave you alone…” her friend says.
“No. No. I want you to stay
here…” she says – and – she calls her husband.
She hears her husband’s voice on
the phone.
“Is everything okay…?” her
husband asks her – he is surprised that she has suddenly called him out of the
blue – and that too – after 3 years.
“Yes – all is well – how are you…?”
she asks her husband.
“I am fine…” her husband says,
“is there anything I can do for you…?”
“Actually – yes – I called you because
I wanted your help…” she says to her husband.
“You want my help…? How much…? I
will transfer it today – is it the same account…?” her husband asks.
“No. No…” she interrupts her
husband, “I don’t want your money – I want to you to look after Nisha…”
“You want me to look after
Nisha…?” her husband says, surprised and a bit confused.
“Yes – can you keep her with you for
6 months…?” she says to her husband.
“Six Months…?” her husband says,
flabbergasted.
Her husband is baffled – because
– when they split – she didn’t want him to meet their daughter – she said that
she didn’t want their daughter to come under his influence – he had meekly
accepted – after “hints” and “subtle threats” were given to him by her lawyer –
so – for 5 years – he had not met his daughter Nisha – and now – she wanted him
to look after Nisha for 6 months – it is all very confusing to him.
His thoughts are interrupted by
his wife’s voice.
“I have been selected for a
“Faculty Exchange Program” – I am going to New Zealand to teach at a prestigious
university over there for one semester – I can’t take Nisha with me – besides –
she can’t miss her college for 6 months – so – I thought it was best if she
could stay with you…” she says.
“Can’t you make some other
arrangements…? Maybe – in a hostel – or – you can hire a full-time maid…” he
says.
“There is no time for all that – there
is no place in the hostel – and – I don’t want her living all alone in the flat
– it’s not safe – Nisha is still a teenager – she’s just 19 – please let her
stay with you – after all – you are her father…” she says.
“Okay…” he says, “let me ask
Monika…”
“Monika…? Who is Monika…?” she
asks – surprised.
“She has moved in with me – we
are living together…” he says.
“A woman has moved in with you…?
Living together…? I didn’t know all this…” she says in a scandalized tone.
“You haven’t spoken to me for 3
years – you are happy with your career and life – you have moved on in life –
and you don’t seem to be interested in us getting back together – well – I have
to move on in life too – isn’t it…?” he says.
She remains silent – trying to
digest the fact that her husband is living with another woman.
Then – she remembers her urgency
– she has to confirm her consent to the Principal before closing time today –
she has a just few hours.
So – she pleads with her husband.
“About Nisha staying with you – please
tell me as quickly as possible – I will wait for your call – I have to give my
consent immediately – before closing hours today – and please say “Yes” and let
Nisha stay with you for 6 months – this is a life changing career opportunity
for me…” she says – with desperation in her voice, “if you want – I can come
there and speak to Monika – there is very little time – I am in a hurry – I
have to tell the Principal today itself…”
Her husband senses her
desperation.
So – he decides to say “Yes”.
“Okay – yes – Nisha can stay with
us for 6 months – you can give your consent right now to your College
Principal…” he says.
“But – you were going to ask
Monika…?” she says – a bit wary.
“I don’t want to disturb her at
work – but – you don’t worry about all that – I’ll tell her in the evening –
Nisha can stay with us…” he says.
“Thank you so much…” she says to
her husband – she says – feeling relieved.
Then – she hears her husband’s
voice on the phone.
“I hope Nisha has no issues staying
over here…” he says.
“No. No. I will convince her –
she has no choice – Nisha will stay with you – she is a good girl – she will
behave herself – she will be no trouble at all…” she says.
“You go ahead and give your
consent – and – let me know when you are going to New Zealand…” he says.
“Yes. Yes. I will go right now to
the Principal and give my consent – I think I’ll have to leave next week – they
said they would fast track the visa etc. – I will call you once my travel plans
are finalized…” she says.
“Keep me updated…” he says.
“Yes – and – thank you so much…”
she says.
“It’s okay – she is my daughter
too…” he says.
After the call is disconnected –
she puts the smartphone on the table – and – she smiles at her friend.
“He agreed…” she says to her
friend.
“I heard…” her friend says.
“There is a woman who has moved
in with him – some Monika…” she says to her friend.
“I heard…” her friend says.
“I’ll go to the Principal’s
Office and give my consent…” she says.
“Aren’t you going to tell
Nisha…?” her friend asks.
“I’ll tell her later…” she says.
“I think it’s better you tell her
now before you give your consent – you never know how teenagers will react…”
her friend says.
“Okay – I’ll speak to her at
lunchtime…” she says.
“No. You better speak to Nisha
right now. I will bring her from the classroom. You sit here and rehearse what
you are going to say to her…” her friend says.
Ten minutes later – her friend
arrives with Nisha.
“Congratulations…” her daughter Nisha
says to her – and she hugs her lovingly.
“You told her…?” she questions
her friend.
“Yes – and – I told her about the
other thing too…” her friend says.
“Don’t worry, Mamma – I will stay
with Papa…” Nisha says to her.
She feels relieved.
She thought it would be so
difficult to convince Nisha to stay at her father’s place – especially as he
has a new partner now.
But – Nisha seems to have agreed
so easily.
She wonders how her friend
managed to convince Nisha so easily.
She feels grateful to her friend.
Then – she wishes she could have
told her daughter herself.
While she is experiencing these
conflicting emotions – she hears her friend’s voice.
“Come on – go to the Principal’s
Office and give your consent – then – there will have to do the paperwork for
your visa etc.
________
In the evening – her husband and
Monika come to her flat.
She looks at her husband’s
live-in partner Monika.
Monika looks ordinary – very
ordinary – a podgy unpretentious looking homely woman – in short – she is a “Plain
Jane”.
She feels disappointed – her
husband could have chosen someone much better than this pedestrian woman.
The woman smiles at her – and
speaks very politely.
She wonders if it is genuine or
just fake courtesy.
Her thoughts are interrupted by
her husband’s voice.
“Call Nisha…” he says, “I want to
see her – and I want to her to meet Monika…”
“Yes…” she says to her husband –
and she calls Nisha from inside.
She wonders how her daughter will
react – meeting her father after five years – and – if Nisha will accept Monika
– her father’s girlfriend.
She observes that the three of
them – her daughter – her husband – and her husband’s girlfriend – they are decorous
to each other – cordial – but not very friendly.
A daughter meeting her father
after five years – it may take some time for the ice to melt.
But it seems Nisha has accepted
the situation.
They talk about Nisha’s college –
her routine – and – her husband and Monika says that they will be most happy to
have Nisha stay with them.
One week later – she is on her
way to New Zealand – with Nisha settled in her husband’s house.
___________
PART 2
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SIX MONTHS LATER
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She arrives from New Zealand six
months later – her flight arrived in the wee hours of the morning – she takes
the Airport cab from Mumbai reaches Pune – she asks the driver to drive via her
husband’s house – so – she can pick up her daughter Nisha and take her home.
It’s 8 AM in the morning when she
reaches her husband’s house.
Her husband, his girlfriend Monika
and her daughter Nisha are having breakfast.
“Come on, Nisha – finish your
breakfast quickly and go get your bag – the taxi is waiting outside…” she says
to her daughter Nisha.
“I am not coming with you…” Nisha
says.
“What do you mean “I am not
coming with you”…? I had told you to pack your bags and be ready – and I will
be picking you up in the morning on my way home…” she says to her daughter.
“I have decided to stay here…”
Nisha says.
“You have decided to stay here…?
What nonsense are you talking…?” she shouts at her daughter Nisha – then – she
gives her husband a questioning look and asks him, “what is all this…?”
Before her husband can answer –
Nisha interrupts.
“You don’t ask him…” her daughter
Nisha says to her, “it is my decision…”
“When did you decide…? I have
been talking to you every day from New Zealand – you never told me anything…”
she says to her daughter.
“I knew you would be very busy
focusing on your work – so – I didn’t want to upset you…” her daughter Nisha
says.
“You can’t decide these things –
I am your mother – you will have to come with me – get your things quickly –
the taxi is waiting…” she says to her daughter – emphatically.
“I am not coming with you – I am
staying here…” her daughter says – unequivocally.
“You have to come with me – you
have no choice…” she shouts at her daughter.
“I am an adult now – you can’t
dictate terms to me any longer – I will decide for myself – and – I have made
my choice – I want to live with my father…” Nisha says.
“But why…?” she asks her
daughter.
“I like it here – my father is such
a nice person – and Monika is so friendly – she is not a control freak – like
you…” Nisha says.
“Control Freak…? I love you so
much – I have given you the best of everything – I look after you so well – and
you are calling me a “control freak”…?” she says angrily to her daughter.
“You are so domineering – living
with you – I felt suffocated. Here – with Papa and Monika – I feel free…” Nisha
says.
She trembles with anger on
hearing her daughter’s words and raises her hand to slap her daughter – when
she hears her husband’s voice.
“Cool down – you go home now and
settle down – we will talk later…” her husband says.
“No – I am taking my daughter
with me right now…” she says assertively.
But her daughter Monika is
defiant.
“I am not coming with you – I
told you I want to stay here – and we are getting late – I have to go to
college – and – they have to go to work – to their offices – you please go…”
her daughter Nisha says firmly – and she goes inside.
She feels faint – the ground
slipping below her feet – and – she senses her husband’s hand on her arm –
supporting her.
“You go home and relax – we’ll
sort this out later…” her husband says.
She observes Monika looking into
her coffee mug – sipping coffee – as if she hasn’t seen anything – or heard
anything.
She feels shattered – overcome by
a sense of defeat – as her husband guides her out of the house towards the
waiting taxi.
_______
PART 3
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A FEW HOURS LATER
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She and her best friend – they
sit on a bench in a secluded place in the expansive university garden – and
they have a discussion – about her daughter, her husband, her marriage.
“Nisha called me a “control
freak”…” she says to her friend.
“It’s okay – you were too
attached to her – you tried to monopolize her – let her be – she is at a
difficult age – and she is an adult now…” her friend says.
“Monopolize…? I love her so much
– I wanted her to do well in life – and – as a single parent – I had to be
careful – so – I was a bit strict – that’s all…” she says.
“A child needs the love of both
parents – you deprived her of that – I feel you hastily walked out of your
marriage – you could have been less rigid…” her friend says.
“So – you are blaming me for
everything – you are saying it is my fault that my marriage broke up…” she says
– feeling hurt.
“Please try to understand me
correctly – I am not saying it is your fault that you and your husband split up
– but then – you could have been a bit accommodating – isn’t it…?” her friends
says.
“I could have been
“accommodating” …? What do you mean…?” she asks her friend.
“He told me you were too
dominating – you always imposed your will on him – and – he said he felt
suffocated in the marriage…” her friend says.
“My husband told you…? When did
he tell you all this…?” she asks – irked.
“After you two split – I met him
once at the airport – he seemed relieved that you had walked out on him…” her
friend says.
“You met my husband behind my
back…? And – you didn’t bother to tell me…?” she says – upset and extremely
annoyed with her friend.
“Was there any point…? You are so
headstrong…” her friend says.
“Headstrong…? How dare you call
me headstrong…? Just because I am gracious to you – that doesn’t give you the
license to say anything you want about me, make nasty comments and cast
aspersions about my personal life…” she shouts angrily at her friend, “Who the
hell do you think you are…? I will not tolerate such slander from lowlifes like
you – do you understand…?”
Her friend seems taken aback and
hurt by this outburst.
“I am sorry – I will not talk to
you again…” her friend says – and – her friend gets up and walks away.
__________
She sits on the bench in the
garden – all alone.
Her husband is gone – her
daughter is gone – her best friend is gone.
She has no one now.
Never before has she felt so
lonely – so alone.
__________
EPILOGUE
__________
While she sits in the park –
feeling depressed and lonely – her friend calls up Monika.
“You did well…” she says to
Monika, “Nisha seems very happy with you…”
“Yes…” Monika says, “how is her
mother…?”
“She is fretting and fuming all
alone – you don’t worry about her…” the friend says to Monika, “now that you
have her daughter Nisha on your side – you can go ahead with your plans – I
think he will agree…”
“Yes – I will try to convince him
– thank you so much – everything is working out so nicely – he loves me so much
– and – Nisha is such a friendly girl – she seems to have accepted me. You know
– that’s what he was afraid of – what would be his daughter’s reaction if he
got remarried…? So now that everything seems okay on that front – hopefully –
it will be wedding bells soon…” Monika says.
“Don’t forget to invite me for
your wedding…” the friend says.
“Of course – but – you listen –
your friend – Nisha’s mother – she shouldn’t know that you and me knew each
other – I think we need to keep our friendship under wraps for some time – at
least till the wedding…” her friend says to Monika.
“You don’t worry about her – she
has broken up with me – and – I am never going to speak to her again…” the
friend says.
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