Dream fulfilled

-by KParthasarathi Monday, June 02, 2008 Smita is the only daughter of her aged parents. Her father continued to work in a small job after retirement. Her mother ailing with asthma was mostly sick.Smita had done a course in Nursing and was employed as a nurse in a private clinic. Her earnings augmented by father’s income was just adequate to make both ends meet. She worked hard both at home and clinic without respite. She was already 26 and there was no talk at home about her marriage. Some kind relatives and friends referred some good matches for her but her parents showed no inclination to pursue further. Her father has been telling for years that he would think of her wedding the next year. It seemed the parents were insecure about their future if Smita were married off. Smita being a quiet person never complained about the uncertain and long wait. Her friends were all married by now and had already become mothers. The work at the clinic was the only diversion that she looked forward to and even opted to work on Sundays. Some days the moods of depression would grip her when she pondered over the dull routine daily without an inkling of what life had in store for her. She sighed when she saw young wives in family way with their husbands waiting in the clinic to meet the gynaecologist.On some days she would dream of some prince charming falling for her natural beauty and wanting her hand. Instead she had only angry patients wanting to know when the doctor would see them. It was on one such day she saw Sekhar get himself admitted for an urgent appendicitis operation. He was a tall and handsome man around thirty. She was assigned the duty of attending on him. She could not take her eyes off his well built muscular body and his smiling eyes. When he asked her a question, she could barely answer him lost as she was in her thoughts whether this handsome man could be her prince charming. He coughed loudly to draw her attention and asked her name. He said with a mischievous grin that this was his first stay at the hospital and hoped it would be pleasant under the special care of his beautiful nurse. It appeared to Smita he stressed on the word special deliberately. She found small excuses to be with him most of the time even when patients in other cabins waited for her attention. He frequently asked her either to record his temperature or read his pressure apparently enjoying her proximity. He had in the short stay ferreted out all the details about her. He gave the feeling that they were good friends.Smita never felt so happy for as long as she could remember though there was no oblique indication of romantic interest from his side. After he was discharged, there was no news about him. He made no attempts to contact her as she was hoping. She did not also think it proper to call him and enquire about his well being. When more than a week had passed, she reconciled herself to the fact that he was one more patient she had attended on. It was then she got a call asking her to be ready at 5PM to go with him to his apartment telling that he would like her to meet his mom. She started thinking that this is a prelude for happy events to follow. He came at the appointed time and took her in his car. She saw an old lady with kindly eyes in a wheel chair. The lady smiled at Smita and beckoned her by name to come near. She said “As Sekhar told me, you look really beautiful and I will like your company.” Bewildered Smita looked at Sekhar who intervened to say”Smita, you see my mother is an invalid. She needs someone to assist her and provide her company when I am not there. I liked the way you took care of me. I decided to bring you here then and there.” This was a hammer blow to Smita crashing all her dreams.. Her anger and frustration grew inside her. When she stood dazed without replying, Sekhar prodded her “Do you have any objection to being a companion to my mom? I don’t know how much you are getting. You will be much more comfortable here.” Smita did not know what to say. She put her handkerchief to her mouth and began sobbing.Sekhar’s mom intervened “Stop joking, Sekhar, why do you tease her playing with her emotions?” She drew Smita close to her and said “He is always playful. He wants you to come here as my daughter-in-law and give me your good company.Eversince he set his eyes on you in the clinic, he has fallen flat for you. Would you please agree to marry him? I will talk to your parents and do the needful.” When she saw Sekhar watching her eagerly, she put her head shyly down and started scratching the ground with her toe nail. Kpartha12@hotmail.com