A Bend in the River of Life (27 page)

In between her tears she said, “Have a safe flight back and don't forget to write.”

Holding hands they slowly proceeded to the gate. Coming near the gate Rana said, “Kim, my mind says I will see you again in the not too distant a future. Trust in God. I will write shortly.”

She could not say anything. Emotion choked her voice and tears obscured her vision. She just nodded her head in affirmation and looked far away to the sky through the glass wall of the airport building. Rana went through the gate. Kim stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks like the steady monsoon rain in Taiwan. Both kept waving till they were out of sight of each other. He knew she would be at the public gallery to snatch a last glimpse. While walking to the airliner he looked back to the gallery. Kim was there waving at him. He also waved back. On entering the aircraft he could not see her anymore. When it began taxiing to the top of the runway, she became visible for a while. And as the aircraft darted down the runway for the take off she again appeared in sight for a split second, still waving at the aircraft in anticipation that Rana was still looking at her.

Rana felt tremendous sorrow for Kim. He wondered if the relationship that just began with Kim was a mere coincidence or an unfathomable design of the Creator. If it was just a coincidence, then how far the coincidence could be stretched to justify that he was selected to participate in a seminar in a particular country, conducted at a specific hotel where he would come across in one of their many restaurants a certain young woman, bearing a striking resemblance with his departed wife?

He knew no human mind would be able to explain this coincidence or chance encounter. Even his relationship with Keka began as a chance encounter far away from their usual place of residence, because every relationship in the River of Life blossoms out of chance encounter only. For the chance encounter is the basis on which the River of Life was crafted with an intricate design impossible for the
human mind to unravel. If the mankind were entrusted with the responsibility to pick and choose their relationships, only self interest would motivate every relationship and the River of Life would splinter and disintegrate into obscurity and oblivion. That precisely is the reason why mankind was deprived of the ability to see and act on the future and choose their relation ships. There is, therefore, no wonder that the Creator of the River of Life decided to keep His uncompromising control and authority over the future and every relationship on earth. Only He has the knowledge of the past and the future and the players in each relation ship. Only He has the design and the blueprint of the River of Life from Eternity to Eternity.

R
ana returned home from his maiden trip abroad. By the time he reached home it was ten at night, too late for Saurav and Smita to stay awake. They fell asleep. Rajani and Devika were waiting for him since evening. Mita was also giving them company. Rana greeted them and said, “I will never be able to pay back for what you have been doing for me and my children.”

Rajani told him, “Don't mention this. You and your children are our joy. Saurav and Smita were happy all day long with the expectation that their daddy would come back and bring toys for them. But it was difficult for them to keep up this late. It is about half an hour that they fell asleep.”

Rana said, “I expected to come earlier, but there was unnecessary delay at the customs.”

Rajani, however, wanted to see the children rather happy before falling into deep sleep. She said, “Normally, no one should disturb the children in slumber, but today they will be happy to see their father. Let me see if they will wake up now.”

So she called them in a low voice, “Saurav and Smita, wake up, your father has come. He brought your toys.”

No one expected them to get up easily. But to the surprise of all, the big brother first closely followed by the little sister jumped up in one action from the sleeping to the standing posture and began dancing in an extra-ordinary show of love for their dad. Remarkably, when they got up the last thing they had in their mind was toy or any other gifts. They did not ask for anything. They were just filled with
spontaneous joy to see their dad back after a hiatus of 12 days. Such an unadulterated and unbridled scene of joy Rana had never witnessed before. He lifted both of them on his arms and kissed them. They kissed back. Then dialogues began between the father who just returned from his first sojourn abroad and his two tender and impeccable children whom sin did not touch.

They had so much to tell of what happened during his absence that they did not have any clue where to begin. Saurav narrated all his stories first– that great-grandma Rajani cooked delicious cookies and candies for them; that grandma Mita could not catch up with him while playing on the lawn; that a cat came to the house and grand aunt Devika tried to catch it, but it slipped away and similar other stories that he perceived in his flawless mind would impress his dad. Not to be outdone, Smita too began telling her own stories. But how much a one-and-a-half-year old could frame in her baby mind? That did not discourage her. She began her tales with as much gusto as she could muster. Rana could not grasp half of what she said. Nonetheless, he kept smiling and nodding in confirmation of his interest in her stories so as not to dampen her enthusiasm.

When the stories were told, Rana took out their toys and all other gifts he brought for them. Their joy was simply indescribable. It turned out into a singing and dancing show beyond description, Rajani told Mita, “They are just like their father, easily happy with anything you give.”

Rana then took some time to show his children how to use the fancy toys and played with them for a while. Rajani again made a comment, but this time to Rana, “Let me tell you something about your children. They are as obedient and as understanding as you had been at their age. They did not give us any trouble at all. Only from time to time Saurav asked when his daddy would come back.”

It was gratifying for Rana to learn that his children did not make his octogenarian grandma's life miserable.

Rana resumed his daily routine at work and at home. Work was
his passion, but love for his children was the fuel for that passion. Rana had always been devoting a lot of time with his children especially, at the weekends. He would play with them, tell them fairy tales, read and recite from their books. Rajani would sit close by and derive unlimited pleasure from them.

Though Smita was too young to read, she would like to have her own books anyway. She would sit on Rana's lap with her books held upside down and pretend reading attentively, evoking laughter from all. Then she would also giggle at her accomplishments, much the same way her dad used to do at her age. Saurav was growing rapidly. He would also sit on his daddy's lap and read the new books and ask numerous questions. One of the staple questions outside the purview of his books was, “Does Mama still come at night to kiss me and my sister?”

He would be easily satisfied with a positive reply from his dad.

And that is the nature of love. In its purity of conviction and unadulterated simplicity it would allow nothing to dismantle the blind trust reposed on the object of love.

Life is a conglomeration of many small events and they are strewn around the boulevards of life. But some of these small events are so touching that they live with one forever. One evening Saurav and Smita were playing cheerfully with their dad. In the middle of a game, in the midst of joy and laughter, Saurav came running to his dad, leapt up on his lap and asked, “Daddy, do you love me?”

With this unexpected question put forward so suddenly, Rana's heart filled with so much love and compassion for Saurav that he took him up on his arms, kissed him and said, “Yes my son, I love you much more than you can think.”

Looking at his glittering eyes and feeling the warmth in his voice, Saurav said, “Okay daddy,” and kissed him affectionately. Then he got down from his lap to resume the play.

Younger siblings learn from the older ones. Observing the exchange of love and compassion between Saurav and their dad,
Smita also came running to Rana. He raised her up on his arms also, kissed her two cheeks and told her, “My little mummy, I love you too.” She also kissed her dad and got down to play.

Rajani was sitting nearby watching them play. By witnessing the entire episode she was visibly moved. She said, “Only good parents beget good children like that. I know God has kept me alive to witness the growth and development of these two precious children, the embodiments of divinity.”

Rana had always been appreciative of the fair treatment that he received from the top brass of his company. The American Inter-Continental Bank soon announced his promotion as the General Manager of their Calcutta branches. Normally, the promotions at that level are announced with a transfer to some larger operations or to the CEO's office in the country or a transfer abroad. He had no doubt in his mind that in taking the decision in his case the top management took into consideration his unique personal situation with two very young children. Once again he was thankful to his company for this wonderful gesture, not very common in the business world.

All was well except that he was required to move to a bigger and better house, befitting his elevated status. However, Rajani had a different idea. But before talking to Rana she consulted with Ramnath. Then on the following Sunday she brought the subject for discussion with Rana in presence of Ramnath. She said, “Rana, my days are numbered. Death would embrace me anytime. It would be better if for the sake of Saurav and Smita you move to our family house in stead of the new company house. With increased responsibility you will be busier at work. You may not have enough time for them. All those who love and care for them are at the family house or Mr. Basu's house that is also in the same neighborhood. You may use the company house for company reception or to play with the children on weekends or holidays.”

Ramnath added, “Besides, it appears that this is your final posting
in Calcutta. Wherever you are transferred next, it would be difficult for you to take Saurav and Smita with you till they are sufficiently grown up. In that case, you have to leave them at your family house with your grandma and your parents. It would be better if they adapt to the new environment while you are with them.”

Those were the advices and reasonings of the matriarch and patriarch of the two families with one hundred and fifty years of experience in life between them. They were irrefutable. How could there be any disagreement?

Accordingly, the family house was spruced and pruned to re accommodate Rajani, Rana and children. Rajani moved back to the comfort of her own home. Rana returned to the place which had been his home from his boyhood to his marriage. Though Saurav and Smita never lived there, they had been to the place many times. It was by no means new to them. So it did not take a lot of time for them to adjust to the new environment.

True that the house was not as big as the company house; true that there was no big lawn and park attached to the house. Yet Saurav and Smita were delighted to find a huge two-mile long man-made lake with beautiful islands in the middle; miles of parks with intermittent gardens on each side of the lake; a small children's park with a zoo; a sports and soccer stadium; several rowing and swimming clubs and a whole host of other recreations just across the road from the house. They kind of liked the change. Every evening they had many tales to tell their dad of their many escapades in the lakes. They were mesmerized to see the ducks gliding through the water creating ripples; or the storks flying from the islands in the middle of the lake to the shore, carrying a fish or two between their beaks; or the regatta boats slicing through the water raising waves; or hundreds of fish fighting with each other under the water to eat the peas and nuts dropped from the hanging bridge by the visitors.

Especially, one Friday evening they were waiting excitedly to tell their dad that they watched the National Regatta Championship
that afternoon even though they might not have understood what it meant. They brought the news for Rana that the competition would continue on Saturday and Sunday and pleaded with him to accompany them. When he affirmed his intention to go with them, their joy knew no bound. It was such a pleasure for Rana to see their enthusiasm. In short, they adapted to the changed lifestyle rapidly. And that is the beauty with the children. They do not carry the baggage of the past and as such, they forget the old and embrace the new without batting an eyelid. Most importantly, no one was delighted more to see the children happy than Rajani herself because it was due to her insistence that they left a better and bigger house for the family house.

Not unexpectedly, due to her advanced age Rajani's health began causing concerns. A month shy of her eighty-third birthday she became slightly indisposed. She had a little cold and mildly elevated blood-pressure. The family physician examined her and prescribed the medicines. She felt better in a couple of days. Even before that short illness Rana used to spend a lot of time talking to Rajani. Now even his fun and games with children would take place in her presence for they were her joy and strength. She might not be highly educated in a college, but her mind was crisper than many college graduates and her memory continued to remain very sharp. She was fond of dwelling on the past. Since her recent indisposition that propensity increased considerably. Driven by nostalgia and digging deep into her memory, she talked and talked. She felt better by releasing her pent up emotions and attachments for the days long gone by. Perhaps Rana had a premonition. He encouraged her to bring out all her recollections to lighten her heart and feel better.

On a Thursday morning in a couple of weeks, she fell sick again of acute diabetes and fever. Doctor came and gave her stronger medicines which caused her drowsiness. She slept through the day, eating very little. The doctor said there were no new symptoms that led to the deterioration of her health. He added that her age factor
was also weighing in heavily. In the evening she spoke to Rana as usual. She talked very affectionately with Saurav and Smita and exchanged kisses with them. On Friday morning she could not get up from the bed on her own. Rana told her, “Grandma, if you are not well, I will not go to work today.”