It was a regular day at school………….for a change! There were no complaints against me nor any punishment for me that day. So, I was happy to get back home! There wouldn’t be many uneasy questions from my mother to answer, I thought happily. I got off the school bus and ran home across the street, as I always did. As I reached our main door and was about to ring the doorbell, I was surprised to find it unlocked! I pushed the door open and entered the house. As I stepped in, I was baffled! Everything in our house had completely changed…the furniture, the décor and, in general, everything else that stood there. I was shocked, transfixed to the spot! Was I dreaming? I pinched myself to confirm that I was awake, wide awake! I ran to every room, looking and calling out to my mother and our old maid. But nobody seemed to be home…nobody…not a soul!
Suddenly I heard a muffled sound coming from the basement.Curious,I went to check the basement. I was surprised to find the door unlocked. No one had gone into the basement for years. I scrunched up my nose ready to go inside. The basement had a musty smell.There were old newspapers, books, briefcase, notebooks kept inside.Suddenly in a corner I saw my mother curled up in a heap crying to herself.Scared and genuinely worried I went over to her side and kissed her cheek softly asking her what the matter was.The next words were heartbreaking.She informed me that my father had asked her for a divorce that morning.My mother,on refusing to sign the papers had had a great fight with him.Only then in a moment of anger my dad had destroyed all the furniture in the living room and had gone away.I was heartbroken I gave her some lunch and went away to my room for the rest of the evening.
At seven o' clock my little brother came from school and I whisked him up to my room.After my dad came back, we could heard a very heated argument between our parents.Completely exhausted,my mother agreed for a divorce but in return she put forward a strange request.She requested him to carry her every morning from her bed,till the day of their divorce ,the way they had done on their wedding day.Ashamed for the scene he had created in the morning my father readily accepted the strange request
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Next morning he started fulfilling her request.Early in the morning,with his kids,he went over to her bed and tried picking her up.It was difficult.Ten years of not interacting with her made things very awkward and embarrassing for them.It was some time before he could pick her up and carry her downstairs to the breakfast table.My brother and I were by his side,the entire time cheering him on and helping him up when he needed it.The next day was a bit more easier.I saw him pick her up confidently and carry her downstairs.His eyes glistened with pride and my mother never looked happier, staring back lovingly into his eyes.On seeing my mother’s happiness I blinked back my tears,thinking that nothing ever would be normal in this house ever again fifteen years of marriage had all gone to waste. This activity also became a daily routine of our household and my brother and I were always present there for this auspicious occasion .Day by day I noticed my mother become thinner and sicker,my dad did had noticed it too because he had asked her about her health.My mother asked him not to worry about it.On the last day of their marriage,my father took up breakfast to my mother,they had a heartfelt conversation and then my dad brought her down.Turning back,he kissed her on the forehead and he went back to his office.On doing so,I saw a tear drop escape his eyes.
In the afternoon,coming back from school,I saw my dad outside our house waiting for me.”Dad,what are you doing here”I asked.I assumed that he had come to my mom for her to sign the divorce papers.He called me towards him.He took out a box and flipped it open.Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring I had ever seen.”Oh My God”I put my hands to my mouth.My dad was going to propose to my mother again”how_ _”I stuttered.”well”My father started to explain,”In the morning,I told Joan that I could not do this to my wife.You see,it wasn’t that we had stopped loving each other.It was just because we stopped spending time together.Carrying her from bed every morning made me realize why I had actually fallen in love with her.I wanted to work on our marriage.She donated me fifteen years of her life.I figured out that I could do the same for her.”I was so happy.I did not realize the love of my parents for each other had strengthened while doing just a simple task for each other.Opening the front door,I decided to give my parents some privacy and ran to my room.I heard the footsteps of my father hurry upstairs as he flung the door open……..
My mother lay on the bed,cold and dead.No tears,no sound came from me.My father howled and howled next to her holding onto her and not letting her go.My innocent brother was silent with tears streaming his cheeks too young to witness the situation.My throat was dry,I held onto my father and burying my face into his chest cried deeply and softly to myself.The forensic reports came.My mother had cancer.She had known all along but did not want us to know about it.Months passed by after the death of my mother.My father never remarried.He still reprimanded himself for not taking care of his wife when he had the chance to do so.Fifteen long years had gone all down the drain.Now all he had was us. The only living memory of his wife.He loved us forever and never did he elude from spending more time with us.
