In the summer of 2010,I went to visit my grandfather in Kolkata . It was a ritual for me to visit my Nana every year. But this year was special, it was after giving the 12th exam. So I had almost 3 months to roam the streets, eat ice-creams and play cricket. My Nana was Ex-Military. He was disciplined, punctual and a health freak. We used to jog every morning for about 4-6 km at the Rabindra Sarovar Lake. During one of his jogging seasons, I met an accident and broke my leg. And that was the event which ruined my vacations but it was also the reason that made this vacation one of the most memorable one.
My Nana lived at the 3rd floor of a 4 storey apartment which had a big courtyard. It was shared by all 4 buildings of the complex. My room was at the north-east corner of the house. Its rear window gave me the whole view of the apartments and of the courtyard. I passed my time watching TV, reading comics and peeking at other buildings using my Nana’s X34R Binoculars. Morally, I knew it was wrong thing to do. But I was 18 with a broken ankle and nothing to pass my time with. It was the best distraction a 18 year old in an alien land could get. For the next few weeks, I ‘eagle’d into the lives of different people. Out of all those families, there was family, a husband and a wife, maybe 28-30, that got my attention. I could deduct that they were newly wed. But they were not happy.
The husband came home late every night. They neither ate together nor spoke in great details. The lady used to cry when her husband was gone. She talked for hours during the day with someone but not on the day her husband was home. I was not getting a good vibe. I enquired about the couple from Rumi 19, our maid who was also my pal. She informed that they got married 2-3 years ago and were expecting there first child, which got miscarriaged a year ago. After that, there was a sourness in their relation. She also told that the wife is the only daughter of her rich father. Money was one of the reasons behind the marriage. It all fit like a jigsaw puzzle. But the next day marked the starting of some unforgettable events.
Next morning Rumi rushed into my room and with unstoppable panting started to speak. She revealed that the wife had left the town alone after a big fight with her husband. She said Rupa, their maid told her about the fight. I was almost up till 5 am but did not notice anything so severe. All the windows of his wife’s room was closed. I thought, “It must have happened after 5”. That afternoon the husband returned home looking sweaty and worked up. He was a doctor by profession. It was unusual for him to come at this time. After few minutes, I saw a young woman in her early 20’s entering their living room. They hugged and but there was a tension in her face too. After chatting for an hour, she left. The next day was also fishy. A brawny man visited the husband with a suitcase His looks was not of a saint but instead of a hitman. Next two days, the husband did not go to work. The wife’s room window was all closed. He used to go there, do something then came out with the suitcase.
My mind was going haywire. What if he killed his wife because of the deep seeded anger of not having a child?? What if that young woman was doctor’s lover and because of her he killed his wife?? What if that brawny man was a hired killer??What if he held his wife in their??
The matter was making me to think bizarre. The closed windows of the room, a doctor who could easily chopped her wife and the unusual drives with a suitcase. It was not making any sense but it was pointing towards one thing. I gathered all my thoughts and told Nana everything. Nana was awestruck after the revelations. He was still not impressed and why would he be. All he had was an eighteen year old boy’s words with a binocular and a maid’s gossipy tale. He bolted out of the room but returned with a look in his face. He asked, “How big was the suitcase??”
I said, “it was more like an attaché.”
He said,”You know, the doctor was booked a year ago for assaulting his colleague. It was around the childs’ miscarriage.
He continued and mumbled, ”He certainly was not the jolly kind, there was a tension between him and the wife. But it is a nefarious crime.” As soon he finished his sentence, Rumi screamed , “LOOK, LOOk”
It was the doctor and the brawny man with a gun in his hand. Nana ran like a panther along with him Rumi also bolted. I was in a dilemma but I took my crutch and followed them. It took me about 15 minutes to reach there but when I entered I was bewildered. I saw doctor’s wife standing there looking at me with amusement so too Nana and Rumi. The brawny man was in smiling with the doctor. I thought it was a surreal dream. Then the doctor introduced himself as Ram. His wife’s name was Leela. They invited us into the living room. I sat at the sofa with Nana and Rumi. The Others Dr Ram, Leela, Leela’s parents and the brawny man, Bhusan gathered around the room.
Dr then explained that they have been trying to have a baby for a long time but they were unable to find a surrogate until they found someone who agreed. For her, it was a surprise pregnancy, so she could not tell her parents. Bhusan, the hospital compounder met her when she came for the abortion at the hospital. After telling her about her plight, she decided to gave her baby. He decided not to tell his wife because it was what the mother wanted, "a secret business". He was going to surprise her and her parents today. He also decorated the room, one with the closed windows for the baby.
Nana suddenly asked “Why did she leave the house that morning in haste?”
Leela answered “I thought he is having an affair that is why we fought and left the house to live at our family rest house outside the city.”
Nana again “and that suitcase??”
Leela again answered “My husband was sending the necessary items to me through Bhusan.”
I suddenly asked “what is with the gun?”
Bhusan mockingly “This.It is a lighter.”
Nana then said, “So where is the baby?”
“The baby is here” ,It was the girls’ voice ,whom I saw a week ago at this apartment. She was beautiful but the most beautiful thing about her was that she was the mother of the child which looked at us with an innocence and simplicity that is simply unexplainable.
Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present... and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.
