DESTINY'S CHILD #WRITEAPAGEADAY #BLOGCHATTER
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Meena could not keep the smile off her face as she looked
at her little bundle of joy. After ten years of marriage, he had been born,
this little mite who had been so eagerly expected. Som, her husband had a dazed
expression on his face the whole time. They had both wanted a little boy, and he
could still not believe that their dreams had come true.
“You are Destiny’s child!” Meena whispered. “You will be
the light of our lives.”
Vikram grew up into a strapping young man, winning prizes
with ease. Academically, he was bright, but his personality sparkled even more.
He had friends of all age groups and people naturally gravitated towards him. He
was the heart and soul of every gathering and many were the girls who lost their
hearts to him.
“Well, Vikram, what do you want to do with your life?” his
uncle, Som’s elder brother, asked him jocularly.
“I think I will join the Army,” the boy answered, a
dreamy look in his eyes. It was not an impulsive decision. He had been mulling
over it for the past couple of years.
Meena’s heart skipped a beat. She could not even bear to
think of the apple of her eye going into the Armed Services. Som too was taken
aback. Never once had Vikram mentioned this particular interest of his.
“Son, are you sure about your decision? How come you
never spoke about it to us?”
“Dad, this has been on my mind for a while now. I have
met so many Army officers and their bearing and their attitude to life have
always impressed me.” He paused, as his mother’s face turned paler than ever. He
caught her hand impulsively, saying, “Don’t worry, Ma! It is a wonderful life,
filled with dignity.”
Meena’s eyes filled with tears. “It is also a life filled
with peril, son. I cannot even think of anything happening to you.” Vikram
bowed his head as he struggled with his emotions. His parents were the most
important people in his life, and he could not hurt them in any way. He
realised that his mother especially would never be able to accept his joining
the Army. With a heavy heart, he let go of the dream that had blossomed in his
heart.
When he graduated from Law College, his parents were in
the front row, pride brimming from their eyes. He had moved apparently seamlessly
into his new role as a potential lawyer, and if there was a secret regret in
his heart, he did not reveal it in any way. He started working under one of the
most prominent lawyers in town, never missing a chance to hone his craft. This
was his life now, and he intended to live it in the best manner possible.
Jasmine was as delicate as her name indicated, and the
first time Vikram set eyes on her, he was smitten. Not only was she beautiful,
but she also owned a personality that made everyone around want to protect her. She was
petite, and hardly came up to Vikram’s shoulder. As she gazed at him with her guileless
eyes, he felt a strange thrill running through him. This was the girl of his
dreams.
As their hearts grew closer, Vikram was happier than he
had ever been. He had introduced Jasmine to his parents and she had won them
over with her winsome ways.
“Vikram, I am going to do a course in Psychology in
America,” Jasmine’s soft voice broke into his thoughts.
“When do you have to leave?” he asked, an alarm going off
in his head.
“Within three months,” was her answer.
Vikram’s head reeled. She would be away for the next few
years finishing her course. How would he live without her?
“I will miss you, Jasmine.” The misery in his eyes moved
her, but this was something she needed to do.
“I will miss you too, Vikram,” she whispered. “I wish you
could come along with me. You could be a lawyer in the US as well.”
The seed was sown. Vikram’s mind whirled with conflicting
thoughts. He knew his parents would miss him desperately if he went away. There were just a few months left for Jasmine
to leave and his heart was torn in two directions.
Finally, the decision was made. Jasmine would finish her
course and come back to India. By then, Vikram would have turned into a full-fledged
lawyer, and they could get married.
Two and a Half Years Later:
Vikram walked into the living room where Jasmine’s
parents sat watching television. He knew how much they missed her. Two and a
half years had gone by since she had left for the US. He sat down beside them,
watching television with them. It had turned into a habit and the older couple had
accepted him as their son.
As he watched the images flitting on the screen, his mind
went back to that day when he had been watching television with Jasmine’s
parents. It had been a special occasion as Jasmine’s college was celebrating
its golden jubilee. She was slated to be one of the speakers on the occasion.
Tears filled Vikram’s eyes. He shuddered as the scene
came back to him... the shooting at the university, the enraged gunman who had
emptied bullets into a defenceless crowd who had gathered to watch the ceremony. His eyes filled with tears.
Jasmine’s mother gently wiped away his tears, a brave
smile on her face. She turned to the wall behind her from where Jasmine’s garlanded
portrait smiled down at them all.
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