He smiled while he looked at his daughter’s photo of rubbing her nose with her little hands like her mother did. Tears welled up in his eyes. She was right. She is there in her.
So you mean to say doctor, I can not abort this child. I am afraid, you cannot. If you do, both the child and the mother would die. And if I don’t, she dies. How could this happen to us. I am so sorry about it sir. He wiped his tears, cleared his throat and then went inside her room. She looked at him while he approached her. He sat on the stool beside her bed. Umm, they say that. Shhh, she took his hands into hers and said, I know. You don’t need to say anything.
He burst out. He could not control it anymore. I can’t lose you, he told her while he wept like a 5 year child who had lost his favourite toy. I won’t be able to live without you. A tear dripped down from end of her eyes also.
Come here, she asked him. And while he laid his head on her shoulders lying comfortably in the single hospital bed, both closed their eyes and she then laid her chin on his head. You will. I know. You remember when we were in college and you used to say, you always want a girl first. You remember how stupid it seemed at that time. Yes, but not at the cost of losing you ever. You are not going to lose me. You never will. Whoever the child will be, she or her, that will be a part of both of us. I hope really it’s a girl. Imagine it running all across the home.
How I wish I could be there. She bit her tongue while he closed his eyes in pain at the thought of losing her. But you will be. And so I want you to be there for her, be his man till he finds her forever like I did. I won’t be able to do that. I won’t be able to love her while I lost you. You will. Trust me, nothing shall ever matter to you more than her. I bet on that.
Because you will see me in her and so will you love her more. And while the night faded in him being in her arms cuddled around him, the day also came when he took the little angel in his arms. She had her eyes. She did. And while he held her daughter in his arms, he saw his wife die in peace.
She knew he would love again and this time more strongly and in a better way. Love she used to say has different forms but the essence and the feel of it is always the same. And while he turned to look at his daughter who was wearing her mother’s saree, he was awestruck. You look beautiful, he complemented her in the same way he did 22 years back to her mom.
He looked at his wife’s portrait and talked in his mind, you were right. Nothing matters more to me today than her, but nothing ever did replace you either. Even time could not diminish his everlasting love for her. After all sometimes, it’s more than love. Love as such then remains just a word. The feelings say and do it all.
Very soulful writing…