FICTION

Short Cut — A Short story

A heart touching story of repentance in the deathbed.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

When he opened his eyes, Nambiar realized that he was in the private ward and not in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He was not able to recollect when he was shifted to the ward. He had never hoped that he would ever come out of the ICU. He had already seen many of the patients in ICU breathing their last, and their beds would become vacant soon after and within minutes the empty beds would be occupied by some other patients.

Many times, he too had thought that he would be the next one to vacate the bed, but alas, destiny had brought him back!

Why?

Even God didn’t want him there, he thought. Was that the reason he was brought back from the ICU again?

Or was there no one to bribe God to take him in?

Or was there no one to recommend his case to Lord Yama?

The pink window curtains swished, and a whiff of cold breeze slipped into the room. Nambiar looked around. He wanted some help to get the window closed but found none in the room and again closed his eyes. Where was Sridharan, the man he had appointed to be with him at all times?

A couple of minutes later he felt that someone was entering the room.

It must be Sridharan, he thought.

Or it must be that beautiful pregnant nurse with her attractive smile.

Or was it the serious looking young doctor who seldom smiled as though smiling was a sin?

Who else would come to see him? For the last two years he had felt that even his friends had deserted him. He didn’t remember even one single friend who had come to know about his wellbeing.

Nambiar slowly opened his eyelids and cast his gaze towards the doorway. He saw a young woman entering the room, followed by a man.

“Brother, Dad has opened his eyes!” Nambiar recognized his daughter Shyamala’s voice, and his younger son Manohar who accompanied her into the room.

When did Shyamala come? How did she find the time to come now, he wondered. Not bad. She too had come to see her father on his death bed! He had never thought she would come.

Was there joy in her tone at seeing her father alive again, or was it sorrow?

As he was trying to reassess his daughter’s voice, he saw her going and closing the door, and then she came back to his side.

He eagerly waited for her to talk.

“How’re you Dad?” asked Shyamala without expecting an answer.

Was there nothing for his daughter to talk to him now? He wondered. Earlier, the moment she saw him she used to start talking non-stop. The thought of his daughter brought him a mocking smile on his tired face.

He slowly shifted his gaze towards Manohar. He was handsome for his 6 ft 2 inches height and athletic chest. He resembled his father’s younger brother a lot. When did Nambiar see him last? Three or four years ago?

Shyamala stood behind her brother, with her gaze at her father.

“Dad, how’re you feeling now?” asked Manohar taking his father’s left hand in his.

Nambiar wanted to tell him many things, but he couldn’t utter a word, and just gave him a tiny smile. That was all he could do.

“We never thought we will be able to see you again,” said Manohar, sitting on the bed closer to his father, still holding his hand.

Nambiar’s eyes searched for one more face. Shyamala knew what her father was looking for. So, she volunteered to answer the unasked question.

“Elder brother has also come. He has gone to see the doctor.”

Again, a tiny smile appeared on his face.

Manohar got up from the bed. “Let me tell the nurse that you’ve opened your eyes.” He went out of the room, leaving the father and daughter alone in the room.

“My husband also wanted to come, but next week he has to go to Geneva for a conference. So, he is busy. Otherwise, he would have definitely come. He has asked me to convey his loving regards to you.” Shyamala thoughtfully released a sigh. Did father believe her words? She looked at him through the corner of her eyes.

Nambiar shook his head slowly as if he had accepted his son-in-law’s regards to him.

“It was not easy even for me to leave.” Shyamala continued, “But how could I keep quiet knowing your condition? Biju’s exams are starting next week. He is in his 2nd year degree now. I have to be at home with him. Otherwise the boy won’t study well, and being lazy, he doesn’t feel like getting up in the morning. He has given me strict instructions that I must be back home by tomorrow night. ….” An artificial disappointment was echoed in her voice. She sat next to him on the bed.

“I know my dear daughter that that you will never have time to take care of your widower father in his old age. If you wanted, you can easily take me to your house and keep me in your big bungalow. Your physician husband’s observation and your loving care should be okay for me. But I know you wouldn’t like to have your old father to be with you as a burden. If you have no time you can even keep a qualified home nurse to take care of me. But I know you will not do any such thing. “ He sighed.

“Perhaps, you may not remember how much I had struggled to get the smart and intelligent Dr.Ramakrishnan as your husband. His marriage was already fixed with another doctor, who was his classmate, but I had purchased him by offering beyond his imagination. When his dream of owning a nursing home was going to be fulfilled, he didn’t mind even marrying a pre-degree girl like you. I know you wouldn’t like my reminding you about all these, but how can I forget those days? Your mother Saudamini had even tried several times to dissuade me from this, but I made her keep quiet by yelling at her, and all her attempts proved to be a total disaster. Finally, she had warned me that I will have to pay a very heavy price for my misdeeds.

At that time, I had laughed at her like a possessed man. I was least bothered about her complaints, as I was thinking I can buy anything with money. If someone had asked me health vs wealth, my vote would have definitely gone to wealth. I remember each word of what your mother had uttered with pain in her eyes. My memories have not faded, and they haunt me all the time, even though many of my other organs have stopped working. I strongly feel that I am paying for my misdeeds now and my power of money can’t come to my rescue.” Nambiar wanted to speak out his mind, but his tongue failed him.

The door opened again. A new nurse followed by his elder son Krishnakumar came to the room. She took his temperature and pulse, and checked the I. V fluid stand.

“When the fluid gets over, please let me know,” she walked away with a smile.

Krishnakumar came closer to him and then sat on the bed. “Dad, didn’t you recognize me?”

Nambiar wanted to tell him at the top of his voice that he had no problem in recognizing anyone. His memory was perfectly alright though his tongue couldn’t make a sound. So, he gave him a tiny smile. “How can I forget you my dear son, the eldest of the three, who called me Dad first?” He cast his eyes on him.

“As my salary as a College Principal was not sufficient enough to get you a management seat in Engineering in a reputed college, with your average marks, for the first time I decided to take a short cut to make money fast. No one knew how I managed the big amount in two days’ time, not even your mother. When I gave a false compliant in the police station about the missing money from the College fund, no one suspected me. It was only the beginning of my growth towards becoming rich. When more and more needs for money and fame came my way, I soon learned to misuse my post and name to make money through more short cuts, and I felt proud of my hidden ability.

“After you finished your engineering degree, I wanted to send you abroad, but your senseless mother opposed it and scolded me for spending money lavishly. Was she successful in dissuading me? No. Never! Because of that, today you are in such a great position in USA that you took 5 years to come and see me even after you got the news that both my legs were amputated….

“I didn’t learn from my mistakes even after I lost your mother. I was thinking, if money was there I need not worry about anything. But I was wrong. Living like a vegetable, unable to walk with no legs, or use my hands on my own or speak a word, I understand even the man I had appointed to stay with me, was not willing to continue staying with me any longer for any amount of money. He was also tired of me after few years of looking after me. While going, he asked me to tell all of you to admit me in an old age home.” Nambiar sighed, two drops of tears escaped his eyes. When he was immersed in his thoughts he heard a discussion between his children.

“Shyamala, how long are you going to be here?” asked Krishnakumar, gazing at his sister.

Shyamala was stunned at the question. She had already told her brother that she would be leaving tomorrow. “My son’s examinations are going to start next week. I have to go tomorrow.”

“Can’t you shift dad to your house?” He asked reluctantly after a moment’s thought and added, “If you want I’ll take care of his expenses.”

“That is not possible. You can spend that money on a good male nurse and book a permanent room in the hospital.” Shyamala turned her face.

“What about you, Manohar?” Krishnakumar turned to his younger brother.

“I will also be going tomorrow,” said Manohar. “What about you, brother?”

“I will be here for the next 3 or 4 days. Then I will have to go to Cochin to attend my sister-in-law’s wedding. Coming all the way, it won’t be nice on my part to go back without attending it.”

“Where is Sridhar? He is supposed to be here with father all the time.” Manohar stared at his father, knowing well enough that he wouldn’t be able to utter the words.

Nambiar sighed again. “At this rate, will my children even have time to come and attend my funeral? Why should they come? Even Sridhar came at his own whims and fancies. There were days when he never turned up. He wished he could find a short cut to end his life before his children left!” A smile tinged with guilt and remorse, spread on his face.

He visualized his body being handed over to the Medical College where the medical students would be having a gala time.

For once he felt jealous of his departed wife who left him six years ago, when all her dear ones were around her, and simply wished that at least she was there with him at the end of his journey.

This story was originally published in 2014 here.