"The decoration your wife did on the gifts for my daughter's wedding were fabulous." Mr. Kumar thanked my father on the road.
My father smiled. "Mister, how do you know? The gifts havn't even reached your place?"
"My younger daughter did come back to home to arrange for a car to take them all. She told us. And she was very excited!" He smiled.
"May your business grow. May you and your wife prosper in this field." He continued his wishes. A warm personality. My dad smiled again.
The marriage was prosperous, and whenever my parents and they met, they would be so filled with gratitude and keep on thanking my mother for her sophisticated work. "Everyone liked it, the groom's family, and my daughters themselves, and for the most, I am happy." The old woman, yet not so old, would say. Her hands so weak, and body full of rashes, she was quite unable to move. She needed support to walk, wherever she went.
Daughters so talented, they had their own Software Company, and recently bought an expensive house for their old parents to stay and enjoy their life in their own home. The puja-ghar was specially designed for the mother, who wasn't capable of sitting and standing so quickly.
"They love me so much. Younger one still unmarried, the older one will go away. Both love me so much." She told my parents one day, her eyes portraying the nostalgia of giving away her daughter to her in-laws. A Mother's love, and her heart. She was sad, and lonely.
"You should visit my house, Lady." She pleaded my mother.
Happily, yet reluctant since my board exams were goig on, she didn't know how to reply.
"After daughter's marriage, I seldom get to talk to people. Yet, she had to go one day. And the day, 14th February, just a week ago, she went away. It''s so uncomfortable. I, for the first time am spending my life without her. I don't know how life would be when the young one falls in love and gets married. The house would be so lonely."
My mother felt sad. She so wanted to meet her.
"Do come, you did us all a very big favour. No amount of thanks ca totally pay you off. You are congratulated. Do come."
"I shall, but let the exams of my daughter be over, and I shall take her to your place as well!" My mother smiled. "She feels alone when I am not by her side during exams. She is still silly."
"No, examinations should be priority, and things done the way you feel is comfortable during such a time. But I do want to invite you at my place."
"I shall, of course. And am glad to receive your invitation." She smiled. Each time they met, she would plead us to visit them, asking when my exams would get over.
My mother always wanted to meet her. After all, having more acquaintances makes you sociable. And the woman, she felt was a docile and good lady.
***
A month passed.
It was 14th March 2013, and there was still a week for the exam to get over.
The phone rang.
Too busy to study rather than pick up the call, I saw who it was.
Mother's friend. I handed over the phone to my mother, while I started to study again. The next day was my examination.
I didn't pay much attention to what the conversation was about, and went away, mugging up the scientific names of vegetables and crops.
After about half an hour, my mother approached me.
"Remember the girl whose gift-decoration we did?" She asked.
I nodded.
"Her mother so wished to meet me. Each time we met, she would plead me to visit her house again."
"Go and meet her then." I smiled at her, assuring her that there wouldn't be much problem, as I had already prepared for the exam next day.
Her eyes all moist, she replied, "Can't ever again. She died this morning suddenly. Her blood Pressure got so low that she ultimately met her end."
"Some wishes, remain so incomplete. Just a week after the girl's marriage, just 2 months after they shifted to their new home especially designed taking care about her needs, and she passed away. She was so worried about the afterlife after the younger's marriage, she so wanted to meet you, perhaps we all had never thought that life that was going so smoothly could be cut off so soon. She had yet so much to enjoy, she had already planned all, and yet, everything suddenly comes to an end fine morning. All plans and a death- an end to all that was, was supposed to be. Some wishes remain incomplete." She further said.
