Immortal Relations

Immortal Relations

The series of events of from the morning had contradicted all the theories that Preetma had learned till now. The theories and values that she learned from books, experiences and from various events from her life were simply proved wrong and that too in few hours.

She thought that no relation can be above and beyond this mortal world.

But these thoughts were no more loyal to Preetma.

Sitting at the top of Raman’s house, staring at the setting sun, she was now remembering the events that shook the building of her thoughts from bottom to top.

As she started remembering today’s morning, a smile broke out on her face.

                                                                               –  Ω  –

Today morning Raman called her. Then she was preparing for her office.

Though she was already late by 10 min. but she always has time to talk to Raman. And why won’t she attend his call as he had called after 3 weeks. Since last week she was trying to call Raman but his cell was out of coverage area.

When she attended his call, she immediately asked him why was his cell was out of coverage area, . and he replied very politely that he is on a tour due some official work given by his boss. Then the conversation began about the places he had visited and about where he had to go next. Raman told Preetma that it will take about a month more to come back to the city, after finishing all the work.

He said that today he had talked to his mother , who is at his home. He said today she is not feeling well. So he wanted Preetma to go and see her and help her to get well and care her till she meets him.

As Raman had said this Preetma exclaimed that why did he want only ‘her’ to go, he had many friends, he can ask them. She asked this because she know that his mother don’t like her, though she had never met her. He simply replied that his other best friend Ankush is also not in the city.

As there was no other option, she can’t make an excuse to any request made by Raman. So she asked him for his address. He said that he will text it after the call.

She ended the call with a promise that she will take care of his mother.

                                                                               –  Ω  –

Raman and Preetma were schooldays friends. But their friendship grew after school life. They used to chat on Facebook and whats app and they also used to text each other on phone. They shared their each days experience with each other. Telling each other about what they learned today and also about the quarrel they had with their friends.

Neither Raman nor Preetma had siblings so Raman called Preetma his sister. And both quarreled that who is older than the other.

As they grew up their friendship too grew, like evening shadow, which grows with setting sun of life. 

Though they were living in the far corner of same city, living in hectic and busy schedule, but still had time to meet each other at Lakeside Coffee on last Sunday of every month.

After every meet with Preetma, Raman used to discuss event with his mother. Though she had never met Preetma, but according to her, Preetma was too much frank and much open minded girl.

But Raman’s mother never understood that bond of friendship between Raman and Preetma, due to which Preetma was so much frank with Raman.

                                                                                –  Ω  –

After Raman’s call, Preetma called her friend Ankita and told her that today she won’t be coming to office because Raman had asked her to look after his mother.

Then she prepared some Khichdi, which she will feed to Raman’s mother.

As the Khichdi was ready, she packed it in a Tiffin box and was then set to go to Raman’s house.

She took out her scooty and searched the address, which Raman had sent just after the call, on Google Maps.

In the way she stopped twice to check whether she is on the right way or not.

When she reached there, she parked her scooty beside the gate. Then she entered the gate of single floored building and there she saw a woman in her mid thirties.

Preetma knew that she was not Raman’s mother, because she had seen his mother’s photo in his phone many times.

She asked that lady about Raman’s mother. Lady replied in a choked voice, that his mother lives on the first floor. The lady was having cold, because as Preetma took the stairs she heard a sneeze.

She was climbing stairs and her heartbeat was increasing as she was thinking about the reaction of Raman’s mother.

When she reached there, she was little surprised as the door was wide open and there was nobody in the room. Then Preetma knocked the door.

A woman in her late forties came in hurry with a smiling face. But that smile vanished as if she wanted to see someone else on the door.

Identifying that woman, Preetma greeted her- “Good morning, Aunty!”

And told her that she was Raman’s friend, Preetma.

Preetma was surprised by Raman’s mother’s reaction as she just smiled meekly. His mother didn’t even ask her why she had come.

His mother called her inside. As Raman had told, Preetma could see form her face that she was not well. She then touched her mother’s forehead. It’s temperature was more than normal body temperature.

So Preetma called a doctor.

After 20 min. doctor came and on examining Raman’s mother he told that she was having slight fever and saying this he handed a small list of medicines.

After telling Preetma about dose, doctor went away.

She was back in 5 min. after purchasing those medicines.

Till now, Raman’s mother had not speak much with Preetma, but now as Preetma was feeding her the Khichdi, which was still warm, she spoke- “Why are you caring about me so much?”

And Preetma simply replied – “You are mother of my brother, so you are my mother. And this is not special; it’s just what a daughter would do for her mother.”

With moist eyes and guilty heart, Raman’s mother could not speak any more.

After feeding her, Preetma gave her medicines and told her to sleep. And Raman’s mother obeyed her silently.

                                                                             –  Ω  –

That woman, in her late forties, lying on bed, was looking more happy and calm than Preetma had seen her for the first time. Raman’s mother was sleeping in silence for last one hour.

Preetma was sitting beside her and was smiling, looking at her. She could feel the satisfaction of her service on her face.

Seeing Raman’s mother’s face, reminded her of the last days of her own mother. Her mother had passed 9 years ago, but she still remembers her well. Her mother died of cancer. Preetma used to take her mother’s care when she was ill. And when her ill mother sleeps, she used to sit beside her and keep on looking at her face. She could feel that satisfaction that her mother felt in her sleep.

And now Preetma could feel that same satisfaction on Raman’s mother’s face.

Raman’s mother was asleep and Preetma didn’t want to disturb her, so she tiptoed out of the room.

First she went in hall and sat there for five minutes. But, then, she felt bored. Then she got an idea.

“Why doesn’t she go and have a look of Raman’s room?”

She liked that idea.

As she entered his room, she found Raman’s room neat and clean, which she never expected. Because Raman was always in hurry and he used to mess up things. The room had numerous books. Books on literature, books on sciences and a lot of science magazines. And this didn’t surprise Preetma as she knew that Raman was a book lover, moreover he like science. There was a desktop PC on a table. And on that table there was a photo frame with photo of a six or eight year boy with an innocent smile leaning on a stone lamp. She didn’t take time to realize that the boy in the photograph was none other than Raman.

As she looked around, in the room, she saw something which she could never believe.

On one of the wall of the room there was Raman’s photo in a photo frame with a floral garland.

Raman had died!!! But how could this happen!!!

                                                                             –  Ω  –

Raman’s mother’s sleep was disturbed by sound of someone weeping. As she looked around, she saw Preetma crying, crying hard with hands put on her mouth to suppress the noise.

Her eyes were having a tint of red and non-stop tears were flowing down her cheeks.

As Preetma noticed that Raman’s mother has woke up she asked in a choked voice-

“How did this happen?”

Raman’s mother understood what she was asking about.

“Didn’t you know?”, she asked Preetma.

“But this can’t happen becau……,” she paused.

Raman’s mother can’t understand what she said, but she explained-

“Three weeks ago, Raman and Ankush had gone for a trip for some official reason. And there their vehicle fell into a canal, an all the passengers died in that accident,” a drop of tear slipped from corner of her eye.

“Is there any chance, even a slight chance that he Raman had escaped?”

“No… I saw his body with my eyes….pale…..colorless….my child lying on ……,” she couldn’t speak more.

“But that can’t possible……..in the morning only….”, Preetma paused because she didn’t want to say something that would give his mother false hopes.

She needs some time to think.

Preetma was now sitting at the roof of Raman’s house, starring at the setting sun.

She could not even doubt what Raman’s mother said and she could not even forget that today morning she talked to Raman. All the scientific principals and logic failed to explain her that how could a dead person call her and tell her that his mother is ill.

First she was afraid of ghosts and spirits and it was Raman, who made her believe that there were no such things. But now this.

Contradicting all scientific theories, she had now arrived on an emotional explanation. She now understood how a dead person contacted her.

It was Raman’s love for his mother which gave him power to contact Preetma, even after his death.

She understood that true relations have no ends. True relations are beyond mortal world. Such relations are beyond these universal limits.

But still, Preetma could not understand, why did Raman called only her, his ‘ghost’ could have called any other.

This may be because she was his best friend.

If this is the reason then, the final conclusion is, relations like love for mother and friendship are beyond the universe, they have no ends, those are immortal.

Preetma then walked down to Raman’s mother, smiling, and thinking that she is much blessed that she had friends like Raman.

In her mind, it was now clear what she had to do now. She will do what she had promised to Raman.

She will take care of mother till ‘mother’ meets Raman.