Prashansa Chandekar

Romance

4.4  

Prashansa Chandekar

Romance

A Time For Love

A Time For Love

13 mins
334


Zara & Uncle O.


“Aryan, which book should we read today?” asked Ojas shuffling his pile of books.


“The Very Brave Lion, Uncle O.” replied Aryan with a shine in his eyes and a broad smile that could brighten up the darkest days. Uncle O. was a name that Aryan called Uncle Ojas when he was a toddler just learning to talk. He could not say his name and just said O. and giggled whenever he came home. O. then became Uncle O. Now at six he could talk fluently but the name still stuck. He would always remain his favorite Uncle O.


“Alright then, hop on,” said Uncle O. tapping his lap. “...Little Rory’s dad was king of the pride. Each evening at dusk he’d stand astride.....” Uncle O. began reading the story in the most amusing and animated way that caught every bit of Aryan’s attention, so much so that he forgot the tantrum he had just thrown when mommy left for work.


One story ended and another one started and then another until all the books were exhausted. Then the focus moved on to snacks and then games. This was a routine for almost six years now. Ojas worked as a manager in a call center and had to work night shifts. He helped Zara out on non-school days by babysitting Aryan till afternoon and then went home and hit the sack till about 8 pm in the evening before he had dinner and left for work. Then he would be back again the next morning bidding goodbye to Zara and good morning to Aryan.


“Uncle O. how about more hide and go seek?” said Aryan with so much excitement that Ojas always agreed.


“Last round Aryan, mommy will be back anytime soon. Now go hide, I am counting to ten. One, Two, Three…..” and the game continued for a few more minutes until the doorbell rang and Ojas went to get the door.


“Hey, a good day at work today?” Ojas asked as he opened the door.


“Yeah, not bad. Hope he was good today, not much trouble?” she said bending down with open arms to hug Aryan who was already running towards her yelling “Mommy!”.


“Oh no, no trouble at all. He was an excellent boy like he always is” he said hi-fiving Aryan.


He admired how she looked even when she was fatigued. Her slender body and upbeat spirit were an enchanting combination. She had taught herself to smile no matter what was going on; predominantly she did that for Aryan, but her positive energy was magnetic and Ojas’ liking for her continued to increase with each passing year.


When Zara first moved to the apartment after her husband’s death, Ojas and his parents who lived in the same building had helped her a great deal in settling in. With a baby who was less than a year old and a job that could not be skipped and the grief of a lost husband, she had a lot on her plate at a young mid-twenties age. Ojas and his parents did all they could to support her. Ojas loved Aryan dearly as he had looked after him from when he was just a few months old. They had formed a unique bond and Aryan had gotten used to him too. Over the years they became the best of friends.


Zara loved to watch the two of them play together. They made such a pair. She admired Ojas. She could never understand why a young person in his late twenties who could spend his time doing so much in life would decide to babysit her kid and help her around the house. She could never thank him enough ever. She knew that she was indebted to him for life. Her child would not have had such a happy childhood all these years if it were not for him. 


Aryan


“Zara, if you don’t mind can I talk to you for a little bit?” asked Ojas before he could leave for the day.


“Yeah sure, sit for a little while I’ll get some tea,” she said and went into the kitchen with Aryan tugging along.


Ojas could no longer hold back his feelings. He had liked her for a very long time now. And he knew that she knew it. But there never seemed to be an opportune moment to say it. The early years were, of course, a big no because clearly she was in mourning for her late husband. And then when Aryan was a toddler, her attention fully shifted to him. She had stopped being gloomy but had begun to be more responsible and strangely more reserved. And then in the past few years, it was work pressure as both of them were moving up the ladder in their respective positions. So it seemed like it was never the right time. He had just continued like this for years with a dormant love that could say nothing in words but went to the moon and back in action. But today he had mustered up all the courage and was going to use his words.


“Is it important, should I put on the tv for Aryan?” she asked. She always dreaded that he would confess his love for her. But somehow she kept hoping that he would find someone and settle down. But that had not happened.


“Yeah, it would be good, so that we could talk freely,” he replied.


There it is she thought, he is probably going to say it. Over the years she had become a stronger and wiser person and had developed a coping mechanism to deal with the grief of her husband’s death.


Zara placed the cup of tea on the small dining table and went and gave Aryan a fruit cake snack and got him settled on the couch watching tv. Ojas looked nervous and she was already thinking of what she would say to him. She went and sat across from him at the table.


“Zara, I know that you already know how much I care about you. I have never been able to tell you this all these years” he said and reached out for her hand and holding it in his he said “I love you and I want to be with you. I don't know if you are ready to start a new life” he continued in a nervous tone, “I don't know anything really about how you feel, but I want to make you feel loved and be with you for the rest of my life” he said looking into her eyes which were beginning to well up.


Zara was fighting back her tears without much success and she could barely manage to say a word.


“You know Ojas,” Zara finally said in a cracked voice, “I knew what you were going to say, and frankly I have known it for a while,” she said continuing to hold his hand, “I care about you. I really do. What you have done for me, no one could even imagine doing for someone. You have practically pulled me out of depression by taking care of my baby so well. I can never pay you back in my lifetime.”


“What are you saying Zara?, I have always told you that I have done it as a friend and no payback is ever necessary. I have grown so much just being with Aryan and caring for him. And I want to be with both of you for the rest of my life” he replied, now holding on to both her hands in his.


Zara could not hold back anymore and with tears rolling down both her cheeks she managed to speak in breaking voice. 


“Purohit is still alive in my heart you know,” she said wiping her tears and trying to calm down. “His memory continues to break me, make me, give me sorrow, give me joy, push me down at times and at times pull me up, it tugs at me in the most irreverent of situations and makes me smile at the most ridiculous things and makes me happy at awfully small things and breaks my heart at even smaller things. And that is what has held me together” she said trying to be gentle in her voice and at the same time sounding serious. “It will not be fair for me to commit to anyone when I am not ready to let go of his memories. I may not have been the nicest person because of my hard outer shell of a person, but that is my coping mechanism with my grief and that should be allowed for me.”


Ojas was listening carefully. All that he had feared was happening. But he was confident that what he felt was not a flimsy attraction and that love this strong deserved a chance. And he was not going to give up easily because it was obvious for Zara to continue grieving, but she did not need to be alone all her life. He wanted to show her that.


Suddenly there was a noise from the living room like a loud thud. Both of them rushed and Aryan was on the floor rolling. He seemed like he was choking on something, probably on something from the snack. His eyes were rolling upwards and he was finding it difficult to breathe. 


Zara was hitting hard on his back trying to dislodge the particle with tears rolling down her eyes as cried and yelled his name out loud. It was already a couple of minutes and it seemed like Aryan was giving up. Ojas decided to drive them to the hospital. He lifted him with both his hands and they rushed to the car. Zara was still trying to rub his back but he kept choking and giving upholding his body.


They were rushed into the emergency and they had to take him in for emergency surgery. They were in such a great panic that they could hardly understand what was going on. Ojas managed to make calls to Zara’s parents and Purohit’s parents and his parents as well. They were all going to leave for the hospital. The operation went on for hours as the family waited outside and cried and prayed and told each other that all will be okay.


The operation lasted for almost four hours and the particle could be removed but Aryan’s heart had exhausted and he was plugged on to a ventilator that was temporarily doing the breathing for him.


Good Things Come To Those Who Wait


It had been a week since the operation. They had still not come to terms with it. He gained consciousness and was able to talk now via a speaking valve attached to the ventilator tubes but his heart had not been able to come up to speed. The doctors were now looking for a heart transplant and had predicted a couple of weeks for him to live unless he got a donor.


Ojas came with some of his books to read to him so that Zara could get a little bit of rest.


“Hey young man, I hear that you’ve been a real champ,” Ojas said hugging Aryan.


“Did you miss me, Uncle O.?” Aryan asked sounding hoarse as the voice came through the speaking valve.


“I missed you so much sweetheart,” Ojas said holding back his tears.


“Uncle, can you promise me something?” he asked.


“Yes, my dear, what is it?” Ojas was still holding back his tears looking at the boy whom he had loved as much as his mother. He had dreamed of a life together with the two of them for a long time. But to never be able to have that life was like the hope of life being sucked out of himself.


“Can you promise to take care of my mom? Ask her to marry you, please!” he said as Zara and Ojas exchanged looks of shock and bewilderment and surprise all at the same time.


“Aryan darling, please get some rest now,” Zara said trying to salvage the situation.

He did not care for her words and went on.


“She likes you too I think. I know you love her.” his voice was softer this time as he coughed too and just went on.


“I don’t have much time mom. You have time” he said being unbelievably precocious and closed his eyes to rest.


Both of them were in tears. Neither knew what to say or how to react to this. All they knew was that Aryan could not give up on them. They were just not ready.


The awkward silence was interrupted by Ojas’ words.


“I guess you should get some rest,” he said not meeting her eyes as the tension from what had happened earlier was with his confession and her denial was still looming over them.


They were interrupted by a call that informed them about a donor's heart. Things were picking up pace. The operation was going to be scheduled for later that day for the transplant. He was already being prepped for the surgery. It was going to be a long one this time. They waited for hours and hours and finally they could see the doctor coming out to brief them.


“It was a success. He will be fine. We have to give him some time to rest” said the doctor continuing to explain all that could have to be done further. There were tears and hugs among them. They were all just so exhausted that they just sat there waiting for a chance to see their boy. As they sat there waiting Zara went and sat beside Ojas and held on to his hand.


“Ojas, I have to say something,” she said. She did not know what was exactly happening to her at that moment. She was an emotional mess. But at the same time, Aryans' words were just ringing loud in her ears - ‘I don’t have much time mom. You have time.’ She had to say what she felt most truly in her heart at that moment.


“When I lost Purohit, something inside me died that day. But when I almost lost Aryan today something inside me has come to life. I never want to lose another person again. You said that you loved me and I know that you love Aryan. I have always just kept on asking and asking for your help. And I want to ask you again for something. Will you give it to me?" she said looking at him with yet some tears rolling down her cheek.


“You name it Zara,” he said wiping her tears.


“Will you marry me, Ojas?” she said falling into his arms for the first time in years and feeling the warmth that had always waited to comfort her.  


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