Angel’s Super-Dad

It is that day of the year today. The day that has always been the most important one in Ashok's life. It’s his elder one's, his “Angel” Pari's birthday.

He loves both his daughters, Pari and Parul, unconditionally. But Pari holds a special place in his heart. From the day when she was born and he held her for the first time in his hands, like a child carefully holding a candy floss, till her twenty-first birthday, no one ever was more excited about this day than him. Not even the birthday girl.

That birthday girl is twenty-seven today!

But somehow, that feeling of excitement is missing today, just the way it has been missing for past six years. Actually, last time he was that excited was on Pari's wedding, which was also the last time he was actually happy. The moment she left for her husband's home, a lot more left with her - smile left his face, glow left his eyes, and joy left his life.

And how can he be happy, knowing that Pari is feeling miserable? That too when he finds himself guilty for her misery. This guilt feeling is making his feet heavier with every step he takes towards her house today.

It's still so fresh in his memories how it all started six and a half years ago-

“Dad, Mom, I have a big news for you!” Parul announced in her usual, cheerful style while entering the house. She continued, “Pankaj's grandmother is coming this Sunday, and she wants to meet you!”

Pankaj was Parul's boyfriend. A handsome looking boy, at a good position in Parul's office, and belonging to a good family, he had all the merits of an ideal Indian son-in-law. Ashok, and his wife Pratibha, had already approved him, and Pankaj's parents also liked Parul. Both the families were eager to convert this into a relationship. It was only Pankaj's grandmother, Nirmala Devi, who had to meet Parul and her family, before giving her consent.

"That's wonderful Parul,” said Pari, in her usual, calm voice. She continued like a caring elder sister, “I will get you ready for the day. I will do your makeup, and you are going to wear the best suit I've designed so far.”

Unlike Parul, Pari hadn't joined any job after graduation. Rather, she took vocational dress designing courses, and had plans to start her own business.

“Wow! You mean that red one?” asked Parul, excitedly.

Pari nodded with a smile, and Parul gave her a tight hug.

The big day came. Pankaj's grandmother and parents visited them. Both the families spent a great time together, and they left with an assurance to call back in the night. The parents were waiting almost by the phone, when at 9:00 pm it rang. Ashok answered it, as Parul and Pari watched him from the bedroom door. In next few seconds, they noticed Ashok's facial expressions changing from happy to serious.

When the call ended, all of them surrounded Ashok with an obvious question on their faces–

“Is something wrong?”

“Nirmala ji liked Parul and our family. The only challenge is she wants this wedding to be done in next six months,” said Ashok. “She is suffering from terminal cancer and doctors have given her maximum a year. Pankaj being her only grandchild, she wants to see him getting married before anything terrible happens.”

“Six months!” exclaimed Pratibha, “but how can that be done? We have to find a suitable match for Pari first. After all she is the elder one.”

“Do you think that didn't strike me?” replied Ashok with a little frustration, “But we should consider their point also. After all they are going to be family.”

He exhaled a sigh, and declared, “I will contact newspapers for matrimonial ads, will create account on matrimonial websites, will talk to all my friends, I will start hunting for a suitable groom for Pari right away.”

But amidst all this discussion, there was someone who had a different opinion. Pari was thinking, “But what about my career plans, my business plans? Will anybody ask me if I am ready for marriage at this moment?”

With these questions, she went to bed, for a sleepless night.

Next morning, all three, except Pari, began the groom hunt. On the breakfast table, Ashok shared newspaper cuttings of matrimonial ads with her, Pratibha told her about someone who knows someone whose distant nephew is an eligible bachelor.

Pari, however, finished her breakfast silently, and left the table.

Ashok understood that there was something wrong with his angel. He followed her to her room, where he found her crying silently into her pillow.

“Pari, what happened my angel?” he asked placing his hand on her head.

At this, she burst into tears- “Papa, I know that I don't have any fancy degrees and I am not working for any MNC like Parul. But that doesn't mean that I don't have a career.”

“But this looks like the best solution angel.”

Pari countered, “There is another solution papa. Have you not thought of marrying Parul and Pankaj first, and let me establish myself?”

Ashok reasoned, “My child, it’s not well received if younger sister is married before elder sister.”

“But I have my future plans chalked out, and all I need is just two years to implement them.”

“Two years?” he gasped.

“Yes papa. I am getting a good response. I am confident that with my talent and my passion, I will be established in next two years. After two years, I will marry with whoever you want me to, whether my plans work out, or not.”

“Are you crazy?” said Pratibha, who had been listening to this from the door, “and what will the society say? People won't take a minute in assuming that there is something wrong with the elder daughter.”

“Which society are we talking about mom?” Pari asked, “Whenever I or Parul fell sick, it was you and papa who cared for us, not this so called society. When Parul had to go for costly education, was it papa who took the loan or society? Society is an invisible figure, which is the first one to turn its back on you when you are in need.”

The discussion continued, turned into an argument, and then to a silence in the family. For days, the atmosphere in the house was very tense. On the other hand, Pankaj's father was following up with Ashok.

That's when one day, when Ashok couldn't bear it anymore, he came to Pari's room. She was working on a suit's design at her desk. Ashok suddenly knelt before her with his hands folded and his eyes wet.

“Papa please, what are you doing?” exclaimed Pari, unsuccessfully trying to lift him.

Instead, tears began rolling down his cheeks.

In a heavy voice, he begged, “Angel, for the first and the last time, I am begging in front of you. Please save your family from a disgrace. Forgive your father for not being strong enough to stand up against this society.”

Pari had never seen her “Super-Dad” so weak and helpless.

With tears now rolling down her cheeks too, she said “Please don't cry papa. I will do whatever you want. Please tell the boy’s family that I am ready for marriage.”

Both wiped each other’s tears, and with mixed feelings of relief and sorrow, Ashok rushed to the phone. Then in just a matter of few days, Pari got engaged and married.

But that was the end of her career. The groom's affluent, but orthodox family was not in favor of the bride working outside, let alone running her independent business. They wanted Pari to be a housewife, and “enjoy” the amenities of the house.

Soon Parul’s wedding date also finalized, and Pari returned home for the first time to attend it. Ashok almost ran to the main gate to receive her. Pratibha was overjoyed seeing her clad in heavy jewelry and expensive sari, and almost proudly introduced her to Pankaj's relatives. The jealousy in the eyes of their neighbors and relatives was also clearly noticeable. But it was only Ashok, who could see the sorrow behind her smiling face.

When she went to her room, Ashok stole a moment from wedding preparations to talk to her.

“Pari, I can see something is wrong.”

“I’m fine. I’m just tired,” she replied, and went to sleep.

But he could sense that she had become silent. And silent is what she remained all along the wedding celebrations.

On her twenty second birthday, when Ashok visited her with usual excitement and happiness, he was welcomed with the same silence again. When he couldn't bear this anymore, he took her hand, placed it on his head, and asked her, “Swear on my head and tell me what’s wrong, and what can I do?”

Pari immediately burst into tears- “Papa, you could have done a lot, but you didn't. You didn't trust me for two years. And now I am living in this palatial house, which is nothing more than a golden cage for me.”

Ashok’s eyes welled up.

She continued, “I am a wealthy person's wife, a wealthy family's daughter-in-law, but I have no identity of my own. I see all my education getting wasted, and I am frustrated. Papa, just do me a favor now, and leave me alone with my destiny.”

Ashok returned home with a heavy heart.

Time went by fast, real fast. Calendars changed with years. Ashok's visits to Pari reduced from once in a few months to once a year, only on her birthdays. She is now a mother of two, a son and a daughter. And an obedient housewife of a caring husband. But, she is sad.

Today, on her twenty-seventh birthday, all this just went by Ashok's eyes like a flashback. Lost in these memories, he didn't even realize when he reached her door. With an anxious heart, he raises his hand to ring the doorbell. But before he could do that, a buzzer takes his attention away. He looks around, but couldn’t find it. It keeps ringing, so much that it has become annoying now.

He presses his hands against his ears to block the noise, but he can still hear it.

He shuts his eyes tightly.

And when he opens them, he finds himself on his bed.

He gets up with a jerk, and looks around. It’s his bedroom. He is in his house, and the 6:00 am alarm's buzzer is ringing. He dismisses the alarm, reaches for the water bottle kept on the bedside stool, and that’s when he sees Pari's photo on the cover page of the leading fashion magazine.

He wakes up to the realization that it was just a nightmare that he had.

He recollects his memories, and remembers how six years back he didn't give in to the so called society and stood by his angel. How he took that bold decision of marrying Parul first, and showing faith in Pari.

Pari, who actually turned twenty seven today, is a successful fashion designer, happily married to another fashion designer, and they both are running their joint business.

He gets up to get ready for her birthday.

But before that, he thanks God for waking him up, today, and that day six years back.