The Unpredictable Twins

Bina was ecstatic when the Lady Doctor told her that she had given birth to Twins. The first one was a girl, the second was a boy. Both looked healthy . It did not worry Bina that two babies would be difficult to manage. She loved children, and she felt that it was a great blessing that God had gifted her, not one baby, but two. She was overwhelmed with gratitude to the Almighty.

The children grew up to be very sweet and adorable. They kept each other company and entertained, so Bina did not feel the strain. She enjoyed having them before her eyes and watched their endearing ways. This gave her immense satisfaction . The Twins loved their Mother, and every now and then, they would run back from their play, and come and hug her. Bina felt that there was no happiness in this world greater than that!

One could not imagine then, that as the twins grew up into adulthood, things would change. Though both the children had been brought up in the same way, and had the same parents, they both turned out to be of diametrical opposite in behavior, and nature.

 Bina had named them Tina and Tim. The boy was obedient, thoughtful, and flexible. He doted on his mother and did whatever he could to make her happy. In looks, he had taken after his Father Somesh, tall and handsome, with a bunch of wavy, ebony hair outlining his boyish face. His voice was also like his father’s, deep and rich, so it was difficult to make out who was speaking. Perhaps because of his similarity to his father, that out of the twins, Tim had become his Mum’s favorite. As this was quite apparent, Tina being a sensitive girl, suffered emotionally, and started rejecting her Mother, and developed psychological problems. Tim grew up to be like a normal student. .He put his mind to his studies and made his parents proud. He was a good sportsman. Further, he was the recipient for many awards, both for his performance academically as well as in extra-curricular activities. The result was that the parents were always full of praises for their son, and even let everyone know around them, what a gem of a boy he was! This had a detrimental effect on Tina. She developed an inferiority complex, which made her more difficult to deal with Tina went on gorging food, as that was the only satisfaction for her. Gradually she became so obese that she found it difficult to do even her personal work. Her mother advised her not to eat too many sweets. But she was defiant and rebellious, and just because the advice came from her mother, she did the opposite. In no time, she had put on so much weight that she looked positively ugly. Her mother then told her to go for walks. This advice was also rejected and Tina spent the entire day relaxing on her bed, which made matters worse. She was depressed and as she did not feel well, she lost her cheerfulness. No one liked talking to her, as she had become a difficult person. Bina tried to get her daughter married but the candidates turned her down, as she had become too obese. She became the subject of criticism, and more she was criticized , the more recalcitrant she became.

    

At the age of twenty-four, Tim had already fallen in-love, and had got married to a lovely girl. But once he got married, for him his wife was his world, and the parents who had brought him up with so much love, and sacrifices, were forgotten. But unfortunately, at that time, his father became very sick and the Doctor said that both his kidneys were not functioning. He had to have a kidney transplant. If the donor was from the same family, the chances of rejection would be less. As a person could function very well with only one kidney, Tim’s mother approached him on behalf of his father. But Tim’s wife, Elina said she would not like her husband to be a disabled person, with only one kidney, Tim should refuse to donate his kidney. So the doting husband, curtly informed his mother that he was sorry that he could not oblige.

 Somesh looked very disappointed, and dejected. He did not expect this cold rebuff from his son but Bina knew that all her hopes in her son had been washed away for ever, for such was human nature! Her son knew that his father had only two-three months to live, because without a kidney, his life must end--- Even so, he had refused! She offered to give her own kidney, but in the Doctor’s opinion, the risk of rejection would be greater. As it was, Somesh had other co-morbidities which made him very vulnerable. Bina was in a real fix. Now she realized that in this world one could never count on anyone as one’s own. Disillusioned, she spent her time crying, as it seemed she was helpless, and her husband’s life must end.

    

One day as she sat with her husband’s hand in hers, gently stroking them, knowing that he would not be there for much longer; she heard foot- steps behind her. As she turned around, she saw her daughter Tina. In a very diffident tone she was saying that Tina would not let her Papa die, but would happily give him her kidney. Bina was astounded. After Tim’s refusal, it had not occurred to her that Tina could also be asked to be a donor for her father. She had completely lost faith in humanity. Bina, overwhelmed, stretched out her hand, and pulled Tina into her arms, saying, “Tina, you are indeed our flesh and blood, you only deserve to be called our child”.

    

The episode ends with Tina coming back from the hospital with only one kidney, and a slim figure, but a happy and a changed person. At last she had met her parents’ approval, and had won their appreciation! A word of praise from her parents for her action meant everything for her. This is what she had been hankering for all her life, and the lack of it had turned her into a fossil. It was a vibrant and vivacious Tina, who in the likeness of a victorious warrior, coming back from the battlefield, helped her father alight from the ambulance, to guide him to their home. Bina, with tears in her eyes, pressed Tina to her heart.