Family Short Story – Not Always you get a second chance
© Anand Vishnu Prakash, YourStoryClub.com
Doctor came out of the ICU and informed that despite of all efforts the internal bleeding has not stopped. There is no hope of her survival she only has few hours, if we want we can meet her. Hearing that Radhika rushed inside the ICU, Her eyes we swollen almost double to their original size. She hadn’t slept since Mona our daughter had fallen from the roof of our residence.
When she came out Neha started scolding her “Are you happy now, She will die , the sin of your life is going away forever now, she will never trouble you or your child ever again ” Neha busted into tears.
Radhika fell on her feet “Please, Please forgive me, God will punish me for this please didi forgive me ” Neha pushed Radhika away and rushed inside the ICU.
Me and my sister Neha left for home while Radhika stayed back in hospital. Mona is my first child from my first wife Megha. Megha died soon after Mona’s birth leaving me alone with the responsibility of a new born. That time I was living in Dehradun while my family lived in Delhi. My mother was too old and ill to take care of an infant so Neha moved to my place to take care of the little one. I must admit Neha gave her all the love and care her mother would have given her. Two years later where Neha’s marriage was fixed my parents forced me to get married again.
After 7 days of Nehas marriage I got married with Radhika. She was a widow as well and faced a hard time in her past life. She even had to terminate her two months pregnancy under the pressure of her parents as they believed it would be difficult for her to get married again if she has a baby.
Well everything went ok after that. Radhika and Mona accepted each other. They never had a special bond of mother daughter but were comfortable with each other. Most of the time Mona use to stay at Neha’s place. Despite of Neha herself had become a mother she still loved Mona more than her Son Nishant.
It was Mona 4th birthday. We had never celebrated it before but as she was in school now she insisted to celebrate it. That time Radhika was three months pregnant. Mona asked Radhika Mom what will you give me on birth day. Radhika smiled and said I will bring a little brother for you after some time.” I don’t want a little brother he will fight with me like Nishant does. I only want a Barbie doll” Mona replied in rage and pushed Radhika. Radhika fell from the stool she was standing on. She had to lose her unborn baby second time in her life.
Although Radhika had never loved Mona but after that incident she started believing that Mona is a sinister. She went under depression. Day by day her mental condition was getting worse and so as her relationship with Mona. Now she had started hating her. She had developed a misconception in her mind that in Mona’s presence she will never be able to conceive again.
After Consulting with Doctor we decided to send her to Neha. Neha’s husband was very supportive and he agreed with our decision. I was relaxed as Mona was been taken care of and Rahika was also recovering.
An year later Radhika gave birth to our daughter Mehak and things were normal until five months later Mona came to live with us in her summer vacations. Mona was very happy to have a little one to play with. One day was sleeping near Mehak. Phone bell rang and she rushed to pick the phone her feet entangled in Mehak’s Dress and she fell down on floor. She was hurt badly and had 5 stitches on her forehead. After that day Mona was never allowed to visit our house if Mehak is there. If Mona would come Radhika would take Mehak to her mother’s place. Both sisters seldom met again in last 6 years. Meanwhile I was also transferred to Delhi and we shifted to our ancestor house in old. Mona was of 12 now and she understood the condition well she never insisted to visit our place.
Last week Neha had to go out of town in an emergency there was no option for her other than leaving Mona at our place. Radhika could not go to her mother’s place on such short notice so after 6 years both sisters got a chance to stay together. In the cozy afternoon of winter Mehak was playing on the roof of our three story house with her mother. Some maintenance work was going on in the neighborhood. The parapet of our roof was also broken to raise scaffolding. Mona went upstairs to call Radhika that some neighbor has come to see her. Radhika asked Mona to stay upstairs and look after Mehak but also warned her to stay away from her.
I was standing on the other side of street watching the masons doing their work and sipping my cup of tea. “Papa She will fell down, help us, somebody please help up” yelled Mona. I raised my eyes and saw Mehak in leaning over the parapet to pick up her doll which has fallen on scaffolding raised in the adjoining house for repair work. In a flash Radhika was upstairs. She saw Mona is holding the hand of Mehak. Radika snatched Mehak’s hand from Mona’s hand picked her up and embraced her, she pushed Mona away and yelled “You Sinister stay away from my daughter” In her rage she couldn’t saw the Mona was near the broken edge of the parapet. Next moment Mona was on the floor in front of me bleeding profusely.
It’s been 6 hrs Me and Neha had came back from Hospital. Not even a drop of water had gone down our throats. The phone rang on other side was the receptionist of the Hospital. She was no more. We went to the hospital. Radhika was sitting next to the body of Mona holding her hand. She was continuously uttering “Please come back, Please give me a second chance. I will be a good Mother Please come back my child please come back“
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