Family Short Story – Mataji’s Doctors appointment
Photo Credit: www.cepolina.com
Mataji was doing her daily pooja, when she heard the baby crying. Half consumed with her love for lord Krishna and half consumed with pure rage with her not-so-dutiful daughter-in-law, she carried on with her arti halfheartedly.
Priya on the other hand was half consumed in her baby’s illness, and the other half consumed in pure fear of what will follow when Mataji is done with her arti. The baby is still shrieking and Priya is thinking “We must take her to the doctor today.”
“Mataji”, Priya said with a thali in her hand – morning prathas and raita were a ritual for Saturday morning breakfast, yet Mataji gave her a cold look and said not-so-politely “Humey bhuk nai hai”. Priya knew just what that meant – “you careless mother you can’t take care of a 3 months old baby, what good are you?” The unspoken words hurt her deep inside, yet she smiled and said I’m keeping it on the table you can have it when you feel like it.
Priya was worried about Mataji with her constant stomach aches and body pain, she kept asking her to visit the doctor but Mataji didn’t give it a second thought – “hum goli kha lengey tum chinta maat kroo” she said.
Every time she failed in the eyes of Maataji, Priya felt physically weak, she felt a part of her failed again. She came to her room and asked Sameer “can we go to the paediatrician today?”
“Sure”, said Sameer “We should get the baby checked, her stomach is bothering her for quite some time and I know you have had some sleepless nights because of that.” Oh the acknowledgement made her feel so special – not-so-rested but nevertheless special!
“Can we take Mataji with us?” asked Priya,
“Why”, Sameer was oblivious to her concerns.
“Well, she hasn’t been keeping well off lately, before Papaji went for his training in Gurdaspur, she told me that one night she screamed with pain when his elbow brushed her abdomen. I’m not sure what to make of it? Our paediatrician shares his office with his wife who’s a gynaecologist, do you think we can ask her to take a look at Mataji’s condition?”
“We can ask the doctor all right, but who’s going to ask Mataji?” Asked Sameer, it was a rhetorical question because Sameer was well aware no matter how much Priya cares for Mataji she’s not going to bell the cat!
“Maa can you get ready please we are taking the baby for a checkup we want you to come along, perhaps you can also get yourself checked by his wife,” said Sameer, upon hearing him Mataji took her quilt and covered her face with it , it was her answer – a clear NO, no confrontations, no explanations, no discussions – just NO!
But Sameer wasn’t going to back down, not because he cared so much, not because he perceived the gravity of the situation but because he loved his wife and he knew it was important to her. Also a part of him thought that the one hour drive to the docs clinic might be a good time to coax his mother, to mend the bridge between two women who love each other, but are either too afraid or to egotistical to show it.
But Mataji was inconceivable, Sameer tried every trick he knew form logic’s to emotional blackmail – nothing worked, she said in her grim voice “humey kya hua hai, hum kyu jaye doctor key pass, tum log jao.”
All this while Priya is standing at the edge of her bed listening to mother and son arguing back and forth about why or why not it’s a good plan to visit the doc.
At last Priya gathered the courage to say something in her meek voice she said – “agar aap nai jayengey to fir hum parrii ko bhi nahi ley jayengey” she knew which nerve to press, Mataji may not care for her own well being but she definitely would go for her granddaughters sake, the debate prolonged for another hour but at last Mataji gave in.
Throughout the one hour ride Mataji barely spoke two words – that was her gesture to indicate “you forced me to come now bask in the glory of my silent treatment”. But Priya didn’t mind she actually preferred the silence and Sameer was too busy driving to worry about his mothers mood swings, finally they reached the doc after a quick checkup up for the baby, where Mataji thoroughly shared a number of reason why the baby is looking not-so-healthy they went through the other door and met Dr. Sunita, Priya was in command now, without anyone asking her to take charge she started talking.
“Doc saab, we are here for Mataji she isn’t doing too well off lately. I am worried because she has had fever on and off for past two weeks and since past few months she has this pain in her lower abdomen even the slightest touch makes her gasp, can you take a look please.”
Dr. Sunita took Mataji inside after a through checkup she asked Priya to take Mataji and the baby outside. “I want to talk to your husband alone” – said Dr. Sunita. Priya got worried and also a bit disappointed because she thought she was in command, why won’t the doc talk to her. She blamed the country for being a sexist one where every major news and decision had to come through the male member first.
Yet as always she did as she was told, When Sameer came out he looked flushed, Priya knew he knew something, something big but how could she ask him with Mataji there, her mother-in-law was in her fifties but she was as sharp as her, may be even more.
Sameer came close to the two anxious women and said, doc has asked us to get some tests done we may be out for some time Mataji why don’t you freshen up before we leave.
Just when Mataji moved towards the restroom Sameer quickly blurted out – “Mataji has cancer Priya”, the words came right out without any apprehension or hesitation, it was as if he was expecting this – but the truth was he wasn’t he had no idea about his mother’s health the only way to deliver this news was to rip the Band-Aid off as fast and as brutally as possible.
The words were agonising and Sameer felt he deserved the pain they caused. He deserved it for not caring about her enough, for somehow the symptoms till her cancer was supposedly in its 4th stage. “Doc is certain that this is cancer, ovarian cancer to be precise but, to confirm she has written some tests, don’t say anything to Mataji please” he said
Sameer kept talking without realising Priya had busted into tears she was shocked beyond belief, she knew something was wrong but not-this-wrong. Sameer pulled her close wiped her face with his palms and said “Priya I need you now more than ever you need to pull yourself together, we have to get this done and if you fall I fall, she can’t know Priya, she can’t, not before we get the tests done not before Papaji comes back from his training I don’t know how to take care of her – hell I don’t know how to take care of myself right now, you need to be strong now for Mataji s sake.”
Priya knew he was right, she knew he was broken inside and she had to step up, Mataji came and they sat in the car driving towards the lab to get the tests done, the baby was sleeping in Priyas lap and she was looking at Mataji in the back view mirror, tears rolling down her cheek, she knew no matter how estranged their relationship was Mataji was the pillar holding her family together the thought of losing made her feel weak, she kept looking at her and thinking “I should have done something earlier.”
At the same time Sameer is looking at his wife in the front seat of the car with one hand on the steering wheel he put his other hand on hers and tried to calm her down. All this while, Mataji sitting at the back seat was thinking – oh these kids they have no shame holding hands in the car in front of their mother, they have no respect or regard for their elders, LITTLE DID SHE KNOW!
–END–
