The Dead Mother
- Part 4 -

By Dr. Konsam Suken Singh *

One month after Ton's marriage,....

It is a very bright chilly full moon night of December. It seems to Ton that the moon has never been so bright ever like tonight. Just to tease her admirers,..the moon is playing hide and seek now and then in between the dark silvery clouds which follow her (the moon) to wherever she goes. After the night's meal, the three happy members of the family are just enjoying the windy chills of the winter full moon night in their courtyard (sumang) under the NOBAB tree (which was planted by Ton's father once upon a time when Ton was a kid) with thick woolen clothes covering their whole bodies except for the ears to hear the stories of olden days which is narrated by Ton's mother with her weak voice. She continues telling the stories of her olden days,..the stories of Ton's childhood,..the stories of Ton's father,..the stories of life...and Ton and his wife play concrete silent listeners to their dear mom with discreet enthusiasm to encourage her to her story telling. Finally, concluding her long told stories in one sentence,

Mom – " That is all...dears ! So, now that you are well settled with my lovely daughter-in-law, I don't have any more wish (s) nor any unfulfilled dream (s) to be accomplished as I promised to your dad when he left u to me before he had left this beautiful world for his heavenly abode. I don't even mind to die and leave you now my son because I know ....now, I can rest in peace in heaven even I die also after seeing you getting settled like this. Don't mind my dear when I say like this,...this is all about our mortal life,..no one is immortal. Remember, we came to go..so please don't feel bad son if I leave you now (today) ok !! "

With these, a solitary big drop of tear rolls down from his mother's left eye. Ton hugs his mom warmly and rubs off the big drop of tear from her eyes with his finger and whispers to her softly,

Ton – " What happens to you mom,..what makes you to speak like this way today !! You can't simply leave me just like that,..you know that..!! "

Before he can finish his words, suddenly 'a big drop of water' falls on his head from one of the leaves of the NOBAB tree under which they are sitting in their courtyard.

Ton – " Oh,..is it raining or what !! How come this drop of water on my head so suddenly when the sky is all clear !! Oh, may be....a dew drop !! "

Ton's mother simply gives a big smile as if she knows who sent or dropped the drop of water on Ton's head but didn't utter a single word.

Mother – " Ok dears, its time to go to bed. Hope you don't mind biding me goodbye now..."

Ton – " Oh common mom,...its gud nite...( not goodbye ??? )"

Mother (with a silent smile as if she means something else) – "Oh yes, dear ..I mean ...gud nite."



Authors' Note:
" We often come across and read about many 'science fictions' which blends science with human beings and thereby reproducing an imaginable possibility to the human lives. This short story is not a science fiction in its real sense but a sort of something in that line - a 'spiritual fiction', which connects the Spirits of our Souls and our human lives. It is just an imaginary theme from the thoughts of the writer, nothing more than that."

To be continued...