Jigsaw Puzzle : Part 3
Story By Thiyam Ningol, Africa

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Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Helen heard the door being open and Martin walking outside restlessly. She did not envy policeman's life from the beginning. After seeing Martin torturing himself late at nights, she swore to herself she would not allow her children to become policemen.

She corrected herself "if at all we would have any children". She wanted to give Martin enough time to finish with his sensitive government papers and slowly she would win him, would make him one of the luckiest husbands. She controlled her own desire, with difficulty.

Mercy had enquired several times from Helen whether everything was ok. Helen lied. She respected her mother in law very much.

Seeing the unhealthy situation, Mercy thought it would be wise to leave the newly married couple for few days alone. She accepted the invitation from her friend to assist her in arranging the marriage ceremony of her son in another region. They would be gone for about a week.

First she discussed about it with her daughter in law. She would be the one to take care of the household duties in her absence. She waited before telling to Martin.

It was about 10 in the late evening. Mercy had already gone to sleep. Helen casually mentioned to Martin about their discussion with her mother in law. Martin reacted wildly.

-Why did she tell you, why not to me?

Helen regretted. She requested Martin to leave the discussion till the next day morning. She went to sleep leaving Martin alone with his sensitive government papers even though she noticed that Martin had not yet opened the metallic box on that day.

After some time, the sound coming from Mercy's room woke her up. She was wide awake. She tried to listen. They were arguing about something. Martin was talking loud with angry voices. Mercy was pleading about something.

Helen was in a dilemma-whether to go and ask if any help needed or pretend to be sleeping. She toiled for few minutes in bed. At the end, she got enough disturbance and decided to get up and knock Mercy's door. Martin heard the knock and shouted back to her; ordered her to go and sleep. Her mother in law did not say anything. She came back to her room and jumped to the bed and ignored the disturbance.

After Helen interrupted, Mercy thought Martin would go out and close the chapter there for that day. But Martin continued demanding an explanation why she wanted to go away from him. Martin did not buy the story of helping in the arrangement of her friend's son's marriage.

Mercy made a mistake. Out of anger she asked Martin what right he had to refuse her from going anywhere she liked. That angered Martin further. The devilish nature of Martin came out in the open. He caught hold of his mother by the shoulder and shook her vigorously "You are mine, mine only".

Mercy was dumbfounded by her son's behaviour. She tried to free herself. But in comparison to the devil, her strength was negligible. Mercy could not utter a word. Tears started flowing like a rivulet. The frightened look on her face scared the devil himself.

He made her sit on the bed, cupped her face by the chin and grinned at her
-You see mother! You are the most beautiful thing I have. Since my childhood I have done nothing but admiring you. I will not tolerate anybody taking you away from me. You are mine. I have always been with you. I know you very well. I like every part of your body. You belong to me. You forced me to marry Helen. But I have not touched her. If she wants, let her go away. I want to be with you only. Today we will get married, ok mother? Go and wear your marriage gown, the one you kept it all these years. Come on, let me help you…… Stand up! I say stand up. Don't make me angry. Today I am going to be a very happy man.

Mercy then realized where she went wrong. When Martin was still young, she used to change her cloths in front of him without bother. On several occasions she had noticed Martin's eyes fixed on her body. To her, Martin was always a small boy, mummy's baby.

She had kept him very close to her. She was overprotective of him. He was the only relative left on this earth for her. She was afraid of loosing him.

Now it was too late. She realized; she had made her son a maniac. The irreversible damage has been done. Her days were over. She had made up her mind.

She stood up as demanded by her son, pulled out the gown from the cupboard, and wore it like in dreams. She stopped protesting. Surrendered completely. The last moments of her life, she wanted to end it quickly.

They got married quietly. Whatever she was told to do, she obeyed.

She waited for him to leave the room. The night was never ending. She had not closed her eyes for a wink even. Silently she prayed. Asked God to forgive her for the sin she had committed; requested her husband to give her few more minutes before she joined him eternally. She was afraid of moving. She might wake Martin up and no one could predict what step again he might take. She was lying still and stiff, praying.

Slowly the night was approaching to an end. The roosters started roosting, chirping of early birds started. Her prayers have been heard. She continued praying. When she turned to change her position on the bed, Martin felt the movement and woke up with a jolt. He looked in his watch and saw the time. Without a word he wore his cloths and dashed out of the room.

To be continued...