Destiny : Part 3
Story By Thiyam Ningol, Africa

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James felt guilty of the times they lost. Actually he had never given his son the chance to know his father well. He had only been ordering his commands and demanding the execution of it from the wife. He had never confronted or praised the children directly.

He had been a strict and conservative father. He was never friendly with his children.

Martha noticed the changed atmosphere between the father and son when they came back. She prayed the same atmosphere to last forever.

For some weeks, Charles was trying to behave as his father requested. But slowly, he drifted to his old self again. James did not bother to interfere again. He realized it was too late.

While James was busy dealing with Charles affairs, he had completely ignored Mary's existence. She passed her A- level with flying colours. She joined University, doing engineering as she always wanted. Charles had not graduated yet as he had to repeat one year.

Hardly one year was left to James retirement from job.

Charles did not manage to get a permanent job. He was working as locum in different places. Mary graduated in time and got a job immediately. She was working as a junior engineer in a renowned construction company.

Once in a while she bought her father some presents and jokingly asked whether he knew that she was earning.

Few days before James retired; Charles informed his parents about his intention of going away from home and starting his own life with his friend. They neither objected nor showed any enthusiasm to the news. Silently Charles walked out.

After retirement one day, James decided to go and have a look at the construction site where his daughter was supervising. He didn't even recognize her. She waved at him and called out, and then only he knew it was his daughter. Suddenly he felt dizzy. Mary was supervising the workers on the 7th floor. She was wearing a helmet, the jacket with the fluorescent lines and a pair of gum boot. One worker saw James and told Mary about his presence. Mary peeped down from the 7th floor to greet her father. James was standing on the ground, looked up at the direction of the sound of his daughter and saw the face of Mary. He felt Mary falling on him. Felt dizzy and sat down on the floor.

Seeing him falling, Mary came down to help him. James recovered and felt little ashamed. He excused himself from the scene and went home straight.

When Martha came back after work, he told her what happened at the construction site. 'Martha! Things are going on the opposite direction. Our boy is behaving like a girl and our daughter is doing man's job. May be as soon as you retire, we should go back and settle quietly in the village. All my dreams are shattered."

Martha understood her husband. She did not like to disturb him more. She would have wanted to know more about the provoking factor for coming to that decision. But she knew whatever the factor was, it was not a pleasant factor.

Mary was late to come back home on that day. Martha waited eagerly for her to come back. It was already late evening, she had not come back. She was worried but could not say anything to her husband. James had decided to wait and watch his destiny. All his efforts were turning against his wishes.

Mary came in a taxi, very unusual for her. She looked pale and worried. She went straight to her bedroom. Martha followed her. "I know your father shouldn't have gone there and embarrass you like that. Just that he is very frustrated with Charles, so he is behaving abnormally, oversensitive. He will be O.K after some time. Just give him some time."

Mary did not speak much. She requested her mother to bring her food to her bedroom.

The next day Martha did not see any sign of Mary preparing to go for work. James had ordered Martha not to bother about their children. "They are grown up; let them do whatever they like". But Martha felt reluctant to leave without seeing Mary. She glanced at Mary by opening her door without knocking. She was surprised to see her daughter still on bed.

She rushed to her and checked whether she had any fever.

Mary let out a wry smile. "I am not sick, it's my baby. Yesterday I was running down the stairs from the 7th floor to see daddy. Later I felt abdominal cramps. So I passed to see my doctor that is why yesterday I was late to come home. Now I am fine. I just need to rest a bit.

Martha did not even listen to Mary's last words. She ran out of the room shouting with excitement.

James got annoyed. He found his wife hysterically calling out his name and jumping, dancing like a little girl. She hugged him and continued wriggling and babbling words. James could not understand her at all. He had to shake her and forced her to stop.

She kissed him and congratulated him "you are going to be a grandpa" After blurting out the words she ran back to Mary again. Mary heard her mother's hysteric laughter. When she came in, Mary was smiling. Martha could not control herself. She kissed her daughter frantically again and again.

There was a persistent knock on Mary's door. The person did not wait for an answer. James ushered himself in Mary's room with a broad smile and sparkling eyes.
"Mary, I am sorry about yesterday. But today I am very happy. God bless you my child".
The sparkling eyes became wet, his voice muffled, he could not say any more words.
Mary stretched out hands to her father. James hugged his daughter and cried.
Mary broke the emotional moment "Don't you people like to know who the father of my child is"
James and Martha looked at each other and spoke in unison "our son-in-law".

Concluded...