Our New Normal

Part 10: Honor

As they get up to Kapoor's room, Max enters to find him laying there looking beat. The poor man has been through so much and it worries Max that this could be it for his wise friend.

"Hey, Buddy. How are you feeling?" He says quietly as he goes to the side of Kapoor's bed.

"Max...could...could you do something for...me?"

"Yes, of course, Vijay. Whatever you need." He looks at his friend and Vijay takes his hand.

"Can you please...arrange for me to go home."

"Vi...Vijay- you have to stay here so..."

"I'm dying, Max."

"No, Vijay don't say that." He says and Helen's face elongates.

"I am. I know I am and I have accepted it. But I need you to do these things for me..."

"Vijay- stop- you are not going to die. You're not." Max insists again.

"Helen...I gave you my instructions."

"Yes...you did."

"If Max is unwilling...will you take over." Vijay tiredly says.

"I'm not unwilling, I just know that it's not your time." Max says forcefully.

"Max..." Helen touches his shoulder and he turns quickly to remove her from him.

"No, Helen- Vijay, when the time comes we will do everything we can for you- but you are not dying today or any time soon. You have a grand baby on the way and..."

"I would like to go home, Max. It is custom to pass in my own bed..."

"Why are you not listening to me- you..."

"No, Max! You're not listening." Helen commandingly says and goes to the other side of the bed to face Max and hold Vijay's hand. "Vijay is asking for you to uphold his wishes and as his friend you should accept that. He is bringing this up now because he wants everything to go according to his customs and traditions. Now you can either accept, listen and respect what he is asking you to do or I will do it regardless of your personal feelings on the matter of his passing."

"You're talking like he's not here. Like he has no chance to get better. It has barley been a day."

"When you know- you know- Max. He believes in reincarnation. He isn't scared of death- he's welcoming it and is ready to start a new. Can you or can you not accept that?" She boldly asks and he stares at her and then at a very sickly looking Vijay.  He doesn't want to accept that his friend is dying. That the heart they got is already failing him.

"Max...I know you don't want...to experience any more loss...but Helen is right. Please...let me go home." He asks as he takes hold of Max's hand- his frail, weak hands gingerly holding onto his friends.

"Okay...okay- Vijay. We'll get you home." He says sadly, a few tears misting in his eyes. Helen looks at Max and feels strained and worried that she just through a wrench in their machine of a relationship.

***

They sat there and listened to all his requests.

Cremation after a 24 hour morning at home.

No one is to wear Black- but instead white or colorful casual clothing. They may bring fruit or flowers to the family in mounting. A mantra will be read by the oldest son- and if Rohan will not read it, then he asks that Max does so. After cremation, he wants his ashes spread at a significant body of water- which he chose the East River and no one is to touch the body while people mourn him.