Hidden Hues Of Henna

Dil ka aalam (II)

"Mr. Rao,you need to convince your mother to eat somehow. I get that she is sorrowful but neglecting her health would get her no where." The Doctor told him tiredly."If she continues to deny,I would have to put her back on parenteral nutrition and then you can forget about taking her home."

The doctor did not waste another minute to hear him answer as he irrately left. He was not to blame afterall,he had tried his best to convince the patient despite it not being his job,only and only because it was the hospital trustee's mother.However,his tired patience had a limit.

Raghav sighed hard watching him go.

With another tired sigh,he turned to enter back into his mother's hospital suite.

She was silently sitting in the bed,her eyes fixed onto her lap as she remained lost in her thoughts. One could sense the misery oozing off of her but her face held no expression whatsoever.

"Amma..." Raghav gently approached her.

When she looked up,he had to hold himself from wincing at the raw torment in her eyes. In a matter of two days she looked as if she had aged half a decade more.

"Why aren't you eating Amma?" Raghav asked standing at the foot of her bed.

"I don't feel like eating." She replied monotonously before going back to stare down.

"But-but you have to eat Amma." Raghav begged." Please. For the sake of your god Amma,please. You have to-"

Before he could say more she cut him off.

"I want to go back home."

Upon her wish, Raghav was quick to nod.

"Okay Amma. I will talk to the doctor,see if he can watch over from my mansion. Righ-"

"Not your house." She cut off sternly."I want to go to my house."

Words stilled on Raghav's tongue and his entire body stiffened. Clearing his throat he tried to control his emotions before carefully choosing his next words.

"You cannot go there Amma. That house is no place for you."

"Why?" With a confused frown,Jaya questioned.

Sighing,he pinched the bridge of his nose feeling a headache taking over.

"It's just,uh-..you ju- you cannot Amma..."Raghav did not know how to explain it to his mother.

"She took him there, didn't she?" Jaya asked fiercely,anger taking over her previously numb features.

Not seeing any other way,Raghav simply nodded affirmatively. Keerthy did take her husband to her house and as far as she had told Raghav she was more than happy to do it.

"You have to come home with me Amma." Raghav said wanting to change the topic."But first,you have to eat. Please Amma. I beg you."

"Why? Why should I eat,why? Huh? Let me die. Let me die for I have nothing left to live for!" Jaya began to hyperventilate.

Startled,Raghav leaped forward to hold her but she jerked him away.

"All my life I have lost and lost and lost!Now I am tired! Let me die peacefully!"She cried.

Not knowing how to console his mother,Raghav simply took both her hands in his and sat on the stool by her. She tried to remove his hold but he was way too strong for her frail self.Eventually,she sagged against the inclined bed her chest heaving in panic and eyes pouring continuously.

Raghav's own eyes could not remain dry.The helplessness he felt was slowly killing him,he could feel it.Alone and tired he had his own fair share of miseries to cry about but seeing the most important person in his life wish for death stilled his whole mind.