Road Not Taken ✔

Chapter 9

I was thinking of my accident and how I met the motorbike guy when my thoughts were interrupted as my mom rushed inside my ward . She looked worried about my health . Although she is a doctor herself but when she saw me lying in the hospital bed , her eyes got instantly welled up with tears. I assured her that I was alright but she looked worriedly towards my leg . I told her that I had a slight strain in my left leg which will be fine in a day or two . We both went back home . Mom is cooking evening snack for me and I am floating on air because usually Reena didi prepares evening snacks but toady as Mom is at home she herself is making snack for me .

She is making Chole Bhature ( Chole is spicy chick peas and Bhature { Singular : Bhatoora} is fried refined flour bread ) for me. Am I day dreaming ? I mean my mom who is a total fitness freak is making chole Bhature for me ! This has to be a dream but I am not dreaming because mom is really making Chole Bhature for me without lecturing me about how unhealthy it is or how many excessive calories it contains . I guess she is pampering me because I met with an accident and she got really scared. Well but I am enjoying this pampering because growing up I never got an opportunity to get pampered in this way because Mom and Dad were always busy with work. When I was a young child I always felt sad looking at other children who enjoyed rides in park or who went on picnic with their parents because my parents didn't spend time with me due to their work commitments . Well let it be I shouldn't be complaining about this at all because my parents are doctors and they are always busy at hospital. As I have been all grown up now it does not affect me that much .

When I was eating Chole Bhature Dad entered home . Dad looked irritated with something .He asked Mom to give him a glass of water . After having a glass of water he looked towards Mom and then me , I know something is about to happen as Dad looks irritated and agitated about something.

Dad took a deep breath and said angrily " Naina how the heck this happened ? " Mom gave Dad " I don't know" kind of a look because she didn't knew what exactly Dad was talking about. Dad was now fuming as his face was red with anger . Dad asked me to sit right in front of him . I sat in front of him on a chair meanwhile a chill went down my spine seeing anger on his face.

I looked at the shining floor of our lounge while he again started speaking " Diya why the hell are you so careless. What would we do if something happened to you ?" I thought he was getting concerned about me so I looked up to assure him that I was alright . But when I looked up I saw pure anger in his eyes , like his eyes were burning in anger. I was so afraid of his wrath that I chose to be quiet while Dad who was boiling with anger shouted at me" Diya I am talking to you! Answer me damn it ! " . Now I am shaking with fear as I have never seen Dad that angry . I guess I tested a lot of Dad's patience as he threw the glass on the floor in which he drank water few minutes ago and he broke the glass into peices . I looked at him in horror while Dad roared at me "Look we bought you a scooty so you can travel to school and coaching but you took advantage of it as instead of going to the coaching on time you were roaming carelessly on road and not only this you barged your scooty into a motorbike and got involved in an accident ! " By now mom came my side and I could see tears forming in her eyes". Dad you are getting me wrong . I was not roaming...." I tried to speak but Dad cut me off in between .

Dad shouted at me" Your mom has messed you up by fulfilling your stupid wishes and she has turned you into a rich brat . But don't think me as your mom who will be spoiling you by abiding by your demands . Girl listen to me carefully I have invested a lot of money on you since the day you were born! From clothing, food ,to schooling and now your coaching . I have paid my hard earned money for your every single bloody thing . You don't even realise how difficult it is to earn money that is why you are wasting your time in stupid things like Oh Ruchi met with an accident ? How is their family now etc. "

By now I was on the verge of crying but I tried hard not to cry in front of Dad. Mom was holding my hand all this while . Dad glared at us and I wondered what he would say next and what he said next shattered my heart . He said " You better obey me . Study well , get into medical college or else you won't be my daughter anymore . For me family pride matters the most and our family pride is in you becoming a doctor like me , like your mom and your paternal grandparents who were also doctors. Diya this doctor tag is not only a tag for us but it is like a status symbol and a matter of our pride in society . You were born in a family of doctors hence you were destined to become a doctor. No matter how difficult it is for you to become a doctor , you are ought to become a doctor. If you fail to became a doctor I will disown you and then I won't consider you as my daughter!" Dad then stormed off to his room.

Tears started falling from my eyes while my Mom rubbed my back to give me a bit of comfort but I felt like a puppet who had no voice and will of his own . I felt choked and suffocated so, I ran to my room upstairs and before hiding myself in my room I told Mom I won't be eating dinner tonight.

I went in my room and locked it from inside . Then I threw myself on the bed and I cried my heart out silently . I don't know for how much time I wept like that . Then I washed my face in the restroom attached to my room . It was late evening and I saw a few birds flying in the sky from my room's window. Will I be ever a free bird like them who could live freely on its own will? , I thought to myself while seeing the birds fly away . This was indeed a tiring day for me physically and mentally .Thoughts of freedom , will, dream, passion , career , family and society filled my mind before sleep fully consumed me.

*********CHAPTER ENDS********