Missing husband
Rita was cooking lunch for all. She had big family. She had two children. She even had responsibility of her father-in-law & mother-in-law. Entire family was her responsibility. She knew that they cared for her. She knew that it was their responsibility. She knew that they cared about her too. She loved her family. They were her strength. She looked behind. They all were busy with something. She needed to finish her cooking & go in office. She was doing job of Clark. It was good job. She worked so hard to get it. She finally managed to find it. She knew that she was lucky had it. Rita was married to Chetan for twenty years with two kids. All was perfect until for five years. She still remembered that day. It was raining so hard. Chetan called her to tell that he was going to stay with his friend. She agreed. Chetan always kept staying in other towns for work. It was routine. She did her all work in house & went to sleep. She woke up next morning feeling fresh. She didn’t feel anything was missing since many times Chetan stayed out of town for week. It was common. She knew that she needed to just call & confirm. She called him. He didn’t took her call. She was so frustrated. Then she thought that he might be busy with some client. Then she kept doing all routines. Her mother-in-law asked about Chetan. She told her that he called yesterday. Then her mother-in-law tried to call too. But still he didn’t took it. She waited when he didn’t call she kept calling. She didn’t sensed when her missed call become one thousand. She was calling him like mad person. She didn’t do anything for three days. After it she started to feel confused. Chetan was nice man but he would get very angry if he went somewhere for week & she would call cops. But it would be risky to wait for week. She started calling relatives. Slowly even relatives started calling back out of concern. But no one knew where he was. Finally she called his office. His Boss sounded shocked. His Boss “ Chetan didn’t inform me anything. In fact he left without telling & I am not planning to wait for long. Whenever he come back tell him he can forget his salary & if he doesn’t come for month I will replace him.” Then his Boss just disconnected call. She was so shocked. She sensed one thing that Chetan was not hard working employee since there was not any surprise in voice of his Boss. It seemed as if Boss was expecting this. In fact she felt that his Boss was already planning replacement. She began to feel so nervous. She started to sense that she might had missed something about Chetan. She felt so nervous by all. She knew one thing that she needed to do Police complaint. She did missing complaint. Cops wrote all but on every step she sensed just one thing that they all felt Chetan ran away from home. He had two kids & parents. He didn’t want those responsibilities. He wanted to get rid of it. Few people felt that Chetan might had some accident etc. but she kept waiting for him. Rita went for days but soon kids started to feel irritated by her waiting. One day her daughter told her clearly “ Mom stop waiting for Dad now. He is not coming back.” She could see anger in her eyes. She didn’t say anything. She just felt frustrated. She began to search for job. She found one with help of relative. She didn’t understand what was her work at beginning. Her Boss kept screaming on her since she was slow. She was on verge of tears. In night on empty bed she kept seeing Chetan injured on road. She was sure that he had accident. She knew that he was dead. He loved his family. She kept seeing him crying on road for help. Then after sometime she stopped even seeing it. She kept acting like married woman with husband. Some started treating her like widow & some started treating her like deserted woman but no one considered like a happily married woman. According to them she would bring misfortune to them. She was no longer invited in festivals as she used to. They called her only if she was closed relative. She knew one thing that people gossiped about her. She was matter of entertainment to them. She felt so nervous & alone. She felt as if she was living in some TV show. She was sure that much things didn’t happen in real life. People might die at young age by some cause. But they always found dead body. People died in bed due to sickness or accident but they always showed body. This was happening to her. It was something unique. No one knew what happened with her husband. She knew that for five years she had waited so he must be dead. She no longer talked about him. But still she dressed like his wife. Sometimes her daughter indirectly suggested that she needed to give up. She needed to accept that her husband ran away. Her daughter Revati believed this truth. For Revati her father was big fraud who managed to steal some money from office & ran away since he didn’t want to take responsibility. Revati felt that her father might be enjoying life in some island far away from India. Revati was getting carried away by what she saw in movies while her son Satish believed that his father was honest man who was driving somewhere when some robber decided to rob him on that rainy night & that robber killed him. According to Satish his father’s soul might be still waiting for justice. Satish might liked to create some interesting horror story but Rita never encouraged it. According to her in-laws their son ran away since he was tired of wife. He was having some girl friend in office. Her mother-in-law even claimed that it might be some college affair. Rita felt so hurt when she heard about it. She knew that Satish’s version was nonsense but still somewhere in her heart she wanted to think that it was true. She wanted to think that her husband Chetan died while remembering her on street. But honestly that idea was not pleasant too. It was giving her nightmares. But one thing was sure. She had responsibilities to take & she needed to move ahead in her life. She was going ahead in her life. Once again she cooked lunch & got ready for office. She started to get ready but today she decided to skip dress up of married woman. She dressed like unmarried woman or divorced lady. Not like widow! She didn’t want to cry for Chetan. She sensed for first time that she was tired of crying for him.
Chetan’s Mom felt shocked when she noticed that Rita was not wearing any ornaments which she supposed to wear as married woman. Chetan’s Mom didn’t like it. Her son Chetan already went away now she didn’t want Rita to settle down with other man too. She felt that it was shameless that first Rita managed to irritate her son Chetan. Chetan’s Mom kept blaming Rita for all. According to her Rita was only person who should be blamed for everything. It was Rita’s mistake that Chetan didn’t find her interesting. It was something she couldn’t tell people. She told limited people about it. Some of them even agreed with her. Rita didn’t dress up in a way that would impress any man. Rita always kept cooking & taking care of kids. Rita never took proper care of her figure. Rita was little bit overweight or she could called fat. It was clear that the way she managed to increase her weight no one was going to remain attached to her. Chetan’s Mom managed to justify mistake of her son by blaming all on her daughter-in-law. She never asked one question to herself that if Rita was not beautiful to impress man that why did she felt scared that Rita might manage to find another man for second marriage? Chetan’s Mom just wanted to blame all on Rita. She immediately stood up & taunted “ Rita you have forgotten few things?!” Rita sensed what her mother-in-law was indicating. She wanted to turn back but her legs were stuck in strange way. She wanted to obey her mother-in-law but she couldn’t. She began to tell herself that she needed to move. She couldn’t for sometime then after sometime she finally managed to move. She slowly went towards her room. She began to dress up again like married woman. On that point she heard strange laugh of Chetan. He was laughing in strange way. She knew that he was not there. But suddenly she saw him in mirror. She didn’t see clearly but just his shadow. He was laughing on her. She didn’t understand then suddenly she started to sense all. He was not there. It was just his image. She turned back & she sensed that it was his photo frame. He felt so sad & tense. He began to get restless. He wanted to feel happy but he couldn’t. She knew that what she was going to see next. It was his injured face after accident. She knew that he died in accident. Suddenly she began to feel that story of her son Satish might be right. He might be dead somewhere on road & he was waiting for justice. He was coming to her since he wanted it. He needed it. She was trying to pretend that he was alive when he was dead. She was widow. She understood all & she started to change her dress. She began to dress up like widow. She began to search for white saree. She didn’t had one. She sensed that she needed to purchase. She needed to wear white or at least light colour saree. She started looking towards sarees. She had all bright colour sarees. She saw beautiful blue saree. It had nice small golden border. That border had wonderful design of small peacocks. Chetan selected it for her. She still remembered that day. She was selecting saree for her friend’s wedding. She found one with yellow colour & nice design of parrots. They were so nice & artistic. But Chetan loved peacocks. Chetan brought that saree. H gave it to her. He said “ Those peacocks are so beautiful. I like this colour & design.” She was so happy. She never thought that he was ever interested in her clothes. She decided to forget her choice & decided to go for his choice. She kept watching that saree with peacocks. She knew that he was dead. He was dead as her son said. He was crying on road for her & on that point she suddenly saw his face in mirror. His injured face! His face was full of blood. His face was looking horrible in every way. She was so scared. She wanted him to vanish but on that same point she wanted him to be dead that way. She didn’t want him to be unfaithful like her mother-in-law kept suggesting. She knew very well what her mother-in-law was saying behind her back. She was observing him in mirror. She kept watching him carefully. She could see there was pain on his face. She knew that he was feeling sad about all. She decided that she needed to dress like widow. She began to search hard. Finally she found one white saree with small flowers. She dressed like widow. Then she came out. Rita’s mother-in-law was shocked when she saw Rita dressed like widow. She knew that her son Chetan ran out of house. She knew that her son was having affair. Chetan’s mother was sure about it. She couldn’t prove it but she heard her son talking sweetly on mobile with someone. She knew that Chetan had affair. She screamed on Rita “Why you are wearing this saree? Why you dressed like widow?” “ Because my husband is dead.”Rita said with eyes full of tears. “I can feel his soul around me. I need to find his body.” Her mother-in-law started screaming loudly “ He is alive. He ran away since he was in love with someone else.” On that point Revati came. Revati agreed with her grandmother but she felt her Mom’s idea was better. Revati began to feel that even if her father was alive. It was better to consider him dead. Revati “ Grandma stop this. Mom is right. He is dead. In fact we need to do funeral & declare it. I know we don’t find body but still we need to do some rituals for his soul.” Revati was enjoying it. Revati was so angry that her father cheated them. Revati felt that it was perfect way of revenge. Revati kept smiling slowly. Chetan’s Mom began to scream loudly on them. On that point Chetan’s Dad came. He heard all. He knew that Chetan ran away too but he liked idea. He said “ Come on. Let’s get over pain. Let’s all priest.” So they all fixed a date for ritual. Everything was arranged. Rita was so happy. But on that night something strange happened which she was not expecting at all. She was sleeping peacefully & suddenly Satish came in room. Satish hugged her & gave her that saree with peacock & started to insist that she must wear it. She looked towards Satish with confusion. That Satish started laughing. Finally Satish said “ You don’t recognise me! I am your Chetan. Hurry up. I can’t stay in Satish’s body forever it’s just for five seconds.” She was so shocked. She tried to talk. But Satish began to argue in strange voice. She was so scared. She went in washroom to change saree while Satish kept laughing whole time.
When Rita came out, Satish looked towards her with confusion. Satish “ Mom why does you dress up like that in night? You are going out!” He clearly didn’t remember anything. She took him in arms & started crying. She began to think rituals were essential. In morning she was so confused. She called priest & told him everything. Priest clearly told her that he couldn’t do anything since body was missing. She needed to search for body. She was so scared. Satish slowly started to behave in strange way again & again. During lunch hour in school she received call from school. Satish was in principal’s room. Satish was good boy. He never got in trouble in his school. She ran to his school from her office. When she entered to Principal’s room she was shocked. Principal started to tell her that Satish suddenly changed his voice & started to tell teacher how did maths problem supposed to be solved. Principal asked “ Do you teach him in advance through some tuition?!” “ No Sir. I don’t have so much money. Satish goes to normal class not some special tuition!” Principal asked about same maths problem to Satish now but he couldn’t able to solve it on that time. Satish didn’t remember anything about that math problem been solved by him. Principal “ Entire class is scared of him! We want him to stay at home until he doesn’t improve. It will for a month.” “ Sir..” “ No argument! You are lucky that we are not suspended your son.” She could see anger in eyes of Principal. She took hold of hand of her son Satish & literally dragged him in home. When they came, Chetan’s parents were shocked. Chetan’s Mom began to feel that her guess was wrong. Satish kept acting like Chetan time to time. They found it hard to adjust. They kept shivering with fear. Revati was laughing. She was sure that it was all drama. Satish was doing it to get vacation or attention. Revati didn’t say anything since she knew that no one would believe her. But then one day Rita finally decided that she needed to search body of Chetan. Rita decided that she needed to insist it to Cops. She went to Police station & began to discuss missing case before five years. Cops were clearly not interested. But she started to cry. Then few got sympathetic. A lady Cops asked her “ What is issue? Some property troubles?!” “ No..no actually my son is possessed by his father’s soul!” They all started laughing. Rita felt so ashamed. She began to feel so guilty. She knew that she was talking most illogical thing but it was happening in her house. She controlled her tears. “ I know this appears like nonsense but this is happening in my house.” All started to pay attention to her. She got encouraged. She started to tell them all. Then finally Police officer gave her one card. She began to read that card. It was card of Psychiatrist. She didn’t understand. Cop smiled towards her kindly & said “ Your son might be pretending or maybe he is not! But in both cases he have mental issues due to disappearance of his father. In fact you might have some too.” She felt so confused. She never thought this way about things. She never thought about mental problems. She just thought about spirits ghosts & rituals. “ You don’t need dead body. He might be alive or dead but you need to just accept situation & Psychiatrist will teach you to do it.” She began to feel so upset. Rita started to sense that her son might be having mental troubles. It was easily possible even school suggested it but she didn’t understand. She thanked Cops. Then she called psychiatrist. She worked hard to control her tears. She was feeling so sad. She began to cry loudly. Receptionist was confused. But Receptionist soon started to tell her to calm down. Then slowly Rita controlled herself & asked for appointment. She got early appointment of that day. She immediately went home. She didn’t discuss anything with anyone. She just took Satish with her & called Taxi. She went to that clinic. She was too early but she kept waiting. She came in morning for evening appointment. She didn’t care if she looked like mad woman since she knew that she was mad. It all happened due to Chetan. She began to hate him. She kept sitting. Satish was getting restless. Satish wanted to argue. But he didn’t. Finally Receptionist took sympathy on her & gave her chance to go on one canceled appointment. She literally ran inside. She forced Satish to sit down. Then she told everything to Psychiatrist without stopped. Psychiatrist began to talk with Satish. Soon it was clear that he was not pretending. But Psychiatrist suggested that he needed to stay in hospital for something. According to Psychiatrist it was personality disorder case. Psychiatrist “ I need to check if he had just one personality or there are more.” Rita shivered with fear. Psychiatrist said “ Don’t worry. This happened due to trauma so I feel we can cure it. You don’t have any history of mental illness do you?” She nodded negatively. “Then we will handle it. But you need to admit him for sometime.” Satish looked scared. But when Psychiatrist started to talking with Satish, slowly Satish agreed to get admitted. Luckily for her money was not big issue. She made payments. She went back to pack his clothes. She told her in-laws that she sent Satish on vacation. They looked confused but they nodded. She began to dress normally. She dressed no longer like widow or married woman. She dressed as if she was divorced or deserted. She didn’t care what was truth but she knew one thing. She needed to stop pretending. She began to tell people what really happened. She didn’t give any assumptions regarding Chetan. Let people decide whatever they wanted. Soon her life started to get more normal. After sometime Satish came back. He looked normal. His life started normally. She just told his principal & teacher truth. For remaining people Satish acted naughty so he was send away to some place as punishment. Satish was forgiven now since he promised he wouldn’t do it again. At beginning kids acted differently then slowly all became normal. Satish started living normal life but sometimes Rita felt that Revati was developing anger issues. But it was impossible to convince her anything. So Rita decided to wait & watch. But one thing was sure that Rita was no longer waiting for her husband. It was over. In fact after Satish she went for some days to counselling too. Finally her wait was over. She was no longer hoping for his return. She slept peacefully alone on her bed.
The End
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