Harsha's career
Harsha was so happy when she got her first chance to represent her college in competition. She was not in college now. She was housewife but still sometimes she wanted to do acting. It was her old hobby. She was so happy to manage to get part in this college play. She was mother of two kids so no longer someone who could act as heroine in play. But for college play she managed to become heroin. She was so happy. She began to do acting. She started to feel so happy. Once she started to get involved with her dream again. She was so happy that she was appearing on stage. She needed to prepare herself for her character. She started to do makeup. She knew that she didn’t got any one to do her makeup. She needed to go to backstage. She began to watch mirror. She was lucky that at least she had one mirror. College budget was very low. She needed to get ready in whatever things she got. She worked so hard to get it right. She began to get upset. She didn’t have colour of lipstick she wanted. She went toward her purse. Then she suddenly found one lipstick in purse of college student whom she didn’t know. It was so upsetting. She wanted to feel positive but her thoughts were moving towards negative. She needed that lipstick. She decided to ask teacher but then she realised that she couldn’t use lipstick of other person. It might considered unhealthy. She didn’t understand what she supposed to do. Then she suddenly decided that she could check colour & order it. She was about to pick it up when suddenly someone came inside & literally pushed her towards ground. It was young girl who screamed on her. “ What are you doing in my purse?” She felt so ashamed. She had nervous smile. She knew that her face was guilty & pale. She said “ Your chain was open so I was closing it.” Now that girl looked nervous. That girl “ I know. I am so careless. Actually I got gold chain in this purse. Mom just gifted me so I am nervous about it.” That girl looked towards her nervously. “ So sorry I pushed you. I hope you are not hurt.” She smiled & said “ Not at all.” She asked “ I just saw your one lipstick. Can you tell me what’s company & colour?” That girl gave odd look. Then that girl took out lipstick & told number colour & brand name. Then suddenly that girl said “ Do you want this?” “ What?..no..no” she offered that lipstick to her. Harsha felt so confused. She didn’t understand what she supposed to do. That girl said “ You can have it.” But Harsha said “ No thanks.” Harsha literally ran towards stage. Then she started to act. She began to forget entire incidence. She did her acting perfectly. Then she talked with many people who still belonged to college. She no longer belonged to it. She was so happy. She was eating dinner. She was getting admired. She did few roles in her young age but nothing big. She got married quickly. Actually her family didn’t appreciate her career much. She liked acting but it was so tiring to keep shifting from one location to another for shooting. She couldn’t manage it but she loved it when they all admired her. Suddenly that student who offered lipstick came near her & asked “ You want to cheat your husband & join acting again, don’t you?” She turned & looked towards that girl with shock. Suddenly professor came. Professor gave that girl angry look. “ Vrinda are you drunk again?” Vrinda started laughing loudly. Professor “ Harshaji so sorry. She is like that only. Her father kept getting drunk & she learnt that bad habit from him.” “ Really! What about her mother?” Vrinda started laughing more loudly “ My Mom was just like you! She ran away from house. Remember famous actress of Killa Samudra movie?” She nodded. All knew that movie & heroine. “That’s my Mom!” Vrinda started laughing more loudly, Vrinda “ My Mom is married to different husband. He had two kids from first wife & three from my Mom. I am his step daughter. But my Stepdad cared a lot for me. He always kept sending money to college. He told them they must keep me.” Vrinda started laughing more loudly. Then one girl came & forcibly took Vrinda alway. It was so odd. Vrinda was telling different story at beginning now it was changed. Harsha was about to ask Vrinda but on that point another professor came & they started discussing different subject. But in mind Harsha kept remembering that girl. She was glad that this girl went away. She said bye to everyone & came back home. When she entered in home immediately her son screamed “ Mom where were you? I am so hungry give me something to eat.” She gave confused look. She said “I kept dinner on table.” Her son Rakesh gave angry look & said “ But you serve me. You know very well I will never eat without you.” She smiled. She noticed that Rakesh managed to clean ceiling fan for her. He had also managed to clean windows. Her son did all work without telling. But he wanted her to serve him dinner & lunch. It was his way to get attention. She smiled & said “I will do it.” Rakesh smiled happily. Rakesh sat before TV while doing his homework. She didn’t like it but she knew that it was his style & he was getting good marks so she couldn’t complaint. Her younger son Ajit was in his room. He was sleeping. Ajit was so fond of sports. He entered in at least two games. He kept going to practice alternatively. He needed to keep playing for hours & after that he just wanted to sleep. He didn’t want anything else. He kept playing for hours. She always felt that he was neglecting his studies but her husband Tushar wanted him to go in sports so always encouraged it. For her normal education was needed. She felt so lucky that her kids were not fond of acting like her. She didn’t want them to try it. She didn’t understand why she suddenly began to dislike that career so much! But she disliked it & she didn’t want anyone to try it. Her kids supposed to stay away from her past. She never mentioned it to them. When she was acting she was just beginner so only limited people knew about it. She was so lucky that her boys didn’t know about it. She didn’t want them to know. She was woman working in company according to them & it was perfect in her view. She ran in kitchen to arrange food. She worked just part time so she was back home by evening to serve dinner to her family. She told Rakesh to bring Ajit for dinner too.
Harsha was inside kitchen. She was taking out dinner. She didn’t understand why but she kept remembering that girl. She didn’t want to remember Vrinda. But she kept remembering her. It was so upsetting. Vrinda was always keep coming back in her thoughts. She didn’t understand why. It was upsetting for her. She wanted to forget that Vrinda. She needed to forget face of Vrinda. She kept remembering her. She suddenly began to feel that she might have kept Vrinda’s lipstick. She kept her mind peaceful. She arranged her dinner on table. Then she called her sons. When they both started eating she decided to go & search for that lipstick. She kept searching but she couldn’t find it. It was so stressful & upsetting. She kept telling herself that everything was perfect. She was so nervous. She looked towards her luggage. She began to search in her bags. Slowly she found lipstick. She sensed that it was her lipstick. She didn’t like it’s colour but still she used it. On that point door bell rang. She felt that Vrinda came there. She knew that her son might open door without confirming who was outside. She ran towards door like mad person. She screamed “Don’t open door without using eyehole.” But her son already managed open door & Tushar was outside. It was embarrassing for her. She seemed totally paranoid to all. She knew that she was doing it for other’s safety but they were looking towards her in such a way as if she was out of mind. She knew that she was thinking without logic too. Vrinda didn’t know her home address so clearly she couldn’t come. Harsha gave one nervous smile & said “ I am so sorry, I thought this was my friend.” “ Which friend? Your friend was coming at this time?” “ No..no..not friend..forget it, come on.., you are already late for dinner. Just go for wash.” Tushar nodded. Both boys were watching her with full attention. She was acting strange. She was flirting unnecessarily with Tushar. She never acted this way before boys. Tushar didn’t mind. But both boys got irritated & they went back to their rooms. It was so upsetting for them. Tushar laughed. Tushar “ What are you doing?” “ You are my husband & love you more than anything.” She said it in odd way. Tushar found it so odd. He didn’t understand why he didn’t like it much. But she was his wife. She could behave like that with him so he smiled. She kept smiling & discussing many old things. He kept talking too. Finally they went in room. It was not romantic for them but still they kept pretending. Then finally Tushar fall asleep but she was wide awake. She was trying so hard to relax. In her mind kept going back to Vrinda. She was so stressed. She loved her husband Tushar. She needed to explain all. She needed to tell him how much she loved him. She looked towards him . He was sleeping. She tried thinking different ways to show him that she cared. She arranged his clothes. Then she cooked his favourite items & packed them in tiffin. She could smell wonderful food. She was so happy. She knew that next day she would take it. Then she came back in room & slept on bed peacefully. She began to smile. She was so happy. She kept thinking in positive way. She couldn’t able to sleep for long time. She was so tense about Tushar. Next morning when she woke up, she ran out. She sensed everyone was already ready. She began to feel so guilty. She didn’t wanted but she was so upset. She began to apologise before them all. She was begging for forgiveness. It was so odd. Entire family was shocked. Both sons were so upset. They began to scream on her. Rakesh screamed “ What’s wrong with you Mom?” Ajit screamed loudly “ Mom is losing her mind! I was telling you. One day I wanted orange & she bought grapes. I was so upset. I screamed on my top lung & she suddenly slapped me.” Tushar screamed “ Because you were so naughty!” Tushar was so angry. Tushar controlled his anger & said “ Your mother is okay.” Tushar didn’t want anyone to call Harsha mad. Especially their kids! Tushar anger managed to scare both kids. They said sorry & got over it. Both boys ran in their rooms to get ready for school. Tushar smiled & said “ Bye. I am going to office..& thanks for wonderful lunch.” She was looking inside his eyes. She wanted to read them. She wanted to know what he was actually feeling but she couldn’t sense. His eyes were totally empty. They were without any feeling. She felt so upset. She began to get stressed. She knew that he was hiding something. She went back to her children. She noticed that both boys were avoiding looking towards her. She was mad woman in their eyes. They didn’t want to get involved in any argument with her. She smiled. She slowly gave them tiffin. They both took it without argument. She went out. She needed to go in kitchen now. She knew that she was no longer having any job so she might needed to do some work in kitchen. It was so upsetting. She suddenly sensed that she lost her part time job. It had happened few months ago. She still felt hard to accept it. She sometimes just wanted to go back to acting. She began to get so restless. She needed to do acting. But she knew that she couldn’t. She must admire her family. Vrinda was right. She must love her family. She must not let her children feel upset like Vrinda. She began to search for something to do. She didn’t sense her sons were watching her slowly. Both Rakesh & Ajit were tense. Their Mom was acting odd day by day. She was getting abusive more towards herself than them. They could see marks on her hands. She must be cutting herself. Boys were so nervous. They were so tense. Rakesh said slowly “ Look at her hands. She will kill herself this way.” Ajit nodded. Ajit “ But Dad will not listen to us.” Rakesh nodded. They knew that they needed some help. It was so scary. They were just kids.
Rakesh came in school. He knew that he needed help. Rakesh was so confused. His Dad was not willing to get help. Rakesh kept looking around. He didn’t want to tell anyone anything suddenly. He began to think that they would just blame him. He was nothing in their eyes. His Mom was an idol person who left entire career for kids. He sometimes felt that it was wrong. His Mom needed to do acting too. His Mom started acting strange since she lost that part time job. He was so depressed. He was so lost in his world that he didn’t sense his teacher was standing near him. He sensed it when his teacher created loud noise. He suddenly came out of his thoughts. He was feeling so frustrated. He needed to answer question regarding subject teacher was teaching but he couldn’t. He felt so stressed. He began to apologise immediately but he sensed that it was not going to work. He couldn’t able to concentrate these days. He kept feeling upset. His teacher seemed to be catching him alternatively day by day. It was so upsetting. He started to feel so tense. His teacher told him “ Stand up.” He did it. “ I want you to stand whole time in class.” He nodded. Then teacher began to teach. He kept concentrating his best. He didn’t want to cry but tears already started forming in his eyes. It was so upsetting. He was crying before whole classroom. He was boy! He was not supposed to cry. All students started talking slowly. Some were laughing on him & some were looking with sympathy. But he was no longer normal boy in class. He knew that his future was boomed. He didn’t needed to cry. He was so sure that he could have controlled it. Then teacher came near him & asked angrily “ What’s wrong with you? Why are you..” then suddenly teacher noticed mark on his hand. His hand was cut when Harsha threw away on flowerpot down in anger. She kept doing it. Then she apologised so much to him that he decided to ignore it. His Mom kept acting strange. On one moment she was screaming throwing things on next she was pampering. He didn’t want teacher to see it. But it was too late. Teacher took his hand & started observe. “ My God! This was deep cut. Did you took painkillers for it? Why don’t you told me that you are hurt?” His teacher showed so much compassion that he forgot all & began to confess “ My Mom is acting so strange lately.” He started to tell about wings of her mood. Entire class was listening carefully. Suddenly one student took up hand as if to give some answer. Teacher told that one to speak. “ Sir my Dad is Psychiatrist. His Mom have psychiatric issue too. They are not too complicated if she visited my Dad.. I feel she will be fine.” “ I know but my Dad kept rejecting that idea.” All looked towards him in odd way. He didn’t like it but he knew that he didn’t have any option. Then his teacher said “ Bring your Mom to school tomorrow.” Rakesh was nervous but he nodded but then suddenly teacher said “ No need I will call her today. Just give me her number.” He was scared but he gave her number. He clearly didn’t have much option. It was so upsetting. He tried to concentrate due to fear on that day but he couldn’t. He felt so nervous & sick at heart. He wanted to smile but he sensed that no one was returning smile in normal way. He was odd boy now. But then he sensed that he was always different. He just kept reading some book in recess. He always did that. He was never invited to play & he never showed interest too. Then suddenly one boy came running towards him. That boy sat beside him. He knew that boy his name was Chetan. Chetan was the one who declared his Dad was psychiatrist. Chetan “ I just saw your Mom’s car.” Rakesh shivered with fear. Then soon group of boys joined them. Chetan “ Don’t worry my Dad will convince your Mom.” Then one boy asked “ I heard that madness comes from mother to child? Does Rakesh will have issues too?!” Rakesh felt so stressed by this. This was becoming worst but Chetan laughed. “ His Mom doesn’t have big mental issues. She have small problem.” All boys laughed on suggestion. One boy added “ My Dad got issues too after losing his job.” Rakesh looked towards that boy with shock. “ Really!” Then for entire time in recess all discussed how did losing job managed damage families. It became clear that Rakesh’s Mom needed job. Slowly they began to say that she needed to start acting again. They managed to convince Rakesh that he needed to convince her. When school was over, Rakesh was joined by Ajit. Rakesh slowly smiled towards Ajit. Ajit asked “ What does you want from me?” Rakesh began to tell him all step by step. Then they sensed that Harsha was waiting for them. Slowly Harsha told them that she needed to visit Doctor. They didn’t ask which. As days began to move ahead after visits of Psychiatrist Harsha improved. Tushar was never told about them. But one day Harsha began to discuss her acting career. Rakesh jumped with joy. Rakesh started insisting that she must start. Ajit supported too. Tushar didn’t have much opinion on it. Tushar just said “ Okay.” So Harsha began her career. She didn’t took lead role but role of character artist like mother or sister of lead character. But she got admired. Her boys started accommodating all. Tushar was happy too. Finally she sensed that Vrinda was wrong. Mistake was not in her mother’s action but it was in Vrinda’s attitude if her boys managed to adjust why Vrinda didn’t. Harsha sensed that her fear which was set by society in her mind managed to convince her that her family didn’t adjust. It lead to mental problem. Now she stopped psychiatristical treatment. She was happy in her career & family life. Every thing was just perfect. She knew one thing assuming other person would dislike something was wrong. Tushar never disliked her acting career. He never admired but he never disliked too. It was perfect to him until she didn’t force him to watch that drama she did. He didn’t like to watch those type of drama but he didn’t mind if she acted in it. Their life was perfect again.
The End
