Page 12 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

1 YOU LIVE IN MY MEMORY

Mom had been lying in bed for months, panting and covered in sweat all day. Sitting beside her every
single moment of the day was Dad, her faithful husband.
One evening, Mom beckoned me to her bedside. She grunted as she tried to sit up. “You are my eldest
son, still innocent and too young to understand, yet, you will realize your duties after I am gone. Promise
me you will look after your younger brothers.” Her eyes immediately shifted to my father. “Take care of
our kids after I am gone, please.”
Dad held her hands and answered tearfully, “Please don’t say that. You will recover.”
Phub Dorji and Tashi Wangchuk, my younger brothers were sobbing on my lap. Tightly embraced, we
cried, wetting our arms in despair.
When Mom’s health deteriorated with each passing day, Dad took her to the hospital. A few days later,
my maternal grandparents came from the village to help me with the household chores. Then, one
midnight in April, the wind howled and the dogs barked outside.
“What a bad omen!” I mumbled to myself, peeping through the interstice of the window. The footsteps
echoed from the walls of the opposite buildings. Soon I heard heavy sighs approaching. What was going
on? I pricked my ears up, hoping nothing had happened to Mom. Terrified, I buried my head into my
pillow to delay the painful truth.
Knock! Knock!
Who on earth would knock on the door at such time? I thought, holding my breath. Who?
Knock! Knock!
“Who is it?” I asked.
“Dad.” Someone replied, puffing. “Hurry, open the door.”
I crept out of my bed. “What’s—?”
“Lend me your hand, would you?” Breathing in desperate short gasps my dad was standing in front of
me holding my mother.
“Oh, no! Why did you bring her home, Dad?” I said with a wide-open mouth. “She’s in a critical state.”
“She wanted to come home,” he said, “to see you all.”
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