I am a 45 year old women working in a multinational company. I have a 20 year old son. I am a single mother because my husband died 20 years ago. Today is my late husband’s birthday as well as the day I lost him forever. My son keep pestering me to tell him about his father. I never told him about his father because I thought it may generate a longing for a new father in him but I think the time has come. So here it goes…
“On the very first day of college I met a guy and my life was never the same. He first became my very good friend and then gradually he changed from my best friend and to my knight in the shining armor. I never really realized when he transformed himself from my secret admirer to my best friend and then to my lover. Life can be very beautiful when you are in love. I forgot myself completely in his shadow. In my school I was never regarded as a timid in fact I was quite a tomboy, and therefore I never faced any problems in making boy-friends and that is how I met him.
He always did special things for me. He made me feel like I was on the top of the world.it was like a dream come true. He totally changed my perceptions towards this male dominant society. He proved me that not every guy is the same and after my father and my brother he will be one to love me like they did. I think he resembled all those guys who protects their sister, respect their girlfriend, and nurture their wife. After few years I got married to him and I was on cloud nine. We came to New York after two years and that is when I got pregnant with you, but on one fateful day I lost the love of my life and you lost your father but I always want you to be like your father” With this I wipe off the tears from my eyes. Not a day has passed when I have not missed him, when I have not longed for his touch, when I have not missed those times when were together. I came out of my thoughts when my son asks again “Mom but you didn’t tell me how dad died?” I am sure he doesn’t remember it because he was only a month old and the incident took place in front of his eyes. ”he was murdered…by his very close friend” and I start sobbing again.
After dinner I came to my room and my son left for his. I took out my husband’s favorite t-shirt and starts crying again. If only he had not done something like that on that day he would be present today celebrating his own birthday. I still remember today’s night 20 years ago. Our son was only a month old so this called for double celebration. The party was to remain a surprise for him. I spent whole day in preparing for the party and whenever he called me I hung up the phone after telling him that I was in a meeting. The party was in the outskirts of the city so he wasn’t able to doubt it. At exactly 7 in the evening I reached our house to bring the birthday boy with me for the party. The moment I reached our bedroom I knew you were talking to someone on phone but since it was on loudspeaker I could clearly hear what you both were talking. It was your friend avinash on phone wishing you happy birthday. Avinash was my husband’s best friend from college and we met a couple of times. I always liked avinash’s sense of humor, in his presence one cannot resist himself from laughing, since he was in London I couldn’t invite him for the party. Suddenly I heard avinash calling my name and I instantly started listening again. Avinash asked my husband “Ryan how is naina? I really want to sleep with her. Remember the college time when we used to sleep with each other’s girlfriend but I never got the chance to sleep with her, in return you can sleep with my wife”. I felt anger rising to my face and suddenly I wanted to slap avinash and send him to hell but I was very confident that my husband will do all these things before me. I entered our room and my husband’s back was facing me. I suddenly heard my husband’s voice and to my utter disbelief he said “ I am very thankful to you avinash for letting me sleep with your wife and yes in return you can sleep with naina but please be gentle with her because only a month has passed since she delivered our son.” Avinash asked again “Will she let me sleep with her?” to which my husband replied “if she can sleep with me, she can sleep with any other man” and with this I stabbed my husband with a knife from behind.