Forgiveness

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it opens the future

Ankita watched the TV screen in horror.
A large group of individuals were hurling stones at men, women, and children who were on the street, forcing them to scurry for shelter in shops and buildings. Motorists and scooterists abandoned their vehicles to flee to safety. Shopkeepers tried to close their shutters as the mob torched all they had laid their hands on.
She couldn’t believe she was watching the horror in her city, where she had spent most of her life.
‘Is this our city? Shocking to see neighbours hitting, killing, hurting each other!’
She had arrived from California a week ago to see her ailing father. When she arrived, her brothers informed her that there was tension in the city and she shouldn’t venture out without either of them. She had confined herself to visiting her father in the hospital. Her father passed away two days ago. With bated breath, the family completed all the formalities, ignoring the growing tension in the city.
She had booked her return to the US next week. Before leaving, she wished to visit her friend’s family.
Priyanka and she were best friends from school to college. She had moved to Delhi for her college education, while Priyanka did her graduation in the local college, married and moved to another city.
Ankita went to the US to pursue higher studies, married and settled in California. After six years, she came to India.
Not only the two girls but the two families were also close until the tragedy happened.
‘Bhai, please give me Gupta Aunt’s number. I wish to meet them before I fly back,’ she asked her brother the previous evening.
‘I don’t have any number. Our families don’t speak to each other,’
‘We don’t greet or recognise one another. If we meet on any street, we turn our face in the other direction and walk away.’
‘And please don’t dig up the past. The next five days, you complete all the legal formalities, spend time with our children and return to the US.’ He growled in irritation.
‘I think the tragedy happened four or five years ago, so why are you still keeping distance?’ she asked.
‘Why? Don’t you know why? They ridiculed us, filed an FIR against our Prashant.’
‘I spent 3 days in jail. Can you imagine what our family went through to get me released? How frightened I was!’ her younger brother shouted.
‘How could the Gupta family even believe I was responsible for Raju’s death? He was my best friend!’
‘And they spread a rumour that our family was jealous of their business and so took an act of revenge. We lost many clients because of this. Father faced a business loss and suffered a stroke that year. How do you expect us to be even civil to them?’
‘OMG! I didn’t know all this. Why did you all not tell me?’ she cried, surprised to hear so much animosity between the two families.
‘You were in your final year. We informed you about business loss and you took up some part-time work to pay the fees, etc. Father didn’t want to burden you with more stress, so just informed you about Raju’s accident.’
‘That’s not fair. Father suffered a stroke, and that too you hid from me. Please Bhai, don’t do this ever,’ she told him.
‘Let’s pray that no such calamity falls on us,’ he replied gruffly.
‘They lost a son they had after three daughters. So, they must have reacted like that,’ she spoke aloud.
‘I agree, it was a big tragedy for them, but that doesn’t give them the right to blame me! We had a small fight in the college and went in different directions. Some thugs ambushed him on the highway, robbing and killing him. How was I to blame? How could they even think I would get Raju killed?’ Prashant swore in anger, reliving the past.
‘From that day, the two families are sworn enemies.’ Her elder brother said, ending the conversation.
She was alone at home. Turning off the TV, she walked to the back of their house, where she could hear a commotion. As she watched the unruly mob shouting slogans, breaking glass panes, etc., she noticed Priyanka’s mother on the terrace of her bungalow. Instinctively, she waved her hand.
At first, the woman missed Ankita.
‘Is she ignoring me?’ the thought hurt her.
She waved again.
Gupta Aunty noticed her and waved back.
Ankita wanted to ask how everyone in the family was. But the distance was more. The din of the mob running through the back lane didn’t help. She showed her mobile and gesticulated to ask for her number. But she did not understand.
She got an idea. Ankita asked the lady to come to the gate of her bungalow. She wrote her contact number on a piece of paper, ran down to her back entrance. Pointing to the Gupta residence, she requested a small boy to throw the piece of paper inside.
She watched Gupta Aunty pick up the paper. A few minutes later, she called.
‘How are you, Beta*? We heard about your father’s passing away. Our condolences. He was a good person,’ she spoke, softly, hesitatingly, in Hindi.
‘I am fine, Aunty. How are all of you? My condolences…’ she hesitated, not knowing what to say.
‘It’s our Karma. We are paying for our sins. What more can I say?’ the lady’s voice broke.
‘How is Priyanka?’ Ankita asked after a few seconds.
‘She is fine. Lives in Kolkata. She has two children.’
‘That’s nice. Congratulations Nani,’
‘I am going to be Nani again, soon,’ Aunt said. ‘You remember Richa, our youngest daughter? She is expecting. She is here for delivery.’
‘Oh. That’s good news. Wish her all the best,’ Ankita added.
Hearing her family return home, she quickly ended the call.
She spent the next few days with her family. The tensions in the city prevented her from venturing out.
She was leaving the next day. The situation in the city had worsened, and a curfew was imposed. Her brother spoke to his friend at the police station to help Ankita reach the airport.
Ankita was packing her bags when the phone rang.
‘Hello Aunty!’ Ankita responded.
‘Please help us!’ Gupta Aunty cried over the call.
She was sniffling, speaking in a hurry.
‘What happened, Aunty? Don’t cry. Tell me, slowly. I didn’t catch what you were saying.’ Ankita tried to calm her.
‘Richa. Her water bag broke in the morning. Pain has started and I cannot take her to the hospital. What should I do? Uncle is at the shop and unable to come because of the curfew. What should I do? I can’t think,’ she wailed.
‘Aunty, please don’t panic, don’t panic. I will ask Bhai to take her to the hospital,’ she said, wondering if her brother would agree.
‘Do you think he will?’ the lady asked hesitatingly.
Suddenly, there was a scream. Ankita could hear the aunty rushing to her daughter, saying a few soothing words. Ankita called her, but she didn’t pick up the mobile. There was shouting, conversations that she could hear faintly.
Ankita cut the call, ran into her room, picked up her bag and rushed out of the house.
‘Where are you going?’ Prashant called out.
‘Gupta’s house! Richa is due and I think her contractions have started,’ she said as she reached the door.
‘How do you know? You met them?’
‘We told you not to contact them. Yet…’
‘All that isn’t important now. We have to take Richa immediately to the hospital,’ Ankita retorted.
‘How will you take her to the hospital? There is a curfew everywhere!’
Getting no response, he said, ‘Wait, I will bring the car to the back gate of their house. You bring her there,’ he said, running to pick up the car keys.
‘Thanks Prashant! ‘Ankita ran to their back gate. She peeped into the street between the two houses. Thankfully, no one was on the street. Ankita darted into the Gupta bungalow.
‘Prashant is bringing the car to your back gate. We will take Richa to the hospital.’ She said and rushed inside the familiar house.
Aunty was weeping. ’Her contractions are every few minutes. I don’t know what to do?’ she cried.
Ankita rushed to Richa, who was writhing in pain.
‘Hi Richa, remember me? Ankita. I am a doctor. Let me examine you and we will take you to the hospital. Don’t worry,’ she told Richa who was shouting in pain.
‘OMG! She is fully dilated. I think she will deliver any minute. The hospital is at least thirty minutes away.’ Ankita thought, examining Richa.
Prashant called, ‘Come quickly. I am at the back gate.’
‘I don’t think Richa can hold till she reaches the hospital.’ She told him.
‘Then what? She has to reach the hospital, isn’t it?’
Another scream and Ankita ran to Richa.
‘Aunty! Richa is delivering now. Please get me hot water and some bedsheets. I will have to deliver here,’ she told.
The lady sniffled. ‘Can you do here? Is it possible? No harm will come to Richa and her child?’
‘Aunty, there is no time. Richa will deliver in a few minutes. It is better at home than she delivers on the way to the hospital.’
Thankfully, the woman understood the emergency, wringing her hands in despair. She murmured some prayers.
‘Aunty, get me hot water and bedsheets quickly,’ Ankita shouted again.
‘Richa, we cannot make it to the hospital. So, I have to deliver here, at home. Please trust me. I am a gynaecologist and practicing in California. Shall we go ahead?’
‘Thanks Ankita. Priyanka told me you are a doctor. But can you do at home? Do you have the instruments etc?’ Richa asked through her spasms.
‘I always carry my medical bag, so I should be able to manage. Let me see your file.’
Ankita scanned Richa’s file while her mother prepared the room.
Ten minutes later, the baby arrived with a shrill cry.
‘Congratulations! Richa! Here, Nani, hold your grandson!’ Ankita said, entrusting the baby to his grandmother, whose tears couldn’t hide her joy.
‘Please sit here while I attend to Richa,’ she said, thanking stars the delivery was easy. She was satisfied with all the parameters. Richa was fine.
She then picked up the child and both the women cleaned the baby and gave him to the new mother.
Aunty then called her family members to convey the news. Richa’s father, Priyanka, Richa’s husband, spoke to Ankita to thank her.
Tired but happy, Ankita returned home and related the incident to her family.
As they were having dinner, the Gupta couple visited them.
Aunty hugged Ankita, ‘Thank you, Beta*. I don’t know what I would have done if you had not helped.’
“We can’t even imagine what would have happened if you had not helped our Richa.’
Aunty added, ’Thank you Prashant. It was so kind of you to be ready to take Richa through the curfew to the hospital.’
After a pause, with folded hands, they said, ’We have no words to thank you all. You were God sent to help Richa. Without thinking of our misunderstandings, you helped.’
‘We wish to apologise to you for all the hurt we caused when we lost Raju and our behaviour with your family in the past few years.’
Sniffling into her pallu, Aunty spoke.’ It was our fate. We lost Raju for the sins of our past.’
‘But we blamed and targeted you and your family. Please forgive this old couple,’
Prashant held their hands and said, ‘Believe me, I lost my best friend that day. When you blamed me, I was angry and hurt. I am sorry too.’
‘Despite that, you were ready to help. I can never forget or repay this act of yours till my death,’ Uncle spoke emotionally.
Ankita told them, ‘There’s nothing to forgive. We all were hurt. Unfortunately, a tragedy shattered the relations of our once close-knit families.’
‘Yes, we hurt you all. Please accept my deepest apologies for my behaviour. You must forgive me. Only then will I get peace,’ Mr Gupta said, holding Prashant’s hands.
‘In our grief over the loss of our son, we grasped at any excuse we could find. Please forgive us. Please, please tell us you forgive us,’ Aunty sniffled.
We’ll forgive you if that brings you peace. Forgiveness leads to peace. It shows our humanity.’ Prashant spoke.
With a warm embrace, Ankita held the couple close as she spoke.
‘Forgiveness is a sign that the person who has wronged you means more to you than the wrong they have dealt.’

*Beta- endearing term.
----------------------------------------