The final wish

Varsha was a lonely child. Having lost her mother at birth, she had an uncaring, often cruel father, and a brother who was engrossed in his own teenage world. The eight-year –old girl was left to spend her time at home all alone. Moreover, not having known motherly love and starving to hear a kindly word from her father, Varsha often wept to herself.

One day, in their neighbourhood, a new family came and Varsha got a playmate in their daughter Tina. Tina’s mother, Mrs. Pathak was very affectionate towards Varsha and often, Varsha stayed for lunch at their place. However, it was Mr. Pathak, who soon became Varsha’s favourite. In him, the girl had found the father she had always hoped her biological father had been to her.

Mr. Pathak encouraged Varsha about her studies. When in school, she got an award for best creative-writing, the first person she told about it was Mr. Pathak. If she thought about an ideal family, she would picture in her mind the Pathaks. Even though Varsha was extremely fond of both Tina and her mother, it was Mr. Pathak who she adored. The kindly man had filled up a vacuum in her heart.

Varsha had fever every now and then. When she gathered courage to tell her father one day, after feeling nauseated, she was told that she was a weakling, and thus a pain to him. The matter ended there with Varsha not receiving any medical attention.

Time moves on and soon it was over a year that the Pathaks had moved in as Varsha’s neighbours. One day, she heard Tina and her mother crying loudly and rushed into the Pathaks’ house to find out what the matter was. Through tears in her eyes, Tina told her that Mr. Pathak had left his home and family in search of solitude and spirituality. Mrs. Pathak was inconsolable.

Varsha felt cheated. She had never thought the she would be deprived of Mr. Pathak’s fatherly affection. In her own innocence, she had trusted him emotionally.

Two months later, in a pleasant February morning, Varsha woke up with excruciating pain all over her body. She called out for help, but there was no one to hear her cries. Then she called out to Krishna for help. As gradually, her pain subsided, she could hear a soothing tune being played on flute. As she closed her eyes, Krishna appeared to her and asked her what she wanted. She was filled with peace and joy and answered that she wanted to play in His gardens and have Mr. Pathak as her father.

When a bearer came with breakfast into her room after an hour, it was discovered that Varsha would not open her eyes in this world again.