A father’s secret
A storm had been raging for the last two days. Sheets of rain coming down like dark curtains preventing the sunlight from reaching the earth. The room was very quiet except for the sounds of rain and gentle breathing noises coming from his elderly father who was sleeping propped up on pillows as comfortably as he could given his poor health. Madhu looked up from his book when he heard his father move and rustle as he adjusted himself on the bed.
Madhu looked up to check on his father as his thoughts drifted to a time when his father was strong and full of life. He thought about the times his father held his tiny hands as they walked down the street. When he got tired, his father would effortlessly carry him on his shoulders the rest of the way. There was very little resemblance between the strong man who raised him and the withered elderly man now resting in the bed across from him. Madhu sighed as he acknowledged that time takes a toll on all of us. His father’s once black hair was now all white and his face was full of wrinkles and lines showing a life lived to the fullest.
His thoughts took him back to a time when he was standing in a dark train compartment with his father. They had boarded the train at the last minute without reservation on their way to college. His father turned towards him and asked, “Do you feel loved and supported?” Madhu remembered being surprised and saying yes in response. His father continued, “I want you to know that your happiness is paramount to me. I love you for who you are. Do the best you can in college, know that I am there to help you achieve your goals.” His father had always been there for him. His mother passed away when he was in high school. His father tried to fill both roles to the best of his abilities after that.
Evening was approaching without any signs of the storm slowing down. Madhu peeked through the window. Birds were still there taking shelter in tree branches from the pelting rain. They were wet and shivering. So were the bunnies in the yard sitting under trees. Every single tree, bird, and animal was dripping wet. Madhu felt fortunate for the roof over his head.
Madhu turned around when heard his father’s feeble voice, “Is it still raining?” Madhu said, “Yes it is. There are no signs of it slowing down.” His father said, “It feels damp and wet. I am cold.”. Madhu brought another warm blanket from the closet for his father. He then asked if he would like to eat or drink anything. His father said, “I am not hungry. Come sit by me. I want to tell you something.” Madhu sat next to his father on the bed holding his hand. It reminded Madhu of the times when his father cared for him the same way when he was sick or scared at night. His father sat with him all night long when he was sick.
His father said, “Do you remember me telling you about your older sister?”. He didn’t wait for Madhu to respond, instead he started talking about her. He looked like he was reliving the happy times when his daughter was still with him. “We lost her, you know. She was there right in front of us as we tucked her in bed on a train and then she disappeared into the night. We searched the entire train when we didn’t find her in her bed the next morning.”
Madhu heard the account the night when his sister disappeared many times. He didn’t want to stop his father as he held his hand and listened. “You would have loved growing up with her. She was an adorable girl. Your mother and I were devastated when we lost her. You were the reason that kept us going.” Madhu gently squeezed his father’s hand.
His father continued, “What I didn’t tell you is that I saw her again several years later. I wasn’t sure at first. But I figured out it was her.” Madhu was shocked to hear this news, but stayed quiet as his father continued his story. “You met her. She is a doctor at the clinic I go to. I recognized her because of the scar she had on her arm. She got hurt when she was little and ended up with a visible scar on her forearm.” “Did you tell her who you are?”, asked Madhu.
“I wasn’t very sure at first. I wanted to wait until I was really certain. I kept asking questions here and there to get information about her family. She said she got lost while traveling with her parents. She said she doesn’t remember how she got lost. She vaguely remembers getting off the train at a station by mistake. She found herself all alone on the platform. She sat there for hours. She was rescued and adopted by her parents and that she is very close to them.”
His father took a deep breath and drank water before he continued. “I ran into her at a restaurant. She was there with her parents. When she saw me, she invited me to join them. I jumped at the chance to learn more about her and the people who raised her. They confirmed the story. They said they don’t have any children and she is their miracle child. Her mother teared up as she told me how they found her all alone curled up on a bench on the platform.”
“They were a loving and gentle couple. I could tell they love her very much. I didn’t want to disrupt her life a second time by revealing my biological connection to her. I didn’t want to disrupt her parents’ lives after raising her as their own. I know how it feels to lose a child and I didn’t want them to feel like they would lose her.”
With tears running down from his eyes, he said, “I don’t know if I made the right decision. As years went by it became hard to come clean. I couldn't muster up the courage to do so. I am thankful for seeing her again and being in her life as her patient. She takes good care of me as you know already.”
His father took a long break before he continued. “It was raining hard the night we lost her. I am happy she found a safe home to grow up in. I am proud of her just like I am proud of you, my son!” Madhu asked, “I understand and respect your reasons to keep quiet. But, maybe it is okay to tell her and see where the chips fall.” His father shook his head and said, “Thank you. I will think about this and let you know. I will need you to be by my side when I tell her, if I decide to tell her. I know I don’t have much time left to sleep on it. Either way I am content that I got to see her and spend time with her.” His father said, “I love you son” before falling asleep. Madhu kissed his forehead and settled back in the chair next to the bed. Madhu felt like a weight was lifted knowing that his father had the good fortune to find his long lost daughter.
Note: This fictional story is premised on a news story about a girl who went missing. I read the story when I was little and it stayed with me.