PH - Chapter 02 - Responsibilities

'Good Morning, Son.' said a woman on phone. 

'Hey, mom. How are you?' answered Yatartha. 

'I'm good. I was just finishing my tea and thought to call you. Today you wouldn't be busy with your work, would you?' 

'Sunday, hmm. I didn't have work even yesterday.' 

'I know. But, I assumed you were out somewhere, seeing the pictures you had sent me.' 

'Yes. A book store in South Bombay.'

'Undoubtedly you must have bought yourself a book.' there was a bit of nag in his mother's tone. 

'Ha-ha. You can't rebuke me for spending money on books. Your son has started to earn now. Finally.' said Yatarth proudly. After all the hurdles he had gone through, it was his time to live the life of his own accord. 

'Yes. You have and it makes me so relieved now.' said his mother. 

'I know. I can take care of you now mother. You and my stupid younger brother. How's Omnkar?'

'He's gone out with Yogi to play cricket.' answered his mother. 

'I am so jealous of him. He gets to play cricket and I feel stuck with this life. Here in Mumbai where could I get the things which I had before?' Yatarth was a bit sad, missing the taste of his past. 

'Yatarth, you can't hold on to yesterday and live your today. Something new must be there for you to experience. Find that.' 

'Mom!!! Okay... I got it...I just mean that I miss what I had...I miss playing on the ground. I miss being there at home, watching TV, reading books...and food. Your food, mom. I miss that every time when I have to eat outside.'

'Now you understand the value of my cooking, enh, Yatarth?!' said his mother, teasing him mildly. 'Otherwise, when at home, you'd always complain about what I cooked. Would always be wanting something else and now...

'And now I miss it all. Please stop giving me a hard time mother. I get it, I should have listened to you.' Yatartha was feeling embarrassed. 

'Well, I did tell you, you would miss my food.' nagged his mother and laughed heartily.

Yatartha could hear her heartily laughter on the phone. He felt so good seeing his mother like this. After ages, the sun was shining back on them. In the aftermath of his father's death due to Covid, the family was totally shattered. But it was Omkar, the youngest of them all, who held the family together and looked after Yatarth, his elder brother and their mother. The severe financial crises they had to go through were alleviated with the new job Yatarth got, and just recently even Omkar had got himself a job as Math Teacher. 

Yet the crises were not completely over but they had something to proudly survive on it. Hoping together that tomorrow would be better. After the death of his father, all those three ever looked at each other and found the reason to live and carry on with life. They all missed Mr Patil but no one ever talked about him, fearing that this will make them weak. They would miss him even more and would weep in his memories, his absence was haunting them, even Yatarth who had a troubled relationship with his father. Growing up as a disappointing child, from whom nothing could be expected was today how bravely battling his own fears and trying to take care of his family. 

Yatartha felt overwhelmed and the memory of his family had brought tears in his eyes. He battled his weakness and tried to keep his voice strong. 'Just be like this mother. Happy. It feels great to see you smiling and happy.'

'Yathu.' she said so gently and kindly like he wasn't a 29 years old grown-up boy but a little kid who grew up looking into the sparkling eyes of his mother. 

'Yes mom.' his response was like little child who'd trying to act like a grown-up. 

'I am okay. I have been okay. You don't have to worry about me. Both of you have become so protective of me after the demise of your father.' 

'How could we not, mother?' Yatharth felt annoyed, why can't his mother understand them. 

'Yathu, death is the final part of life.' his mother tried to reason with him. 

'I hate it. He didn't prepare us for his death. A father should prepare his sons for his death, he left suddenly. I hate him for that. I hate it how Omnkar had to shoulder the responsibility of the house, while I...who is his elder brother was still pursuing his education. I despised myself mother, when I couldn't do anything for the family. I should be taking care of Omnkar, but.... but...'  

'He takes care of you.' said his mother gently. 

'Yeah.' grunted Yatarth. 

'We both are absolutely fine Yatarth, it is you for whom we both are so worried.' said his mother. 

'Me?' Yatarth was confused. 'Why?'

'Because you are too much consumed taking care of the family, paying off the debt as soon as possible that you are missing out so many other things in your life.'

'I don't have the luxury of other things mother, I have the burden of responsibilities. I need to make our family debt-free, renovate our house, and buy necessary stuff at home, a good TV, and other equipment. And I must have enough money to give you the best medical help. Only then I'd be a little relieved. Because when we had lost that man, it felt like our home lost its roof but we are to ever lose you, our home would lose its soul.' said Yatarth falling weak after every word.

'Yathu.' his mother remained strong as a lioness, as she already was, trying to ask her cub to look up straight into the face of his life. 'I know you care for us, especially for Omkar. I know you care for him, more than you care for me. Always been so protective of your little brother.' she tried to tease Yatarth there for how he and Omkar both spent most of their childhood fighting each other, and yet anything happens to him, Yatarth would feel wounded. 

'Mom, stop that.' 

'Alright. Look Yathu, you are 29 now...'

'So?' he asked vehemently. 

'Be calm, would you?' asked Mrs Patil. After heeding his silence she went on, 'At this point in life, you start focusing on your life too.'

'I am most focused on my life mom, what else do you want me to do? I am living my dream of becoming a writer, doing a job in a reputed MNC, taking care of you, like what else is left there now?'

'A person in your life who would take care of you.' answered his mother gently. 

That subdued him for a moment. 'Why would I need anyone in my life when I have you, Omkar and that idiot Hrishi.' Yatartha was annoyed. 

'Oh that poor boy Hrishi, how long your best friend would have to endure you Yathu?' asked his mother. 

'For the lifetime, duh!' 

'In the coming year or years he'd be married, his priorities would be changed, then what would you do?'

That suddenly stroke deep-rooted fear in Yatartha. 'Pramila Patil, my bitter-sweet mother, would you please stop scaring me? He's the only support your son got here in this new city.'

'So why don't you find another one?' suggested his mother. 

'What do you mean? Where can I get another best friend here? Besides this dumbass Hrishi is good for nothing...'

'So go out, meet other people, make acquaintance. Get involved with new people. Basically, act your age son.' 

'I am acting to my age.' 

'How? Working five days a week and spending your weekend reading books and washing clothes?'  asked his mother. 

'That's how people of my age live.' 

Now his mother was getting agitated. 'People at your age are having babies.' 

'Oh, here we go again. Mother, I told you I don't want to get married.' 

His mother remained quiet for a moment and said, 'Where am I asking you to get married instantly. I am just saying try to talk with girls, mix with them, in college you didn't at least someone in your company? You youngsters these days find a partner in the same organization you work for, that Despande's son had found his better half in the same company he was working at.' 

'Mom, first of all, I hate office romance, so don't even think for a second that if a girl came into my life in future, she'd be from the same company I am working for. I keep my work life and personal life to opposite edges.'

'Okay, calm down. It was just a suggestion.' 

'Fair enough. But you and Omkar are my priority in my life. I live my life for you two.'

'And I am suggesting you get yourself a person whom you can call or claim as yours only.'

He wished for the second he could tell his mother that he had found that one person whom he called his until that very person exiled him from her life for another person.  

'Mother, I understand that you wish to see your children getting married and have their families. And there is nothing wrong in that, it's just, try to understand that it's not for me anymore. I can't afford it. Marriage is a great responsibility which I can't shoulder. And even if I get married, my focus would be diverted, it won't be on you and Omkar.' 

'You don't have to worry about us. You don't have to make us the mission of your life. Just live your life, find yourself a sweetheart. Who would be there for you.' his mother tried to reason him. 

'Why? You people won't be there for me?' asked Yatartha. 

'Oh dear god, what am I to do of this stupid boy?' Mrs Patil was annoyed and felt helpless. 

'Nothing. Just let me be. Damn the marriage mother, I can't even afford a relationship. It would be a liability, and already managing expenses has become so challenging in this salary.' 

'Not every relationship is like that Yatartha. Some girls just want someone to love them.' 

'And those girls lived in your era mother, today having a relationship is the source of expense. Dinners, parties, outings, gifts, stupid and unnecessary expenses. I can't afford myself a good food here, from where would I buy good dinner for that creature sitting next to me?'

'Fine. You put financials before everything.' 

'I am just being practical.' answered Yatartha. 'You should understand mother, at today's time I won't find a woman like you, who would stand by her husband in difficult times, loving him the same through all the circumstances. In today's time, relations and people quickly change.' 

Mrs Patil remained quiet for a moment and then asked, 'Do you even intend to get married ever?'

'Mother, I want you to seriously take my answer. Recently I was thinking about it, because I knew once I am done with my PG, and join to the new job, the next thing you shall think for me is marriage. And I have taken a decision that I don't want to get married, ever.'

Pramila sighed, and said, 'Okay. It's not that I am surprised, it was something that I thought you would say to me.' she paused for a moment and said, 'There was a time when you were happy, there was a time when you were with someone, and after that person is gone from your life, your life had suddenly become so colourless.' 

'Mom, just get Omkar married in the next couple of years. You shall not be deprived of the life you deserve. Just make sure that he would find himself a good girl to marry. I doubt his choice, he's smart in all activities but a complete dumb into such things.' 

'He isn't.' Mrs Patil said it quite confidently. 

'Ah, utter confidence on your favourite son.'  

'Yes.' confirmed his mother. 'You know what your little brother said to me the other day?' 

'What?' wondered Yatartha. 

'He came suddenly and sat beside me and said that "Mother, you don't have to worry about me. I know marriage is a very important affair, which must be handled carefully. But getting married to someone won't affect your importance, you'd always be the most important woman in my life.' Pramila sounded so proud and happy about how her beloved son still holding her as his utmost priority. 

That even made Yatarth happy and relieved. He mulled over his circumstances and the role he have to play to shoulder his responsibilities. 

'And I am also hopeful that maybe not one, but someday in future, after a year or two, or who knows even in coming weeks, my other son would find someone who shall take care of him.' 

This time Yatartha didn't get mad and just laughed it out. 

'And where would I find the kind of a girl that I shall like?' 

'Maybe at the place of a thousand stories.'