WISH

“Pema, cancel off all my appointment of this evening”, Tshering asked as he hurriedly takes off his white coat and moves out leaving his stethoscope on the table. “I have to go urgently”.

“But sir, you have more than 10 patients” she replied.

“Tell them to come tomorrow, sorry” he moves out.

Tshering takes a taxi towards home, the sky is clear and stars are shining brightly. He looks at his watch frequently.

“You are so restless mister” driver said.

“Yes” replied Tshering as he took out the money and hurriedly stepped outside.

“Keep the change” Tshering shouts as he gets inside his house.

“Where is he?” his eyes going to every direction of the house.

“Why are you so excited to see him, dear?” replied Dechen sitting warmly in the couch, knitting “he hasn’t reached yet.”

“I haven’t seen him for last nine years” replied Tshering sitting near to her.

From the window, lights from the moving vehicles entered the room penetrating the closed curtain and chirping of cricket and croaking of frogsis added music to the nature. The moving of second hand in the wall clock is the only soundwhich echoed inside as the couple sat silently.

“He should be here by this time” wonders Tshering, “where can he be just now?”

“Dad, it is getting dark, let’s go to mama’s place” speaks Tobgay licking the vanilla ice cream with all his mouth covered by cream.

“Ok,” replied Dorji paying money to the ice cream vendor.

They moved towards the mall where they had parked their car. Little Tobgay holding his father hand and Dorji carrying a bouquet of flowers drove towards the county side, away from the city.

“I am very excited to see him” Tshering tells to his wife, “I don’t know how he looks like” confused Tshering sits near Dechen, a cup in his hand, smell of coffee felt from the cup.

“I don’t know how to start a conversation with him when we meet” Tshering continues speaking, “he was…ahh!What should I say now?”

“What is so special about him?” Dechen showing a wrinkled forehead, irritated with his words,answered him.

“You will never know, it is a very long story, dear”, Tshering said.

“Since he is late, share to me” Dechen replied.

Tshering began telling the story. Tshering began how he and Dorji were college buddies and with them was Dorji’s close and childhood friend Zangmo.

“Who is Zangmo, now?” Dechen confused asked, “You never told me about her till now.”

“How can I? I almost forgot her” replied Tshering.

He continued his story. He tells all the happy days they had and how they enjoy their college life, having all the experiences of being the good student, Dorji always topped the class and Tshering and Zangmo would forceDorji to give them treat for his success.

“But one day, Zangmo…” Tshering, wiping his forehead said.

“What happened?” Dechen confused, tugging the shirts of Tshering, trying to know more on it.

“She got pregnant.”

“Whose?”

“I never knew about it but her father doubted on Dorji as they were close friends and suspected their friendship” Tshering continued.

“The problem got very worse when Zangmo left her home leaving a letter for her parents and the next day Zangmo’s father along with Policemen came to Dorji’s house and Dorji was taken under custody.”

“What happened next?” Dechen leaving her knitting asked.

“Dorji was kept under the custody for almost two days. He was questioned and was tortured physically.” Tshering narrates the bruises on the Dorji’s face when he was released when policemen couldn’t find anything for him. They couldn’t even trace the whereabouts of Zangmo.

“And you know…” he continued, “situation got worse when Dorji suddenly disappeared”.

“What’s the new twist now?” Dechen with frowning eyes looked at Tshering.

“From that day, we never heard of him or Zangmo but we believed they were together” Tshering sipping the last sip of coffee.

“Yes, we were together” answered Dorji standing at the front door.

“Oh God! When did you arrive?” Tshering hurriedly stood up, moving towards him.

“Just before you finished narrating my story” replied Dorji.

“So you are Dorji,” Dechen said leaving her knit on the table, greeting him.

“Hello aunty, I am Tobgay. Where is my mom?” Tobgay asked hiding behind his father’s leg.

“My son,” Dorji said. “He came to see his mom here,” Dorji nodded giving the bouquet of flowers to Dechen.

“Come in Tobgay, Uncle Tshering was waiting for you for a long time” Dechen said taking Tobgay’s hand and taking him in with her.

“How have you been?” where were you all this time?” Tshering said, holding Dorji’s hand and hugging him again and again.

Then Dorji started narrating the story. After his release from the police custody, Dorji received a phone call from the Zangmo and the next day Dorji moved out for Zangmo.

“So, Tobgay is yours and Zangmo’s child,” Tshering asked.

“No, he isn’t”, Dorji replied looking at his son playing with Dechen.

Zangmo was secretly in relationship with one of the classmate, Namgay and they became close and unfortunately she got pregnant but Namgay left her when he heard about it. Zangmo unable to face the society, the stigma she went through she decided to run away. Later when Zangmo heard about Dorji in problem, she called him and told him about it. Dorji then later moved out for Zangmo which people thought of as, them eloping together.

“So you married her for this boy,” Tshering said.

“We never married, he thinks I am his father” Dorji said.

Zangmo left her son alone after the delivery. “Now, he thinks I am his father and I couldn’t tell him about her mother’s death”, continued Dorji, “he is waiting for his mother now and I told him he will meet her here.”

“I didn’t have other option,” Dorji sighed and took water.

Their conversation continued while Dechen prepared the dining table for dinner.

“Dinner is ready guys,” Dechen said as she cleaned the plate.

“Come on, let’s eat food and talk about it later” Tshering said wiping his eyes.

At dinner table, Tobgay askedabout his mother frequently and Tshering who couldn’t see the little boy so much in hurry to see his mom suddenly said,

“Son, your mother is sitting next to you” Tshering said pointing to Dechen.

“Me!” Dechen said with bulging eyes.

Tobgay who was eagerly waiting for her mother, to see her, instantly cried a lot hugging her.

“But how…” Dechen couldn’t continue as Tshering holding her hand, nodded to her.

Next morning, Dorji drove back home with his head down, his body shrugged and tearful eyes waving goodbye. He disappeared again, far from everybody.

“Dear, we haven’t heard from Dorji again”, “Is he okay?” Dechen asked dressing Tobgay for the school.

Tshering remained silently, reading the newspaper and sipping tea.Tobgay waved goodbye and left for school in the school bus.

“Dorji passed away”, Tshering answered, hiding his face in the newspaper as the bus moved away from the sight with thick black smoke leaving the traces of the bus. Dechen crashed the plate upon hearing it. She sat down, her eyes glittering with tears.

“He was here because he had cancer. He came here just to drop Tobgay because he didn’t want him to be orphan and he thought we were the perfect family for him. He left him here and he left the world” Tshering said in low, stammering voice.

“How did you know that?” Dechen said, comforting Tshering.

“We talked about it when you were preparing dinner. He told me to take care of Tobgay and that was his last wish. I couldn’t deny his plead, so I accepted it and I thank you for understanding it and accepting him.”

“I am happy that I am a mother to him,” she replied “and you are a good father.” Dechen continued, “Even our wish to have child is also fulfilled” she said in a satisfaction tone.

“Dorji was a good father too” Tshering said hugging her tight.