Sunday Story: Dad, May I Come Home for Christmas?

"Where will you go from here? Home? Have you forgotten what you said to your father when you left home? Didn't you tell him, "think I am dead," now, what will you go home and say? Hi Dad, I just resurrected, and your Dad will welcome you back with open arms, right? Rahul sneered through clenched teeth. 

Babita raised her head and said, "I can find someone better than I found you, "Rahul was angry and slapped her. She had fought, but he was stronger and hit her harder. He had looked at her swollen face and told her, "yeah, try finding someone pretty-face. Your face is so pretty now!

Rahul's scoff and contemptuous laugh rang in Babita's ears as her eyes filled with tears. "What a fool I have been. I trusted him so much, and I thought we would have a good life together. But he only abuses, threatens and ridicules me. And sadly, what he says is true. How wrong I was in leaving home!"

Rahul was Babita's live-in partner. They had met through a dating app, taken up rented accommodation and started living together. 

It was the 23rd of December when Babita had fought her parents, who objected to her leaving home with a boy she had just met. "Wait, get to know him better. Then I will get you married to Rahul," Sridhar, Babita's Dad, had pleaded. 

But Babita had accused him of being old-fashioned and walked out of the house. Her Dad tried to persuade her and even followed her out of the house. Tears were streaming down his face as he said the final words to her, "It's Christmas time, don't go now! Babi, you may not see me again if you go." Babita adamantly replied, "Dad, you are probably right, for I will never return. Please think I am dead."

Every part of her face and body was hurting. Rahul had gone too far this time. "I must go home, but will Daddy take me back?" Babita rose from the floor. Determined, she thought, "I will prove him wrong, I will go back to Dad, and if he doesn't take me back, I will see what I can do then, but I won't stay here with a man with whom I don't feel safe.

She entered the bedroom, and as she passed by the mirror on her dresser, she gasped, for that was when she saw her face. It was black and blue and swollen beyond recognition. "How can I even get out of the house when I look like this?" 

A shill ran up her spine as she thought, "will I ever get back my good looks." That's when Rahul's parting words returned to her, "—try finding someone pretty-face. Your face is so pretty now!" He had deliberately disfigured her. Babita began to fear for her life. "I must run!" she thought. "But how can I go home with such a bruised face?"

She was with Rahul for the past two years, and he had anger issues. He was like a madman when angry. When he came back home, there was a chance that he would have calmed down and may even apologise. But what if he didn't? What if he was still as angry? Her heart began to quicken as she thought, "what if he killed me this time!"

Babita went to her cupboard and opened it. "I must pack and go," she thought. "But what if he comes back? I must hurry and leave before he gets home." She must book a ticket. But Rahul was logged in on her email account and would get a notification. 

She took a file, which held her documents, from the cupboard as she got on a call with Sanish, a colleague and friend whom Rahul didn't know. She had to ensure that Rahul wouldn't get a whiff of her escape plan. Can you book me on the first flight, please? I will send you the money by evening and wait, please don't mail me the ticket, WhatsApp me. 

"I will send the money only when I reach home, or else Rahul will get a notification." she thought. Babita sat down at the edge of the bed and punched some numbers on her phone without thinking. She waited as the phone rang, "please take the call, please—" she mumbled.

"—Hello—"

"—Dad—"

"Babi! Thank God you called. I looked for you everywhere. Where are you, Babi? How are you—" Shridhar kept asking her, and Babi kept answering his questions. After some time, Shridhar asked, "Beta come home and visit us, we can't change the past, but we can make the future better."

"Dad, may I spend this Christmas with you? It has been two years since we spent Christmas together." Babita asked her Dad.

"Christmas is in two days, of course, you can come. We haven't had Christmas since you left. Tell me when you are arriving." Shridhar asked. "Dad, I will see you in the evening," Babita said as she hung up. Babita covered her face with her dupatta so no one could see her face. Babita got to the airport in record time, and she hopped on the first flight home and was finally at the gate of her Dad's house. 

She took a deep breath before opening the gate. Her Dad's hands got to the latch before hers could. In one quick moment, Shridhar gathered his little girl in his arms and said, "after two years, it's Christmas again!"

My Thoughts

Christmas is a beautiful time to celebrate love, forgive and reunite. Babita probably did not deserve Shridhar's forgiveness, but I am glad she decided to come back, for if Babita had stayed, I wonder if she would be alive. 

Liked this story? Read another one- 'Sunday Story: Nobody's Child...'.

The last part of the previous Sunday Story would be up on 8th January 2022.