The Broken Umbrella
It was the onset of monsoon. Rani was the last one to leave the office and thunderbolts and lightning were shining in the sky. She was a intern who had taken up this opportunity to work during the day and pursue her studies in the moonlight. Radha her mother is struggling to wipe the water on her forehead. Rain is dripping inside the poorly built room they are put in since numerous years after the death of her husband. Rohan her elder son has been missing for a long time with no news heard from him of an incident when Rani was schooling. They have an age gap of a couple of years. Radha is unable to move an inch with paralysis stuck beneath her waist.
Rani is just stepping out of the workplace and her umbrella gushes away in the strong breeze. Covering her head with a scarf she manages to scramble across the things scattered on the road to find her umbrella. Agash! It's broken. Now how could she reach home? It's almost 15 minutes past seven in the evening and Rani is worried about her ailing mother. Radha is sobbing, waiting from long to hear her daughter to call out to her.
Rani is stranded! With the first month of the job and loaded with work from all sides she can't whine or complain as she is a young graduate with refusal from most of the employers to hire or hire for free. She is able to cough up at least the costs to run a home. Radha had met with an accident a few years back after returning from a maid job and the legalities have taken a back seat with lack of funding to hire a lawyer for the said case.
Rani is unable to run or walk the distance without the umbrella. She manages to squeeze inside the shutter of the coffee shop next to her office. Raghu uncle the owner of the shop is a friendly face. Rani runs errands for her office mates in return for a free meal by Raghu who is always kind to her. Rani asks him " Uncle, Could I borrow your umbrella? I will return it tomorrow as Amma(Radha) is waiting and I have no option to reach home."
He responds " Rani today I'm not carrying it but I will arrange you a drop off. My daughter and son-n-law have arrived from abroad and we are going out together for a small celebration. You can join us and then we can drop you home.What do you say?
Rani in a haze wondering what to answer. Her simple clothes and a dinner atmosphere. Would that be okay?. She needs to prepare porridge and administer medicine for her ailing mother. She reluctantly agrees and in a while the transport arrives. Radhika aunty, a familiar face to Rani is seated inside and greets both of them while the driver escorts them to the car with his umbrella to the back seat. Rani is thinking " Why don't I ask the driver to lend his umbrella and before she could ask Raghu uncle gets a call." It was his daughter Reshma and she was screaming on the top of her voice " Dada, Mumma party is about to start. We all are waiting for you. Where did you reach? Raghu responds we are on the way, Torrential rain hence the delay and off the vehicle goes with Rani not able to muster enough courage to make her move.
It was a splending hotel with all the modern amenities. Rani in her lifetime had never been to a 7* restaurant. The view was spectacular with an old fort modified into a restaurant giving it a rustic look. Rani was caught unaware since Raghu Uncle just mentioned a dinner/get together but the entrance was decorated with a welcome board of " Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary - Reshma & Rohan". Was she at the right place? Simple clothes, high profile party! Hesitantly she went along with Uncle and family. At the entrance Reshma greeted them as they went inside but Rohan was not to be seen around.
The MC made the announcement and then on the stage it was a scene which left Rani bewildered. Rohan was none other than her brother and she was awestruck. Her heart was overwhelmed with joy and excitingly she wanted to go and hug him and make herself known to him but she waited. She intended to wait for the party to be over though her mother's health haunted her she decided to wait to wish the couple. She was bear handed but she was not worried as she had found her missing brother.
It was Rani's turn for the picture and the moment she waited with bated breath. The moment she approached the couple Rohan excused himself stating he had an important call and he disappeared at that moment. Rani was out of words and without further waiting rushed out of the door. She requested Ramu the driver to drop her to her home as uncle had communicated earlier on the context? Tears and emotions filled Rani's mind while Rohan was still not back over the stage and well wishers missed his presence around. What actually happened?
Rani reached home and hugged her mother and apologized for the delay. She narrated the whole incident and Radha could not control her emotions too. Both of them wept hugging one another for a real long time until Rani interrupted and mentioned that she will prepare the porridge immediately as it was a late hour. By then there was a knock on the door. Who could it be?
At this hour of the night? They were not expecting anyone to visit them in their situation?
It was Rohan at the door and Rani screamed at his sight crying out loud " Amma, Dada is back".
Radha could not believe it. Rohan stepped in. Lying on the bed was his ailing mother. Radha refused to see him while Rohan insisted. Rohan spoke " Amma, Rani yes it's true one point of time I was jailed as a juvenile owing to an incident which completely changed my life. I left home after our deceased father thought I should progress in life in an easier way but things happened differently. My mother deserted me after knowing I was arrested for a petty crime. I learnt my life's lessons and I got an early release owing to my behavior. I tried coming back home but my mother's words made me not to return again
" You have ashamed us owing to your act. Never ever come back to us or show your face to your sister or keep in touch with any of us." And I just did that.
Today when I saw you at the party I thought of approaching you but our mother's words were binding me. He turned to Radhika and said "Amma, I'm a changed man. Long story short, I moved abroad thanks to Raghu uncle. Raghu uncle is my inspiration. He used to visit the juvenile cells as a part of his charitable work and he encountered my cse. He breathed life into me and today if I'm well settled abroad and married to his daughter it was his blessings.
Outside the whole entourage of Raghu uncle and family along with close family members were witnessing the reunion. It was indeed a pleasure to the eyes.
Rohan made arrangements for his mother's treatment and a better job opportunity for Rani.
He got them a brand new apartment which they would move in. The hard days for Radhika and Rani were finally over. The broken umbrella incident indeed mended the broken family.
It was the onset of monsoon. Rani was the last one to leave the office and thunderbolts and lightning were shining in the sky. She was a intern who had taken up this opportunity to work during the day and pursue her studies in the moonlight. Radha her mother is struggling to wipe the water on her forehead. Rain is dripping inside the poorly built room they are put in since numerous years after the death of her husband. Rohan her elder son has been missing for a long time with no news heard from him of an incident when Rani was schooling. They have an age gap of a couple of years. Radha is unable to move an inch with paralysis stuck beneath her waist.
Rani is just stepping out of the workplace and her umbrella gushes away in the strong breeze. Covering her head with a scarf she manages to scramble across the things scattered on the road to find her umbrella. Agash! It's broken. Now how could she reach home? It's almost 15 minutes past seven in the evening and Rani is worried about her ailing mother. Radha is sobbing, waiting from long to hear her daughter to call out to her.
Rani is stranded! With the first month of the job and loaded with work from all sides she can't whine or complain as she is a young graduate with refusal from most of the employers to hire or hire for free. She is able to cough up at least the costs to run a home. Radha had met with an accident a few years back after returning from a maid job and the legalities have taken a back seat with lack of funding to hire a lawyer for the said case.
Rani is unable to run or walk the distance without the umbrella. She manages to squeeze inside the shutter of the coffee shop next to her office. Raghu uncle the owner of the shop is a friendly face. Rani runs errands for her office mates in return for a free meal by Raghu who is always kind to her. Rani asks him " Uncle, Could I borrow your umbrella? I will return it tomorrow as Amma(Radha) is waiting and I have no option to reach home."
He responds " Rani today I'm not carrying it but I will arrange you a drop off. My daughter and son-n-law have arrived from abroad and we are going out together for a small celebration. You can join us and then we can drop you home.What do you say?
Rani in a haze wondering what to answer. Her simple clothes and a dinner atmosphere. Would that be okay?. She needs to prepare porridge and administer medicine for her ailing mother. She reluctantly agrees and in a while the transport arrives. Radhika aunty, a familiar face to Rani is seated inside and greets both of them while the driver escorts them to the car with his umbrella to the back seat. Rani is thinking " Why don't I ask the driver to lend his umbrella and before she could ask Raghu uncle gets a call." It was his daughter Reshma and she was screaming on the top of her voice " Dada, Mumma party is about to start. We all are waiting for you. Where did you reach? Raghu responds we are on the way, Torrential rain hence the delay and off the vehicle goes with Rani not able to muster enough courage to make her move.
It was a splending hotel with all the modern amenities. Rani in her lifetime had never been to a 7* restaurant. The view was spectacular with an old fort modified into a restaurant giving it a rustic look. Rani was caught unaware since Raghu Uncle just mentioned a dinner/get together but the entrance was decorated with a welcome board of " Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary - Reshma & Rohan". Was she at the right place? Simple clothes, high profile party! Hesitantly she went along with Uncle and family. At the entrance Reshma greeted them as they went inside but Rohan was not to be seen around.
The MC made the announcement and then on the stage it was a scene which left Rani bewildered. Rohan was none other than her brother and she was awestruck. Her heart was overwhelmed with joy and excitingly she wanted to go and hug him and make herself known to him but she waited. She intended to wait for the party to be over though her mother's health haunted her she decided to wait to wish the couple. She was bear handed but she was not worried as she had found her missing brother.
It was Rani's turn for the picture and the moment she waited with bated breath. The moment she approached the couple Rohan excused himself stating he had an important call and he disappeared at that moment. Rani was out of words and without further waiting rushed out of the door. She requested Ramu the driver to drop her to her home as uncle had communicated earlier on the context? Tears and emotions filled Rani's mind while Rohan was still not back over the stage and well wishers missed his presence around. What actually happened?
Rani reached home and hugged her mother and apologized for the delay. She narrated the whole incident and Radha could not control her emotions too. Both of them wept hugging one another for a real long time until Rani interrupted and mentioned that she will prepare the porridge immediately as it was a late hour. By then there was a knock on the door. Who could it be?
At this hour of the night? They were not expecting anyone to visit them in their situation?
It was Rohan at the door and Rani screamed at his sight crying out loud " Amma, Dada is back".
Radha could not believe it. Rohan stepped in. Lying on the bed was his ailing mother. Radha refused to see him while Rohan insisted. Rohan spoke " Amma, Rani yes it's true one point of time I was jailed as a juvenile owing to an incident which completely changed my life. I left home after our deceased father thought I should progress in life in an easier way but things happened differently. My mother deserted me after knowing I was arrested for a petty crime. I learnt my life's lessons and I got an early release owing to my behavior. I tried coming back home but my mother's words made me not to return again
" You have ashamed us owing to your act. Never ever come back to us or show your face to your sister or keep in touch with any of us." And I just did that.
Today when I saw you at the party I thought of approaching you but our mother's words were binding me. He turned to Radhika and said "Amma, I'm a changed man. Long story short, I moved abroad thanks to Raghu uncle. Raghu uncle is my inspiration. He used to visit the juvenile cells as a part of his charitable work and he encountered my cse. He breathed life into me and today if I'm well settled abroad and married to his daughter it was his blessings.
Outside the whole entourage of Raghu uncle and family along with close family members were witnessing the reunion. It was indeed a pleasure to the eyes.
Rohan made arrangements for his mother's treatment and a better job opportunity for Rani.
He got them a brand new apartment which they would move in. The hard days for Radhika and Rani were finally over. The broken umbrella incident indeed mended the broken family.
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