Living for one's mother is better than dying for one's motherland.
"Son, my son…", Ishwari called out to the person sitting next to her as the person's right hand grasped her palm and gave a soft squeeze. She looked towards the face of the person who had grasped her hand. It was the face of her son, Ajay Ghale, who looked at her, sadness and grief evident in his eyes. Ajay's lips were pursed tightly in a frown while his eyebrows scrunched together, showing his great discomfort. Ishwari Ghale knew she was sick. She knew she was dying…
"Don't cry, Ajay. You are a big man now. Be strong . It is alright.", Ishwari consoled her son. Hearing his mother's words, Ajay brought the sleeve of his left hand to his eyes and rubbed away the tears that were nearly going to spill down his cheeks. As Ishwari looked at her son, she noticed how similar he looked like his father now and even to her.
Ajay had always been a troubled child in his childhood and teenage years. It didn't help the fact that he always felt a sense of isolation in the United States. Yes, Ishwari and Ajay were natives of a faraway country in the east. They had come from a country called Kyrat, situated in the womb of the Himalayas. A place rich in tradition and culture, where nature reigned supreme and was beautiful as it was dangerous. The mother and son were immigrants in America. On the outbreak of a great civil war in Kyrat, Ishwari and her then 5 years old son had fled to the States.
Ishwari faced many problems while raising Ajay at a foreign country all by herself. Adopting new cultures and adapting to new circumstances was like hell for the single mother. It became even more worse when Ajay had started growing up. In his teens, Ajay had become a petty thief. Ishwari was aghast to find this secret. When she confronted him, Ajay stated that it was the easiest way to earn money and pay for the rent and the basic necessities. Ishwari begged her son to stop this but he didn't listen to her. Finally, there came a breaking point.
One night, Ajay and his associates were waiting in an alley to rob the first person who would come through the path. A man came and one of the associates brought out a knife and demanded to the man to give all his money. The man, being frightened at the sight of a knife, reflexively pushed the knife-wielder away and struggled when Ajay and the others grabbed him. The one with the knife didn't like being pushed and in his anger, he plunged his knife into the man's stomach. A loud scream escaped his mouth and after a few seconds, his body went completely limp. Ajay was shocked at the turn of the events. They were not supposed to hurt anybody, the knife being just an act to scare the victim into submission. Ajay's acquaintances were also flabbergasted. This was supposed to be a robbery, not a murder attempt. So, they all ran.
But the next day, Ajay turned himself in to the officials and confessed and told the names of his accomplices. He knew that they had crossed a line. He knew that he had crossed a line. Ajay was sent to juvenile detention for a year as he was only seventeen years old. After finishing his time, Ajay had completely left his criminal days. In order to help his mother, he worked as a part-time electrical mechanic and at the same time, studying to join the army. At present, Ajay was 22 years old.
So even as Ishwari Ghale lay dying on the hospital bed, strapped to various electrical devices which monitored her failing health, she could truthfully say that her son had turned into a responsible man even if he had lost his way at the start. She started to feel tired now. Her eyes shut close and she slowly fell into a deep slumber which she would not wake up again.
"Mother… Mother…", Ajay whispered softly seeing his mother close her eyes. The palm which was in his hand relaxed, followed by a continuous one long beep from the health monitor and Ajay knew his mother was no more. Ajay could not hold back his tears anymore. The loss of a parent can be compared to one of the biggest sorrow one can feel. And Ajay did feel it. He cried and cried, not caring for the fact that his voice echoed throughout the whole room.
A hand was gently placed upon Ajay's shoulder. Ajay turned around and found it was the hand of his mother's doctor who looked at him solemnly. "Mr. Ajay, I am sorry for your loss but there was nothing we could do.", the doctor consoled him. He had been regularly taking his mother to the same doctor when his mother started falling ill. Ajay nodded and made an effort to calm himself. When the doctor found him able to control himself, he put his hands in his pocket and took out a piece of paper and offered it to Ajay. Ajay made a confused face at the gesture. "Mrs. Ishwari asked me to give it to you if ever something happened to her.", the doctor answered. The doctor went out of the room to give him some alone-time. Ajay unfolded the paper. It read:
Ajay, if you are reading this letter then it means that I am no more in this world. I am sorry that I had to write a letter but, I just was not able to talk it with you face to face. I didn't have the heart to breach a subject such as this. Forgive your mother for this. Know this that I love you more than anything. All I ask of you is to spread my ashes in a place called Guruvesh in Kyrat. Please fulfill my last request, Ajay.
Ajay finished reading the paper. He folded it and kept it in his pants pocket. 'My mother's last wish', Ajay thought, 'After all the pain and trouble, I have given to her throughout her life, this… this is the least I can do for my crimes.' Ajay looked at his mother's face which seemed to be at peace. "Mother, I promise. I will fulfill your wish", Ajay swore adamantly. It was his duty. His Kartavya.