The Last Drop – Episode 4

Only two people were standing before Salila in the huge line that snaked in front of the shop. It was a temporary kind of shop just with one table and a multicolor umbrella fixed on top of it. Three people stood under it for distribution. The items were kept in heavy steel boxes with a lock. There were billboards all over it displaying a drop of water in blue color.

She had waited in line for over an hour now in the sweltering heat with her dupatta on her head. But when her turn came, Niru, her neighbor, appeared from nowhere and pushed her and tried to grab the pouch of Aquatabs on the counter. Salila was already tired and exhausted and this act blew her fuse. She punched Niru directly on her face.

Years of kneading dough for her family had made Salila’s knuckles quite strong. Niru fell flat on the ground with a bleeding nose. Salila showed no sympathy and hollered at her.

“How dare you!”

Niru shouted back at her in spite of her pain.

“I was before you! I went out of the line just for a moment to take my bag!”

Salila was furious.

“You liar! No you were not. I was here the whole time!”

Niru tried to stand on her feet and started wailing to attract public attention.

“This lady hit me. I will call the police!”

But nothing could stop Salila.

“Go and call anybody. I don’t care. It was my turn I know”

This bickering and fighting continued for a long time. Finally both of them were forced by the people to leave the place. That too without any Aquatabs.

Salila banged the door of her house with all her might. The door which was already unlocked flung open. She entered the house still babbling.

Sujal was sitting in the dining table chair toying with a cup kept on the table.

“Along with water, decency has also become a rare commodity in this world. This world is soon going to end I tell you. ”

Salila popped an aquatab kept in a box in the kitchen and sat in front of Sujal wiping her face.

“I stood so long but couldn’t bring a single tablet.”

Sujal asked with genuine concern.

“Why did you go? Don’t we have enough for now?”

“They were giving in subsidised rates in that shop. Some election thing. That’s why I went. But my temper spoilt all my efforts.

“But that Niru was no good too!”, Salila added defensively.

“Hmm”

“What are you doing with that cup? You want some tea?”

Sujal waved his hand and said,

“No… I hate that new thing called tea…what is tea without water?…it tastes all chemical to me.”

“Then what is the matter?I have never seen you sitting idle like this”

Sujal’s face grew grave.

“Papa is not well..”

“Oh…”

“The doctor told that it’s just a matter of few days…although we always knew his condition is not going to improve…and this day will come…”

“But that fateful day has actually come Salila…”, Sujal said with a shaken voice.

Salila got up and sat next to him and held his hands. She couldn’t find any words to console him.

He turned to Salila and said holding both her hands, ” He raised me so well…he is the reason for whatever I have been able to achieve till now in this life..but I never could return him anything… I really want to do something for him before he leaves us forever…..and I want your support in this”

“You know you will always have my support”, Salila said with water brimming from her eyes.

“I know…but I am not sure if you will approve what I have planned to do..”

Salila waited with bated breath.

“I want to give him a bottle of pure water to drink before he dies.”

“So… I have planned to mortgage our house…”

He waited a few seconds for the thought to sink in.

Then he continued.

“I know you will think that I’m risking our future and the future of our son and daughter since that is the only property we have…our life long saving…but we will manage somehow… I will try to earn more….. I will do something…I promise”

“But then if you don’t approve then you can say no…I don’t want to please my father by disappointing my wife…you are equally important to me”

He looked at Salila with a little hope and a trace of fear in his eyes. But there was no expression on Salila’s face.

After a while which seemed like an eternity to Sujal, Salila said,

“Next week the shop will again sell Aquatabs at subsidized rates. Since now we will need to stock it up more than before…I will carry an umbrella with me so that my head doesn’t get heated.”

She took his cup from the table and went to the kitchen.

Sujal felt he was the luckiest husband alive.

To be continued…