By Anu Bannore

Hello, I’m Devyani. What I’m going to narrate is something based on a true incident which I’m sure is going to be a shocking eye opener to anyone and everyone who reads this short story. Please be warned and take care of not only your loved ones but yourself too.

She lay frail and weak, barely able to open her eyes. A mixed look of fear and blankness reflected in her eyes. Simran wondered what it was that was scaring her dearest beloved Ma. Very sweetly she asked, ‘Ma, what’s bothering you?’ She just said, ‘They all are frauds and imposters.’ Simran said, ‘Who is a fraud/imposter, Ma?’ She hinted at all the servants but unfortunately no one believed her and took it lightly as a rambling because Ma’s health was suddenly deteriorating terribly. She refused to take medicines and gradually went off food too. She would sleep for a day or two continuously waking up only for a sip or two of water. She seemed to be drugged without any medicines which frightened Simran, Kashrap Bhai, Bakho Di, Nitasu, Nilima Bhabhi (our other brother’s wife) including me i.e all of us were deadly scared wondering what was happening to our beloved Ma. Doctors were consulted but everyone felt extreme weakness was taking a toll on her.

Hallucinations with scary ramblings overpowered her mind. She wouldn’t open her eyes for fear of dreadful apparitions waiting to pounce on her and snatch her away from this world. Pathetically she would plead to be left alone & would promise not to bother anyone but be good and listen to whatever she was told to do. It seemed as if someone/something had been threatening her. In a frightened manner she would at times point her finger in some or the other direction much to our confusion. No one could ever understand why she talked or behaved like that for everyone loved and looked after her with great care & love. Most of the time Simran would be at Ma’s bedside and when she had some work to attend to, then one of the so called trusted helpers would sit by Ma’s bedside holding her hand. They were so very smart that we couldn’t see through their hypocrisy. We believed they really cared for Ma’s welfare. That was the greatest blunder of our life!

Simran & Kashrap bhai tried to comfort Ma but she seemed to be a victim of mental torture–not ready to listen to their pacifying, comforting words. You see, she was bed ridden, completely dependent on others even to help her in changing her sides and also in making her sit up after  raising the head stead of her bed . She had become a helpless baby who had to be fed by others, sponged etc etc. Ma wasn’t always like this. In fact, she was a very strong, independent and courageous lady with an equally strong will power. She was always the strength of the family and we are very grateful to her for making us so very strong and self dependent.  She was well aware that each one of us loved her immensely. She was very kind and generous to all the household staff. She would see to it that whatever breakfast/any special dish when prepared was given to the entire staff too but most of these servants especially the old ones who had worked for many years, some over twenty years turned out to be worthlessly unfaithful especially a few of them (of whom some were greatly trusted and believed to be genuinely faithful) who were the masterminds in hastening Ma’s end.

Ma fell very ill on 1st August, 2014. She had a terrible cough for three days that bothered her the whole night and no medicine helped in giving her any relief. That particular night it was raining cats and dogs and she insisted on going to the hospital which could have been dangerous for her. We were reluctant to take her out because her doctor had warned and told us to keep Ma indoors on such bad weather days. But looking at the seriousness of her uncontrollable cough we had to rush her to the hospital. Unfortunately her regular Doctor was out of city which worried us all the more and moreover the doctors on duty refused to admit her (they didn’t want to be blamed for anything) but Bhai insisted, saying if anything happened they wouldn’t be held responsible for it. She was hospitalized for almost a month and had to be put on a ventilator. It turned out to be a cardiac cough—had never heard of it before! It was good we rushed her to the hospital on her insistence. Much to our relief and happiness she came out of it but we didn’t realize that it was the beginning of all her health problems.

She became very weak but owing to her strong will power and love and superb care of Simran and Bhai she was getting better. She had still to be lifted and put in a wheel chair but she didn’t give up. She would sometimes lunch and dine with us on the dining table. It was like old days when she would be brought to the dining table in her wheelchair. She would even shell peas, dry utensils, in fact was always ready to do anything that she could & would be extremely angry if anyone of us didn’t let her work. That’s what this wonderful loving lady was!

In November 2016 when the entire family including Nilima Bhabhi got together at Ma’s place, as per her wish, she was alright though of course weak. Ma was extremely happy seeing all of us and would narrate her childhood stories and the pranks she and her sisters and cousins would play but then suddenly much to every ones surprise her health started deteriorating within a month. Doctors said they couldn’t do anything and advised us to keep her at home, ‘Let her be with all her loved ones. No medicine is going to help her now. All she needs is love and care at home amongst her loved ones.’ Simran, Kashrap Bhai and all of us did all we could especially Simran & Bhai as they lived with Ma. Being married, we lived in different cities but never missed rushing home whenever we were needed but unfortunately, I won’t say God but a few members of the ancillary staff had plans of their own.

They found her a burden & referred to her as a troublesome ‘Budiya’(an old woman) behind our back while in our presence they were all sugar and honey towards her and us too. We never realized they were sugar coated bitter quinine tablets because we concentrated on Ma getting well and nothing else. Never even for a second did we ever doubt our dubious, devilish, evil minded servants. Simran never allowed any one to feed or give Ma even water because Ma didn’t like it but without her (Simran’s) knowledge they would give Ma water on the sly and when scolded would say ‘As Ma wanted water & you were busy we had to give it to her.’ Ma would complain that they were mixing something in the water as it tasted awful but it never occurred to anyone of us that they were mixing some sort of sedative in her water. They would talk in sign language and whisper to one another with a smile on their face that the ‘Budiya’ wouldn’t bother them now as the ‘Budiya’ would sleep quietly. Everyone thought Ma imagined it but now much to our horror we have come to know that what Ma was saying was true. No wonder she refused to drink water kept on her bedside table and wouldn’t allow it to be taken away but would insist on it being poured out into a bucket kept in her room for the purpose. Then only she would drink the fresh water that was brought in a fresh glass. Once or twice she also said, ‘A dark woman has threatened me that if I say anything she will kill my eldest son.’ After a few days she stopped eating, lived only on a few sips of water for almost ten days and finally passed away. These so called faithful servants were hand in gloves in their filthy evil work. One of them did black magic too which she tried on us but failed.  These old servants robbed & stole not only money, clothes, grocery but stole our dearest Ma’s life too. They flourished well on our earnings and put on a lot of weight but they don’t realize that along with gaining physical weight and wealth they have amassed loads of sins which will never let them live happily for long. Today they might gloat on how they managed to rob, fool & cheat us under our very nose but I’m sure that, that day won’t be far when they will rot in their own filthy dirt. These few servants have been relieved of their duties from our place as they are no longer required for they have succeeded in snatching away the greatest and most precious treasure of our life, our dearest beloved Ma. Now they are engaged in spreading rotten lies about our family as not only regular pay but their source of income through robbing has been nipped off. Terribly poisonous serpents and thieves were being nurtured at our place in complete ignorance! Our dearest beloved Ma has left us forever, may her soul rest in peace. Ohm Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

I sincerely hope and pray that no servant/helper, I repeat ‘No Servant/Helper’ will ever be left under any condition all by himself/herself with a patient especially an elderly one even if the servant/helper is the most trustworthy one having worked at your place for ages. It was too late when we came to know the truth about them—our Ma had passed away & we had never caught them red handed.

Never consider an ailing elderly person’s complaints as ramblings but kindly give a thought to them and try to find out the truth and save your loved ones life. We have learnt a lesson in a very hard way & are repentant & extremely sad for not believing in what Ma was trying to tell us. No wonder she called all our most trusted servants/helpers ‘frauds & imposters’—in fact they were worse than that. Hopefully God will punish them in the worst possible manner.

Please take care of your loved ones yourself with helpers only when you are around which can be extremely difficult but kindly try to find a solution to it—under no circumstances trust any helper completely.

I’m not saying all are bad but it’s better to be careful and wary than repentant. We have lost our beloved Ma forever and nothing on earth can ever bring her back physically.  Hopefully no ones ailing parents/near and dear ones will ever have to suffer in this way.

Dearest loving Ma, you will always live in our heart and mind. We are extremely sorry for what happened to you and for thinking you were rambling due to your illness and weakness. Whatever happened- happened in our complete ignorance. Being a Mother you will undoubtedly forgive us but will we ever be able to forgive ourselves?????

PS: I thank my dear friends who helped me in writing the above story.

About the Author: Anuradha S. Bannore is a prolific writer and an alumni of Jabalpur University with M.A in English. She retired as a teacher and currently lives in Vadodara India. Following are her thoughts on some of the questions we asked her.