The Lost Passport

 

 

The day had come when Rajat was to leave for Belgium for a business meeting. However, his mother who was now too frail to leave the bed seemed unhappy about his departure. While there was a lot of hustle in the house as Rajat was packing his important documents needed for the meeting. He sensed something weird, he thought he noticed a pair of eyes watching him from behind the door. But when he turned around there was no one to be found. He pleasantly ignored the happening and went on to take a bath after placing his passport above his suitcase. “Rita, I am getting late”, cried Rajat who was now ready to leave for the airport.

Rita came hurriedly holding a bowl full of sweet curd and Rajat had a spoon of curd as he always did before leaving for any important work. Then he went off to his mother’s room to take her blessings. She was lying on her bed as usual but reluctant not to let him go, she held his hand tightly after he caressed her wrinkled face. He assuringly said, “I’ll be back soon Maa”. Tears rolled down her innocent eyes upon hearing his assuring words. Finally, he left for the airport but as he reached midway he realized that his passport was missing. He called up his wife to enquire about the missing passport and asked her to be with it at the door till he returned. He hurriedly ordered his driver to take the route back to home.

He reached home only to find Rita still struggling to search the lost passport. While he too abruptly started looking for it. Still, they could not find it. He was unable to board his flight that day and missed his chance of cracking a long-desired deal. He went furious, refused to talk to anybody and sat in his room drinking the whole night.

Next day, while he was sitting in his living room abruptly changing channels, his eyes fell on a news which flashed on his TV screen making his heart skip a beat. It read, “United Airlines Flight #80 crashed and burst into flames near Romania”. His eyes widened and his lips froze, unable to sense anything. This was the same flight which he was to board yesterday. The loss of the passport which had led him to misbehave with all the people around him had just saved his life. He let out a shrill shriek. Rita came running into the room to enquire about the happening and when she saw the flashing news she tightly held Rajat and sat beside him, gaping at the screen. Be it fate or luck, it had just saved Rajat from being swallowed by death.

While they were sitting and discussing this happening, the maid came running from the room calling out Rita’s name and pointing at the small room beside the kitchen. Her voice sounded urgent while there were worried expressions on her face. Panic stuck both as they ran towards the room only to find their mother lying on the bed, unconscious, her eyes wide open and her lips parted. She was no more. But there was a serene glow on her beautiful wrinkled face. Rajat broke down as tears rolled down from his sullen eyes. Rita though broken, held Rajat as he lost his control. The crowd had gathered as her body wrapped in white cloth was being laid down on the ground with the setting of the sun.

Days passed by, one day while cleaning up a room Rita’s eyes fell upon a book-like object underneath the bed’s blanket. She hesitantly pulled it out.The passport which they had been searching for since days lay under their deceased mother’s bed.

Daily Prompt: Passport