A Long Distance Call

It was just a regular winter August evening in Sydney. Sunny was driving her spanking new Ford Fiesta which had been bought just 10 days back. It was a special gift from her dad during his visit to his daughter's adopted country. Overall, it had been a good day for her - marketing strategy assignment submitted, group meeting went well, and the pita-chicken combo at Nandos was yummy.

She couldn't believe that she finally owned her own machine in Australia. After some three years of using the public transport it, was a very welcome change. She thought about her parents, who had left exactly a week ago. A depressing feeling, since she was not able to give them much time, however she was glad that they finally got to see the small world their daughter had built on her own.

That evening, she parked her car on the street just opposite her apartment and as she was about to cross the street, a black feline happened to cross it before her. She stopped for moment, cursing the damn cat but then shrugged at her silliness and crossed the street. Once inside her place, she completed all the nightly chores, one after the other. However the black cat kept intruding on her mind, something she just couldn't let go.

It was around 4.00 am in the morning, that she heard her cell phone ringing. She usually kept her phone switched off at night but this time it had apparently slipped her mind. On the other end of the line was her brother-in-law. It took her a minute or so to realize who she was talking to. The voice seemed familiar but still not familiar. Plus the disturbance in the background made things even more confusing in her head.

He said: "S, you need to get home as soon as possible".

Sunny (still very confused): "Why? I can't."

He said: "Mom and dad are not well, you have to come".

Sunny (even more confused): "Why? What happened?"

He said: "Nothing very serious, you have to come fast".

Sunny: "Are they okay? It's difficult to come now, I am on bridging visa...my student visa has gone for renewal".

He said: "It doesn't matter, mom needs you now. Just come".

Sunny: "Okay".

The line went dead on the other end, but she is still holding on to it. Her body trembling, mind gone totally numb. She kept staring at the watch - it was 4.15 am - somehow trying to make herself believe that it was all a dream and she would wake up very soon. But as she saw the clock ticking away, she realized it was real.

She felt it in her gut that there was much to what had been told to her. At this point, she could think of no one but her best friend back home. She dialed her number; it was around 11.00 pm in Mumbai. At first no one answered the phone, so she tried again. This time round the phone was picked up instantly; it was her friend's voice on the other end.

Sunny: "Hey! It's me".

Sherry: "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Sunny: "Sorry! I need you to do something".

Sherry: "What is it?"

Sunny: "Call my house and see that all's fine there".

Sherry: "You're nuts! Look at the time; I will do it in the morning".

Sunny: "No..no! You have to call now. Something is wrong and they are not telling me".

Sherry: "But what happened baba, at least tell me".

Sunny: "First you call at my place and then I will call you in 10 minutes".

Sherry: "Fine".

Sunny: "Thanks".

Never had 'time' felt such a burden, as it did now. So many thoughts wrestling in her mind all at the same time. Her body never felt so heavy, not able to move to even fetch a glass of water. Images of her mum and dad from just last week kept flashing in her eyes. "It's alright, everything is fine", she kept repeating these words to herself, till she couldn't wait any longer and pressed the 'redial' button on her phone.

This time too the phone was answered instantly.

Sunny: "Did you call? Is everything fine?"

Sherry: "Ya...ya...everything is okay. You don't get so hyper".

Sunny: "Why did they call me then?"

Sherry: "Now listen carefully. Dad is not very well and that's why they want you here to be with mom".

Sunny: "What happened to him?"

Sherry: "He had a stroke and is in the hospital. You have to come for your mum."

Sunny: "But..."

Sherry: "Come as fast as you can."

Sunny: "Okay! Bye".

Sherry: "Call me once you get your ticket organized".

Sunny: "I will".

Nothing but silence surrounded her now once again. Something was still not right. She went back to her conversation with her brother-in-law and then with her friend. She could somehow sense that they were hiding some crucial fact they were not telling the whole story. She recalled the disturbance on the phone while speaking to her brother in-law; it sounded more like some women crying. It hit her like a bolt of lightning...her dad is no more. So shocked with this thought, she couldn't even get herself to shed a tear. Desperately praying that she was wrong and that her father is very much healthy and full of life.

It was 6 am now. Sunny was all ready to go to the emigration office and then to university. She had the longest bath of her life; nearly an hour under the shower forcing herself to cry. But nothing happened. Once again she looked at her phone, so badly wanting to call home but not having the courage to do so. Around 7.00 am she called her cousin while on her way to the emigration office at Rockdale. She requested him to book her a ticket to Mumbai for the next day. He asked a few questions and she told him about the call.

She was on her way to the university now; her student visa issue had been sorted out. The lady over the desk had been really nice to her, she had granted Sunny a 6-month bridging visa with multiple travels. While parking her car at the university parking lot, her cousin called up informing her that the ticket had been organized and she could collect it from the airport itself the next day. He assured her that there was nothing to worry too much and her dad was a bit serious but he would be fine.

His words were soothing and very comforting. She got angry with herself for over-reacting and for thinking such un-thinkable thoughts of her father's death. Though she was still very much shaken up, she managed to relax a bit, now knowing that her cousin too said that everything was good back home. Not all of them would lie to her, so she thought.

Once again she was in her car on her way home from university. She had been granted leave from her studies, thankfully the Olympic Games were just coming up so she was missing just two weeks of university because after that it was a nation-wide 1 month holiday for the games.

At home, the first thing she did was to call her best friend once again.

Sunny: "Hi! Sorry about last night."

Sherry: "Sweetie, it's okay. Have you sorted things out?"

Sunny: "Ticket is for tomorrow morning, will land home by 11.00 pm."

Sherry: "Why aren't you taking a flight today itself?"

Sunny: "I can't. Most of the flights are in the morning, which I have already missed. Plus have to get everything organized because I might be in Mumbai for more than a month".

Sherry: "No, you should leave today itself. It's not right, you have to be here".

Sunny: "I spoke to V in the morning and he said that dad was getting better and not to worry".

Sherry: "No, listen you should be here. You have to be here".

Sunny: "Sherry, please tell me the truth. I have to know, I have to be strong when I get there. I need to know, so that I can prepare for the worst".

Sherry: "Your dad is no more. He is gone".

From that day on, life was never the same for a daughter who lost her dad at the age of 20. With whom she had her last meal just a week back. She never got to see her father's funeral, didn't get to touch his face for the very last time before it would turn to ashes.