Leave Approval….
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#rhituparnachakraborty
Author: Rhituparna Chakraborty
#Disclaimer: This is an original work of fiction with no relation to any person/organism living or dead. Every episode, every character is a work of imagination. Any resemblance to any person, organism, place, character or situation is purely coincidental. There is no intention to hurt or rebuke anyone or any profession through this work. This story/episode cannot be copied, published or reproduced without the permission of the author RhituparnaChakraborty.
Jahnvi’s day would begin by switching on the water pump to fill up the water tanks of her house with the municipality water supply. She would ensure that there was enough water for her family as well as the tenants living in the ground floor flats. Then followed preparing breakfast and cleaning the house. Jahnvi’s kids were married and were settled well. Jahnvi lived with her husband in her huge house. There were tenants with whom she could interact, however, she loved to step out of her house and visit her siblings and their families. To help her commute all around her city, she had her favourite driver, Jeevan.
Jeevan was in his early 40s. He was amiable and funny. Jeevan was not only Jahnvi’s driver, but, he would also be there if anyone in her family needed a driver. Jahnvi would send her car with Jeevan and Jeevan would be happy to take Jahnvi’s family members anywhere they had to travel by car.
Jahnvi’s elder sister Rakhi also liked Jeevan a lot. Rakhi and Jahnvi would often travel together, with Jeevan driving them wherever they wanted to go. Sometimes it would be the busy fancy bazaar, sometimes, outskirts of Guwahati to meet some relatives, sometimes Pan Bazaar, sometimes book fair and what not.
Rakhi and Jahnvi would be seated in the rear seat and they would talk about old age. Jahnvi would tell Rakhi, ‘You know I am super worried. You know the system of locks and keys in our homes here. Good gracious, to avoid thefts, there are locks everywhere and so many doors with iron grills. Sometimes, I worry, what if I die suddenly, who will bring my body out of those doors! Every door has to be opened. And my husband will not be able to manage alone.’ Jeevan would hear that and say, ‘Oh come on Jahnvi Ma’am. Nothing of that sort is going to happen. If you feel sick, call me, I will take you the doctor first. Main hoon na. I am there. I won’t let you die.’ Rakhi would then add , ‘Jeevan, come to my rescue as well , okay? You know all the locks on the doors in my house, my my, you come to my rescue in case of emergency, okay?’ Jeevan would smile and say, ‘Hahahah, Rakhi Ma’am, main hoon na, I am there. Now chill and enjoy the drive. Don’t talk about sickness and death.’
Rakhi and Jahnvi’s mom, Bhanita, was very sick. She was on her deathbed. One fine day, Jahnvi received a call that her mom must be rushed to the hospital. Bhanita was in her late 80s and was suffering from old age ailments. Jahnvi immediately called Jeevan and said, ‘Jeevan, maa is very sick. We will need to rush.’ It was actually a day off for Jeevan. He rushed on his two wheeler to Jahnvi’s home. He then drove Jahnvi to Jahnvi’s brother’s home. Bhanita lived with her son Mainak. Mainak was in a daze of nervousness and fear seeing Bhanita gasping for breath. Seeing his sibling Jahnvi, he began shivering and said, ‘Maa…Maa….wh…what will we do now….?’ Before Jahnvi could say anything, Jeevan rushed to Bhanita, carried frail Bhanita and walked down the stairs to the car. Jahnvi and Mainak followed Jeevan. As Jeevan drove the car he told Bhanita, ‘Grandma, main hoon na, I am there. Keep talking to me. We are going to the hospital, you will be fine.’ Jahnvi and Mainak added, ‘Maa, keep talking, we are almost there….’
They reached the hospital. Jeevan hurriedly opened the car door, carried Bhanita’s frail body and shouted for a stretcher. Bhanita patted Jeevan’s cheek weakly and said, ‘Bye son…….’ Jeevan, replied, ‘No! You can’t say bye here……Main hoon na Grandma, wait………’ And by the time the stretcher came, Bhanita breathed her last in Jeevan’s arms.
Jahnvi and Mainak were in shock. They stood there clueless. Jeevan waited for the formalities to be over so that they could take back Bhanita’s body to Mainak’s home. Jahnvi tried to calm herself and then said a silent prayer of strength. She spoke with the doctors and once Bhanita’s body was released, with the help of Jeevan, took Bhanita’s body to Mainak’s home.’ That was when Jahnvi cried her heart out. Jeevan was there running all the errands, helping the family with the rituals of the funeral.
A month flew by and things came back to normal. Jahnvi paid Jeevan very well for his services. Rakhi and Jahnvi would meet often and go places with Jeevan. Jahnvi’s daughters and grandchildren would visit sometimes and Jeevan would drive them around. Jeevan had wanted to visit his village but due to Bhanita’s death and Jahnvi’s children visiting and some other chores of Jahnvi, Jeevan postponed his village visit.
Today Jahnvi was visiting an aunty of hers when Jeevan said, ‘Ma’am can I go on leave for a week?’ Jahnvi thought for a while and said, ‘You can, but the next week, I have to finish some bank tasks. I would need you to take me to the bank. Maybe after that week, you can go.’ Jeevan smiled and said, ‘Okay, ma’am, no problem.’ Next week, Jeevan asked Jahnvi again, ‘Ma’am , do you have something important this week? If no then I would like to go to my village.’ Jahnvi said, ‘Oh! But, this week, we have my husband’s relatives visiting us. You will have to take them around.’ Jeevan smiled and said, ‘Okay fine! No worries.’
It was almost two months and because of some thing or the other Jeevan’s leaves were not approved. One fine day Jeevan asked again, ‘Jahnvi Ma’am, there is a wedding at my village. Can I please go?’ Jahnvi thought for a while. There were some important tasks that had to be done, but then Jeevan had not got any leaves for a long time. Reluctantly she said, ‘Fine. But, please come in a week.’ Jeevan said, ‘Yes Ma’am I will be back.’ Jahnvi said, ‘I need to go to my dentist, but I will wait till you come.’ Jeevan said, ‘Main hoon na Ma’am. I will be back in a jiffy. I will take you to the dentist.’
Jeevan brought a new pair of trousers for the wedding. He drove to his village, which was around 6 hours drive from his current location. He and his friends started for the trip early. They reached the village at around lunch time. It was a hot summer afternoon and after lunch Jeevan and a friend of his decided to go to the river bank to chill. He always looked forward to these meet and chill sessions in his village. As they reached the swimming spot, Jeevan told his friend to go ahead and swim, while he thought of making a call to Jahnvi.
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Jahnvi was watching TV, when her phone rang. It was from Jeevan
Jahnvi: Hello
Jahnvi realised that the voice at the other end was not Jeevan’s.
Before she could ask anything, the person at the other end said, ‘We found this number in the last dialed number list of Jeevan’s phone? Are you his employer?’
Jahnvi’s heart skipped a beat, ‘Yes. My phone did ring for a milli second in the afternoon. Before I could receive it, the line went off and I tried reaching Jeevan but there was no network.’
The person at the end said crying, ‘I was swimming and Jeevan said that he will wait for me at the bank. I swam for sometime and went back to the lake to find him. But he was not there. I went back to our village home to find him. But he was not there. We again came back to the lake and then we swam deep and saw Jeevan’s body. He was drowned to death.’
Jahnvi listened in disbelief. Time stood still for her. She could not process any of the information. She said, ‘ Wait! Did you not know that Jeevan did not know swimming?’
The person at the other end was quiet……
Jahnvi screamed, ‘DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT JEEVAN DID NOT KNOW SWIMMING?’
The person at the other end replied, ‘We knew….but he never swam. He was sitting on the bank…..…. he must have slipped and fallen down….
Jahnvi said, ‘ How can he just slip and fall??? Jeevan had said he will always be there…….………he told me, “Main Hoon Na”….No….perhaps you are talking about some other Jeevan, or you are trying to play a prank on me……HANG UP NOW YOU LIARS…….’
Hearing Jahnvi scream, Jahnvi’s husband came rushing. He snatched the phone from Jahnvi and spoke with the person at the other end of the phone. Jahnvi’s husband was stunned. However, at this point, he had to take care of Jahnvi. He said, ‘Jahnvi………they are not lying…….’ Jahnvi looked at her husband. This time she had tears in her eyes, tears that would not stop, tears that narrated pain. Jahnvi said with a choked voice, ‘I wish I had never approved his leave……..never……………..I am a bad employer……..very bad employer…….why did I approve his leaves………why??????’
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