Too Soon

“If I have a degree?”

Ok.

“Then a job?”

Ok.

“And the marriage?”

Ok.

I was sure that these Oks were from the bottom of the heart of my father. It was me lone remaining one from his five children as “his own”, the two daughters sent off as wives in teens and the other two sons kicked off as fathers, years ago. Also how not me! 

The children were rare in his life, their smiles, weeps, noughts all but still keeping them away from home. Twenty years abroad... the lone child was me that too teen. 

“Now it’s over “ he said firstly in as twenty years.

But nothing was over, it was a necessary last flight to home for the natural result of those years abroad, big names of diseases. Those were the medals of such fathers for their submissiveness for their children.

I was also not over. 

Those were proud marriages! Indeed, the marriages of my sisters. 

how can’t he make it proud? 

“Isn’t he the man abroad? “, “what for this huge money?” 

The questions were many but the answer is one; pride.

Two marriages were over, in other words, the long-kept wealth of years abroad. 

For else what it is?

I, none other than he, saw the little tears still flowing after an ever long stay in the bathroom when the two-third of daughterhood sent off, but for wonder, the tears disappeared soon!

How can be there other than this a unique experience? 

The assigned duty was done. He flew again to retain what was spared for “pride”.

For what?

For me! Another daughter... 

But his hide and seek was also done as at last he lacked a veil, he was caught up with his medals of recognition... another proud moment, that’s his last flight. 

How can’t be proud? He returns only for his disease!

“Desperately” funny statement for his return as he almost finished, but the reality was in his face.

Do you know that reality?

Me!

Yes, me the latest entry to the family, ten years younger than the previous one.

Why so? I still believe my father wanted me as a lone child, but did he get a child in me? 

No! he was not a master brain, only a normal dad who didn’t catch up with his plan, lost another child too, but this time not too soon to lose “his own child”. So that child grew up but yet a child. 

I also enjoyed my long-standing childhood, seeking my all and every need and easily getting.

Naturally a degree then a job was also on the list of my needs. 

A normal one for me and also my father, indeed.

Marriage was preferred in no time.

A free bird! I flew in the sky of my freedom. 

Freedom! Yeah, freedom of dreaming, working and thinking. 

No more, I knew my limits not as a girl but as a person so my dad. 

so was my selection of commerce in higher secondary school, 

I only focused on my study. I say only my study, thinking only of my further steps of the study, why anything else?

I made myself a star among my mates when they tied contracting the end of two years of higher secondary.

I also made up my plans for the graduation, father nodded. 

Do you know my plan? How? For what? I am a girl, na?

Just like my brothers not like a man still keeping my personality.

Dad still went for a job, now not abroad but here, a fisherman.

I just wanted to marry as my own, to get a degree then a job, just like my brothers.

All was possible but the free bird was annoying someone. 

For what? Nothing! A cruel entertainment.

The wonder is that they knew me other than my dad. 

I am the dearest one of my father, doing nothing without his consent as he even knew my friends, not because he wanted but for my own.

But as a father the pride was on everything else. May he think the pride of himself is the pride of his children. I can’t see other options.

The further was the talks, there I heard me many times but nothing was what I knew of, dad nodded. That’s his nature since he became a father.

I hadn’t even completed the higher secondary, some mates still remain bachelors.

Amidst, only one week!

“Hey, have your school tomorrow, we have to go shopping”

“For what?”

“Are you cheating? Isn’t your engagement on Friday “

Done!!

I ran to my dad 

“Did it become too soon?”

He got out of the house, now he has to sell more fish. 

And said 

“When is your exam?”

“On Friday afternoon” 

“Don’t miss it the engagement is in the morning “

I nodded. Not he!