Tommy My Son

By Meghana Damle

Sheela leaves in a big complex with her husband, who works in a multinational company on a good post as CEO, his name is Vinod. She has two daughters one in college and the other one in School.

Vinod works in an IT company as a Software engineer and she works in School as Maths teacher, but after having kids to take care of the family, she has started teaching in private class which is near to her home for 9th and 10th standard. She teaches only for four hours in the morning when her daughters got to school and returns before they come from school. Vinod her husband travels for work and is mostly out of city for more than fifteen days a month. As her parents and in-laws do not stay in Mumbai, she has a house help who comes to their home for entire day as an added help and goes home by evening.

 As both are doing jobs they have started saving their money, by investing the money in mutual funds and shares. It is the understanding between them that makes them a loving couple.

Sheela is a beautiful young lady with black silky hair and brown eyes, fair complexion, with Sharp features and height about five feet six inches. It was a love marriage, she got married at the age of twenty-three. They had meat in their cousins weeding, she was from the groom side, and he was from the bride’s side. At that time, Vinod was in the last year of his engineering and was twenty-three years of age. She had just turned eighteen and had taken admission for BSc. In weeding they got to know each other and while enjoying all the weeding ceremonies started liking each other. Then they exchanged their phone numbers and stayed in touch with each other for 3 years.

Sheela completed her graduation and took admission for, B. ED to become a Maths teacher and Started taking Maths tuitions at home as she wanted to pay fees for her own course, her parents were not happy, but her stubbornness to take admission for  teachers training course made them say yes. 

Sheela came from a business family in Madhya Pradesh, Indore. They had family business of supplying all types of stationery items and books in schools, colleges, private Classes all over Indore. The business was manged by her father and here three uncles and now the next generation in which her two brothers and cousins had also joined with innovative ideas and new ventures.

 As their family had good reputation and the business was running Successfully, there were proposals coming for Sheela and her two elder brothers. She was the youngest and as a girl they wanted her to get married first. In India people tend to get married their girls, once her education is over, financial independence is not the criteria. Sheela’s parents wanted their daughter to get married but respected her decision of getting financial independence out of love for their daughter. But now as she had finished all her desires, they wanted her to fulfil their desire of getting married and settling her down in a good family. They said to Sheela, as they had listened to her wishes and gave permission to do what she wished, now it is her turn to fulfil their wish too.

Sheela had no choice but to say yes, she wanted to finish her B.Ed. and get married, but her parents would not listen. Meanwhile Vinod was in another dilemma, he had started liking Sheela when they had meat in their respective cousins weeding and slowly as the years passed, he fell in love with her, but was unable to confront her. Fearing that the friendship which they had for 3 years may get affect. But when she shared news of her parents’ finding boy for her marriage, he became tense and told Sheela that he will be coming to Indore this weekend. He will meet her, at the same point where they always meat, whenever he came to Indore. But this time he wants to meet her alone to discuss one important matter related to his relationship with one girl he is in love and wanted to take her advice on that. After hearing this Sheela became sad, she did not say anything on phone, but agreed to meet on the day he was coming.

After speaking with Vinod, she was first sad and then was angry on herself that, why did not she share her feelings with him. She had not even told her friends or cousins about her feelings for Vinod, that she had started liking him, but after hearing what Vinod had said to her on phone, she was not fine. She thought Vinod also liked her, but it was not like that. So, for next 5 days she kept herself busy So that no thoughts of Vinod would come to her mind, but the more she wanted to ignore and make herself busy, she was getting more angry, sad and agitated, her parents were unable to understand, why there was sudden change in her behaviour, the bubbly, happy Sheela suddenly had lot of mood swings.

Saturday came and Sheela told her parents that in the Evening she was going to meet some friends and would not come for dinner, her parents knew her friends and they knew they meat sometimes in the evening on Saturday or Sunday, they didn't ask her, who are coming or to whom She is meeting, she also didn't mention to them and left to meet Vinod.

Vinod leaves in Indore, but in the other part of the city, so they decided to meet at the centre of the city, which had small stalls where you can Sit and chat. Vinod is the middle child, he has two sisters, one is the elder who is two years elder to him and the Second sister who is two years younger to him, she is a special child with special needs, she is Autistic but is very good in music, she plays Casio, piano and synthesizer very well and teach music in School for blind. Vinod’s elder sister is a doctor married and lives and runs her clinic in Mumbai with her husband who is also a doctor and has two kids. Vinod’s family is also a business family, who has sweets and namkeen Shops all over Indore city. It's a family business, with his father being the youngest in his four brothers, Vinod has no interest in the business, but helps his cousins with all accounts and computerised work, basically he is the techie brother of their business, who helps them to keep the accounts in computer system by keeping all their data on computers. 

Vinod is very clever and hardworking workaholic person, very sincere and dedicated to his job and helps his cousins in business on Saturday and Sunday when he has holiday at work. He has trained ten staff members in how to use computers and trained his brothers who sit in different shops in Indore. He guides them if any difficulty arises. 

Vinod is tall six feet and handsome guy with, whitish complexion, black curly hair, and black eyes with sharp nose, he has taken height, complexion, and hair from his father, but features from his mother, who is beautiful. Vinod’s both sisters are also beautiful like their mother, but very decent and down to earth ladies, with no pride and very calm and compose nature. Sheela has meat Vinod’s mother, in family marriages with common relatives from both sides. Where they have spoken with each other and got a chance to know each other.

Sheela came little early to the meeting point and was going to sit on the empty chair, when she sees Vinod already sitting on one of the tables, she smiles little and comes near the table where he is sitting and sits in front of him. There is a long pause after saying hi and hello. After 5 minutes of silence Vinod starts the conversation, he asks her how the studies are going on, tuition of math, how are her parents and her brothers. Sheela looks at him with irritation and with a stern voice asks Vinod to directly come to the point for which they were meeting today. Vinod is slightly tensed, but after looking at Sheela who is little agitated. He takes a deep breath and pauses for a second and looks at her and starts by saying he loves her and wants to marry her. Sheela looks at Vinod in a surprised manner. Vinod says sorry if he had hurt her, but he wanted to share his feelings to her for past three years, though it is one sided love, but promises that their friendship will not suffer. Sheela smiles at him, her eyes filled with tears of joy and she to confesses her feelings by saying I love you.

 But was sad after hearing from him that he is in love with another girl. They both laugh and held their hands for few moments and look in each other eyes. Then order a nice and tasty food with chocolate milkshake they both like as a sweet to celebrate their confession of love.

 Now the main part is how to tell their parents about them. They decide to tell them today itself, but Sheela has a concerned. She will not be able to complete the course if anything happens. Vinod promises her that if problem arises and if they get married in any of the circumstances, she will complete her course, he will support her in any situation and will never leave her in any tough situation and after shifting to Mumbai, she can start working. As his company is transferring him to Mumbai (Bombay) office. After listening to Vinod’s words, she has tears of joy in her eyes and hugs Vinod tightly. In her heart she is happy with her choice of choosing the correct life partner for herself.

Sheela calls her mother at home and ask her, whether her father has come home from shop, as she wants to Speak to them about one important matter, her mother insist her to tell her, but she tells her let her reach home.

Shella and Vinod have decided that once they speak with their parents, they will call each other in the night at 1. Sheela reaches home, her mother opens the door and in a worried voice asks her what is the matter? Is everything all right? Is she ok and the list of concerns start increasing. Sheela stops her and tells her to calm down and says nothing bad has happened and there is nothing to worry, she asks her mother once again if her father is back? Her mother tells her he is on his way. She once again tells her mother nothing to worry and will freshen up and come. She will tell both about her decision of marriage. Her father and brothers come home and after dinner they all sit together in their living room, Sheela tells them she is ready to get married, hearing this her parents and brothers become happy. She tells them about Vinod, how they meat, what he does and about his family. After listening to her they become silent for some time, then her father tells her with a serious face, that he would like to discuss in private with her mother and her brothers about this matter and will let her know the decision, till then she will remain quiet and will not call Vinod. They need time to think about it.

Sheela gets worried and thinks about the worse scenarios that is going to happen. She goes into her room, closes the door and sleeps, wondering what is going to happen. She had made promise to her father that she will not call Vinod until they tell their decision. She waits in her room and goes to sleep.

In the morning Sheela hears a knock on her door, she opens her eyes and thinks it is a dream, but she hears continuous knock with her mother calling her name continuously. She quickly gets up realising its not a dream and opens the door quickly, her mother is Standing in front of her telling her to get ready quickly as Vinod’s family is coming to visit their place .She couldn’t believe her ear's but gets happy and hugs her mother. 

After her breakfast, Shella’s father tells her they knew Vinod’s family as they have meat in their business Community meetings and knew his father, uncles, and Cousins too. They had known each other for more than 15 years. They had heard about Vinod from them. After hearing this Sheela is happier jumps and says hurray! She hugs her father and gives kiss to him on his chick. Sheela's mother tells her to get ready and wear a Sari. Vinod’s family comes for lunch and the marriage date gets finalised with both families’ consent but as per Sheela’s wish. After her examination they get married and shift to Mumbai.

In Mumbai they temporary shifted in the apartment given by the Company, as its company policy, they support their employees till they find apartments to stay in the city. Sheela got the teachers job in a nearby school in Malad where they were staying. After few months they rented their own apartment, which was near Vinod’s office and Sheela’s school, though the rent was little more. Leaving in Mumbai suburbs and having home and office nearby is a great luxury and privilege. As all the Mumbai public life goes in travel. They settled themselves in Mumbai and after 8 years of marriage their family was complete after birth of their two daughters.

As we move forward in our lives and time passes our parents also get older and retired from their jobs. Vinod’s Mother who was working in bank retired and after 2 years of her retirement, planned to shift to Mumbai. As both of her kids were in the same city. Vinod and Sheela were leaving on rent, as buying home in Mumbai is expensive. Vinod’s parents suggested that they will buy one two room kitchen and one room kitchen flat and combine it and the whole family will be able to stay together and even Sheela’s parents can come to Stay with them. There was even spare room for guest, they will have rooms to accommodate everyone. Sheela and Vinod thought about it, as it will be nice as they will have good support system and their daughters will also be at home after school and no need to put them in babysitting. After working out their financial position, they concluded that his parents would buy two room bedroom kitchen flat and for one bedroom room kitchen flat Vinod will take loan and balance money if needed Vinod’s parents will help them. Sheela's Mother in-law had told her that after coming to Mumbai, she will take care of the house as well as her granddaughters, she should now focus on her career and start doing what she wants. She will support her in whichever way possible.

Because of her mothers-in-law support and understanding, they were able to purchase flat of their own, the financial burden was also taken care of .They rented Indore home by which there monthly expenses were fulfilled and  there business which was in Indore, her father-in-law was still managing with their brothers by occasionally visiting Indore. There was no financial burden, everything was going smoothly. For twenty-five years they all stayed happily. Now her girls were grownup and were going to college, her in-laws and her sister-in-law who had autism were leaving happily with them, but one day her mother-in-law had a heart attack and she died in sleep. Sheela's happy life came to stand still from that day. How can ones dying affect the rest of everyone’s life. First few months after her mother in-law passed were busy for her as lot of relatives were visiting them. Life was slowly coming back to normal. She told her sister-in-law to continue with her music and keep going to school for teaching students who were blind. Keeping herself busy is the best thing to do right now, as her mother will always remain in her memories wherever she goes. 

Sheela needed to be strong for her family, her mother-in-law was her best friend, she shared a special bond with her, they use to share each, and everything as thought by Sheela. It was a huge loss for her, but there was something else that was bothering her. She was feeling or sensing someone was watching her, she sensed something was strange, she started staying more alert and cautious and slowly, slowly, when she understood what it was, she was in shock, pain, fear, anger, sad, not able to think properly. All emotions were beyond imagination.

 She tried to calm herself, but was not possible, that day she cried in her room and was unable to think what she should do. At that time she was in her room and saw there was sunlight coming from the window and as it was  afternoon and the sun was Setting down, the rays, were falling on their family frame and she saw Something was inside that frame, which She had never noticed, She found it odd, but picked up the frame and opened its back side, there was one paper, its seems someone had written on it and put in that frame, she first hesitated to open but on the envelop it was written “To Sheela”. She was surprised but opened the envelop, there was folded paper inside she opened the paper and started reading it.

 She read the letter and while reading it her lips trembled through halfway. She drank the water from the glass which was on bedside table. After reading the full letter of her mother-in-law. The secret which she had shared about her father-in-law. In the letter she mentioned to her. If you are reading this letter that means I am dead before your father-in-law, you must have started sensing something is not right and you must be sensing that someone is watching you. If that is happening you must keep yourself alert and without anyone's knowledge, start keeping eye on your father-in-law, his behaviour must have changed towards you, he will show concerns for you, where you are going? whom are you talking? each moment of yours is being watched. If these things are happening with you that means you are his target for enjoyment.

You must at once keep dog, as your guardian, the truth which I am now going to share with you is going to be shocking for you. Even my kids do not know. As I was alive and always present at home, you all have never realised.

 My family was rich and they gave me education and allowed me to do a job on one condition, you should marry the boy which we choose, I wanted to be independent and knew my parents will not have wrong choice they will choose a decent man for me and that’s how I got married. At first, I did not notice, but after few years of marriage and having kids, I started seeing his true colours, it was not in my control. At home in Indore you must have noticed, we do not have housekeeper female servants all our servants are male, his desires and wishes were beyond my control. We had made an agreement, whatever his desires he should fulfil outside the family not within the family. Due to my control over him by giving excuses of what our social circle will say our image as a family he did not do anything with the ladies in the family. But his pervert and distort behaviour and dirty thinking towards the women was dangerous and when we started leaving with you, I was so afraid that I never left him alone in the house. 

Always made sure when I went for job, he too goes for the office, I was not sure how much it will last, but it worked. You must have noticed I never use to leave the house when you were in the house, your younger sister in-law knows your father in-law behaviour, as he had behaved in a dirty manner with one of her friend in front of her ,so her friends never come to our home. But as she is having health problems, she will not be any help, but will support you but you cannot expect help from her as she is afraid of him and avoids interactions with him. Vinod and your elder sister-in-law have no idea about it, you need to show them my letter, so that they understand the situation and support you, but you need to have a solid proof.

Sheela, you need to be alert and protect yourself, see to it before you tell your husband and kids, you collect proofs, otherwise they may not show trust in you. After reading this letter Sheela thought it was a nightmare. What she was sensing weird about her father-in-law for few days had come true. She needed to be smart and not to get exploited, but before that she had to do two important things she needed to collect proofs and bring one dog home. She was not an animal lover, She had no hate for them, but had no idea of how to take care of dog's, she was scared but had to be quick, as after 15 days Vinod was going out for one month on companies project, girls were busy with their college and classes so they use to come home late. She goes to school in the morning and come home by four in the afternoon, her sister-in-law is always in her room practising or if she is at school she does not come home early.

 Sheela gets anxious by thinking what She should do, when suddenly she remembers that two months back her younger daughter had mentioned that one of her friend's dog had given birth to 5 dogs and they were ready to give away 3 dogs to the people who they know can take good care of them, her daughter had been after Vinod and Sheela to take one of the dogs, but they had bluntly said no. Sheela thought she should speak with Vinod about having a dog at home and its benefit. She will convenience him to bring the dog and all responsibility she will take. After the death of her mother-in-law the house seems empty, she feels lonely too. She wanted it for one more reason that nobody was knowing that her father in-law feared dogs.

If the dog is around, he will never try to come near her. She finally convenience Vinod and with her daughters support they bring dog home. Tommy comes in their life.” Tommy Our Son.” 

Tommy was black in colour, he was labrador retriever, his  mother’s colour was yellow and fathers colour was black, Sheela’s  younger daughters friend had in all seven puppies, 4 were black and 3 white, her  elder daughter chose the puppy she wanted and brought it home, her younger daughter gave name to the dog as Tommy. It was cute and chubby and when Sheela held it in her arms, it wagged its tail and looked at here and licked her. 

Initially she was not comfortable, but there was no other way to protect herself. She had to build communication with him, train him as he was the only solution to her problem. But how she had no idea. 

One day she was sitting in her room and the door was half open, when tommy came into her room and barked, she was taken a back and got scared , she yelled at him and told him to go out, but he waged his tail and stood there, she looked in his eyes for few second and don’t know what happened it stopped waging its tail and sat down, he must have sense sadness in Sheela’s eyes. She thought he knew what was going on in her mind and from that day he started following Sheela everywhere, he listened to her and never disobeyed her, he would never let Sheela alone, he use to sit beside her when she sat in chair, when she was in her room ,he sat on the mat which was for him, he was the protector and shadow of her. What bond they shared was something else. She started speaking with him sharing her feeling with him, sometimes he would understand everything even if Sheela had not said, but only felt. He was there for Sheela. 

Even if her father-in law looked at her or came near her, he would bark and drive him out. We think animals do not understand human emotion, but though they cannot Speak, but through their eyes, actions, and emotions they convey lot of things.

Sheela installed one secret camera in the kitchen and in the passage which led to her bedroom, that too without the knowledge of anyone. She told Vinod they need to do electric work in kitchen and got the camera installed in such a position that nobody would be able to find out. She knew because of tommy's presence she will never face problems, but for proof She needed to have backup plan, because the accusations She was going to put, were serious and if she shows proof then her case becomes strong enough to take any legal actions and then Vinod, her daughters and elder sister-in-law will trust her.

 Sheela knew her father-in-law is a clever man and will deny all the allegations by giving any reason. Such as he is old, does not remember anything, Sheela is like his own daughter, he had never considered her as his daughter in-law, so many reasons to protect himself. Everything was working as Sheela wanted and the day arrived when Tommy's vaccination was there, her both daughters had exams, so they were unable to take Tommy to doctor. Vinod was on holiday that day and he told Sheela to take rest as she was down with fever, as pretended by Sheela she was not well. Her sister -in-law had music classes, so she was not at home.

 Vinod took Tommy for Vaccination. Tommy was showing lot of reluctance and was not putting the leash, barking continuously at Vinod, not moving from his place, and looking at Sheela. It was strange for Vinod of Tommys behaviour, but when Sheela told Tommy to listen to Vinod and go with him and she will take care and he need not to worry. He became quite and went with Vinod.

 Vinod was surprised by this kind of communication between them and was unable to understand, but laughed at them and took Tommy.

Now she and her father-in-law were alone at home, Sheela went into the kitchen to have something to eat, and was cutting the fruit, when her father-in-law came and stood beside her. He stood very close and put his hand on her waist, She closed her eyes, her hands were shaking, but gathered the courage and moved away from him, he again came towards her and this time held her left hand and started to pull her towards him, but She rescued her hand by forcefully pulling it and told him to mind his own business and showed him the knife. Her father - in-law smiled at her and said she will not do anything that will make her bear the consequences, he was telling her to put the knife down and come near him, he will only touch her waist and press her bum as it was a perfect shape of pumpkin.

Vinod is not at home due to his work and her mother-in -law has died, so now they will get lot of opportunity to satisfy their wants by taking care of each other. She is the person who will take care of his needs, he does not want tasty food, but want her to satisfy his pleasure and in that she will have the most satisfying experience. For so many years he was waiting and watching her as her mother-in-law kept him away, so he was unable to do anything. Now it is time to taste and enjoy the fruit he was longing to eat. The secret will be between them no one else will come to know. For that she needs to keep that dog away when they are enjoying themselves. He was talking and his eyes wear fixed on her. 

Sheela was boiling with anger, she wanted to hit him hard ,but controlled herself and told him this is the first and the last time he is speaking like that with her, she will not tolerate any nonsense and will tell everyone about it, he laughed and told her to do that as nothing is going to happen to him, even if she lodge any complain she will not be able to do anything for long time. Taking any legal actions takes lot of time. He was again coming near her and was going to touch her. But at that point bell rang she went fast to open the door and her husband with Tommy came back. Vinod told her they were not able to go for vaccination, as tommy jumped out of the window car from there society parking area and climbed the stairs to reach back home. He thought his behaviour was strange as he sat silently till Vinod reach by lift at our door and rang the bell. He had no clue what was happening. But now tomorrow she had to take Tommy for vaccination. Sheela smiled at Tommy and took him in her arms and hugged him and whispered in his ears by saying “Good Boy” and kissed him and said Our planned worked. She had spoken with Tommy about her plan and acted of getting sick so that Vinod will take Tommy to vaccination. So that She will be able to record with her father-in-law and gather the proof of his disgusting dirty behaviour and show it to Vinod, her daughters and elder sister in-law.

That evening she showed Vinod, her elder sister in-law whom she had called for dinner and her daughter's the recording. Manoj was in shock and anger. He was unable to believe what had happened, he said sorry to Sheela on his father’s behalf for behaving in dirty manner, her daughters were upset and angry and told Sheela and Vinod to go to police, but her sister-in-law told them to wait. She and Vinod will talk to their father and sort out the problem. 

Sheela even told her brothers and parents about it, but to her surprise they told her not to do anything stupid as the family name will go down and they have two daughters to be married. Disclosure of this will hamper their marriage prospects in near future. Vinod had removed the recordings from the camera and even tore the letter of his mother written to Sheela he had destroyed all the proof collected. 

In the will Vinod’s parents had written that all the property will go to Vinod after their death. Vinod told Sheela that, leaving the current house and buying new flat in Mumbai is difficult. They need to think properly before taking any decision. They have kids and their education is yet to get complete. The lavish style of living had become part of their life, two cars, two bikes and promise made to their daughters that both will be send out for further studies. It was difficult for them to move out from the current place. If they move out everything might go from there hand. As Vinod’s father may change the will and they will not get anything.

Vinod told Sheela that it would create lot of complications. The legal procedure will take lot of time and they will have to spend lot of money to fight the case, if she accuses her father-in-law of the abuse. As right now they cannot afford to get into more problems. Vinod’s behaviour broke Sheela’s heart completely. She never thought Vinod will do like this. The person whom she married had completely changed, he was not considering her feelings and the trauma she was going through. She thought is this the real man she fell in love and married. Who supported her in completing her education. Now he has become materialistic. There was no action taken with what her father-in-law did with her. Vinod told her not to make an issue out of it, as property will go out of their hands, as well as the family image will get shattered. Her daughters who told her to do police complaint, did not mention anything again, because their father and elder sister -in-law, made them understand. If they do anything like that, they will have to forget the dream of going to international university for further education as all the money of their father will go in the legal case. From that day her daughters told Sheela no to do anything stupid by which their future will get hamper. They told her to be normal as Tommy was there with her and her father-in-law will not come near her as he fears dogs.

 Sheela knew there was no use in arguing, but she had made the copy of the recording and the letter. She had kept it where nobody could find it. 

Vinod and her daughters made it a point that someone was there at home with Sheela, she was never alone at home, but it was not possible in long run. What she saw in Tommy’s eyes, she was finding it in Vinod’s eyes, but she could see only greed and making money for the future.

Everyone in the house started behaving normal as if nothing had happened. They warn her father-in-law not to go near Sheela every time they left the house thinking that they have done their work of protecting Sheela.

Only one person that did not leave was Tommy, he would never leave Sheela alone, he became her protection shield, he never let father-in-law come near her. She started feeling secured and happy when Tommy was around. He made sure that if he is not around, Vinod or either one of her daughters were at home. He used to communicate with them by barking at them or pulling their clothes with his mouth and dragging them near Sheela. 

Whenever he went out of the house, he always saw Sheela and took her consent by giving his hand in her hand. If she shook her hand, he went with that person or else would not go. He always made sure someone is there with her. It would rarely happen of him going out without Sheela. As he always went with her only. 

Sheela was mentally stressed out and no one cared about what she was going through the trauma. There was no one on her side except Tommy. She often wondered are we really humans or demons who are trying to be animals.

Sheela was an independent woman who was teacher. She stayed with her family for 6 months and meanwhile applied for job in Pune. She told Vinod she was going to rent flat there and will be taking Tommy with her. She had applied for divorce too and he will get the notice within few days. They will always co parent their two daughters. She had given choice to their daughters where they want to stay and is completely fine if they stay with their father. 

She will not be able to leave with him under one roof as if nothing has happened by leaving her self-respect behind. He can visit her whenever he wants a friend to share things.

She told him what choices you make in life matters and how you want to live your life is in your hands. Money is only a convenience to make us comfortable that what she feels. It cannot be true for others.

 Sheela is happy in what she had decided  and will now leave the rest of her life as she want .What she has gone through should not be the case of any other women, so her next journey is to help women who are stuck in the same ditch like her mother-in-law. She wants to change the thinking of women who feel death is the only road to get free from the trap when they get married. The same mistake she is not going to do as she is happy and content in whichever life leads her. Hope this lesson is one of the experiences to her daughters and they learn from it. When they have their setbacks in life. That never to give up and keep fighting.

Tommy is the true-life saver. 

We can learn kindness and love from him with no boundaries. Tommy was always with her and made her a strong and different person altogether. You should learn true empathy from him. He was a faithful friend to her who never left her side and even though he was an animal he supported her and became her protector, she shared everything with him. He became her son and only family. She took him with her and started her new chapter in life. Tommy lived his life for thirteen years. He came in Sheela’s life when he was two months old.

 While leaving this world in arms of his mother Sheela, he looked in her eyes for few moments and closed it for the last time never to open them. He died in her arms peacefully. Sheela had lost everything. Sheela got the news on the day Tommy died that an unknown person had murdered her father-in-law.

Not every story has a good ending. Sheela got the divorce and her father in laws death gave her peace of mind. The choice she made to leave her life on her own terms and prioritize her mental health needs lot of courage and will power. Not everyone is like Sheela, her values were different from her surroundings she grew in. We need to change our perspective of how we look at life by showing flexibility in our thinking process. Like Sheela and her mother-in-law there are so who are still stuck and are unable to get out. Let us hope they get their Tommy.

“Tommy my son.” 

By Meghana Damle