The Dilemmists-Part III

As the first rays of sunlight touched Neena's freckled face, her eyes opened slowly and initially blurred scene got cleared. In the four walls of depressing cream painted room and a life ventilator system on the bed side and tens of tubes strewn around, her ten year old son Aryan lying on bed ,does look smaller and fragile than his age.

It has been four years since she saw Aryan alive in real sense. It was his sixth birthday, when she took him to a local amusement park. How happy she was to see him at last taking rides, for which he was prompting her for a year. It was worth the wait, she thought. But how she would have known that it was the last day when she could see him running around. A story ran in the local newspaper next day on how a drunk driver rammed his sedan into the maruti 800,critically injuring a six year old kid and with his mother though surviving miraculously escaping any major injury but in shock.

Aryan's legs were badly damaged and had to be removed in the fear of infection spreading out.Also,there was injury in spinal cord, leaving him semi-paralyzed.It was the toughest time for Neena being witness to all this.As a single mother, she alone ran from pillar to post to see if her son would be all right. But at the end, she was helpless. Every day in all these years, she has seen her son suffering so much that her heart wept the silent tears as she tried to comfort her son.Everynight she dreaded the moment when she kissed Aryan goodnight and the only question he in his broken barely audible voice asked was “Mom, when will I die?” .What kind of mother will have the heart to even listen this question let alone answer?

Few months before, the act legalizing Euthanasia was passed in the country and she has heard some whispers from people around about it. At first, she was taken aback on the austerity of such a suggestion and used to storm out of the room, even on slightest mention. It took her days to realize the mother in her which was being selfish. It was pain and pleading which she saw in the eyes of Aryan that made her think.

But it was not easy for her to let the dreams she has seen for Aryan to be future doctor be washed away with her approval of ending his life. She has kept him in her for nine months, how can she let him die?

Day used to start with this dilemma and also, ended with that only. But she knew, she has decision to make one day, the thought of which made chill run down her spine.

Torn between the two,Neena closed her eyes again with still a small hope lingering in heart that everything would be all right some day. How?? She has no answer to it.