THE ADOPTED SON

He missed his father.

- Sudha Vishwanathan

Madam, you will have to get a copy of your late husband's death certificate, his PAN card copy and then copy of his last three year's income tax returns papers and this and that and that." The gentleman at the Income tax office desk categorically surmised in his professional accent and gave a list of documents that he would need for perusal. Reena's head almost began swirling.

"I will get back with those copies tomorrow," she stated meekly even without the slightest inkling as to how she was going to hit upon them in a matter of 24 hours. She was aware that the files were in the cupboard, but then how was she going to find out which files had those papers that the gentleman had asked for? 'It is so very stupid of me to have never bothered to understand where Aakash had filed his papers and had documents,' thought Reena, but then who had even in their weirdest of dreams anticipated that Aakash would succumb all of a sudden.

"Massive heart attack, madam," his subordinate at the office had informed Reena. "Please come to Lilavati Hospital. He is in the ICU right now." Before Reena reached the hospital everything was over. The lines on the monitor of the heartbeat machine slept obediently straight.

It took Reena some time before she gathered the broken pieces of her life that was thrown out of gear after the sudden demise of her husband on whom she was too much dependent.