Anita’s Dying Wish

Gita smiled winningly and Robert instantly liked this woman, but he noted in his peripheral vision Shakuntala seemed uncomfortable with this kind of informality. He ushered Gita into the kitchen and showed her where everything was kept asking if she’d like help bringing everything out. She shook her head and spoke.

“Thank you for accepting us and we will be cooperative with whatever you feel we can do to help. Please go talk with my mother as she is very stressed and wondered what kind of reception we’d get.”

He returned to the lounge room, and Shakuntala watched him approach cautiously. He offered the namaste sign he’d seen Anita perform when meeting people for the first time. It was habit and she was slowly weaning herself off that greeting in this adopted culture, but Robert thought it was a nice sign of respect. He addressed his mother-in-law.

“Respected mother even I’m not permitted to attend the hospital to see Anita. She’s in an induced coma in a sterile area where surgeons need to perform several surgical procedures on her so the hospital ordered me to stay at home until they contacted me because she’s in a part of the hospital that only surgical and nursing professionals can enter and hooked up to all kind of medical equipment. She nearly died of loss of blood and repairing vital organs could have gone wrong and they can’t guarantee her survival. Anyway, none of us can visit her yet so we all must be patient and I’m so glad you made a trip here to be there for your daughter who I love very much. I’m so fearful of the next phone call from the hospital to update me on her progress as she has not responded well to surgery. There was damage to multiple organs as it was a large and serrated knife used and the wound was deep.”

Shakuntala wept loudly and Gita rushed to the lounge to see what had happened. Robert explained he’d just reported on Anita’s condition, and this was the reaction. Gita had been listening from the kitchen so knew what Robert had been talking about. She rushed over to comfort her mother who began to control herself then Gita went back to the kitchen. She soon emerged with chai and cups with side plates and biscuits the traditional greeting of a visitor in India and Shakuntala gratefully took hers and began to sip. They sat in silence sipping their chai and finally Robert spoke.

“Respected mother where are you staying?”

“We have booked into a hotel son in law but wanted to come and get the hospital address so we don’t have to trouble you.”

“Well, none of us can visit with Anita yet and I’d be very happy to have you stay with me in this house. This is a four-bedroom home. The guest room has been set up by Anita with double bed, and another room has a single bed, and you can occupy both and share the ensuite attached to the main guest bedroom.”

Shakuntala was about to refuse but Gita spoke to her in Hindi and she remained quiet. Gita then turned to Robert.

“Robert that is very generous of you as we’ll get to know about Anita every time the hospital reports to you by phone and if you’ll permit, we’d like to help around the home while we all wait. We are all stressed and can be of comfort to each other as we wait if you will permit it.”

She turned to her mother.

“maan anita kahati hain ki unke pass bharatiya channelon ki sadasyata hai.”

Shakuntala immediately came to attention as she held her chai with one hand and examined the biscuits on the centre table. Gita laughed.

“I told mar ji you have access to the Indian cannel subscriptions on the internet, and she likes to follow the Indian soap operas.”

Robert got up and found the remote turning on their widescreen TV searching the photo menus on the smart TV and handed it to Gita.

“Find your channel apps.”

Gita expertly scanned through the apps until she found her mom’s favourite channel. Shakuntala’s attention was immediately riveted to the screen. She spoke.

“We’ll move here tomorrow.”  She said settling down to watch.”

Watching familiar Indian soap operas on Robert’s TV totally relaxed Shakuntala and she soon nodded off to sleep. Gita collected the cups and remaining biscuits and headed for the kitchen and Robert followed to tell her she could just leave them in the dishwasher rather than wash them by hand. He turned to return to the lounge, but she held him back indicating she wanted to speak with him. He pointed to the kitchen deck, and they sat at the breakfast nook and turned to face each other. Gita spoke.

“I’m glad you invited us to stay, this would be considered inappropriate in our culture, but we are not in India. I just want to say how much I’ve appreciated hearing about you from Anita and to understand the depth of love between the both of you. You’ve no idea what kind of ruckus this caused when the community discovered Aniita had married a foreigner and sacrificed caste by doing so. That’s why there was that incident in Singapore involving one of the cousins. In the past that would have involved an honour killing and it would have been winked at by authorities however I’m glad that’s frowned on by law and there are very few instances reported among Hindus though Moslems take a break from their religion by one of their own very seriously still. Some of our customs still need to be changed as you will probably know from my experience as a discarded wife.”

Robert looked at Gina in shock.

“I had no knowledge of an incident in Singapore Gita and why would you be abandoned in marriage. You are just as beautiful in looks and spirit as Anita, so I don’t understand your culture at all it seems.”

Gita stared at Robert. He seemed to be ignorant of the Singapore embarrassment to the family, and she realized she’d broken her sister Anita’s confidence on this so decided to try and steer conversation away from that topic. She felt highly complimented Robert found her attractive as after being abandoned by Ramesh who’d not found her attractive enough to consummate a marriage and she undergone a shunning in India on her return because she was now considered abandoned used goods her self-worth had taken a beating and each day was just survival mode with nothing useful to do. She longed for the kind of escape Anita had made along with a happy marriage. She realized Robert had said something and was waiting for a reply. She apologized and asked him to repeat his question.

“Gita I’m interested to know why this happened to you if you feel free to share this as I want to understand your family and if there’s anything else you can share about family, I’d like to know that as Anita’s husband.”

Gita went into minute details as to how marriage is approached in India among the upper classes. The networks established between caste members through marriage and how marriage in too many cases in a business arrangement rather than a love choice. Her’s was a business arrangement and she was prepared to develop this into a love relationship over time as mostly happens but found out on her wedding night her husband despised her and was already living with another woman in Los Angeles and she’d be nothing more than a servant to them but due to loss of face between families and the probability of war between them in the business world her husband Ramesh and she would be bound to silence and living a lie of a happy married couple to their families in India to preserve face and peace between them. It had all gone wrong when the unsuspecting Shakuntala paid a surprise visit to Los Angeles and discovered the truth and her father had demanded the return of the dowry paid so there was still war between families and the rest of the Gupta clan had secretly watched to see which family would win. Her return to India had made it worse as she was shunned and felt useless with nothing to do. She wished for the kind of release Anita had achieved but there was no possibility of that. She began to cry at the unfairness of it all.

Robert was appalled with this confession and shook his head in anger. He was so glad Anita had escaped but now wondered if the attack made on his wife was due to the bad blood between families now. He wondered if Federal Police were aware of this background, but they were certainly looking at family connections in relation to the attack but would never disclose this to him until they’d solved the case. Robert did not know they’d captured two of the group who’d attacked his wife and these were part of an international crime gang police had been working on to bring to justice for years now. He refocused on Gita and noticed her quietly sobbing and reached over to comfort her. She was his sister-in-law and he felt a bond between them after hearing her story. She cried on his shoulder for a short time and then got off the chair drying her eyes.

“We need to get back to the lounge. If my mother wakes and finds us like this, she’d be very angry.”

Robert left Gita in the lounge with her mother and was heading to the fourth bedroom which was now his office. He’d no sooner sat to think about how he was going to pay the mounting bills and have enough for their survival when his cell phone chimed. He picked it up anxiously to answer the call. It was the hospital. Anita was awake and urgently wanted to have him visit. He sped to the lounge room and woke Shakuntala simultaneously phoning for a taxi.

Robert, Shakuntala and Gita arrived at the reception desk and reported they’d been summoned to visit with Anita Hill a patient who’d been in ICU. Anita had been taken from the ICU to a regular room, but she was still attached to many devices and surrounded by nurses for the visit. William was waiting outside the room for their arrival as he’d been summoned by Anita as well. Robert’s heart sank as he took in the scene. This did not look like a happy outcome. They all glanced through the door blocked by nurses and a doctor came out to visit with them in the corridor. He asked who among them was Robert Hill. Robert stepped forward and the doctor had a quite conversation with him. Robert pointed to Shakuntala and Gita, and they continued in quiet conversation for a while. Robert’s body began to shake with emotion and the doctor paused to move to Shakuntala.

“Mrs. Gupta your daughter only has hours to live unfortunately but she’s been fighting to stay alive so she could have her last moments with her husband. She was unaware her mother, and sister would be here in Australia, but I’ll make her aware of that and she’ll be no doubt happy to know you’re here. We have done everything we can to repair her organs affected by this huge wound and thought we’d made a breakthrough for a while but her body is just not able to repair itself now and your daughter who suffered greatly through it all wants us to let her go without any further intervention which in my opinion is a wise decision.”

Shakuntala let out a wail of anguish and a nurse rushed out to see what was wrong then seeing it was the mother understood and returned to her work. The doctor spoke to Shakuntala and Gita again.

“Your daughter wishes to speak with her work mentor from Deloitte’s first and I’ve explained this to Mr. Hill who understands why. He will then leave and the family will spend time with her, but final moments will be for her husband and that could be a couple of hours as her body is shutting down rapidly and we are keeping her lucid at her requests to say her last goodbyes. The nurse will tell you when you two ladies must leave.”

He turned and indicated William should follow him into the room and William sat beside her leaning forward to understand what she was trying to say. She addressed him as her father rather than mentor and said she had a special request. She was going to ask Robert to marry her sister after she’d gone as she’d not trust any other to look after him and love him as she did. Could he try with his contacts in immigration to see how Gita could be allowed to stay in Australia. William said it was not as simple as it had been to employ Anita, and it of course had to be something Robert wanted to do and all he could assure her was he’d try if Robert was inclined to do that. He then kissed her saying she was like a daughter to him, and he’d be mourning her loss along with her colleagues.

He quickly left tearing up and the doctor indicated Shakuntala and Gita should be bought in. The nurse warned them they should listen carefully as Anita did not have much volume in her voice now and not be tempted to try touching her except in kissing her goodbye and try not to show emotion. But emotion could not be held back, and the three women spoke as tears rolled down their cheeks. Shakuntala apologized for the way her family had initially treated her and Anita said she understood the reasons and had no ill feelings toward any of them only the love of a daughter and sibling. She wanted this communicated and would be requesting her husband to allow her ashes to be returned to India and scattered in the Ganges. Perhaps she and her family were lapsed Hindus, but this was a cultural tradition she wished to fulfil. The doctor could see she was sinking and requested mother and sister leave. But she had one last wish. She turned to her sister and told her she wanted her to marry her love into Robert on her behalf and requested her mother not to oppose that. Shakuntala and Gita looked at each other shocked and cried as they left the room knowing their next sighting of Anita would be at the funeral.

Robert was ushered into the room and sat beside his wife who could barely whisper now. He asked permission to hold her hand despite what was plugged into her wrist and the nurse told him to do it carefully so as not to disturb the hand’s position. Anita looked at her husband and smiled. She chanted in Hindi briefly then spoke.

“Robert I’ve been in love with you from the first time you hugged me in my old apartment. You are an upright man, and I feel cheated not to spend my normal lifespan with you and produce heirs. My love for you is strong and I hope you can feel it radiating from my body now. Who knows what the afterlife is but if there is one, I’ll be watching over you and blessing your every move. Now I want you to promise me something and hope my wish can be fulfilled. I know it depends on more than your promise, but this is what I want. Please accept Gita as my replacement. I’m sending strong thought signals to her to take my place and love you with the intensity only an Indian woman can give to her husband. Will you promise me that Robert?”

Robert was too shocked to know what to answer. How could he love Gita as he loved his wife, Anita. He glanced up as he heard one of the nurses sobbing and saw the other one was turned away finding this emotional. Anita saw his hesitation and smiled in her pain.

“I understand this will be hard for you Robert, but it is my dying wish but can only hope it is fulfilled.”

Robert squeezed her hand involuntarily.

“How can I love someone else now Anita. My whole life is tied up in love for you, and it would not be fair to Gita either as she doesn’t love me.”

“Gita is an Indian woman Robert, and we are sold off in business deals at our cultural level. We accept and accommodate and learn to love in time even if our husband forsakes us as hers did. Ask her about it.”

“I hear your wish beautiful wife, but you’ll never be out of my mind and that would be so unfair to Gita. I don’t know how I can do this, but you’ve put this in my mind and I’ll struggle with it. Please don’t be disappointed if I can’t do this.”

Anita sighed.

“I’m tired Robert in so much pain despite what they are pumping into me and wish to go in peace. I’m closing my eyes and will you sit with me until the end with your hand in mind as I’ll be able to feel your presence even though my voice is failing.’

The nurse adjusted the drip to increase pain medication, and this would hasten her to her final sleep. An hour later breathing shallowed and then stopped altogether. The nurse buzzed the doctor who came and checked her vital signs then covered her face removing the plugins. Medical staff departed leaving him to grieve beside his wife for a few minutes and returned eventually indicating Anita needed to be moved to the morgue pending final clearance to be taken over by those chosen by Robert for the final funeral arrangements once the coroner permitted it and the death certificate issued.

Shakuntala and Gita had returned to the hotel and cried themselves to sleep that evening. At 10am next morning Gita took charge and took Robert’s calling card out of her purse. She phoned him and he saw who it was and picked up his cell phone answering it. Calls had been coming in from relatives all night after he’d informed his parents of Anita’s passing. William had called passing on the sympathies of those who worked in the Deloitte office and informing him he’d contacted those overseas who’d worked closely with Anita in projects she’d done under their guidance there. He could expect more calls. He said to contact him if there was anything he could do to help under the circumstances. Robert thanked him. Robert was bone tired and wished the calls would stop. Gita spoke.

“Is that invitation still open for us to come to your home Robert as we will get more information staying with you than if we remain in the hotel.”

“Yes, Gita, I want you both here. What time will you arrive as I haven’t slept all night and need to get some now if the phone calls will stop.”

An hour later the women arrived with their luggage and Robert helped bring it in settling them. Shakuntala immediately climbed into bed and went to sleep off the stress of the past few days. She needed rest as she’d be after those who stole her daughter’s life when rested up. Gita was grieving for her sister, but Indian women are resilient under stress, and she determined to help her brother-in-law through his grief. She gently asked if he’d give his cell phone to her and she’d answer calls while he slept and keep a record of who called and would only wake him if there was an urgent matter to deal with. She asked about funeral arrangements, and Robert gave her the name of one he’d selected recommended by William and asked her to make an appointment to deal with the formalities while they waited for the death certificate to be issued.

The Federal Police had been monitoring all family members and elevated the case to a murder inquiry now. Overseas family members were being watched and interviewed too to see who’d put up the money to cause this death. The two already caught and in hand were constantly interrogated and eventually gave up the locations frequented by the one who’d used the knife. They had artist impressions of the man they were looking for now and kept silent watch over all the places identified. Those who’d worked with Anita overseas were also investigated quietly to see if they had any criminal associations or reasons to do this. They still had no leads but had left a lot of disgruntled innocent people in the wake of their inquiries. Then they had a breakthrough. The final one of the three involved was found at one of the locations given and bought in for questioning. He was grilled day and night and it would be life imprisonment for him and years in jail for his associates. The possibility of a slightly reduced sentence was put before them if they identified the one who’d put a hit out on Anita. After a week of this intense pressure the one who’d killed Anita cracked under the pressure and exposed the one who’d given cash for the job done. But he was only a cog in the wheel, and they worked on him until he gave the name of the next one up the line and police slowly made progress with arrests up the line further. A month later the story came out, and it was a surprise to them.

There was no family involvement or problem with any of those Anita had worked with. They were unable to catch the one ultimately involved but they had the story. Criminal elements used many ways to make money, and one was prostitution. One of the women who’d been smuggled in from India for their illegal trade had escaped and they’d been searching for her for a year. The command had been to capture preferably alive for questioning about who was helping her and if not possible to kill as a lesson to others, they’d enslaved not to try escaping. They assumed the woman had changed her appearance possibly surgically and had caught sight of a newspaper report on the New Zealand project for the government with a picture of the team involved from Australia and overseas. It was not a good photo but looked somewhat like the woman who’d escaped so they wanted to kidnap and question. It was a sad case of misidentification and spies bought back the news that the kingpin who’d ordered the hit had now fled to Dubai waiting for things to die down so he could re-enter on a fake Australian passport to continue his evil work. He was still issuing orders from Dubai and criminal elements were too frightened of this man and his continuing influence to identify him. Immigration would be very vigilant with anyone entering Australia from that part of the world from then on.

The funeral was attended by many of those Anita had worked with and tears were shed as she was passed into the fires of the crematorium. Robert had wanted to retain the ashes but knew it was important to Anita to have her ashes scattered in the Ganges. Ram and one of his sons had flown in to join Shakuntala and Gita for the commemoration and Shakuntala shared with him Anita’s wish that Gita takes her place as the wife of Robert. Ram was shocked and initially angry when this was revealed and consulted with his son. The son pointed out that Gita’s presence with them in Delhi was the cause of much frustration in the extended family as the stigma of a rejected wife was something they were collectively upset about. Things had settled a little when Ramesh’s father had surprisingly made contact and returned the dowry asking that they become friends again and apologizing for what had happened recognizing his son had been the guilty party. They’d been hurt badly in their business interests when Ram had cut off all transactions with their family. Ram learned through the grapevine Ramesh had been arrested after investigation into his contacts with Mexican drug cartels through his wife who’d also been arrested. So, the other family now had the stigma of their son’s arrest and were desperately looking for support within the Ram Gupta family. It was in Ram’s interests to resume these business contacts, and he accepted the returned dowry. Perhaps it would be better if Gita was removed from the Delhi scene after all. He told Shakuntala he’d agree to such a proposal and Shakuntala shared this with Gita. They’d moved back to the hotel when Ram and his son had joined them, and Ram did some background checks on this man Robert Hill to see if he could be of benefit to the family. But such a proposal would have to be handled traditionally, and Ram could see this may not be possible as the Hills did not understand the nuances of Indian culture. So, he put the idea on the back burner to see what would eventuate.

To be continued.

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