Derek's Path

"Do you have to go?" Derek asked his father. His mother has been showing all the tantrums ever since John recieved the call for getting placed in a decent company in the metropolitan city Y outside their state. Derek grew tensed wondering how he would handle the pressure from his mother alone and also worried how he should take care of her when she falls sick. John never had let Derek do anything.

"I have no other choice my son, If i don't go, our family would be shattered and we need money to survive don't we, i cannot touch the fixed deposit we gave. That's the only savings we have and am never touching your mother's jewellery she brought as dowry too. Let me earn with my capability, I will send you and Amy money. Just wait for me. Once the financial status gets better let's relocate okay. Living in the metropolitan city will do you good," he said and convinced the little guy. "Tomorrow I will drop you at school and leave, mother will be fine, it's just that we have never been apart in our lives before," he said and consoled Derek all along. Derek wiped his tears and walked back to his room. He shut the door behind and used the washroom to wash his sticky face. He looked at himself in the mirror. He had a lot to read through for the next day's examination. He took the bag and pulled his phone out from the secret zipper. His phone had turned off without charge. He put them on charge. And he turned it on. He saw several missed calls from Taaliyah and few text messages. She sounded worried.

"Are you okay?"

"Is everything okay?

"Did aunt fall sick?"

"Is it okay if i ask why you left school with uncle?"

"I hope you are fine"

"Whatever it is stay strong,"

"Am always here,"

"I will bring your favourite lunch tomorrow," he smiled reading the message unknowingly. He could not help it. Amidst of all the pain and hurtful memories the family us giving him in his childhood, she became his happy pill. She became the one who always healed him and took him to better heights and moods, encouraging the person he is, nourishing his talent practising along with him. He could not imagine what life would have been like if she never walked in. He might even have turned depressed if not for her with diaspora and loneliness that crushed his soul while studying in the primary school. Soon Derek skimmed through the textbook. He knew well that its Taaliyah's favourite subject. And he decided to ask few doubts though he has none just to have a conversation with her.

Derek's father packed everything. He was ready to leave. Amy prepared breakfast. John's favourite puttu; an ethnic dish made with rice powder and steaming them with beef fry. John happily had them and so did Derek. From that day on he was going take the role of paterfamilia, having no other choice. Amy was very silent. She spoke nothing.

Derek was afraid that his mother might go hysterical any moment and had no idea how to handle her.

John dropped off his son at school. And he left. Derek walked slowly to his exam hall. He saw Taaliyah sitting on his place waiting for her. She had a hot box in her hand. She had skipped breakfast and packed them instead telling Nihala that she would have them after going to school only to give it to Derek. They had an hour more left before the examination begins. He sat opposite her. He was not hungry at all. But he decided to eat for her sake and shared it with her. His favourite Taaliyah's mom's special ghee rice and egg roast. He was so full, but his heart felt at ease. He asked the unnecessary doubts for the sake of speaking with her for sometime and to forget about his tragedy back at home. "Mom fell sick, she is fine now," he lied. He thought for a moment. He had no reason to hide the truth and no reason to doubt Taaliyah since she had never shared his secrets with anyone. "Pa left to Y city work and earn, mom hates the idea, so fight, so he took me to calm my mother and tell me the truth," he said. Taaliyah literally stopped eating and looked at him in shock. She knew what it means. Taking caring of the matters at home, alone and his mother. She did not know what to tell him.

"It will be fine do not ever worry," she said pretending to be cool. "You have all of us, if you need help, just call us, ask us something, never hesitate, and it's not like uncle John is in some other country. He definitely can come over for weekends, can he not?" he smiled and nodded, agreeing to everything she said.

The bell rang for the exam. "Do well," Taaliyah said and rushed back to her exam hall.

The questions were a little difficult but he was sure that Taaliyah would crack and write it well since she loves it.

Derek finished his exam faster than usual and got out with an excuse to help the librarian arrange new books. Since he is a topper and and well behaved student in class, the teacher kept him go. He did walk into the library. He climbed the stairs and he stood in the front verandah, looking down at the path he had just walked by. He wondered what his life is going to turn into. He wondered if it would be possible to realize his dream to become a singer.

"What happened son?" the librarian walked closer and patted his shoulders seeing how gloomy he looks.

"What do you think I should choose to do? Dig a path for myself that leads to my passion and dream or live somebody else's dream?" Derek asked back without looking at the face of the old man.