Story : The Will
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THE WILL
Short Fiction
“Slice of Life” Story By Vikram Karve
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THE WILL
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“I am fed up with my father-in-law…” Meera says to me.
“Come on, Meera. It’s not the poor old man’s fault that he had a heart attack…” I say.
“It’s not that…” Meera says.
“Then what is it…?” I ask her.
“This is his third heart attack…” Meera says.
“Oh. That’s why you are worried for him…” I ask her.
“I am not worried for him. I am worried about us…” Meera says.
“What … ?” I say, surprised.
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Suddenly Meera’s mobile phone rings.
She looks at the display of her cell phone.
Meera excuses herself — and she walks out of the office to take the call.
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Ten minutes later — Meera returns to office.
She looks very tense.
Something seems to be wrong with her father-in-law.
“I hope your father-in-law is okay…?” I ask her.
“The doctors say he will survive. He is still in the ICU — but he is getting better. He is breathing properly — and he has even started talking now. My husband is in the hospital with him…” she says.
“That’s good. From the look on your face — I thought there was some bad news…” I say.
“There is very bad news…” Meera says.
“Bad news…? What…?” I ask Meera.
“My husband said that my father-in-law is refusing to sign the will…” she says.
“Will…?” I say, confused.
“My father-in-law has not made a will bequeathing his property…” Meera says.
“He hasn’t made his will…?” I say to her, surprised.
“Yes. My father-in-law has not made a will. Just imagine what will happen if he dies. We will lose everything…” Meera says.
“You will lose everything…? How…?” I say.
“My father-in-law is a self-made man. All his property is self-earned. The huge bungalow where we live has been built by him. Everyone has their eyes on our bungalow…” Meera says.
“Yes. That bungalow is prime property. It must be worth a few crores…” I say.
“Just imagine. We — my husband and I — we sacrificed everything. My husband and I stayed back in India — so that we could look after him. We could have also gone to America like his other children. When the old man is alive — they don’t bother about him — and we have to do everything for him. But the moment he dies — they will be all here to claim their pound of flesh — like vultures…” Meera says.
“Really…? Are they so desperate for his property…?” I say.
“Of course. The last time my husband’s sister was here — I came to know that she was in discrete talks with a builder for redeveloping the bungalow in exchange for a flat — I hate greedy NRIs like her — they ditch the country — they abandon their parents — they go abroad to have a good life — but they still want to have a flat in Pune…” Meera says.
“That’s really unfair. If you have looked after the old man all your life — then you must get the bungalow. Why don’t you talk to your father-in-law…?” I say.
“We have have talked to him. Every time we ask him — he says he is going to give his bungalow and all his property to us. He says that he has told everyone about this. But — he refuses to put it in writing on paper — in black and white…” Meera says.
“Really…?” I say.
“Yes. We have asked him so many times to make a will — but he refuses every time…” Meera says, with anxiety on her face.
“Why…? Why is your father-in-law refusing to make his will…?” I say.
“He is superstitious…” Meera says.
“Superstitious…?” I ask her.
“Yes. My father-in-law is superstitious. My father-in-law says that he has a gut-feeling — that — the moment he makes a will — he may die…” Meera says.
“How silly…!!!” I say.
“And — he has had three heart attacks till now. This time it was really bad. They say that a “creaking gate hangs long” — but the way his health is failing — I don’t think it is going to be very long before he dies…” Meera says.
“Yes. This time you must convince him to write his will when he comes home from hospital…” I say.
“Why wait till he comes back from hospital…? What is the guarantee that he will come back…? I am not going to wait that long. I am going to get the will signed by him right now…” Meera says firmly.
“Right now…? What do you mean…?” I ask her.
“I told you — didn’t I…? My husband has taken the papers to hospital…” Meera says.
“Your husband has taken the will papers to the hospital to get your father-in-law’s signature…?” I ask her.
“Yes. I have got a proper will drafted by a lawyer. I have sent the will with my husband to the hospital. I have given an ultimatum to my husband to make sure my father-in-law signs the will today. I have even asked the lawyer to go there as a witness. The moment my father-in-law signs the will — the lawyer will get signatures of witnesses — and — he will go to the registry and get the will properly registered. I have warned my husband that he should come home only after all this is done. I have told my husband that I will not allow him to enter the house unless he shows me the properly signed and registered will of my father-in-law…” Meera says — with firmness in her voice.
“Oh…!” I say.
“Now — all my husband has to do is get the old man’s signature. I have warned my husband that there will be hell to pay if he fails to get his father’s signature on the will. This time I am serious. I have told my husband that if my father-in-law refuses to sign the will — we are going to walk out of his house — and go to live elsewhere. Let the old man’s other children come here and look after him — they all want a share in his property — isn’t it…? We — my husband and I — we have looked after the old man — so the old man must give my husband his entire wealth and property. If my father-in-law’s other children they want a share in my father-in-law’s property — then let them come here and share some responsibility of looking after him as well … ” Meera says.
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Suddenly — I see the head of our boss popping into our office.
Our boss looks at Meera — and — he gives Meera a polite smile.
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Then — our boss looks at me — and he speaks to me.
“Smita — can you please come out for a moment…?” our boss says to me.
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I follow the boss into the lobby.
When we are alone — the boss looks at me and speaks in a serious tone.
“There is some bad news for Meera…” he says.
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It seems Meera’s worst fears have come true and her father-in-law has died.
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I look at my boss.
“Meera’s father-in-law…? He died…?” I ask him.
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The boss looks at me and speaks in a sombre voice.
“No. Meera’s husband died. Meera’s husband had a massive heart attack and he died on the spot…” the boss says.
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What a tragedy of fate.
Meera’s old father-in-law came home hale and hearty.
But — Meera’s young husband died in the hospital.
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And — Dear Reader — do you know what was the tragic irony…?
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For many years — Meera had been asking her old father-in-law to make a will.
But — Meera’s own young husband — he hadn’t made a will.
Yes — Meera’s husband did not make his own will.
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Meera kept nagging her father-in-law to make a will.
But — she forgot to ensure that her own husband made a will.
Sad — isn’t it…?
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VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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Disclaimer:
This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
This Story was Written by me Vikram Karve in April 2013 and Earlier Posted Online by me Vikram Karve at 4/15/2013 12:42:00 PM on this Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve blog at URLs: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/04/will-and-wish-blog-fiction-story-no-25.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/12/a-creaking-gate-hangs-long.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/06/slice-of-life-creaking-gate-hangs-long.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/10/the-will.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/06/have-you-made-your-will.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2018/06/have-you-made-will.htmland https://karve.wordpress.com/2019/05/08/will-and-wish/ and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2017/01/have-you-made-your-will-bequeathing.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2020/12/17/a-creaking-gate-hangs-long/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/have-you-made-a-will/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2021/08/04/the-will/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2022/05/24/the-man-who-refused-to-make-a-will/ and https://karve.wordpress.com/2023/01/25/story-the-man-who-did-not-make-a-will/ etc
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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