From India with love

31st Dec 2011: Excitedly, we land in Chennai, South India.  The last day of the year 2011.  I have not seen my parents in nearly 7 years.  I must say, the national carrier of Oman is not bad at all. After moving to Oman, I have come to acquire a borrowed sense of patriotism.  I love this country, love its people and love its ruler.  His Majesty Sultan Quaboos, without a doubt is a wise rule.  He is adored by his people.  A very elusive personality, who shuns the limelight and would prefer to spread his character as a doer and not a talker.  Unlike, the fellow rulers around the region who flaunt their new found wealth from black gold.  Who throw their wealth around in ways that it takes more than the average persons creativity to do.

My lovely partner and I see my parents wave at me from the lounge, as we impatiently wait for our bags at the baggage conveyor belt at Chennai International Airport.   Finally, the moment arrives!  I am standing in front of my parents.  I hug them, holding back the emotions. The emotions that I have had to carry all  by myself the last 2 years in particular.  This is not the time for that. This is one of those happy moments of 'mental still-photography'.  The picture is stored.  Ingrid, goes ahead to hire the vehicle to my parents home.  All fixed, we get into the car, and head towards David Nagar. 25 odd kilometers from the airport.  Dosai, Iddly and all the typical auxiliary that come along,  and a sumptuous meal is consumed.  It is one of those rare occasions where I enjoyed a vegan dinner.

One week gone, it is the 6^th of January.  The new year is just in the process of setting itself into my mind.  We are tired and exhausted after the wonderful trip to India.  I  realize that I have missed my parents in the last years.  The next morning, all emotions in me come to a concluding point.   I break down, and Ingrid is there for me to lend me her shoulder and give me all the hugs and cuddles I need to be reassured. It is going to all right.  


Ingrid, has been my greatest strength the last year.  I have had the misfortune, or if I may say the talent of attracting the worst of people as friends.   I have lost friends that I have loved. I have had to explain and justify my actions to friends. It has not been easy. Still, through thick and thin, Ingrid has been my strength. The only strength. It is as if, I do not need anyone else.  In that process, many a times I have mentally suffocated her. An unfair act on my part. Nevertheless, she has been by my side. 

It is the 21st of January 2012.  The last week has been smooth for me.  Ingrid has been tired. She has missed her period and is feeling fatigue, weak and an an aching pain in her body.  Maybe, we think she might be pregnant.  We laugh it off.  But the feeling of tiredness has not moved out in her.   In a very not-too-enthusiastic manner, we decide to get a home pregnancy kit.  As I drop her at her work place at 4pm, we buy a test-kit.  The time is set, to carry out the test. 9.30pm, after I pick her from work.  A matter-of-fact thing we must do, just like one would plan to finish a report before going to bed.  Nothing to get all over the moon about.  We open the test-kit, and I read instructions as if it is an IKEA kitchen table we have to assemble.  She proceeds to the toilet.  All instructions are given, and I am standing outside the door.    All done, now we have to wait for 20 seconds.  Never realized that 20 seconds could be that long.