Holiday Trip
By Lokanath Mishra
Vina sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall as her new husband, Yogesh, ranted on about her children . It had been a year since they got married, and Vina thought she’d found happiness after her divorce 20 years ago. But Yogesh’s behavior towards her minor children, Aaron and Sarah, was becoming increasingly unbearable.
Yogesh was 10 years younger than Vina and had been a bachelor before their marriage. Vina was a lecturer in a government college, and Yogesh was a clerk in the same college. She had thought that their age difference and different backgrounds wouldn’t matter, but now she was beginning to realize that it did.
Yogesh refused to have Aaron and Sarah over for holidays, and whenever Vina mentioned them, he’d launch into a tirade about how they were “ungrateful” and “spoiled.” It hurt Vina deeply, as she knew her children were good kids.
One day, as Vina was scrolling through social media, she came across a post from a friend who’d recently gone on a wonderful vacation with her family. It sparked an idea in Vina. She decided to take her children on a holiday, just the three of them. She didn’t care if Yogesh didn’t want to come; she was going to spend quality time with her kids, no matter what.
Vina decided to go to Puri, a beautiful coastal town in eastern India, to worship Lord Jagannath and then stay in a resort nearby. She booked a beautiful resort in a stunning location near the sea beach and made sure to use their joint account to pay for it.
When Yogesh found out, he was furious. “You’re just going to leave me here and go off with your kids?” he complained. Vina shrugged and said, “What else can I do? I want to see my children! You don’t, so this is a compromise.” She could see the anger in his eyes, but she didn’t back down.
As they settled into their resort, Vina made sure to document every moment. She took photos and videos of them laughing, exploring, and having a great time together. She even asked strangers to take group photos of them, which she then sent to Yogesh.
During their daily phone calls, Vina regaled Yogesh with stories of their adventures. “Oh, today Aaron was being so silly! He was doing such-and-such, and it had us all in fits!” or “Sarah is so good at Spanish! She had a full-on conversation with someone she met at the hotel restaurant, and I’m so impressed!”
Vina could sense Yogesh’s frustration and jealousy growing with each passing day. He began to ask more questions about their trip, and she could tell he was starting to feel left out.
As the holiday came to an end, Vina realized that her plan had worked. Yogesh had begun to see that she wouldn’t be bullied or controlled, that she would continue to prioritize her relationship with her children, no matter what.
As they returned home, Yogesh seemed more subdued, more reflective. Vina could sense that he was reevaluating his behavior towards her children. And she knew that her holiday had been a turning point in their relationship.
From that day on, Yogesh made a conscious effort to be more accepting and supportive of Vina’s children. He even started joining them for holidays, and their family began to feel more whole.
Vina realized that sometimes, taking a stand and showing someone that you won’t be controlled can be the most powerful way to bring about change. And she was grateful that her holiday with her children had been the catalyst for that change.