Rebuilding of a Shattered Family:
Based upon true story
By Lokanath Mishra
Sunita’s family was a complex web of secrets and lies. Her father, a cook in a hotel in a different city, had long been having an illicit affair with a divorced woman. He sent negligible amounts of money to Sunita’s mother, who struggled to make ends meet as a dance teacher at a private school.
The principal of the dance school, a man with a questionable reputation, had his own illicit affair with Sunita’s mother. He frequently visited their home, and Sunita could sense the unease in the air. Her mother’s salary was meager, and the family’s financial struggles were palpable.
Sunita’s elder sister, only 16, had dropped out of school and opened a ladies’ tailoring shop in front of their house. She worked as a tailor, but Sunita suspected that her sister’s activities went beyond just sewing clothes. Her sister would often take Sunita and their younger brother to the market, leaving them outside a clothing shop while she disappeared into storerooms with the shop owner.
As Sunita grew older, she discovered her sister’s fake social media accounts, filled with conversations with numerous men. The final straw came when Sunita found out her sister was having an affair with their neighbor’s son, whom she considered a cousin. Sunita confronted her sister, but she turned the tables, blaming Sunita for invading her privacy.
Sunita felt afraid and helpless, trapped in a family where illicit affairs and secrets seemed to reign supreme. Her younger brother, 14 at the time, sometimes revolted against their family’s toxic behavior, but to no avail. Sunita and her brother continued with their education, determined to secure jobs and rescue their family from the abyss.
Years passed, and Sunita completed her graduation, landing a job of accountant at a bank in a rural area. Her brother joined the army and was posted at the border. Sunita’s new life was a welcome respite from the chaos of her childhood. She and her brother were sending sufficient amounts to their family in each and every month. However, when she returned home after six months, she found that nothing had changed. Her father is still continuing with love in relationship with the divorced lady. Her sister and mother continued to prioritize their boyfriends over their family, belittling Sunita and her brother and making them feel inadequate.
Sunita realized that she had to take drastic measures to reunite her family and bring them back on the right path. She decided to set boundaries, but instead of distancing herself, she chose to take a different approach.
Sunita’s determination to reunite her family and bring them back on the right path led her to take a bold step. She first settled into her new life at her place of posting, purchasing an old house with a loan from the bank. She spent countless hours repairing the house, transforming it into a warm and welcoming home.
Once the house was ready, Sunita invited her father, mother, and sister to stay with her. To her surprise, they all agreed, perhaps sensing the genuine love and concern behind her invitation.
Sunita’s next move was to empower her family members financially. She took loans from the bank in their individual names and opened a restaurant, a tailoring shop, and a dance school within the house. Her father, mother, and sister worked hard, pouring their hearts into their respective businesses.
As time passed, their hard work paid off. The restaurant, tailoring shop, and dance school flourished, bringing in a steady income. The family’s financial struggles became a thing of the past.
But more importantly, they began to heal emotionally. The past, with all its secrets and lies, slowly faded away. In their new surroundings, they were no longer haunted by the whispers of their neighbors.
As they worked together, rebuilding their lives, Sunita’s sister met a good man who proposed to her. They got married, and Sunita’s sister finally found happiness.
Sunita, too, found love and married the branch manager of the bank where she worked. Her brother, who had been watching over them from afar, also found a beautiful life partner and settled down.
Their parents, who had once been torn apart by infidelity and distrust, slowly began to rebuild their relationship. They worked together, side by side, and eventually, they forgot the past and started anew.
Sunita’s story is a testament to the power of love, forgiveness, and determination. It shows that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for redemption and rebuilding.
The message to society is clear: no matter how shattered our lives may seem, we always have the power to rebuild and start anew. It takes courage, forgiveness, and determination, but the end result is always worth it.
As Sunita’s family proved, it’s never too late to make amends, to forgive, and to start anew. And sometimes, all it takes is one person’s determination to bring about a change that can transform an entire family’s life.
