Perfect Imperfections by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page A

at the dinner table after the relatives had left and Judith, Kim, and Sam were left to deal with their grief without someone constantly hovering over them. Their caring was probably genuine, but it was also a reminder of how things would be difficult now. A few of the family members didn’t miss any opportunity to rub it into Kim’s face that these were the disadvantages of marrying young and to an older man. Even though her mother was pale as a sheet with eyes like glass, that didn’t dither the women of the family and even some men from passing judgments, especially Ela, Judith’s maternal cousin, who had a knack of being unpleasant every time she spoke.
    “Why do you still want to stay here and not go back to Canada?” Ela asked once.
    These were the kinds of comments that Judith wanted to stay away from, and that was the reason why she had worked hard to build a life away from people who had done nothing but criticized her choices. Judith had had enough of these things.
    So when Kim announced she was leaving, Judith didn’t say anything. Kim expected her to say something about quitting her job and staying with the family, but evidently her mother was too grief-stricken or had no energy to pursue that argument. That was a conversation that would have required Judith every last ounce of her energy. And anyway, probably her mother had finally understood that the argument would be futile. She had made up her mind after all; there was nothing that could shake her from her decision.
     
    ***
     
    The months that followed Richard’s death were tough on everyone, but now they seemed to have found a new routine, a routine that did not involve hospital rounds, medical assistants visiting home, the constant worry of paying medical bills, and the fear — the constant fear — of Richard’s death. Everyone had gone back to their lives. Sam was back at school, Judith immersed herself in her work and, even though she was not required to work two jobs any more, she still did as that didn’t give her any time to think of going back home at the end of the day to an empty house and no Richard. And Kim was back to flying.
    For Kim, the time was as difficult as it is for any young girl who is close to their father. A part of her felt guilty that everything was going back to normal. Is it so easy to get over Dad? She felt very upset every time she did something normal, and that guilt turned into frustration, and usually it was Dave who had to deal with it. And he did. He was ever so patient with her erratic behavior and mood-swings. He understood them and her. He knew just how she felt, the feeling of not wanting to stop grieving as yet, of not accepting that their heart was done grieving. He knew all about those thoughts and feelings having lost his own parents very early in life, something he never liked to talk about. So he gave Kim time, time to accept that it was okay to be normal and she did, to an extent she did.
    Even though going back home reminded her of Richard and the feeling of betraying her father by not being sad any more haunted her, Kim still made it a point to visit Judith as often as she could.
    On one such visit, Judith announced over dinner, “I want to be with both my girls now.” Though the words were spoken calmly, Kim could sense the chaos hidden underneath. “Kim, I won't pressure you,” she continued, “but I want you to know that I could really do with having both you and Sam home now. There is no reason why we should be scattered when we should be with each other. Think about it.”
    Kim looked at her mom and realized for the first time that she had lost a lot of weight, almost to the point of being frail. She knew she needed to be back home. Even though she was enjoying her job as a cabin crew with its many perks, she had gotten as much as she could out of it, and now wanted to come back home.
    “Hi!” said Kim when Dave answered her call.
    “All good? You sound low.” Dave turned in his chair