Left to live... or die?

Another woman left to live only to die every day for the rest of her life.

It was about two years back. She stood there near the ICU, teary eyed, trying hard to smile, a beautiful red bindi adorning her forehead. She was in her early 30s with 2 kids married for not even 10 years. I remember her small beautiful face and her soft voice as she just clung to her father saying nothing but looking at him with imploring eyes. The look in those eyes still brings me to tears. The eyes were begging him for life - the life of her husband who had been hospitalized earlier in the morning.
Reason: damaged liver.
Cause: alcoholic.

My cousin was widowed the next day. The beautiful red bindi would not be there on her forehead again. I have not seen here since that day in the hospital. I could speak to her only yesterday. Not that I did not want to but did not have the heart to.

What grieves me the most is that the one at fault is gone away and she is the one left to suffer. What right did he have to drink himself to death and leave her to bear the brunt for ever? While having fun with his one peg after another did he realize that he was killing not just him self but a wife and two little children as well.
When I heard the news of his death, I wanted to really shake him alive and ask him why did he do it. She was my favorite didi and on that account he was my favorite and only jija ji. I wonder if didi has forgiven him or for that matter if she was even cross with him for having caused her so much pain.

Now after two years it has happened again. Last time it was my cousin this time it is Mohit’s.
Same age, same bindi and same reason.--- alcohol.
Another woman will face hardships of life without her husband; two more children will be deprived of their father’s love.

Alcohol has taken its toll yet again…