Ratneshwari

Chapter 26

Ratneshwari was working in the kitchen in the early morning. She was preparing the breakfast.

She was sad. Sadness was a frequent visitor for her but on that day, it was something different. It was her birthday. She said to herself as she cleaned the dining table,"Anna, for all these years, you were the one who used to wish me first on my birthday. You used to come at 12 o'clock and wish me. But now, you are gone. Who is going to wish me now?"

Shivan came and sat at the dining table silently. Ratneshwari looked at him and waited for him to say something. Shivan said,"What happened?" Ratneshwari nodded her head and said,"Nothing."

What was she waiting for? It was her birthday and no one had wished her. So, she was expecting Shivan to wish her. But, he did not wish her.

Ratneshwari remembered how she had wished Shivan on his birthday and prepared his favourite food. She also remembered how he had smiled at her and thanked her. Perhaps, she was also expecting him to do something special for him.

But it was of no use. Shivan did not even know that it was her birthday. Ratneshwari knew about his birthday as she had asked her mother-in-law about it. Shivan did not know many things about Ratneshwari. The question is, did he ever try to know anything about her?

As usual, Shivan left for work after having his breakfast.

Ratneshwari did not have much work to do. So, she decided to sit in the balcony for sometime. She went to her room. When she saw the mirror, she stopped there.

She saw her reflection on the smooth surface of the mirror. She kept staring at her reflection. The reflection stared her back as if to mock her. She felt as if her reflection was mocking her and saying,"Look at yourself. What a pathetic person you are! You can't even attract your own husband."

After staring at her reflection for sometime, she went closer to the mirror and started singing,

"Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
May God ble..ss you....
M..a..y Goddd blesss yo........u
Ha....pp...y birtttthd..ayyy t......."

She could not sing further and broke down in front of the mirror. As she sat on the floor sobbing, she kept cursing her fate and also kept uttering the words,"Ruined... everything is ruined.....he ruined everything....."

(At Sheetal's apartment)

"Why do both of you want to ruin her life?", said a man who was a few years older than Sheetal. He was Pallav, Sheetal's brother-in-law. Sheetal said to him,"But Bava, what is the use of being in a relationship where there is no love? Shivan does not love her. Neither he nor Ratneshwari is happy. It will be good if they just get a divorce and move on with their lives." Pallav sighed. He kept his hands on her shoulders and said,"I was never in love with your sister before our marriage. I also had a girlfriend. But my father was against our relationship. He got me married to your sister and....." Sheetal did not let him finish and said,"But Bava, their relationship is just for the sake of formality. There is no real relationship between them. They have not even consummated their marriage. He married her only because his mother's condition was critical."

"A marriage is not a joke and it is never just a formal relationship!!!!", Pallav almost shouted. He continued,"Shivan just does not want to give a chance to his relationship and it is all because of you. When I married your sister, I gave a chance to our relationship. I tried to love her. That's the reason why, we are now happily married and have two children."

Pallav angrily moved towards the door and opened it. Before leaving he said,"I am a lawyer by profession but before that, I am a human being. I cannot assist you in this. I will not help you in anyway regarding this matter."

(At Pallav's house)

Pallav was sitting on the sofa. Karuna came to him and handed him a cup of coffee. Pallav said,"Thanks". He sipped the coffee and then, they started talking.

"Did you go to meet Sheetal? What did she say?"

"She needs my help."

"Why?"

"She wants me to help Shivan to get a divorce from his wife."

"Did you agree?"

"Of course not! I cannot do something like that. You know it very well that, what your sister is doing is not at all correct. Will we like it if someone does this to our daughter?"

"I have never seen you so tensed. Is there something else too?"

"There are many things which you do not know, Karuna."

"You can tell me."

"I did not say this to Sheetal. Ratneshwari....I met her years ago. How I wish I had never met her! I was a child then. I did not know what was right and what was wrong.
I have an aunt who lives in Madurai. I went to visit her during my summer vacations. I was playing with some boys when Ratneshwari arrived there with her friend. One of the boys threw a stone at her. Her friend got angry and started fighting with us. During that fight, I pushed him and....and then....then....a truck ran over him. He died at the spot."

"Pallav...."

"I did that.... The memories of that cursed day are still fresh in my mind as if it was just yesterday. She fainted as soon as she saw the dead body of her friend....That guilt haunts me, Karuna. Even if I hide in the depths of the ocean or dig the earth to hide myself, that guilt will find me. All these years, I have been living with that guilt. Whenever I think of her, my heart shatters to pieces. I was responsible for the death of her friend."

"You were a child then. You did not do it purposefully."

"Purposefully or not, what is done is done. The boy cannot be brought back to life. Once, I took away Ratneshwari's friend from her. I killed him right in front of her eyes. Now, I cannot help your sister and take her husband away from her. I would rather kill myself."

(That evening, at Ratneshwari's house)

Shivan returned from work in the evening. After freshening up, he sat down on the sofa to watch the TV. He saw Ratneshwari carrying a photo album in her hand and moving towards their bedroom.

After sometime, he went to the bedroom and found Ratneshwari looking at the photos in that album. He said to her,"Can I see the photos?" Ratneshwari nodded her head gave him the album. He saw tears accumulating in her eyes but said nothing.

He looked at the photos and said,"Are these your photos?" Ratneshwari nodded her head. Shivan was turning the pages of the album when he saw the photo of the day when Ratneshwari's first birthday was celebrated. Then, he saw the photo of the birthday cake. It was written on the cake :

Happy Birthday Dear
Ratneshwari

One year ago, on 24 th of August,
God sent an angel to our house

Shivan looked at the date and said,"Today is 24th of August. So, it's your birthday today, right?"

"Yes", Ratneshwari said feebly. Shivan looked at her and smiled. Then, he said,"Happy Birthday" Ratneshwari's eyes were filled with tears. She wanted to hug him and cry for sometime. But she stopped herself from doing so. With teary eyes, she smiled at him and said,"Thank you".

Ratneshwari was happy. Finally, someone had wished her. She said to herself,"Everything will be fine."