Prema (Pranushka)

Chapter 13

Anushka

"This one?" I point to the blue kurta Amma has on on her bed beside a yellow and red one.

"Yeah that should fit you," She says to me, looking up from where she is sitting on a chair and ruffling through the bag of clothes in front of her. I hold the blue kurta into my hands and feel the sleeves, smiling at how soft they are. I turn around when I hear a knock at the door and walk towards it and open it slowly.

"Sachin Mama," I squeal as I open my arms and lean down to hug him, as he rubs my head [Translation of Mama: Uncle].

"Bagunava Sweety," He asks me as he looks up at me with a smile on his face and his hand on my arm [Translation of Bagunava: Are you doing good]. 

Sachin Mama is kind of like our family's life saver. He has been working for us since before Anna and I were born and he does anything we need. He acts as a driver, a cook on occasion, an assistant for Nanna at work, like I said everything. 

I know it's probably weird that I hugged him, as he is technically someone who works for us, but to Anna and I he is like an uncle. Because he has been around for so long, he had a huge role in raising us especially when Amma and Nanna were so involved with work and businesses. 

In addition to helping our family out when we need, his wife is a tailor who does small repairs and stitches simpler clothing from their home which is in our colony but a few blocks away. Within our colony, there is a servants quarter for everyone who works for the houses in our colony to live if they choose to and Sachin Mama and Kalyani Atha live there with their son Rinku and daughter Bindu [Translation of Mama: Uncle; Translation of Atha: Aunt].  Both Rinku and Bindu are both in school with Rinku being 16 and Bindu being 14. 

I want to sit with him for a little longer but Amma tells him to go to the market to get a few things we need.

"Anna told me what happened over the phone a few weeks ago," I start off, looking up at Amma as I carefully fold the kurta in my hands.

"I need you to convince him too, Sweety, he won't listen to us," Amma replies, frowning as she sits down on her bed and adjusts the bangle on her wrist.

"He's 25 Amma, he doesn't need to get married yet."

"25 is a good age Anushka, do you know or do we know," She says to me more firmly this time with her eyes staying on me for a few seconds. I sigh, closing my eyes as I take a deep breath, just nodding at her before I calmly share with her my opinion.

"You know what happened with Kajal and it's only been 3 years Amma," I argue back with her, hoping she gets the message I'm saying that maybe Anna will be ok after a few years, and even if it takes longer, forcing a life onto him won't fix anything.

"What happened huh! He loved some girl and now she's dead! Being sad about it and ruining his life won't bring her back." I look down, my body freezing as I try to ignore the way Amma is talking about the situation, as if it's nothing. 

As if losing the person you loved the most wouldn't hurt or take everything out of you. This is why I always say I know I have to be there for Anna because nobody else in our family really understands his situation nor will be there in the way he needs instead of the way they selfishly want to.

"I know she won't come back but he needs some time. He won't magically become better. And I'm not saying he's perfect because unfortunately is choosing the wrong things to comfort himself with and I'm trying to help him, but I don't know what else to do. 

Maybe it's just a phase in his life and we have to let it pass because as other people there's only so much we can do; it's ultimately up to him," I patiently reply to Amma, my heartbeat slowing down a little as I try to argue back in a calm nature using more powerful words instead of throwing out every random thought of mine.