Ajay and Renuka belonged to middle class families. They got married with the blessings of their elders. They had dreams and they vowed to achieve them together. The path was full of hardships and they vowed to struggle together. There was no lack of...
Renuka was lying on the bed. It was late at night and the city was sleeping. But Renuka could not sleep. She was lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. The moonlight that had entered the bedroom through the ventilator, fell on her navel. "A waist so beautiful and so beautiful a navel", Ajay had told her, that very night. She turned her head towards Ajay. He was sleeping peacefully. She knew. In the few days that she had spent with him, she came to know that Ajay always slept peacefully after fondling her soft breasts and placing warm kisses on her bow shaped lips. So there she was, lying on the bed wearing only a blouse and a petticoat, while the floor decked itself in a saree.
The moments of love are rather short, I fear. And even if they are not, they seem very short to the lovers. The sweet hours of the night were over for Renuka. Now, only the fears and uncertainties were left.
She was thinking about the debt she had to repay. She had taken debts from various people to organise her wedding. Some lent money to her on credit and some others without credit. She had also taken a loan from the bank in which she worked. She had to repay all the money.
She turned her head towards Ajay once again. He was still sleeping. "I can do it. I will repay everything and then, there will be no more problems. Everything will be perfect." , she thought.
Ajay stirred in his sleep. He opened his eyes and yawned. He said to her, "You are still awake, aren't you? That's why, I couldn't sleep well."
Renuka placed her hand on his cheek and said, "How so? What is the relation between my sleep and yours?"
Ajay pulled her closer. He squeezed one of her breasts and kissed her collar bone. Then he said to her, "You think too much. The night is growing darker. Stop running your pretty head and sleep." Just after saying those words, Ajay fell asleep again.
Renuka could feel Ajay's warm breath on her shoulder. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
(Ajay's parents' house) :
Ajay's parents were awake. His mother was sitting on the bed and weeping while his father was consoling her.
"What is the use of crying now? You raised your boy and then you got him married. What are you weeping for?"
"You don't understand, do you?"
"What is there to understand? He is not a little baby in your arms anymore. He is a grown man with a wife. He earns his bread and now, he wants to live separately in a different house."
"You don't understand. You don't understand a mother's pain. You don't understand. I raised the boy! I kept him with myself for all these years. And now, a girl comes and takes him away."
"Are you blaming that poor woman for something that your son did?"
"So? Should I not? A daughter-in-law should try to keep the family together. She should convince my son to stay with me. But what did she do? My stupid son wanted to go away. That is true. But she...don't you know what she did? She hardly stayed here for two days. Did you not see the faces she made? My son got the encouragement that he needed to leave the house."
"Wait! Didn't you tell your sister that Ajay was leaving the house because that was the best thing for him? Didn't you explain the reasons to her? Wasn't it your very own mouth and your very own tongue."
"It was...It was. What else did you expect me to do? Did you expect me to stay mum and express my true feelings to her? She would have kept taunting me and my son."
"In that case, you are a very foolish mother. Which mother gets upset when her son progresses?"
"What kind of progress is that? Tell me? What is the value of the progress which snatches a son from his mother?"
"I have been telling you the same thing repeatedly. But you don't understand. Perhaps that is because you don't want to understand. If he stays here, where will he keep his wife? Answer me! In the kitchen? Which man with self respect keeps his wife in the kitchen? My son is earning and moving on with his life. If you can't give him your blessings, then don't discourage him with your tears. I don't have anything else to say. I am going to sleep. If you want to sleep, then sleep. Or else, keep weeping till sunrise."
Ajay's father faced away from his mother and closed his eyes. However, his mother stayed in the same position and kept crying. It was evident that her husband's words made no impact on her.
(Next day) :
Renuka was sitting at her table in the bank when she saw the clock. Just one minute was left for the lunch break. She shut off the computer and stretched her arms.
Sanju walked to her table and said, "Renuka, let's go to the canteen." Renuka nodded her head. She picked up her purse from the table and started walking with Sanju.
"Renuka, what are you going to buy?"
"Paratha with Sabji."
"I was thinking about eating Samosa."
"I ate a Samosa yesterday and I also ate a Samosa the day before yesterday. So today, I'll eat Paratha."
"It costs ₹25."
"Yes, it does."
"I have changed my mind. I'll eat Paratha too."
They walked to the canteen whispering and giggling. Then, they bought food and sat down to eat. As usual, Renuka was eating at a fast pace. Sanju, who was struggling to eat the steamy hot food, kept staring at her companion in disbelief.
"Why are you looking at me like this?"
"And why are you eating like this? What's the hurry? The lunch break lasts for half an hour and only 5 minutes have passed. Eat slowly! The food isn't running away."
"My husband says the same thing to me."
"So I'm not the only one who thinks that this is a weird thing to do."
"It is a force of habit, darling."
"Renuka..."
"Hmmm..."
"Married life suits you. I have known you for years and I've never seen you so happy. Does he treat you well? Or do you pretend to be happy in order to hide your pain?"
"Sanju! Please don't say that. He is a good person. He loves me. He is very understanding and kind."
"I was just worried for you because I am your friend. If you are truly happy, then I have nothing to worry about."
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After finishing their food, Renuka and Sanju went to Richa's counter. She had brought lunch packed in a tiffin box from home. They were chatting with her and laughing when Renuka's eyes caught the sight of a woman entering the bank.
The woman looked younger than her. Renuka had seen very few women who looked as beautiful as her. But alas! She had worn the white saree of a widow. She had worn no ornaments. Her eyes looked teary. Renuka could see the traces of dried tears in her eyes. She deduced that her husband had died recently. Then, she saw a child following her. The child was holding on to an end of her mother's white saree. The woman was also carrying a newborn baby in her arms. The baby's skin was pink.
Renuka continued to stare at them with a stoic expression on her face.
