Reaching his home town, Santosh looked around, and saw how small everything was. When he had left it all seemed so o big to him. The School where he played cricket was just a small courtyard, the streets
Were narrow and the houses lining the street were cluters. His home too seemed smaller. Maybe when he was small the walls looked taller nd higher to climb. Even his father who always loomed soo big over him was now smaller and him mom even tinier.
It ws good to be home.
Santosh spent a few days just meeting the various relatives he now only knew by name. He still had the same hang-ups he had as a child. He still couldn’t talk back to his dad, and if his mom said something which he ignored, she still had the stare that made him shiver in his bones. He was enjoying the inactivity, nisha, mera, kids, business perville all were far from his mind.
Then one day his father asked him to accompany him to meet his friend, who was unwell. Santosh, went with his dad, when they arrived, they saw an old house, in need of a lot of repair. But as property went it was a huge house. They went inside and were led to a bedroom, dads friend was on his death bed. Santosh went quietly and sat on a chair at the side of the room, giving his dad and friend opportunity to talk freely. Tea was served and food was brought in, by a lady whos face he couldn’t see, she was dressed in clean but old and out fashioned cloths and her head was covered. His dad came and stood in front of santosh, looked him in the eyes and said “the pandit is coming and you are getting married to sharma’s only daughter right now”
“whattttttt” he shouted
His dad showed no reaction and stared at santosh, “you did what you wanted, and it shows how good at making these decisions you are. I accepted your choice before, now I have given my word that I will look after her and I will make sure she marries in a good home, Sharma and I agree she is good for you and she will make a home for you and those kids of yours”… “I have said it, and given my word, do you want to shame me now,?”
Santosh ws stunned, he had never felt soo trapped. He wanted to say why don’t you marry the girl yourself. But his dad was not to be denied.
8 hrs later santosh his dad and his wife, were headed back to their home. Sharma ji had not lived long enough to see his daughter marry, but his wishes were carried out.
Reching his parents home, Santosh was in a fit state of temper. He told his parents he is leaving to go back home. NO one stopped him, His father said “take Riya with you, she is your wife now”. Pulling the suitcases in to his car. RIya his wife beside him he drove off , leaving a cloud of dust behind. He smoked cigarette after cigarette, and his anger was boiling towards this woman, he still could not think of as his wife. He blamed her of ruining his life. She was going to ruin the rest of his life aswell, he was sure of it. He still had not seen her face, nor heard her voice. All he saw now was a woman sitting with her head lowered and hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Reaching home Santosh went and stood by the window. He felt Riya come in the room, he turned around and saw again a bowed head and folded hands. He felt irritated. He shouted at her..”why, why did you come in my life nd ruin it. Now I am stuck with you, what am I suppose to do with you…tell me!! You are nothing to me. But I cant throw you out and I cant bear you in my home…there is a spare room take it…it is yours. And don’t come in my way and don’t think you have any rights here..i don’t accept you s my wife.”….he picked up her suitcases and threw them in the spare room.
He came back and noticed that she had not moved.
He tried to ignore her. When he heard timid quiet voice say…” I want to say something to you.”
“bolo” he snpped.
“ Till yesterday I hd only heard of you, I too did not know who you were. What happened is just as shocking and terrifying for me. I have just lost my father, my only family. And I married a strnger who despises me. And I was taken from the only home I have known all my life. I am among people who are strange to me. I too had seen and planned different way of life for myself. I had plans.”
Santosh was quiet.
“I had thought tht I would make my fathers house into home for unwanted children. I would make some of the rooms availble to tourists, and generate some income. I can live my life quietly and peacefully there. But ll that was taken from me and now all is dependant on you. You are the one who controls my estate. NO ONE HERE knows me or that we are married. You continue your life and tell everyone you got a new maid….but I don’t know, why you being man and not even living in the area agreed to this, you could hve refused for both of us”
With that she left the room. Leaving Santosh in a bigger turmoil then before. God!!! Why did i go home, what made me think I could change anything. My mom and dad are the same, and there in that place, I am still a kid and I have no say in anything.
He decided to go out and have a drink with his friends, in the club.
After that day , 3 months had gone by and life became a patern, he woke up to the smell of breakfast and his favourite coffee brewing. He would shower and change and sit down alone on the table laid with fresh made breakfast. He would come back home and food was ready, his apartment was spotless, there were flowers in the rooms, and a strangly pleasing scent all over the place. He never questioned, how is cloths miraculously got cleaned and ironed and placed neatly in his closet. He never realized when seeing the second tooth brush in the washroom became normal, or when the quiet sound of Puja coming from his home becme normal. It still puzzled him why he left money on the table for her to run the house. And he didn’t know how she came to know what his favourite food was.
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