Hello
I have a confession. This was one of the most difficult chapters I've written for this FF. I, myself am not too happy with it. I rewrote this many times but somehow the way the events panned out left me wanting. I'm not entirely happy as there are things that I wanted to say that didn't quite fit in. I'm not sure how it has come out and would love for some honest critique/feedback to help me improve my writing.
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I did type a lot more a while back but India Forums reloaded and I lost my train of thought. So without further ado, onto the next chapter.
53
The sea breeze at Chowpatty tasted salty. Billowing winds allowed for liberal amounts of seashore sand to line anything that it touched. 15-year old Arnav had mistakenly opened his mouth to scream and the winds impartially deposited salty sand on his tongue. He spat and then tried to wipe the rest with his palms.
Covering his mouth with his hands, he called out again, “Di.”
His sister was busy wading into the sea. She had fallen in love with the sand and the sea the moment she laid eyes on it.
“Di,” he tried to shout out to her once more and made a dash to catch up with her. He caught her by surprise and pushed her into the waters, wetting her clothes in the process.
“Chhote”, admonished Anjali. “I don’t even have a change of clothes.”
“So what?”, smirked the brother. “We're put up just two blocks away!”
Anjali scowled and Arnav smiled some more, splashing her with more salty seawater. “My clothes will stick to me Arnav”, complained Anjali and to get even with him, pushed him into the waves.
Seconds later, a soaking wet Arnav emerged from the sea, promising to get back at her and chasing her around the beach.
Sitting at a near distance, munching on freshly roasted peanuts, Ratna watched the entire revue with amusement.
Arnav had little time left to play with his sister. Soon she would be married off, to one of India’s wealthiest businessmen, if it all worked out. Thakur Arjan Singh Raizada had recently met them at a friend’s wedding and their family seemed to have taken an instant liking for Anjali. He viewed the alliance both as a great prospect for Anjali’s future as well as his booming empire.
Ratna was merely informed of his decision and expected to fully support it.
“Get ready,” he had told his wife. “We’re leaving for Mumbai today and if all goes well, Anjali will be betrothed by the end of this week.”
“But”, protested Ratna feebly, “she is only 19.”
Arjan gave her a long hard stare, indicating the conversation was over.
Ratna quietly packed their bags and within the next three hours, the family had boarded their flight to Mumbai.
Their hotel was right next to the famous Chowpatty beach in Mumbai, right off the main road. The location was strategically picked, in the neighbourhood where the prospective family lived. It was a social statement, that the Raizada’s were at par with them when it came to wealth.
****
As two dripping wet teens tiptoed their way to their rooms, Ratna tried to divert Arjan’s attention. She feared his reaction if he found out about Arnav and Anjali’s little play at the beach.
“Have you told Anjali yet?” asked Arjan without looking at his wife, his focus entirely on the book he was reading.
When his question was met with silence, he continued: “They’ve invited us to tea tomorrow. Make sure Anjali is well-dressed and well-behaved.”
His emphasis on the last word prompted Ratna to speak: “But shouldn’t we ask Anjali what she wants?”
Arjan looked up from his book, his stare piercing through Ratna’s soul.
“Remember, the only person who knows what’s good for Anjali is me. And it would be better if you explained this to her before tomorrow.”
Recently the Raizada’s were being forced to acknowledge that their only daughter had a fierce and independent streak. Arjan was unhappy. Girls were not supposed to be opinionated. It always ended in marital issues. Raizada women were known for their mild and patient nature. Anjali was turning out to be an anomaly. And Arjan constantly blamed Ratna for it.
When Anjali Raizada was 16, Arjan wanted to discontinue her education. “She is more educated than any other Raizada woman in history”, he reasoned. Ratna would hear none of it. “Anjali is just as capable as Arnav and deserves the opportunity to prove herself.” Arjan disagreed. Ratna threatened suicide. Arjan relented.
Anjali had just started her law degree when Arjan decided to get her betrothed.
“But…”, began Ratna when she found out.
“I listened to you, now you listen to me”, said Arjan. The conversation was over.
Ratna stared hard at Arjan’s face before moving away. She thought of her own marriage. Arjan had been her father’s choice. She was simply expected to accept the decision. When Anjali was born, she had promised herself her daughter won’t face the same fate. Alas, she had forgotten, women weren’t even allowed to make promises.
***
Tea was a standard affair. Arjan looked at their status and wealth, Anjali tried to discern the character of her soon-to-be husband, Arnav busied himself with a book and Ratna felt unwanted.
Thakur Arjan Singh Raizada was looking for a business ally in Vinod Srivastava but Anjali hoped Abhay would be the life partner she wanted. She wanted time to get to know him better. On their way home, she begged and pleaded with her father but was given two days to make up her mind. “The answer better be yes,” Arjan stated, the first time he’d spoken to his daughter in a rude and condescending manner.
“Get used to it”, Ratna had told her that night while gently massaging oil into her hair. “Women are not allowed to have opinions or wish for things.”
Arnav was the silent onlooker, reading his book and looking at the drama unfolding in their house. He often took walks in the neighbourhood to get away from it all. He hated the way his sister was being treated and yet didn’t believe he had a strong enough reason to object. After all, girls had to marry someday or the other. It was during one of these walks that he accidentally saw his to-be-brother-in-law feverishly making out with a girl. Arnav would have never discovered them if certain noises from the alley hadn’t caught his attention. Abhay looked ashamed but not for long. He held the girl’s hand and dragged her away to a more private place where he could continue what he had just begun.
Arnav stood rooted to the spot for a good ten minutes and then made up his mind. Anjali would not marry this scumbag. When Anjali stared at him flabbergasted, he reasoned. “Babuji loves you Di. Sooner or later, he will forgive you. But if you agree to this marriage, you will be forever stuck in a relationship you don’t want.”
Anjali simply continued to stare and Arnav continued to talk. “He’s just a spoilt brat who doesn’t care for anybody’s feelings except his.”
“This is what you need to do Di,” he said. “You need to run away, NOW!”
Anjali was beginning to hate this conversation more and more by the minute. Not getting married was one thing, but running away?
“Why don’t you tell Babuji what you saw?” she asked her brother.
Arnav looked at her as if she had lost her mind. “You know this is a business deal for him. And he is not going to put your happiness over his partnership. He will expect you to adjust.”
Ratna, who was just passing by overheard the entire conversation between the siblings. She walked into the room and gently stroking Anjali’s hair, told her in no uncertain terms to leave.
“You Babuji and I never had a great marriage”, she said, haltingly packing Anjali’s things into a rucksack. “But what we did have was trust Anjali. In our 21 years of marriage, your Babuji was many things, authoritative, dictatorial, cold but he never cheated on me.”
Anjali sighed, picked up the rucksack and started packing her essentials. Just as she was about to leave, Arnav handed her a wad of cash. This should allow you to reach Nani’s house safely. Once you’re there send me a message and I'll send you more money.”
“Where did you get this?”
“From Babuji’s wallet,” he replied. Even at that age, Arnav scruples were fickle. The end was important and he would use whatever means to achieve it.
****
The conversations with Ratna and Anjali had left Arjan stressed, not letting him sleep. After tossing and turning in his bed for a while, Arjan decided to pace the terrace. Although it wasn’t cold in Mumbai, the night wind had a certain bite to it. Arjan opened his cupboard to get a shawl when his wallet accidentally fell down. When he picked it up, it felt surprisingly light.
“Ratna”, he hollered. But before his wife woke up, his eyes fell on the lone figure walking out of the main gates. The figure had a rucksack on its backpack, its head was covered with a black hoodie. Yet the gait was unmistakable. His daughter was running away at the dead of the night.
His wife, who was just about to doze off, awoke with a start.
It was then that he spotted a figure quietly opening the entry gate and making her way towards the main road.
“Anjali”, shouted Arjan. His roar woke Ratna up.
“What happened?” asked a startled Ratna.
“Anjali..,” said Arjan once more before running towards the road barefoot to stop his daughter.
Ratna followed her husband in her nightdress.
Anjali heard her father’s call and quickened her pace, walking fast, eventually running.
Arjan ran behind her as fast as he could, Ratna following closely behind.
“Stop,” he screamed, but Anjali didn’t heed. She crossed over the road to hail a cab. No one noticed a truck driving over the speed limit heading towards them. Ratna was the first one to notice the truck. It was headed for Anjali. “Anjali”, she screamed. Her daughter quickened her pace. “Anjali, careful”, she screamed once more. Arjan quickened his pace to match that of Anjali’s. “Arjan, stop.”, she screamed. He was right in the way of the truck. He didn’t pay attention. She quickened her pace but reached him at the same time as the truck.
The driver was drunk and didn’t notice the two people who had come in front of it. Arnav, who had seen his mother leave the house and had followed her, saw Ratna walk in front of the truck, in a bid to save Arjan. “Amma”, he screamed, just as the truck hit the two of them and sped on. Anjali, who was just about to get into her cab, stopped.
Arjan and Ratna were declared dead as soon as they were brought to the hospital. Within a span of a few hours, the family had gone from celebrating to mourning. Arnav and Anjali were orphans.
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