Part 3
After some time Rajesh and Kuppu returned from the market hiring a cycle rickshaw as they had too many things to carry. Seeing him carry loads and loads of things inside, Armaan teased him asking "Have you bought the whole market? I think I gave you too much money." That was his way of getting out of his depressive thoughts.
Raj: I'm sorry saar but you had said you were settling here. I bought only those things that Kuppu anna said were essential. Here are the bills for everything except the vegetables. I also have over two hundred rupees left.
A: Hey don't get so worked up, I was only pulling your leg. I know setting up a house isn't an easy or cheap job.
Raj: thanks to teacher amma, at least we don't have to do any cleaning.
Suddenly they heard raised voices from the adjacent house. Balu uncle was shouting at Kuppu. "I tell you, I've no nephew and have nothing to give or take from the man next door. If you want to keep relationship with anyone in that house, you'll no longer be in my employment."
K: I'm sorry ayya, I shouldn't have gone without your permission, but it won't happen again. You know the condition of my family. Please don't ever talk of throwing me out of my job.
B: This is the first and last warning, remember well.
Armaan and Rajesh just looked at each other.
Raj: the old man seems to have lost it. Not wanting to help his own nephew, especially when he is so badly injured?
A: Please don't say anything against Chittappa. You don't know anything. It's all my fault. Today I'm paying the price for my past mistakes.
Late that night, after he had retired to bed, he heard footsteps coming down stairs. He heard Suja's voice saying "take care amma. I would be happy if you came and stayed with us for a few days at least."
R: I told you na, I'll come during the vacation. Commuting from your place to school, early in the morning, becomes difficult. Don't worry about me. I'm fine. You take care of Priyam on the scooter; she's already nodding with sleep.
He heard them bid each other bye and heard Riddhima climb back upstairs. He was very curious to know how Riddhima had changed so much in these 19 years. How independent and brave she had become. He remembered her as a timid, introvert, homely girl with hardly any friends. As far as he knew she was an 8th standard dropout because in those days girls weren't allowed to school once they attained puberty.
He recollected he had been in the second year of dental college then. As her prospective groom, he had been asked to come home urgently to perform some religious function for her having attained puberty. He had found it ridiculous and refused on the pretext of some important exam.
Even when he had left for the US, she wasn't much different. Her saree was always tucked up higher than her petticoat and her hair tied into a haphazard knot above her head. But today she was well dressed, well groomed and sounded so well read too. If she was a teacher she must have done some training etc., he thought to himself.
The next morning, he was sitting in the verandah outside with a glass of coffee in his hand, looking out for some newspaper boy. He saw her come downstairs with a handbag on her shoulder and another bag in her hand. She walked towards the gate without even acknowledging his presence. He called out to her. "Riddhima, I need a newspaper. Where can I get it?" She dug into her bag and taking out a newspaper handed it to him, saying "I'll ask the newspaper boy to tap on your door tomorrow morning. He usually comes around 6 o'clock."
A: Don't you want to read today's paper? It's ok. Give it to me in the evening.
R: not a problem, I can get a copy at the school.
A: thanks. Have a nice day!
Riddhima smiled to himself. She felt some thrill hearing that from him, for that matter, just talking to him itself made her heart race. She smiled all the way as she walked to school nodding smilingly at everyone who greeted her on the way. But that, she always did. The whole day she did all her work with a smile on her face. She didn't even punish the erring students much that day letting them off with a warning. But no one seemed to notice much difference in her because she was even otherwise a very warm and friendly person, though a strict disciplinarian.
Couple of days passed by. One day when she returned from school Rajesh saw her entering the gate and going up to her said that saar wanted to meet her. She couldn't refuse. As she entered Armaan's house, Rajesh rushed in calling "saar, saar, teacher amma has come." Hearing him Armaan came hobbling out and seeing her standing said "please sit down I won't take much of your time." Seeing that there was only one chair, Riddhima said "it's ok you sit down."
Armaan began "Riddhima I need to buy some furniture and some gadgets like fridge, gas stove etc for the house. I don't know this place. I need your help. Could you please come along and help me? Whenever you have the time will be fine." In their younger days he never took her along anywhere. Why now? Though she would've liked to accompany him, she wasn't comfortable with the idea. So she said "I don't shop much, so I wouldn't know the latest brands and products. But I could ask Prakash, I mean my son-in-law, to help you."
A: your son-in-law?
"Yes," she said unwilling to disclose anything further. 'They live in the town. You could meet him up one of these days and make your purchases. I'll talk to him and let you know."
By then Rajesh came with 2 cups of coffee. She picked up a cup when he offered it to her and sat down on the floor to sip it, but scrunched her nose at the burnt smell.
Raj: sorry amma, in this electric heater, however much I try, the milk tends to burn at the bottom. That's why I'm asking saar to get a gas stove as soon as possible.
"Don't worry gas connection can be arranged easily." Riddhima assured him continuing to sip the burnt coffee as she didn't want to hurt his feelings. Then turning to Armaan she said, "I'll give you the number of the local gas agency. You can talk to the manager and book a new connection. He knows me very well. His daughter is my student. If you tell him Principal of 'Little Flowers School' he'll know."
Ignoring everything else she said Armaan just caught the word 'Prinicipal' and asked "You are the principal of the school?" seeing the stunned look in his eyes she smiled and replied "Yes, it's my own school. I started it five years ago."
A: Your own school?
R: After you left for the US, Balu mama forced me to complete my SSC.
Looking at her with surprise he asked "But you were already 25 by then."
R: I did my SSC privately and then went on to do teacher training, as mama felt that was the best profession for a woman. Luckily I got a job immediately in the town school, where Kamala akka was the principal.
A: Who? Your paternal cousin?
R: Yes. With her encouragement I did BA and then MA through correspondence along with teaching.
He looked astonished at her. The girl whom he had always thought as a village pumpkin, was a post graduate? But she didn't notice that. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she recollected those days.
R: Then I had this urge to start my own school. So I gave my job and went on to do B.Ed. and then M.Ed. I started this school on the terrace of Balu mama's house covering it with some asbestos sheet, with 11 students. After 2 years I bought the plot for the school with bank loan, which was granted to me by Prakash, holding mine and Balu mama's house as mortgage. Prakash is a bank officer, you know?
Armaan was listening to her open mouthed without making any comment.
R: when I told our village people that I was planning to start a school, they were overjoyed as their children wouldn't have to travel far to study. You won't believe the number of people, who came forward to help me with loans and donations. And slowly year by year I started adding rooms and now my school has 8 rooms i.e. upto VIII std.
She came out of her nostalgia when his cell phone rang. Getting up quickly she gathered her things and said "I'll talk to Prakash and let you know." He nodded and with a "thanks" picked up his cell phone. Calling out to Rajesh she said "come upstairs I'll give you the gas company number."
The call he got was as usual some finance company asking if he wanted a housing loan. After thanking them and politely refusing them he got thinking about what Riddhima had revealed about her past. It really didn't sound like the Riddhima he knew.
The following evening Riddhima stopped below the steps and called out to Rajesh. She gave him a piece of paper. "What is this amma?" he asked. "That's my cell number. Give it to your saar and ask him to call me after half an hour. I'm going to Balu mama's house right now. He nodded and went in and she walked next doors.
Balu mama was sitting in his recliner on the verandah as usual when she entered. But seeing her, he turned his face away. She went and sat opposite him pulling a chair saying "I know you must be angry with me and you are right too. But can we go inside? I need to talk to my best friend today, not my angry mama." He looked around at that and saw her sad face. It pulled at his heart strings. He had a special place in his heart for this girl.
Initially after Armaan and his family left, she had felt disoriented. She didn't know where she should start picking up her life again. There was no one she could turn to. She wasn't very close to her Balu mama and Tulasi mami then. That had been the worst period of her life when she used to spend majority of the days just weeping. She missed the boys the most.
She had to start from scratch. She didn't have the money to buy anything and didn't want to ask anyone either. Her Tulasi mami herself took out some old vessels from the attic and gave it to her saying that they belonged to her mother. She also gave her some old bedding which she wanted to dispose anyway.
Riddhima didn't lack any clothing because Armaan and Karuna had always bought enough sarees for her, for every festival, even when she told them that she didn't need any more. When they had left from Chennai to the village, for the last time, Karuna had asked her not to leave anything behind, but pack everything and take it along. She didn't have much except a stove, few vessels and some photographs. When she had asked Karuna for the reason she had just said "we won't be coming to this house again." Riddhima had thought probably they were shifting to a new house after returning. But she didn't expect to be dumped in the village to fend for herself. That had been the rudest shock.
A month or so after Armaan and his family went, the family got some good news. Tulasi was pregnant, after 17 years of marriage. There was so much rejoicing and celebration that even Riddhima's mood got alleviated. Her mami had a lot of morning sickness problem and Riddhima took utmost care of her not letting her lift her finger. She was used to doing that because she had taken care of Karuna during both her pregnancies.
That was when she and her Balu mama really bonded. He coaxed her appear for private SSC and start life afresh. Unfortunately her mami developed a lot of complications and as there wasn't sufficient health facility in the village, both mother and baby had died.
Balu mama had become totally depressed blaming himself for what happened. He felt had he not wanted a child so badly, at least his Tulasi would have been alive. Now it was Riddhima's turn to get her mama out of the depression. People gossiped about them, as in their community even mama and bhanji could get married. Some relatives even suggested that would be the ideal solution for both, though age wise there was 15 years between them. But Riddhima couldn't forget her Athaan nor mama his Tulasi. So they just maintained the relation of uncle-niece but became the best of friends.
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