The marriage of Anjali Deshmukh-prt2 pg3

The last of the mourners had left the house and Anjali, who had resisted all efforts by her kindly neighbours to get her to stay with them until she had got over her father's sudden and unexpected death after a bout of a particularly virulent form of influenza, sat in front of the glowing fire trying to instil some warmth into her numbled body.

For the past three days she had existed in a sort of vacuum. Eating, talking, shopping for mourning clothes, all these things has been done mechanically, as though from the moment her father had died another person had taken over her duties.

This other Anjali had hunted out her father's papers, contacted his lawyer, and his few close friends, thanked the neighbours for their solicitude and for the meals which they had so thoughtfully provided, she had assured people that yes, she was all right and sleeping well and no, she didn't need a thing, while the real Anjali had been hiding behind, weeping, heartbroken, without appetite, energy or purpose, since the one person who had been her whole world had been taken from her.

Her mother had died when she was a few months old, and although thought that Raj, her father, had loved her to distraction he had soon realized that without a woman by his side to smooth his way, life would be intolerable. So, six months after his wife's death he married again. Anjali's parents both had something which the other needed. Anjali's stepmother had been unmarried mother needeing a name for her two-year-old-daughter, Riya. The girls had accepted eachother and so did the parents. After Riya's mothers death Riya had been left alone and decided to go London. She didn't heard Anjali's pleading but had gone.

The sudden splutter as a log was dislogded and fell into the heart of the fire jerked Anjali from her reverie. At the saem time there was a peal from the old-fastioned doorbell which startled her into awarness. Who could that be?

"Riya! Oh, darling, I knew you would come! I prayed you would come, and you have!"

"Anjali! You look as beautiful as ever!"

They talked and talked but Anjali didn't knew Riya's expression when she asked "Did you meet any handsome young men, Riya? Did you fall in love with anyone?"

Without waiting, Riya turned and alomost ran yo the stairs and into her old bedroom. All night long Anjali was haunted by the memory of the frozen look of hurt and misery on her sister's face, and she was full of remorse at the thought that it had been her thoughtless questioning which had caused it.

The other morning Riya told Anjali what had happened. She says "I am going to have a baby."

She said it so calmly that Anjali thought she had imagined it and she gazed at Riya uncomprehendingly. Riya told Anjali the whole story who she met Krishna, who they spent time together and how he didn't replied to her letters when she wrote the news. Anjali being a good sister made every effort to bring back the old Riya, but she couldn't.

When the baby Krishna was born, Riya hated him. Anjali used to treat him like a mother and Riya showed no interest.

One day when Anjali returned with baby Krishna she found the the house empty. She saw it - a latter propped up against the tea chaddy where she would be sure to see it. Slowly she began to read.

Dear Anjali, I don't know if you will ever forgive me for what I am about to do, but I must do it nevertheless. I am going away. When you get this letter I shall have been gone about six hours. It was not an easy decision to make, but I think I have done the right thing. I am going to find Krishna, I know I will find him. Please forgive my secrecy, but I know that you would have tried to stop me if you had knon what I intended doing. All my love, Your humbly grateful sister.

Anjali walked slowly to baby Krishna.. not knowing.. a man will come in her life.. to change......