"Didi, kuch toh garbar hai," ("Didi, something is wrong.") Indu Daasi said decisively. She was neatly peeling the clementine in her hands, but her eyes were on Daadi. "Humaare Abhi bahut kuch kar sakhte hain, lekin yeh ussne nahin kiya. Picchle do tin mahine se uss ladki ki saath waqt bitane ki mauka hi kab milta?"("Our Abhi may be capable of many things, but this he didn't do. In the last few months, when would he even have had the chance to spend time with that girl?")
It was the day after Pragya had announced the awful news of Tanu's pregnancy, along with her intention to see Tanu and Abhi married before she left the house for good. The three elders of Mehra mansion were sitting at the dining table preparing a fruit salad.
It was the kind of task that was usually left to Robin, but Indu Daasi had decided that Daadi could use the occupation. Thus the two of them were working together to cut and peel various fruits, while Swarni Daasi kept them company as she dozed in her chair.
"Hanh Indu, main bhi aisa soch thi hoon. Lekin saare tests positive aaye hai. Aur Pragya ne khud yeh decision liye hai." ("Yes Indu, I think the same. But all the tests have come back positive. And Pragya has taken this decision herself.") Daadi looked down at the pomegranate she was deseeding. Her hands were stained red with juice, but she had made a tidy pile of the sweet ruby jewels. "Kya karoon? Ab humein maan na hi hoga..." ("What can we do? Now we will just have to accept it...")
"Didi, Pragya itne badi galti karne jaa rahi hain, aur hum uske rokenge nahin? Shayed iss waqt woh theek se dekh nahin paa rahi hain, lekin hum dekh sakhte hain na? Humein hi kuch karna hoga. Aisa kuch jo Pragya ko ehsaas dilayenga ki woh aur Abhi ek dusri ki liye banne hain("Didi, Pragya is about to make such a huge mistake, and we're not going to stop her? Maybe right now she can't see clearly, but we can see can't we? We're going to have to do something. Something to make Pragya realize that she and Abhi are made for each other.") Indu Daasi finished peeling her clementine and started to carefully separate its segments.
She continued, "Aur saath saath mein, humein Tanu ki baache ki saachai pata karni hogi. Ho sakhta hai woh saach mein pregnant hain, lekin mera pura vishwas hai ke woh Abhi ki baache ki maa nahin baane waali hain." ("And along with that, we will have to find out the truth about Tanu's baby. Maybe she really is pregnant, but I truly believe that she is not about to become the mother of Abhi's child.")
Daadi scooped her pile of pomegranate seeds into the crystal bowl set in front of her. "Lekin Indu, hum kya kar sakhte hai?" ("But Indu, what can we do?") she asked resignedly. She picked up another pomegranate to cut open. "Humaare haath mein kya hai? Sab toh -" ("What is in our hands? Everything is just -")
"Ek ladka hai!" ("We have a boy!") Swarni Daasi suddenly spoke up, surprising her cousins. She straightened in her seat and opened her eyes wide, clearly showing that she was not napping as they had thought.
"Ek ladka? Matlab?" ("A boy? Meaning?") Daadi looked at Swarni Daasi in confusion.
"Meri pind mein aisa hua tha, baarson pehle. Humaare pados mein ek ladki thi jo galat fehmi mein uske sautan ki shaadi uske khud ke pati se karwane chahti thi. Lekin uss ke saas -" ("Something like this happened in my village, years ago. This girl who was my neighbour had a misunderstanding and wanted to get her own husband married off to his mistress. But her mother-in-law -")
Indu Daasi interrupted, knowing that Swarn Daasi had a habit of telling long and complicated stories if she wasn't reminded of the topic at hand. "Hanh hanh woh sab theek hai didi, lekin aapka kya matlab tha, humaare haanthon mein ek ladka hai?" ("Yes yes that's all fine didi, but what did you mean, we have a boy in hand?")
"Hai na! Tumhara woh nanad ki pota, jo acting shackting karta hai?" ("We do, don't we! Your sister-in-law's grandson, the actor?") Swarni Daasi leaned forward, slapping her palm on the table. A startling energy enlivened her voice, and a mischievous spark danced in her eye.
"Angad? Arre didi, achanak se uski yaad kyun aayi?" ("Angad? But didi, why are you suddenly thinking of him?") Indu Daasi stared at Swarn Daasi, baffled at how the older woman's mind worked.
"Arre, suno toh sahi!" ("Just listen to me!") And then Swarni Daasi commanded the other ladies' attention as she began to outline her plan.
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