A/N- Chapter 2 up! Um...Can all those who want PMs buddy me. It would make it easier to send PMs😳
CHAPTER 2- The Bride
July,2008( 2 months after the wedding)
Motihari
Dear Mr.Kundra or is it Rishabh?
I know you said that you will never intrude into our life again but you never said anything about me intruding into your life. So here I am, writing my first letter to my husband. I know you might not even read it but I am bored and lonely so I am writing to you whether you like it or not. This is Jungli Billi's decision and nothing can change it so here goes
School has been really boring. I am also incredibly lonely. Ever since our marriage, nobody wants to play with me anymore. Mukesh, Ramu, Iqbaal, Roshan, nobody. Only Rajiv and Mukund treat me the same but sometimes I don't like to play with them. Rajiv pushes me down when we play Kabaddi and Mukund cheats. He denies it but I know he does
Where was I? Oh yes, friends. Ma told me to try and make friends with the girls here and I did but they are all stuck up prissy types who can only talk about bangles and powder and house work. You have no idea how exhausting it can be to discuss for hours whether red is a better colour for brown skin or green. And sometimes they talk nasty things about me, behind my back which I pretend not to hear. So yes, that plan flopped
Speaking of flops, I saw a review about your new film in the paper today. The lady writing it was really harsh. But don't worry she had only nice things to say about you. And if the film is indeed as bad as she says, then I ascribe all of it to the producer and the director and none to you. Happy?
And now for the awesome news. I am going today to see your film! It is the first movie I am going to see in a real, live theatre and I'm so excited. I had to spend all my pin-money to bribe Rajiv to take me but I know it will be worth it
Please write back and tell me all your news. If you don't want to write then at least read this. What is Mumbai like? Is it a very big place? Ma has been there once and she told me there are buildings as tall as the sky. Is that true?
A big hug to my friend
Your Jungli Billi
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Motihari, Present Day
A rustling noise behind her made the little girl glance nervously behind her. When she had satisfied herself that no one was there, she looked up the mango tree and hissed" Madhu didi! Faster"
Two branches were suddenly pulled apart and a small, lively face presented itself between them. The face belonged to a young woman, who was currently seated on the top most branch of the tree and was shaking down mangoes into the little girl's apron
The face suddenly twisted itself into a mischievous expression and opened its mouth to say" Shiela, if you are going to thieve, then you should have the nerves of a thief"
Shiela frowned at this irreverence and in majestic tones commanded Madhu to climb down immediately. Chastened by this admonishment, Madhu slid down the tree, in a manner which spoke of extensive practice
"How many did we get?" she asked Shiela
"Two, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10...we got 10!" Shiela exclaimed with all the exuberance of her 5 years
Forbearing to explain to the child that 6 came after 7 and there were two extra numbers between 7 and 10 Madhu laughed and picked up the child with one arm and hoisted the basket of mangoes under the other
"10 indeed, Sheila madam-Well done! Now let's go home before Pyaare lal Saab sets the dog onto us for stealing mangoes from his families"
Sheila frowned and declared" He is a selfish kutta" with the air of one who has the last word on the subject .Madhu bit back a smile and said" Now, now'..you know what Padmini ma will do to us if she hears such language?"Shiela nodded sadly but brightened up and said "But I can say it to you!"
Before Madhu could answer a dry voice interrupted them" Of course you can. She says that and worse all the time"
Madhu turned, her face splitting into a smile" Sarpanch kaka!" she said
He smiled at her and asked" Stealing mangoes from Pyaare Lal's field again?" Unabashed Madhu laughed merrily and said" I prefer to think of it as conserving resources. They were all going to waste anyway"
The Sarpanch smiled at that and started to walk alongside them. "I have some news" he said." We have just received word that the government has given us a grant to begin constructing bore-wells in all of our fields".
Madhu squealed with delight, upsetting the mangoes and nearly overturning Shiela in her excitement. Shiela fortunately managed to rescue herself and set about collecting the mangoes with a world weary sigh. She was quite used to her Didi's ways.
"Really? Oh kaka I'm so, so happy!!!" she dealt the Sarpanch a couple of smacking kisses and proceeded to dance around him much to his amusement
When Madhu had started managing her lands 3 yrs ago, she had realized how impractical it was to keep diverting water from the river to the fields. She had put her proposal of bore-wells in front of the village Panchayat but had been shot down on two grounds- One, she was only 18. Two-she was a woman
Undaunted she had spent her own money on bringing in technology to farm her land with the result that within 3 years Chaudhary land was the highest earning farms in Motihari.
Impressed the villagers had started including her in their councils and sessions. Now the 21 yr old "Madhubalaji" commanded just as much respect as the 80 yr old Sarpanch
Though no one would think that when they set eyes on this pagli, the Sarpanch thought fondly as he gazed at the dancing Madhu and Shiela. There was an inherent child in his Madhu and he suspected it would remain there even when she was 80, no matter how many improvements she brought to the village. He only wished...
"What happened Kaka?" Madhu asked concernedly, noting the sadness in his eyes. He quickly shook his head and said" Nothing beta, nothing. Old memories, that's it. Now let's go home, I am eager to taste those mangoes" he brushed off her concern and soon the dying sun reflected off the backs of the three individuals, An 80yr old man, a young woman and a little girl , linking hands and marching home
The former however could still hear the words echoing in his head" I'll marry her and then you'll never have to set eyes on me again'
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