Fo Her - Short Story

Hi,

Here's a short story that I wrote sometime back. If you're wondering where I've been, I've been busy with work and a poetry site (www.p4poetry.com) that I co-founded and the poetry meetings we conduct in Mumbai.

I hope ou enjoy the story.

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FOR HER

- Dedicated to us

(20 minutes back)

Hi, how come you called?

Just.

You don't sound like yourself. Is something wrong?

No.

Are you sure?

Yeah, baba.

You don't sound right, but if you say so ma'am….I won't argue further.

Dammit. How does the voice, the tone, and the conversation skills all turn shallow? – My own expressions turning foes. Yes, everything is wrong. I was aching to scream. But he wanted time; he wanted it figured out before he told me. I knew what was coming, yet I had a small hope that maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I was picturing it to be.

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(10 minutes back)

Hi baby. Do you remember the show that I was watching before I left for home?

How I met your mother?!

Not that.

The sci-fi one?

Yup. What was the name?

Ummm….

Shit yaar…I can't remember the name.

I don't think you told me the name.

Hmmmm…alright. I'll figure it out. Bye

O… (line goes blank)...Kay (still clutching the cell phone)

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(6 minutes back)

Firefly. The show's called Firefly. He he. I was restless…

…I could guess that.

Ok. Talk to you later

Sure, enjoy the show.

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(1 minute back)

I eagerly typed and sent him an sms.

(Seconds later)

Tring. Tring. Tring. Tring.

I contemplate for a moment and answer the call.

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(Now)

I knew something wasn't right. You called me to ask me what was bothering me and you couldn't even ask me? You had to resort to smsing?!

You needed time to think. But it was killing me, slowly. I've been thinking about it for whole two days.

Sorry na. I wanted to tell you on the weekend, but sister's result wasn't out.

What has her result got to do with it?

Everything.

My eyes had already become moist. The right eye was contemplating whether to let go of the pearls and let them roll down my cheek. Hope wasn't acting hopeful.

It was worst than what I had pictured.

Tell me (curtly)

Promise we'll still be friends.

(Silence)

Promise me that first.

(Silence)

Fine (sighing). Going home is never very pleasant for me. They always bring up the topic of my sisters wedding. This time they crossed all barriers. You see it is all about money.

(One tear had rolled down by then)

If my sister does not pass her exams they will marry her off. Marriage is an expensive affair and we need several lacs for it. They are behind my life. They want to get me married as soon as possible so that the dowry which my bride brings can be used in my sister's marriage.

What if you don't?

They'll disown me.

That is so nasty.

It is. It is also a very common practice in my village. Since I'm educated I'm sane enough not to go ahead with it.

That's good.

And if she passes, I'll have three more years before I have to marry. If she does not…

What about you?

Dammit, it's not about me anymore. It's about her. I remember asking you if I should tell my dad about you.

But I had refused-

Ya

For I'm just 20. Marriage isn't planned for the next four years.

Four years is too long.

What about that girl?

Nothing. They showed me her picture. I did not agree for the match.

I knew our relationship would never work.

And I cut the call and switched off my cell phone.

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(5 minutes later)

Why did you switch off? You should have heard me completely.

I re-read the text message and the phone rang again. I answered sobbing.

Don't cry. Please.

(My sobs just grew in magnitude)

The result is in two days. We can take tension after that, if need be.

I did not expect all this to come up so soon.

I knew heart in heart for my family never waited for my arrival so eagerly.

I should have known this will never work. (crying out loud)

It will, I'll make it work. I'll fight till I can.

But it already hurts. It'd get worse.

Baby, I'll figure something out. If I earn a lot, I can manage the dowry.

(Shaking my head) Have you done the calculations?

Yes dammit. I've been calculating for eons now. I can manage it.(somewhat unsure)

And this is just your side of the problem.

Hmmmm.

The silence spread from one phone to another, from one heart to the other.

Baby.

Y…u…p. I'm here. My nos-e is blocked! Phurr

Yuck.

I think we should end this right here.

NO. Here I am, breaking my head, and you're just giving up? (in disbelief)

Yes. I give up. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's not about us. It's about her. I don't want to ruin your sister's life.

What about mine? Don't back out. We'll work this out. Don't leave me now when even dying isn't an option.

I won't. We'll always be friends, remember?!

Incessant sobs followed from both sides.

I ached to cuddle up to him and somehow make all the problems vanish. My life was far easier than him.

He couldn't even think of dying. His family would be left helpless. He was their only hope. His sister's life would become an endless dark. And what about us? - Nothing.

It was all for her.

No 'I love you' followed that night.

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(Two days later)

1 new text message-

My sister cleared with second division.

Reply-

That's great. Congratulate her.

That's all you can churn up in reply? I expected him to ask. I'd have said something like it's an achievement for her. But he didn't ask. I did not need to reply. We let the moment pass as we breathed in solace.

She had spared us - Until we won't have to think 'for her' before us…….again.

(28 May, 2008)

(976 words)

congrats on the poetry site, preeti!

as for the story: could we have some dialogue tags please or a better hint about who's speaking to whom? right now i really don't understand what is going on.

hey Preets, you have written after a really long time. I simply love your stories. They are always some what unusual.
This one is good. I liked it. The way you portrayed sacrifice. n the feeling that you might just loose you loved ones. interesting theme.
but i dont get it, the sister gets married if she fails but doesnt if she passes, the guy can marry later.
the nose blocked line startled me, it was all so emotional talk and suddenly. lol
well, i hope you continue to write on this forum. because ill be waiting to read them

@kitty.
yeah, i have seen that here (in india), if girl is studying , doing post graduate etc, then it is not reuqired for her to get marry so soon. but if she stops studying after college/school. then parents try to get her marry. "No reason to stay in the house, without marriage". "if u don't have any other thing to do, and u have marriage-age, then better to start a family now."

Bcoz the older the girl becomes, and not much education too, then getting a match becomes more difficult, and in this case (story), the dowry will increase too.
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Very nice story, the dialogues were little difficult to understand in starting. But the story is short, so i read two three times, and cud understand it. It is better if girl's voice can be written as "italics".

i cud picturise it all, and it looks so normal, as i am really listening to some real persons.

+Added..
nice poetry site. mindblowing :-)
bookmarked all ur blogs. very nice stories, poems

Preity!!!!OMG....itz been a long time since i saw ur post!!!

Kahaan the ab tak????

I'll check out the poetry site right away!!!!

Keep writing!!!Lurved this short story of yours!!!!

Cheers,
Jassie