Staying close to him....... a short episode

Staying close to him ………. A short episode

Life had more or less settled into a pattern. She had been told by her husband to stay in his house, vetoing his mother's wishes. She had been stunned when he had made this statement in front of his family quite clearly. She knew he was still very angry with her. This had been the first instance when he had shown some softening towards her. She was grateful to Bappa for having given her a chance to atone. She had made up her mind to do whatever it takes to please his family and him. Her MIL was as daunting as ever and even more caustic because her son had gone against her wishes.

She slogged from morning to evening without a complaint on her lips. She was never afraid of work and was efficient at most chores since childhood. Hadn't she looked after the kitchen and the welfare of her family when she was young and her mother was ill? So this was hardly a bleak task. Besides, if it could erase the bad experience that her husband's family had suffered in jail for three days inadvertently because of her, it would be worth it.

Sometimes the food would run short when her MIL would call guests over without telling her. On such days, she would go hungry. Her husband would come late and silently eat the food. Vandu would sit with him. After clearing everything, she would serve herself some glasses of water. That would keep her stomach from howling.

And on one particular he had returned to the kitchen to keep something. She wasn't aware of his silent approach. He caught her drinking water and continued to look at her back as she thirstily drank it.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She spun around in shock. The tumbler almost fell out of her hand.

"Nothing."

"Why are you drinking so much water?"

"I'm thirsty." She did not look at him.

His eyes narrowed. "Have you eaten?"

She nodded vaguely. Before he could speak, she rushed out of the room. He sighed. Why hadn't he shared his meal with her?

She went up to the terrace after looking in on Shravani and sat down on her bedroll. She slowly untied her long hair. She ran her fingers through her long tresses and gently massaged her scalp. It felt so good. She straightened her shoulders and pulled them back to take out the fatigue from her muscles. Suddenly she became still. She became aware of him standing in the doorway. She couldn't read his face well in the darkness. He slowly walked towards her.

She got up and nervously brushed down her sari. He stood a few feet away from her. She kept her eyes averted. She didn't want him to see her face or read her eyes. He couldn't stop looking at her. Her hair outlined her oval face. She looked so beautiful with her eyes shyly looking down while her hair caressed her face. Neither said a word. Finally she looked up. He was looking intensely at her.

She looked at him like a mesmerised moth to a flame. Her eyes turned a deep brown. She hoped he wouldn't read the longing in them. Her eyes misted over as she gulped down the dry sobs. It was a torture to see him attend to Shravani and she resolutely told herself that he was not hers. All she did was stand and witness her marriage wither away. He seemed not to notice her, yet why did she feel his gaze on her? And if he was pointedly staying out of her way, why did he come up on the terrace to look in on her? And why did she always hope he'd come? Where did these attachments come from?

She didn't see him come near her due to her tears blurring her eyes. She made to turn away, but his hand on her shoulder stopped her. She stood sideways with her head bent forward and her hair shielding her face. With his forefinger, he slipped hair behind her ear. She shivered. There was no adornment in her ears or her neck. He knew she didn't need any for she was beautiful on her own. His fingers traced the shell of her ear. Her shoulders twitched with fatigue. He extended his arm and brought her close to him. He turned her to him. What was he going to do with her? For the moment he had given her shelter for she had nowhere to go. She had come to him giving him her heart and her love but he had nothing to give her. Would he really cast her away after three months? Would he be able to do that?

He held her down turned face in both his hands. He rested his forehead on her head. He knew he would never let go. He needed her by his side. He wanted to protect her like a priceless treasure. Her hands came up on his chest. She could feel his thudding heart. Gently she held him away. She took a deep breath and looked at him.

Archana Deshmukh wondered if she would experience joy again. Her life couldn't have any meaning without him in it. She may have put a distance between them but Manav Deshmukh still held her hand.

The question was whether he would have the wisdom of retaining his right of holding that hand forever.

*****************