Chapter 1 – A Missed Train – Almost…
The train came to life with its fits and starts and she jumped off it, startled, even though she had known that it would have to begin its journey at some point.
"What are you doing, beta? Get back on the train." She heard no less than twenty voices say at once, and for a moment, she could do nothing but just stand there in confusion, refusing to believe that this was actually happening.
She looked intently at her mother, hoping that she would not send her away like this. She loved her village; she wanted to stay here forever. She was not a girl who had any inkling to go anywhere else. Her mother came out of the group of all her relatives who were there at the station and shook her out of her momentary stillness.
"Vidya, baccha, please get back on the train. They are all waiting." Her mother pleaded now and Vidya looked at her, showing her hurt for the first time since this had all happened.
The train was starting to move, albeit slowly, and her mother nudged her towards it now, before her compartment moved so far away that she would have to run after it.
"Go, beti, go…" Her mother said gently now, but insistently.
"Why?" she asked, although the answer to that question was obvious. But she did not want to hear that answer. She wanted to know why they were doing this to her, why her family couldn't see that an alliance from some well-connected family in the city with a groom who spoke perfect English and moved about with a crowd that she had no knowledge of or experience with was entirely unsuitable… How they thought she could adjust to a new city, a new house, a new family, and to living with a man, all on her own… How they thought that she could survive without seeing her father, her mother, her brothers and sisters, her cousins, her chaachas and maasis, her neighbors, her dear friends that she grew up with… how they could think of sending her away from everything that was precious to her in the hope that this was "a good marriage."
Her mother was prevented from answering her question as they both heard, "Vidya Beti…" from behind her. They looked back and saw that it was her mother-in-law, Devyani, standing at the door of their compartment and calling out to her.
Even seeing the kind face of Devyani, Vidya felt no compunction to move at all… she wanted the train to keep going without her… to run away from her completely… But what she wanted was of little consequence… because right then, she heard them all start to chant her name, asking her to run after the train that was moving now at a more rapid pace.
Her mother pushed her more forcefully and without thinking of it, she starting moving towards the point where they all wanted her to reach.
The train picked up even greater speed as she ran after it, thwarting her for her earlier hesitation, and she felt a moment's relief that she may not be able to catch it. She knew it did not solve the problem, that a missed train just delayed the fate that lay ahead of her, but she would make do with a delay for now.
She turned back for an instant and saw that her mother had tears in her eyes. All her other relatives who were clustered around her mother were urging her to run faster.
When she turned back around to face the front, she saw that the groom's younger brother, Aditya, was standing next to Devyani as well, now yelling, "Faster bhabhi… run faster."
They had not allowed her to dress in something simple as she had wanted to. Instead, they had made her put on the most heavy lehenga that she owned, along with the most heavy jewels, which were all weighing her down.
She looked down briefly to hike her skirt up a bit more and when she looked back up, she saw Devyani's concerned face and that of the housemaid Imli. Aditya had disappeared. It was only for a moment though, because suddenly he reappeared.
And he was not alone… He had brought with him the man that she had only married that morning.
At the unexpected appearance of her groom at the door of their compartment, the edge of the long dupatta that was covering her hair suddenly snagged on a wick sticking off a column nearby. She looked back just in time to see it dragged off of her, revealing her long straight hip-length hair for all the world to see. She looked back in alarm towards the front and saw that he had jumped off the train. She looked on in shock as he rushed towards her and grabbed her hand in his to run back towards the train. Something about the removal of the dupatta made her jewels and dress seem lighter and feeling a hand helping her gave her a burst of energy as she ran in earnest now, wanting to reach that train before it sped away from the both of them.
They were there before long and she felt Aditya's hand pull her up just as her groom lifted her off the ground and onto the steps of the train. She turned back towards the entrance just in time to see him jump on as well, crowding her off the step and making her stumble. He caught her before she fell and she grabbed onto him as well to steady them both.
She was breathing deeply from the exertion, now that the adrenaline rush was over, but he gave little indication that he had just had to jump off the train and rescue an errant new bride lest she get left behind.
It was the first time that she had really seen him up close and she had to allow to herself that he was very handsome. But his body appeared to be the sort that city boys worked on for hours in the gym to achieve, not like the natural lanky tone that her village boys had from being outdoors and climbing and running about or doing productive labor all day. She preferred the latter much more.
She let go of him quickly, just as he took his hands off her as well.
"Thank you." She said, looking up at him briefly as she moved up the stairs to allow him room to come in.
"No problem." He told her just as succinctly before he moved in and walked down the aisle of the train and away from her and his family without once looking back.
She thought that maybe he was a taciturn man, not very social… maybe that was the reason that they had brought him to the village to get married off. She knew very well what these city families were looking for in a traditional village girl… they wanted some girl who was ignorant and submissive, good with the household chores, and willing to bear whatever was wrong with her husband with patience, love, and prayers.
"Vidya beti…" she heard her name and brought herself back from her musings and turned to face her mother-in-law who was now standing by her side with Imli and Aditya.
She tried to bring a slight smile to her face and hoped that she was forgiven for her folly earlier.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Devyani asked and Vidya looked at her now in genuine surprise as she nodded.
"I will get you something to drink. Maybe this lehenga is too hot for this weather. Would you like to change?"
Vidya nodded gratefully for the woman's intuition and for a moment thought that she would cry again thinking of her mother.
"You can run like the wind, Bhabhi!" Aditya said with a laugh and she turned to face him. Unlike the man that she had married, his brother looked like a charming and mischievous sort, easy to laugh and find amusement.
She smiled at his statement and thought that at least two people in the house that she was going to seemed kind.
Edited by sridevi27 - 14 years ago
Tum Se Tum Tak
Anupamaa
