If I had stated that updates will only be conducted on weekends: change of plans. Study leave and boredom have so battered me today, I decided to invite you over to Arhasia today. Also, I am trying to make my updates quicker because there is a lot more to go!! I am afraid this story will not be over even if it reaches chapter 80!!!
Thanks to all my friends who visited last time and left with your warm, heart-touching comments. Its such an honour to dine with you guys when you are willing to taste a dish I offer and say how you liked it or didn't...
Golden Dragon (first again!), bright Salsa, saomom, Sowmya (whose gone on a vacation), Lyraa (who I still can't believe is reading my tale), Sonia, insane stalker Sam (who keeps up the spirit of my tale with her insane musings), cool cadbury, enthusiastic kushipugly, purplelove, sweet Shass, my Shweta, music1 (I just learnt that you are a fan of Lyraa's works: I love her works) Artemis, very dear Breeze, Archana, Sanjana, Rose, Nature2, Shagun (Welcome back, sweetheart!!), shikha, dingle (so glad your back!) akshu, serialmaniac and
Bumblebee: Greetings bumblebee! Welcome, friend, to Arhasia!! We are all so glad to have you on board!! Hope you will have a wonderful time visiting Arhasia whenever time permits...
Chapter Twenty One: The Mother Reacts
The incessant rumbling of the thunder was feeble when compared to the way the door was banged open by the wife of Shashi Gupta as she dragged her youngest daughter into the house and, without stopping, barged right into her room and bolted the door, leaving the father and the eldest daughter outside to imagine the worst kind of punishments being administered to the youngling within.
"Amma..." Kushi began, her face pale with too much crying already. Her head still felt dizzy after that cursed play and the subsequent incident in the forest.
"Not a word, Kushi! Not a word!" said her mother, voice raised and finger pointing threateningly.
There was a deadly silence for sometime and the mother clenched her teeth, trying to not let all her fury be poured upon the feeble child.
"Amma, I'm sorry..."
"You should be, you thoughtless creature!" said her mother, walking to and fro, while Kushi sat like a sad heap on the floor.
"It is not like what you think. I didn't go there to steal-"
"Silence!!"
Kushi bit her tongue and sank her head between her knees, "I really am sorry, Amma."
Her mother stopped walking, "Tell me, Kushi. Why? Why did you do this? Haven't I brought you up with adherence to dignity and not bring disgrace upon the family?"
"Amma-"
"You always end up in the wrong, always get into mischief, always wreck people's patience and you always get into things that are better off left alone. Why? Why do you do so always? What need did you have to go to the forbidden place and truce with the Lady of the Castle? What need did you have to bring the wrath of the First Lord upon yourself and your family when he had been oblivious of our existence all along? Wouldn't it have been better if we kept things as it were? Him there and us here? With no interfering? Why Kushi? Tell me why!!"
The mother had inched closer to the daughter at each question and at the last why, she had lifted Kushi to her feet by her shoulders and shaken the girl as if the shaking would divulge the answer from her trembling mouth.
"Amma..."
"Stop calling me that!" said the mother, pushing the girl aside and looking away, "I cannot be a mother to a girl who brings disgrace upon her family. A family that only loves and cares for her." A tear rolled from the mother's eye and she wiped it away, not wanting anyone to see it.
Kushi broke down to tears and slumped onto the floor, feeling lost and empty.
"Stop crying, Kushi," said her mother, who turned to face her, "Tomorrow, first thing, I will send you off to your aunt. She is good in dealing with heedless kids like you. Besides, it would be good if you stay away from this village for a while until the people have calmed down and forgotten this...mess."
Kushi only cried and the mother closed her eyes from the sight. She took quick steps to the door, and wrenching it open, she walked out, past her husband and daughter, and into the garden outside where the rain was imminent anytime soon.
Payal went in to console Kushi while Babuji caught up with his wife, "Why did you say all that? She was hurt already and your words have bled her more."
His wife, who had been staring at the night sky, tore her gaze from the thundering darkness to look into her husband's eyes, "I said what had to be said. Do you deny she is not at fault?"
"I do not deny she has been in the wrong," said Babuji sternly, "But the way you dealt with it as a mother cannot be wholly justified."
The woman strode to him and accusingly asked him, "Then what do you expect I should have done: embraced her for smearing the dignity of our family with the dirt of her recklessness?"
"I would prefer you had understood her before accusing her on your preconceived judgment regarding what happened," said Babuji plainly, crossing his arms before his chest. "Tell me, did you ask her regarding the truth of what really happened?"
"I did," said the mother, looking away, "She gave me no answer."
"Or is it that you didn't give her the space to answer?" her husband asked pointedly.
"Whatever be the reason, what she did was wrong," said the mother with finality, waving a hand in the air, "She shouldn't have gone there, she shouldn't have done what is forbidden. She is not a child anymore."
"To us, isn't she always a little girl?"
"Are you on her side as always?"
"Are you fighting the battle within yourself again?"
"What do you mean?" his wife looked in his direction, confused.
Babuji's face was gentle, "My dear Garima, how many times have I seen you regretting the words you spoke to her in the rush of your anger. How many times have I seen you gazing at her lovingly when she is not aware of your presence or caressing her when she is asleep. I know, Garima," he walked to her and lay his hands on her shoulder, "I know how much you love her. Maybe you love her more than I do..."
His wife's eyes filled with tears and she pressed her head to his chest, "I...I am weakened by my own love. I want to show her how much I love her but I cannot. I can't...this is hard. And now, when she stood there accused by the crowd, do you know how much I longed to rush to her and protect her from the spiteful remarks. Even if she is not born of my womb, she is my daughter, born from my heart..."
"You do not have to say all this," said Babuji, "I know your love for her without the need for words."
His wife continued, "And now I have asked her to go to your sister's place for a while-"
"To Madhumati?" Babuji was taken aback, "What for?"
"I cannot see her hurt by the people anymore," said Garima, "She will insist on going to the market or with you to the mill and even if we are there with her, people will still be hurting in their words or looks and she is only a child. She is not strong enough to counter all this..."
"But still...Madhumati?"
"We have no choice," said Garima, releasing her hold on her husband, "And I have decided right now that I will send Payal along with her to show you that by sending her to your sister's, I am not punishing her but protecting her."
"You have decided all," sighed Babuji, "Do I have a say in the matter?"
"I am afraid I shall not give you that choice," said Garima sadly, "This must be done." And then she made to move to the door as if remembering something, "We should get them dressed and packed right away."
"Why right away?" asked Babuji, holding her arm and hindering her movement, "Are you going to send them in this night?"
"What better timing could there be but this?" Garima asked, looking up at her husband, "After the way the people reacted, won't it be wise to let our girls depart when it's dark and when not all are awake and watching?"
Babuji's face was rigid, "Let our daughters sneak away as if they had wronged? Never, Garima, never, I tell you! My children have done nothing wrong that they deserve what thieves and robbers do to hide themselves from others eyes. And mark this, my wife, our girls will go to their aunt's place in broad daylight when everyone can see them, showing that they were not wronged and hence are not running away but are forced to leave because of the heartless conventions of this land."
Garima stared at her husband and said nothing.
"Tell me, have you any intentions of still going with your former plan?" he asked her pointedly.
Garima sighed and her husband let go of her. She looked away and said, "I suggest you dispatch a messenger to send for your sister. Let the girls be carried away from here by what is to come."
Babuji relaxed and replied, "Very well, then," and led her by the shoulder for the storm was coming and though the storm within the house was brewing in silence, they needed the shelter and comfort of being together for one last night before the daughters departed on the morrow.
Next update will be on Thursday. Told you: a lot to go so I'm moving updates faster as long as my health and my connections permit...
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Edited by Aquiline - 13 years ago
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