Posted:
Hi dears ... Like before I'm going to write my take on the aftermath of Gopi's punishment. Here goes ........
Aham was lost in thought, he was disturbed by the punishment his mother gave Gopi. He still felt annoyed with Gopi. She was such a fool, how easily she let people take her for a ride. His mother was right, she needed to be punished, only then she'll learn. 'But, so severe a punishment ?', a small voice within him spoke up. Impatiently he shook his head, 'Mother knows, what she's doing & she's never been wrong before', he tried to justify. 'What about you? do you really feel she deserves to be punished ? ', the voice persisted.
"Aham", he heard his mother call sharply., "Come here and do aarthi", she said. Everyone had done the aarthi with their spouses, only Aham did it alone. For some reason he felt guilty. He finished the aarthi and stood behind his parents. His mother distributed the prasad and all of them retired to their rooms.
Aham paced up and down in his room, try as he might he could not shake off the image of a sobbing Gopi as his mother pronounced her punishment. Gopi had begged that she be allowed to do the aarthi at least, but his mother was unrelenting. He remembered how her face shone with radiant joy everytime she prayed in the Mandir.
Suddenly he stopped, 'I have to talk to Mom', he thot. He went over to his mother's room and knocked the door before entering. 'Aham, what it it son ?', his mother asked concerned. "Mom, Please let me talk to Gopi, just once', he requested.
Kokila looked at him with narrowed eyes. She recognised that set look on his face. He had already made up his mind and it was no use dissuading him. He only asked her permission because he didnt want her to feel he disobeyed her. " Ok', she said, try and talk some sense into her'.
Aham went over to Gopi's room, he lifted his hand to knock and stopped midway, he heard her sobs. It seemed she was crying bitterly. His shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh. He slowly opened the door and stepped inside the room.
In the dim light he could see her sitting hunched on the bed, her shoulders shaking as sobs racked her body. Something tore at him, he was filled with a sudden desire to take her in his arms and hold her tight.
He walked slowly up to her, 'Gopi', he called softly. Suddenly the sobbing stopped, she slowly lifted a tear stained face and looked at him. He expected her to jump off the bed and pull her pallu over her head. She did nothing of the kind.
She looked at him those large eyes brimming with tears, then she slowly turned away. He sighed, this was going to be hard.
He sat down beside her and said, 'Gopi, why are you such a simpleton ? How can you let people take advantage of you and ride roughshod over your feelings ?'. There was no answer. 'Com'on Gopi, pull yourself together, you cannot continue like this, you have to learn the ways of the world. Mother punished you because she wants you to learn from this'.
'I'm not upset with Mother', she said, her head bowed. 'I respect and love her a lot, I know beneath that tough exterior, she loves me like her daughter'. She spoke in such a low voice that he had to bend closer to her to catch her words. 'I'm upset with myself, that I'm not able to be the type of DIL she expects'. "Rubbish', he said sharply, 'You are everything she wanted in a DIL, that's why she chose you remember ?'.
Gopi looked up at him in surprise. He was speaking so softly to her, almost affectionately. She looked into his eyes and saw genuine concern in them. Aham was surprised too, she was staring at him, the girl who never lifted her head in front of him was staring at him openly.
He gave a small smile and gently wiped her tear streaked cheeks. She smiled back at him, and he drew a sharp breath, God, she was beautiful, when she smiled. He continued looking at her and without thinking drew her into his arms, he heard her sigh as she placed her head on his chest. He held her close to him and stroked her hair.
He never knew how long he sat like that, slowly he realized she was fast asleep. Gently he lowered her on the bed and pulled the covers. He stood by the bed and looked at her sleeping peacefully. She looked so innocent, & beautiful he silently amended as he tore his eyes away from her, and tiptoed out of the room closing the door behind him silently.
So ? ......... What's the verdict ?? Like it ?
Health and Fitness
Pocket Mein Aasman
