A crazy Chemist
"What have you done?" Mr Shanbag trembled when he saw his daughter standing in front of him wearing a red and gold tussar silk saree that had become slightly crushed during the plane ride.
This was her only visit after July 12th. She had arrived at Bangalore last night for the August 10th marriage.
She had stayed at the same motel. The motel owner/Uncle hadnt suspected anything when she wore the beautiful tussar silk
saree gifted by Rao Anna's wife for her 28th birthday which was also Rao Anna's 65th.
She had bought a konkani mangalsootra with the coral pearls and the black beads from a jeweler near Kempe Gowda/Majestic Bus Depot after getting off the bus on August 9th
Her hands shook as she paid for the slim necklace almost wiping out what she had in her account.
The girl wrapped it in a dark pink gauzy paper and stuffed it inside a shimmering gold tacky jeweler's box
She had asked him the one time she had spoken On July 20th if she should buy one
"I dont care you can wear one if you want to" he had said
She had spent a lot of time on July 14th Friday, lunch appointment at his house, making sure
her papers were all in order she had given him the 8 passport pictures and filled out forms with address proof etc.
She had given the address of her department at mangalore University and not the home in Ullal.
Everything in Ullal was in Mr Shanbagh's name.
The 27 or so days after meeting was sheer agony for her
Many times almost getting to the verge of telling him she was going to be helping him out soon
But checking herself in case something went wrong.
He did not call or text her in that period except for the call of July 20th when he wanted to know if she was OK with August 10th.
It wasnt a choice really.
She had never really paid attention to how the place functioned or who cooked or who cleaned. She was too tired after
looking through the microscope or trying to draw up covalent and hexa valent bonds to think too much
She was acutely aware of what her father was doing daily now. She had known it for 28 years but the last couple months it had begun grating.
The deep deep love he felt for that run down place the way he took on every menial task,
they way he counted the collections each night, flicking every Rs.100 and Rs.500 rupee bills wishing there were two stuck together.
The impasse with Jayadev had continued until a week after her return, until July 20th.
He had gone home to see his parents
When he returned he was needy and hungering for her
She struggled to push him away extremely guilty at what she was doing.
Ashvin didnt expect anything from her but she was dying a slow death knowing she was cheating on the one man that knew her the most and loved her to bits
She had broken down and cried walking the beach on July 21st
The frothy green sea weedy foam splashing all over their feet
"There is no reason to cry" "You know me well. I am very possessive of you" he said sheepishly
She was sobbing...
"Is your father sick?" he demanded
She shook her head
"You think I am capable of doing something foolish?" she blurted bawling
"You love me, so yes I DO" he laughed hugging her as she stiffened
"Do you remember my mother would say I am capable of doing crazy things?" she asked
He looked at her and grinned
"Accountants cannot be crazy chemists can" he nodded approvingly
She giggled...
"You are a good man" she choked up again
"Say that with a gift. Or with a kiss" he said
Tourists kissed and fondled each other liberally
"We shouldnt" she muttered as he kissed her anyway
It was long, and demanding and intimate
She was afraid her father was going to spot them even though it was night now
"Lets get married soon" he said gruffly
She didnt nod
For the first time...
Mr Shanbag looked at Ashvin curiously
He asked his daughter who the man was
"the man I married" she gasped
They were thankfully at home
Mr Shanbag was catching some zzzs in his easy chair when his goddess like daughter opened the creaky yellow gate and let herself in.
Ashvin wore jeans and a white shirt.
"what is going on?" Mr Shanbag asked confused.
Scrambling to a standing position quickly adjusting his dhoti
He held the red pillar for balance
"Aanu I married this man" she said
Ashvin looked unfazed
"HIM?" he asked baffled
Trisha nodded reluctantly
"Why did you do it?" he asked collapsing back in the chair, beginning to sob
She held back her tears
The Thursday street market was getting ready to set up shop
Vendors knew her father plainly because he handed them leftover food at night generously
"Aanu" she whispered
"You must go inside" he mumbled wiping tears in a dignified way, shooing her away from the verandah
A quiet respectable aging man was completely shattered today
His only daughter, his only agreeable child, his only family member in town stood like a married woman in front of his eyes
She went on her knees and clutched the flat wooden arm rest too afraid to touch him
He withdrew completely from the arm rest cringing...
Her father wobbled up gently and yanked the cord on the chic sliding it down before sitting down
Ashvin stood speechless...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming up... the wedding earlier that morning in Bangalore and Ashvin's reaction
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