Crumpled blessing
She ran inside to get water for him and tripped on the wood trim between rooms, between the front verandah and the annexe room.
Almost falling forward Ashvin looked like he was concerned when she winced in pain the water spilling over the front porch
Her Dad turned in shock when he saw her wince in pain.
He moaned a loud prayer and sat up
"I dont want water dear" he said
She took a sip tentatively
"You never said anything" "You never said anything" he mumbled
"I am sorry" she begged beginning to cry
He quickly got up and walked inside finding a nylon wire spun chair placed along the wall in the central hall
"You are my everything. This is so unexpected" he folded his hands in prayer
"Aanu" she whispered walking over to him
"I dont know the man. I dont know the man. I have never seen him" he said shocked
"He is not the boy you like" he said suddenly in shock
She nodded tears flowing like rivulets as she held her hands in prayer on her lips. Her face contorting as she held back tears
"He is not that boy. What caused you to do this?" he asked clearing his throat looking distraught
She couldnt bring herself to say "I did for you"
She sat by the mandap criss cross sobbing into her hands
She was wearing pretty darkpink /orange glass bangles in both hands
Her face free of all makeup just the kohl and bindi
He looked horrified
"Your mother collected so many things" he whispered
She nodded still unable to talk
"You were so quiet. I thought you were happy. How come you did not tell me you were not happy?" he asked sniffling wiping his nose in his dhoti and his eyes
"I am happy I have been very happy Aanu" she whispered gasping
"Happy children do not run away and get married. I was telling Rao you will listen and you will follow your mother's wishes How come everything went so wrong?" he questioned
"I didnt do it intentionally" she blurted
He looked horrified
"Did that man force you?" he asked in shock
She shook her head
They could see him leaning on the wall by the lil triangle shelf where her mother placed earthen diyas in the verandah. There was one on each side of the heavy wood door
She didnt know if she should invite him inside
"I trusted you to go study, take the bus, go to bangalore take a plane everything" "what was the need to get married like this?" he was crying again
"Aanu I wanted to help you" she whispered
"You thought since I dont have money I dont have capacity to marry you off?" he asked cringing
"Ayyyooo" she groaned
"I dont know what to say. I am stunned. You were my only source of comfort my child" he said
She couldnt have been more shameful
"I want to be that Aanu" she begged
He shook his head slowly
Leaning back on the chair weak and sad
"The trust has been broken" he whispered "It has" "It has"
"It has not I will never do anything to hurt you" she begged
"There is a person standing outside. How can you say that seeing me in the eye?" he demanded
His face was pink and puffy, his nose a deep red
"Go call him inside and give him water" he instructed
She sat there unwilling
Got up after 20 minutes to go invite him
He looked at her face and didnt say a word
"You must come in" she whispered
"Umm.. Id rather not" he said politely
"For him? please?" she requested
He straightened up and followed her
She turned on the fan
The dense trees on both sides of the house made the central hall very dark during the day
Ashvin had to orient himself to the house, the sparse row of 4 chairs by the wall, and a mandap with a lot of religious pictures on the wall
Her father sat up weakly
"I dont know your name. I wish you had atleast told me" he began to cry, patting his chest sadly his banian soaked with tears the pocket now transparent with the moist crumpled
Rs.50 bill inside.
"Ashvin Narang" he said
Her father shook his hand helplessly as that name made no sense to him
"Aanu" she whispered
"You have married him. You must go live with him" he said politely
She shook her head vigorously
"You cannot live here anymore" he said quietly
She bend down and touched his feet...
"Dont be sad PLEASE Aanu... I beg you" "I promise I didnt do this to hurt you" "I will never do anything to hurt you"she begged pleading
"Thats not under your control" he said patting her head with immense grief.
"How can I wish bad for you?" "Thats not something I can control also" he gently touched her head, patted it soothingly... his calloused palm getting caught in her silky smooth hair.
His feet unkempt and rough, from working barefeet at his "temple" as he would fondly refer to his restaurant
his dhoti soiled at the edges (from rinsing big pots and pans sitting down on the wood plank and scrubbing them with all his might to get the grease off)
It was crushed just like his soul
He pulled the moist crumpled Rs.50 bill "Aneka ashirwada" he said, his hand shook as the blessing fell on her palms.
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