Love after Marriage

by Chandra, Bhagya

  Vivek continued to narrate his own experiences with Vaishali and how they had troubles adjusting to each other, but both of them worked together. When it was time to leave, Vivek and Vaishali thanked Roshni for agreeing to join them for dinner and asked her to rethink her decision. Her only response was ‘time will tell’. Vivek and Vaishali offered to drop her at her house.

  ~ ~ ~

  After few days, Vivek and Vaishali called Sashank and Roshni to let them know of their return flight and say their good-byes. Sashank and Roshni agreed to send some sweets for Deepak. Deepak called that weekend – it had been a few weeks since he called – so he talked with Sashank bhaiya, Akash bhaiya and then asked for Roshni.

  Roshni was not interested but made no fuss.

  “Roshni, how are you?” Deepak enquired.

  “I’m all right. How are you?”

  “I am well, just been too busy with a project. We – our entire team is spending long hours on it. It has been very stressful and tiring too at times.”

  Roshni listened to him but was quiet.

  There was absolute silence. Nobody said anything. After a few moments, Deepak broke the silence. “My friend Vivek and his wife, Vaishali, are visiting India to meet Vivek’s father. They were planning on coming to our house. Did they?”

  “Yes,” she answered.

  “Vivek is a very good friend of mine. Fortunately he works for the same company.”

  Again there was silence because Roshni did not want to continue; she just listened. Deepak tried to engage her in some conversation with little luck.

  Deepak continued, “I think they are leaving in a couple of days.”

  “Yes, Vivek ji called last night to inform us. Sashank bhaiya asked if you needed anything from here.”

  Soon after she asked if she could hang up. Deepak certainly wanted to chat for some more time, but she was disinterested, and they ended the call.

  After this call, he called Vivek, and both friends talked for a few minutes. Vivek told him about their meeting with Roshni and how very impressed they were with her.

  “Deepak, you observed her correctly. She has all the qualities you mentioned. You really messed up everything! Vaishali and I also concur – she is the right person for you. Anyway, there are a lot of things we would like to share with you once we get back. By the way, did you need anything from here?” Vivek asked.

  “No, nothing. I just came back in December and brought all I needed. Thanks for asking,” Deepak responded.

  Deepak informed Vivek that he would pick them up at the airport. Both friends talked for a few more minutes, and they hung up.

  ~ ~ ~

  Vivek and Vaishali returned to the US, and Deepak was very excited to see them. He was curious to know about the changes in his brothers and, of course, wanted to know about Roshni. Deepak cooked a simple meal and brought them over from the airport for dinner.

  At the dinner table, Deepak initiated the conversation as they began to eat, and checked with Vivek regarding his babuji’s health. Vivek provided all the details about his father and also informed Deepak that he was able visit Sashank bhaiya, Akash bhaiya and Roshni.

  Deepak was curious to know what they thought of her, how his brothers were, and he asked about everybody.

  “It was a pleasure to see Sashank bhaiya and Akash bhaiya. There’s a pronounced difference in their attitudes; they have become chirpy and joyous. The entire environment around the house is different, and it is fully vibrant. Everybody spends time with each other, they do things with each other, and it was just a very nice feeling to be there. I think Roshni did a fabulous job influencing your brothers. Both of them have become so close to each other and to her, Deepak. Sashank bhaiya literally treats her like his daughter, especially after her babuji’s death. We understand she had a hard time getting over it; I understand she was very close to him.”

  “Yes, she was very close to him. Did she talk about how and why he passed away?” asked Deepak.

  “No,” responded Vaishali.

  Deepak was concerned for her; he asked how she was doing.

  “Deepak bhai, you did a big, big mistake offending Roshni,” said Vaishali. “She is such a sweet girl. It was a pleasure meeting her. How could you do this to her?”

  Vivek added, “We need to discuss that with you, maybe later. Now we are tired and need to go home and rest. But there is a lot more you need to know, Deepak. You certainly did a major goof-up.”

  Deepak knew it had to do with Roshni. He talked about how busy he was at work and how infrequently he called them. He mentioned to Vivek and Vaishali that he would visit them soon so they could talk more leisurely.

  After dinner Deepak dropped them at their house. He was certainly thankful to Roshni for making efforts to change his brothers. It was a pleasure and a relief to hear Vivek talk about them.

  Chapter 11

  Sashank and Kusum agree to marriage

  Kusum visited Roshni more often, especially after Babuji’s death, to spend time with Roshni and enquire about her. Because of these visits, Sashank began to interact with her, and they got along well. Roshni began to notice that Sashank enjoyed Kusum’s company, and they talked about various topics. Akash noticed these changes as well. Finally, it was the end of March when Roshni made an attempt to talk to Sashank bhaiya about this.

  One Sunday evening, Kusum visited Roshni and the others. Sashank bhaiya asked her to stay for dinner, and she accepted the invitation. All of them were at the dining table; by now this was a family event where everybody talked and enjoyed the food.

  Kusum decided to leave a few minutes after dinner. It was late, and Sashank offered to drop her at her apartment. Roshni saw a gradual growth in their relationship. Sashank asked Roshni to accompany him, but Roshni refused and allowed them to take this opportunity to spend time together. Sashank brought Kusum home, and they talked at length at Kusum’s house, and by the time Sashank returned, it was past midnight.

  Roshni was a little depressed that night and could not sleep. She thought of her babuji, and her conversations with Deepak, Vivek and Vaishali came back to her. She was disturbed and went to the kitchen to fetch some warm milk when she saw Sashank walk in. She wondered if Sashank really spent all that time with Kusum. Sashank did not expect to see Roshni still awake. He asked Roshni if everything was all right, and she just nodded, but he observed that she was a little disturbed.

  He came next to her. “Roshni, you are going through a lot of stress with Babuji’s death. A few more months, my dear, Deepak may have already applied for your VISA, and you should be joining him soon,” Sashank said to her.

  This support Roshni obtained from Sashank and Akash was immeasurable. She felt comforted. “Sashank bhaiya, I am so grateful for having you, Akash bhaiya and Kusum didi to provide moral support to me, thank you.”

  “You are welcome, Roshni, but honestly, it is important that Kusum spend time with you.” He paused, then continued, “She is very understanding and caring, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, Sashank bhaiya, she is a very kind woman.” She immediately continued, “And you have been interacting with her for a few weeks; what do you think?”

  Sashank did not pay much attention to her question, but she was persistent. “Do you like her, bhaiya?”

  “Yes, she seems like a nice woman. I wonder why she never got married,” he replied.

  “Bhaiya, she was the only daughter to her parents, and she wanted to take care of them. You know, not many men are in favor of this,” Roshni said.

  “Yes, I understand. It is very unfortunate, but she would definitely make a good wife,” he said.

  Roshni promptly jumped to her question. “Bhaiya, if you like her, would you marry her?”

  It was around 1 a.m. in the morning, and Sashank was taken aback. He never expected this question from Roshni.

  “Roshni, what are you talking about? Me getting married at this age?”

  “So what, bhaiya? There are many reasons one gets married
. In this case, it is the company. As one gets older, one begins to feel very lonely and depressed. I have seen this with you and also with Kusum didi. All your friends are married with children, and they have other priorities, so you don’t socialize with them. You need a friend, a companion, and somebody you feel like sharing time with and talking to. What is wrong with this?”

  “I agree, but what will people, I mean society, think? How will they react?”

  Roshni continued to justify it. “Bhaiya, will they come to spend time with you when you feel lonely? No! Will they take care of you if you fall sick? No, right? Then why worry about them. If you are interested in her, I think you should approach her and ask if she is interested too. If you both agree, I think you should get married.”

  Sashank saw a point in what Roshni said. He shrugged his shoulders and thanked Roshni, saying that he would think about Roshni’s suggestion, and went to his room. Roshni certainly gave Sashank a lot to think about.

  Roshni was pleased she’d discussed this with Sashank. This was not possible when she’d first got married; he certainly had begun to accept and was more flexible to adapting to changes around him.

  ~ ~ ~

  The next day was Saturday. Everybody relaxed because of the holiday. Akash asked Roshni if she could accompany him to a satsangh, and Roshni agreed to keep him company. At this time, Roshni came closer to Sashank bhaiya and reminded him about Kusum. She encouraged him to talk to Kusum again, and Sashank agreed.

  After lunch, Sashank met with Kusum at her house. They talked at length, and finally, Sashank opened up the topic of their marriage. Kusum was a little embarrassed at first but became very casual, and both of them talked a lot. Finally they agreed that they liked each other, they enjoyed each other’s company, so they should get married. Both of them were extremely happy about the decision. He informed Kusum that he would discuss this with Roshni and Akash, and if she needed to discuss this with any of her family, she should. Kusum never had any close relatives who really cared for her, so she agreed to discuss this with Roshni. Sashank agreed and left.

  Sashank came home, and he appeared to be very calm and happy. He called Roshni to his room and updated Roshni on his conversation with Kusum and their decision to get married.

  Roshni was euphoric. She could not contain her excitement and hugged bhaiya. “I am so happy for you, bhaiya. This is such great news. Can I tell Akash bhaiya? Shall we invite Kusum didi for dinner tonight?”

  Roshni ran to Akash’s room. She was so excited, she had to inform Akash of Sashank bhaiya’s decision. They hugged each other, and Akash went to Sashank’s room and congratulated him.

  Meanwhile Roshni called Kaki, Rahim chacha and Lakshmi to the family room. All of them were curious to find out why Roshni was so jubilant. She called Sashank and Akash as well. Once everyone was assembled, she asked Sashank to make the announcement. Sashank was a little embarrassed at first but informed everybody of his decision to marry Kusum. He also informed them that Kusum was interested. Smiles appeared on everybody’s lips. Kaki and Lakshmi had tears of joy – they had seen the suffering these two brothers underwent, and this was a great satisfaction for them to see Sashank settle down. Sashank further told everybody that if not for Roshni, he would not have made this decision.

  He looked at Roshni again. “Roshni bete, you are truly a blessing for all of us. Things have changed so much since you came here. Look at us; see how joyful we all are. Thank you.” He went closer to her, hugged her, and kissed her on the forehead, a sincere gratitude in his eyes.

  “If you all agree, I want to invite Kusum for dinner this evening, and if she needs to talk with Roshni, she can. What do you all say?” He looked at everybody for their consent.

  “Why ask? Please invite her,” was the unified response he got.

  Sashank invited Kusum for dinner, and he also updated her that everybody at home was informed. Kusum arrived and was welcomed into the family. Kusum talked to Roshni, and Roshni hugged her. She thanked didi for agreeing to marry Sashank bhaiya. Kusum and Roshni talked for some time privately in her room, and then they joined the others for dinner.

  ~ ~ ~

  The next day, everyone was reminiscing about the news from the previous evening. Sashank, Roshni and Akash discussed the wedding. Sashank expressed his desire to have a simple registered marriage. Roshni respected his decision but convinced him to have a reception so he could introduce Kusum to his friends, and Sashank agreed to this idea.

  Sashank and Kusum discussed a few possible dates and decided on April 14th, which was a Friday, and agreed for a reception on April 16th, Sunday afternoon, at a restaurant. April 14th was about two weeks from now, and there was lot of excitement in the house. Roshni made a list of items to be purchased, arrangements to be made, and Akash helped her with all these preparations.

  It had been a few weeks since Deepak had called. Sashank was concerned and also wanted to inform Deepak of his decision to marry Kusum. Sashank asked Roshni to call him. Roshni wanted to convey this news to Deepak so she called, but Deepak was not home. Roshni left the following message for Deepak:

  “Hello, Deepak, this is Roshni. Pardon me for calling. Since you have not called in a while, Sashank bhaiya was worried and wanted to talk to you. If possible, please call him.”

  She hesitated, wondering if she should inform him of Sashank bhaiya’s marriage, but decided to tell him. “Secondly, I thought of sharing this news, Sashank bhaiya is getting married on April 14th with Kusum didi. If possible, please talk to Sashank bhaiya. Hope all is well with you. Bye!” She hung up the phone.

  ~ ~ ~

  Deepak arrived home late. It was past midnight. He was busy and spent long hours at work. He came home tired and saw the answering machine flashing that there was a message. He preferred to freshen up first, and then he was hungry, so he looked for food in the refrigerator. There was none left over; he had been busy with work and hadn’t been grocery shopping in a while, and it showed around the house.

  Hmm, time to go grocery shopping, he thought and decided to have some cereal with milk – a savior at that time!

  He took the bowl of cereal and sat on the sofa, flipping channels on the TV. As he ate, he listened to the voice mail. The moment he listened to Roshni’s voice, he got excited and reduced the TV volume, listening to the entire message, and his happiness knew no limits.

  “Sashank bhaiya is getting married. Unbelievable!”

  Excitement, happiness, joy, and consolation – tears of joy came to his eyes. He thought of Roshni. “Thank you, Roshni, this is such wonderful news. Oh my God! You are something, Roshni. You did it. You coaxed bhaiya to get married, thank you!”

  This was certainly great news. Sashank bhaiya was getting married in less than two weeks. Deepak couldn’t believe it. He could not wait to call India. After he finished eating, he called home.

  Roshni picked up the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Roshni, this is Deepak.”

  “Oh yes, I left a message for you. Sashank bhaiya was worried since you had not called in a few weeks.”

  Without waiting for his response, she turned around to call Sashank bhaiya, but he was not around. “Deepak, Sashank bhaiya has gone out. He should be back in a few minutes. Can you call in about half an hour?” She looked at the clock. “Oh, it’s a little late for you. Isn’t it past midnight?” she asked. “You should go to bed. Can you call this evening our time? I will let Sashank bhaiya know you called.”

  “Roshni, it’s okay. I know it’s late here, but I just came back from work half an hour ago and listened to your message. Thank you, Roshni!”

  “For what?”

  “For convincing Sashank bhaiya to get married. This is such great news.”

  Roshni corrected him that Sashank bhaiya liked Kusum didi and wanted to marry her; Roshni was trying to be modest. She again reminded him of the time in the US and asked if she could hang up.

  Deepak interrupted her. “Roshni, I know it’s late, but this is
such wonderful news. I could not wait to call you all.”

  “But Sashank bhaiya is not here. Can you call back this evening?”

  It became apparent to Deepak that she did not want to talk any more, but he insisted. “Yes, but tell me more. How are you? When is the marriage and other details.”

  “Both of them want to have a simple registered wedding. This has been fixed for April 14th, next Friday.”

  “Next Friday,” he said loudly.

  “Yes, the reception is on Sunday the 16th so bhaiya can introduce Kusum didi to his friends and family.”

  “Great, very nice. I am so happy. I wish I was there.” He meant it; he wanted to attend the wedding.

  Roshni quietly listened to Deepak and his tone. He was certainly very elated.

  In the meantime, Sashank arrived, and without delay, Roshni handed him the phone.

  “Hello, Sashank Bhaiya, congratulations!”

  “Thank you, Deepak. How are you? We had not received any phone calls from you for a long time,” Sashank enquired.

  “I have been busy, bhaiya, but I am so delighted. Congratulations again!”

  “Roshni drew me into marrying Kusum. You know this girl has had so much impact on this family, our perceptions, and our lifestyles – everything changed for the better. She is such a blessing to all of us, Deepak. Not sure what we will do after she leaves for the USA,” Sashank expressed, becoming sad, his throat choked. “Deepak, you are so lucky to have Roshni as your wife. God bless you both!”

  Deepak was happy to hear this from Sashank; then Akash came on the line, and he, too, had nothing but praise for Roshni. Deepak talked with both brothers for some time and then wanted to talk to Roshni, but she had left, shopping for the wedding, so he could not talk to her.

  Chapter 12

  Deepak’s Introspection Begins