Deepak approached his boss and discussed the situation about him going to India for three or four months. Again, surprising to him, his boss was very cooperative and asked Deepak if he was willing to work remotely with the collaborating firm in Bangalore while this Indian couple worked here. Deepak thought this over. He wanted to spend some quality time with Roshni and did not want to promise anything that interfered in this task.
Deepak very clearly communicated to his boss that if the work was overwhelming or too demanding and took his time away from his family, he would not hesitate to quit. Deepak was very intelligent and too valuable to the company to lose. His boss was flexible and worked around Deepak’s schedule, and it worked out best for Deepak and the company.
Everything fell in place for Deepak – a reassurance that if the intentions are good, the Universe will respond.
His house was rented out temporarily, and he could work remotely from India and get paid. Deepak was beaming with happiness and made arrangements to leave. Vivek assured him that he and Vaishali would watch the house while he was away. The immigration papers were filed, and now it was a waiting period. Deepak contacted his lawyer and informed him of these developments and gave his contact details in India.
~ ~ ~
In the meantime, things started to take shape for Roshni as well. Sashank, Kusum and Akash reluctantly agreed for Roshni to move to Bangalore for her project work.
Roshni contacted the office in Bangalore and found out that one of her potential colleagues, Sheetal Pansre, originally from Poona, rented an apartment and was looking for a roommate. This worked out well for Roshni. She contacted Sheetal, and both the ladies agreed for Roshni to share the apartment until she returned to Mumbai. All arrangements were made for Roshni to leave for Bangalore at the end of August.
At this time, Rahim chacha also felt that he should leave Roshni’s in-law’s house. He’d been thinking of returning to his village, and this probably was a good time. He expressed his desire to Roshni and Sashank. Of course, since Roshni herself was leaving, she remained quiet. Sashank and Kusum wanted Rahim chacha to stay, but he was determined to leave. Rahim chacha left before Roshni’s departure to Bangalore. Roshni asked him to stay in touch, and Rahim chacha promised her that he would keep her updated.
The day for Roshni to leave had arrived. This was a very heartbreaking moment at home. Sashank, Kusum, Akash and Kaki gave a teary farewell to Roshni. Roshni herself became very sad, for she was leaving a family whom she would probably never meet again.
Sashank, Akash and Kusum went to the airport. At the airport Roshni touched Sashank’s and Kusum’s feet, at which time, Sashank hugged Roshni and kissed her on the forehead. “Roshni, we all will miss you, bete. It will be hard for us to get used to you not being here. Please take care of your health and…” He had tears in his eyes.
Kusum didi hugged Roshni. “Roshni, take care. We are always here for you,” she assured Roshni. She also had teary eyes.
“Roshni, I will come visit you often. I don’t care if you’re sharing your apartment with somebody; I have to see my little sister, and I will be there. I will miss you, Roshni. Who will come with me to Ravi Shankar’s workshops now?” said Akash.
Roshni wiped her tears and smiled. “Akash bhaiya, now I really need to find you a wife who can go with you.”
Akash smiled and patted Roshni’s arm. “Roshni, you never get tired of teasing me, do you? You know what? I will come to Bangalore for his workshops.”
Everybody laughed at this.
Later, she asked Sashank to visit Satish with Kusum, but Sashank made no promises to her. He shook his head, and Roshni did not force the matter.
Roshni walked through security, wiping her tears. While Roshni waited at the airport, several thoughts crossed her mind. Sashank and Akash were very mean to her in the beginning, and she spent several days weeping in her room, not knowing how to handle these two brothers. Her marriage was a failure she could not discuss with Deepak or Babuji. She had struggled within her, and now, the same two brothers could not live without her. What a remarkable change in their personalities. She herself became so attached to this family…how could she live without them?
I guess everything happened for the better, she consoled herself. Even if her marriage was a failure, she’d brought joy to two people. What more did she want?
Soon she heard an announcement for passengers to board the Bangalore flight.
~ ~ ~
Sheetal met Roshni at the airport. They hugged each other and welcomed each other’s friendship into their lives. Sheetal had lived in Bangalore for a few years and was very familiar with the city. Sheetal was a very simple girl, and Roshni at once felt very comfortable with her. They hired a taxi and arrived at the apartment. This was a three-bedroom apartment, very spacious and comfortable, and was located in a decent neighborhood.
Sheetal felt very comfortable with Roshni as well. Both Sheetal and Roshni had similar personalities, and it did not take too long for them to become good friends, although Sheetal was a few years older than Roshni. Sheetal saw the mangalsutra on Roshni’s neck and figured she was married. Roshni made no attempt to talk about her husband, and Sheetal did not feel the urge to ask Roshni. They respected each other’s privacy.
Roshni called home to inform Sashank and didi that she’d arrived safely and told them everything about Sheetal. Everybody in Mumbai was relieved that Roshni had some company in Bangalore.
Chapter 22
Roshni meets with an Accident
Days passed, and Roshni began to like Bangalore. Of course, Sheetal made Roshni very comfortable. Over time, Roshni found out that Sheetal was also very spiritual and attended Ravi Shankar’s meetings in Bangalore, and she thought of Akash at this time.
Sheetal Pansre was born and raised in Poona. She was the only daughter to her parents, and both her parents worked for the government. Her father retired a couple of years ago, and her mother retired six months ago. Both parents were worried about Sheetal…she was already thirty-one and not married yet.
Sheetal herself had a Master’s Degree in Engineering and was financially well settled. She was in no rush to get married. She believed very firmly in destiny and that she would meet the right guy when it was time. She was a very simple girl, raised with good values, and was very mature. After knowing these details about Sheetal and her family, Roshni felt the urge to introduce her to Akash, but she had to be very careful; she did not want to ruin her friendship with Sheetal.
A seed for a future relationship was sowed in her head.
Sheetal was curious to know about Roshni, her husband and family. Roshni very plainly mentioned that her husband lived in the US and talked a lot about Sashank, Kusum and Akash. Sheetal noticed that Roshni did not talk much about her husband. Deepak called Roshni frequently after she came to Bangalore. Sheetal figured all was well and never ventured to ask more.
Roshni and Sheetal worked for the same firm but in different departments. They commuted together to work and became very good friends. They shared the household work – cooking and cleaning – and both were very good cooks. Since living in Mumbai, Roshni had learnt to cook several Maharashtrian dishes, and since Sheetal was a Maharashtrian and from Poona, they knew several common dishes. They spoke Marathi on several occasions. There was a lot of commonality between the two girls, and they enjoyed each other’s company.
~ ~ ~
After about three weeks, Akash called Roshni to inform her he was visiting Bangalore. Roshni was pleasantly surprised, and she welcomed this. They shared their latest news…he heard the name Sheetal quite often and was happy Roshni had met somebody who she was comfortable with.
They arrived at the apartment, and Sheetal was already home and fixing dinner for everyone. Roshni introduced Sheetal to Akash. Being friendly, Sheetal took no time in making Akash comfortable around the house. After a very enjoyable dinner, Sheetal left, leaving Roshni and Akash to catch up. They talked late into the night and finally
went to bed.
Akash felt very relieved to see Roshni happy. It was very important to him to verify that all was well. During the conversation, both he and Roshni agreed that he could send her babuji’s car here so the two girls could use it when needed.
Akash arrived on Friday evening and decided to stay until Sunday afternoon. On Saturday morning, Sheetal woke up and made chai. Very soon Akash woke up, and he joined her. He was astonished to see Sheetal watching a discourse on TV. Sheetal made chai for Akash, and they had a lot of common topics to discuss and enjoyed sipping chai, listening to the discourse, and talking happily.
Akash left on Sunday. He’d had a good visit and was very relieved that Roshni was happy and had found a nice roommate.
Akash arrived in Mumbai and updated Sashank bhaiya and Kusum bhabhi of all that he saw in Bangalore. Everybody was relieved that Roshni had settled in well in Bangalore. Deepak called that evening and Akash gave him all the details about Roshni. Deepak was pleased; however, he was himself counting the days until he could return to India. All arrangements were made for Deepak to leave at the end of September.
Akash called Roshni frequently, and his friendship with Sheetal progressed gradually. Roshni got to know Sheetal better, and the more she interacted with Sheetal, the more she believed Sheetal and Akash would make a good couple. She waited for an opportune moment to initiate this topic with both of them.
~ ~ ~
One evening Roshni went shopping and noticed a big crowd at the end of a road. Her first reaction was to ignore it and walk away, but her intuition prompted her to check it out. She went closer and found an elderly lady lying unconscious on the street. People had gathered around, but none was willing to initiate any help.
Roshni came closer and confirmed that the lady was breathing, and instantly she asked a few people to assist her in taking the woman to a hospital. Fortunately, the woman had no serious injuries. She’d fainted, and Roshni discovered that she hadn’t eaten for a few days.
The woman gained consciousness and revealed her story. Her name was Subhadra Patel, and she hailed from Gujarat. She had come here to stay with her son and daughter-in-law after her husband’s death, but she was tortured by her son and daughter-in-law. She had nowhere to go. Being dejected, she decided to commit suicide.
Roshni and Sheetal made attempts to contact her son, but he showed no interest. Instead, he was ready to pay her money so she could go back to Gujarat. Both Roshni and Sheetal were in a dilemma. Roshni had lost her mother at a young age, and it was difficult for her to see aunty struggle. She and Sheetal discussed it and agreed to bring Subhadra Patel (Aunty) home after she was discharged from the hospital.
Roshni and Sheetal paid the hospital bill and convinced Aunty to come home with them. Aunty at first was reluctant but agreed later when Sheetal and Roshni talked to her about helping around the house since both worked all day. She was grateful to them and thought, This is a God-sent opportunity for me. What else could I ask for? I will be very happy to stay here and help these girls.
Both Roshni and Sheetal thanked Aunty and brought her home. Aunty cooked and took care of the house so that Roshni and Sheetal did not have to worry. Over time, Aunty became a motherly figure to them.
~ ~ ~
One Friday evening, the three ladies were chatting casually after dinner in the dining area. During the conversation, the topic of marriage came up, and they talked about Sheetal’s wedding and her plans, and then Aunty asked Roshni about her husband and when she would join him. The conversation continued on this topic for some time. The wounds that had not healed started to bleed for Roshni; tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision. She forced a smile on her face, she did not want any pity from anyone, and walked away very abruptly.
Sheetal and Aunty suspected Roshni was unhappy with her marriage, but they remained silent.
Roshni went to her room and shut the door. She took a deep breath and leaned out of the window, gazing into the distance. She had always kept her hands and mind busy so she did not have to think of these past experiences; however, this time, it was unavoidable. She went into a flashback mode – her wedding night, her decision to leave Deepak, and their conversation in Jammu came back, then Babuji’s death and her loneliness…all these thoughts caused her to weep. She was unable to rest during the night. She sighed and turned over, trying to find a comfortable spot on the bed, but all was in vain.
Roshni woke up depressed on Saturday morning. Lack of sleep and their conversation from the previous evening were still on her mind. The past conversations with Deepak were ringing in her ears. The sight of Babuji feeling guilty came to her. Aunty was up already and made chai for her. Roshni did not show any interest in indulging in conversation that morning.
~ ~ ~
It was the second week of September, and Deepak was looking forward to his trip at the end of the month. Perhaps it was better they were apart, with distance came a deeper desire. He was excited for his India trip and called Roshni.
“Hello?”
“Roshni, it’s me, Deepak. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” she responded in a very serious tone.
Silence followed for a few seconds.
“Roshni, what is the matter? Are you okay?”
Roshni went to her room and shut the door. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
Then abruptly she asked, “Deepak, why do you call me? Now that I’ve moved out of your house in Mumbai, please do not call me.”
Deepak was shaken by this statement. On one hand, he was delighted and looked forward to spending time with Roshni, but this statement…“What do you mean, why am I calling? Obviously to talk to you.”
“That’s what I’m asking. We don’t have any relationship anymore, so why do you want to talk to me? I don’t think this is right. We should stop talking to each other.”
“What? I mean why? Why should we stop talking to each other? You are my wife, and I want to talk to my wife!” he said with a raised tone.
Already agitated from the previous night, Roshni lost her temper. “What wife! How many times have we discussed this, Deepak? Why don’t you understand? I am not your wife. Remember…we agreed to separate, and you are free to marry a girl of your choice.”
Deepak also lost his temper; he was infuriated at Roshni. “Roshni, stop it! What nonsense are you saying? I have also said several times that you are my wife. I don’t have a girlfriend or a wife here, and… don’t you understand that?”
“Of course I understand, and I also understand your intentions very well, and…and I am not going to fall into this trap again,” she said.
Deepak and Roshni were both in heated moods, and this wasn’t good for either of them. He tried to calm himself and took a deep breath. “Roshni, what is wrong with you? Why are you talking like this? Is everything all right?”
Roshni retorted angrily, “No, nothing is all right. I just don’t want to talk to you. Please don’t call me. Our relationship is over.” She hung up the phone.
Deepak was confused by Roshni’s behavior. She was by herself in Bangalore, and he was worried as to why she was so rude. He was also agitated but decided to give her some time to cool off. He thought, How I wish I was there. I wonder what’s bothering her. She’s a very private person and does not share with others. He sighed deeply. How can I help her if she does not want to talk to me!
He dialed Roshni’s number again, and she disconnected it. She was not in a mood to talk to him. He was restless and did not know how to approach her. Since he was worried, he asked Sashank to talk to Roshni and confirm she was all right.
In the meantime, Roshni was not happy with herself for behaving in such a childish manner. Why did I do that? she thought. I was very upset last night and woke up tired, but…I have been very calm and composed always. Why did I behave this way? She kept thinking of her conversation with Deepak.
Her phone rang, and she feared it was Deepak again but was relieved to see a Mumbai number – Sashank’s phone. They
talked for a few minutes, and after enquiring that all was well with Roshni, Sashank hung up the phone. Roshni also was relieved after talking to Sashank bhaiya.
Deepak was making all the arrangements to leave, but he was genuinely concerned for Roshni. He was relieved to hear from Sashank that everything was fine.
When will I be able to console her and take care of her? I know she is not doing well. Something is bothering her and…and she will never discuss anything with Sashank bhaiya or others, he thought.
He called Roshni, and she picked up the phone this time. Hearing her voice comforted him.
“Roshni, what is the matter with you? Why are you not answering the phone?”
“I don’t think we should talk. We shouldn’t send the wrong messages to people around you,” she said very calmly.
“Roshni, how many times do I have to tell you that there is nobody here. Why don’t you trust me?”
“Deepak, after all that happened in the past, I cannot trust you. I feel you took advantage of me then and you are taking advantage of me now. It is in the best interest we don’t talk.”
“Roshni, please calm down, dear. Did somebody hurt you? What happened? Please tell me.”
Roshni did not want to prolong the conversation; she told him all was fine and hung up on him again.
Deepak was very worried now. She didn’t want to talk to him, and she shared nothing. He had not slept in a while. Every thought, every dream was colored by her face; she had consumed him completely. He was agonized but decided to give her some time to settle in.
Roshni was miserable. She thought to herself, He wants me to believe him? How can I trust him after all that happened? He just doesn’t understand. He keeps telling me that he has no girlfriend or wife in the US, but why does he assume everything is okay in our relationship?
She took a deep breath. I thought he was playing with my emotions, but…but him calling me even after I moved out of his family’s house – was he serious when he apologized to me and said he regretted all that happened in the past? He’s concerned and worried for me; are these feelings genuine? But…but how can he assume all is fine? His visiting India for a few days and exhibiting this behavior is not enough. How can I prove to myself that the feelings he has for me are not fake?
Love after Marriage Page 24