Love after Marriage

by Chandra, Bhagya

  Her thoughts continued, Hmm, unfortunately, I cannot go to the US, and he will certainly not plan on coming here for an extended time, so what is the point?

  Sheetal and Aunty observed that Roshni was not happy. Both of them tried to cheer her up, but she refused to talk to either of them. In the last few weeks that Roshni had been sharing the apartment, the girls had become very good friends. Sheetal was perturbed; she wanted to help Roshni but was unsure of what was bothering her. Roshni was known for her calmness and ease of temper, but that was not the case this time.

  ~ ~ ~

  On Sunday morning Roshni was in a slightly better mood. Her behavior the previous day with Deepak was not acceptable, and she knew it. She was sipping chai with Sheetal when her phone rang. It was Deepak again.

  “Hello, Roshni, how are you?”

  “I’m all right.”

  “Roshni, I was very worried for you. Are you okay, dear?”

  Roshni listened to his sweet, concerned words. “Yes, I’m fine.” She paused and continued, “Is there anything important you need to talk to me about, Deepak?”

  “Yes, are you sure you’re all right?” he asked.

  “I’m okay. Please don’t worry.”

  “So tell me…what happened that you spoke so rudely to me?”

  “Deepak, please don’t start this again, my sincere request,” she said.

  “Okay, okay! I won’t go there, but you know…I was very concerned. There is nobody there with you, and if you are upset or sad…do you have any good friends there to talk to and share with?”

  “Deepak, thanks for your concern. I’m fine here.” She asked after a pause, “Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “Roshni, what is the matter with you? Why are you so annoyed?”

  Roshni did not want to talk to him and plainly told him that she was not in a mood to talk now. Deepak sensed the tension and cooperated with her. He did not want to make things worse for her, especially when she was by herself, and both of them disconnected.

  Deepak became anxious and literally counted the days before he left for India. The days passed sluggishly, every minute was strained to eternity, the physical distance made her unreachable.

  On the other hand, Roshni’s introspection took away all her energy. Why am I behaving like this with Deepak? He is being so caring and certainly seemed concerned for me; why am I not able to forgive him?

  She was aware she had started to have feelings for him the day she was told she would marry him. These were the values she grew up with. With all the developments that happened after their marriage and until recently, part of her wanted to be with him, but her ego would not let her accept the betrayal. She struggled between these two personalities and was unable to make a decision. Being a woman of integrity and respect, she could not reconcile to the fact that Deepak behaved immaturely on the wedding night and had apologized to her. Of course, being a private person, she never discussed this topic with anybody for some guidance or solace.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sheetal and Aunty saw Roshni was desolate. They tried to cheer her up but to no avail. Sheetal convinced Roshni to go to a temple with her to divert her mind, and Roshni agreed. They planned to go to the temple that afternoon, and since the market was close, they decided to take a walk to the market for grocery shopping as well.

  As planned, after the temple visit, they started to walk to the market. Sheetal made all efforts to divert Roshni’s mind. They were busy talking on the way to the market, and Roshni was closest to the road. It was a busy road with a lot of pedestrians and vehicles all trying to cut each other off and arrive faster at their destinations. The shops crowded the roads with people bargaining for fruits and vegetables, the hawkers shouting loudly with their bargains, and people chatting loudly to make themselves heard above the noise.

  All of a sudden, Roshni screamed and was knocked to the ground. Roshni had been caught in a multiple vehicle accident (auto, rickshaw and scooter) and was bleeding profusely. She had injuries on her head and entire body. It was unclear immediately as to how severely injured she was. There was a lot of chaos, and several people gathered around Roshni. The rickshaw was smashed in the front, with minor injuries to the rickshaw puller, the scooter and auto rickshaw both got wrecked, with slight bruises to the drivers.

  Roshni tried to move her hand to stand up, but her right arm and left foot were swollen, and she experienced excruciating pain. Sheetal panicked and tried to stop the bleeding with her dupatta. Roshni was on the ground and unable to move. Getting some help from a few people, Sheetal grabbed Roshni’s purse and took her to a nearby hospital, which fortunately happened to be a popular hospital in Bangalore. This was an emergency, and several doctors attended Roshni immediately. She was taken to the operation theatre, and after a few hours, she was brought out on a stretcher and moved to a room.

  Sheetal was completely shocked by seeing Roshni in a pool of blood. She was very worried and didn’t know how bad Roshni’s injuries were. She couldn’t decide whether to call Sashank in Mumbai immediately or wait for the doctor to give her an update so she could communicate the details to Roshni’s family.

  The doctor who attended Roshni, Dr. Vijay Swaminathan, called Sheetal into his office and gave her an update on Roshni’s condition. He explained to her that Roshni had multiple fractures in her right foot and ankle and a major fracture in her left arm. She had bruises all over her body, and two injuries –on her forehead and left thigh – were deeply cut and needed stitches. It was indeed a major accident, and she was lucky she survived.

  The doctor and nurses took great care in treating Roshni. Dr. Swaminathan informed Sheetal that Roshni would have to be in the hospital for some time to be monitored for infections. Roshni had lost a lot of blood, and she was very weak. Sheetal repeatedly asked the doctor if Roshni would be all right, and the doctor assured her she would be.

  Sheetal noticed that Roshni slept peacefully under the effect of the anesthetic. She stared at Roshni. I feel sorry for her. She has been going through mental stress for the last two days; she never talked to me or Aunty and was not happy talking to her husband either. I hope nothing serious has happened in her life.

  Sheetal called Aunty at home and informed her of the accident. It was agreed that Aunty would come to the hospital the next day. Sheetal then sent a message to Akash, asking him to call her as soon as he saw the message.

  ~ ~ ~

  In Mumbai, Akash was getting ready for bed. Sashank and Kusum had already retired to their room. Very casually he looked at his phone and noticed Sheetal’s message. He smiled. He and Sheetal had become good friends and communicated with each other frequently. Akash was in two minds – whether to call Sheetal this late or wait until the next morning. Something prompted him to call her that night, and he did.

  Sheetal recognized the number on her phone. “Hello.”

  “Hello, Sheetal, how are you? I saw your message–”

  Sheetal was nervous and continued without waiting for Akash to complete his sentence. “Akash ji, Roshni has had an accident.”

  Akash was stunned. “What?” Very loudly he yelled, “What do you mean Roshni had an accident? What happened? Is she okay? Where is she now? Who is with her?”

  “She’s in the hospital. It was a major accident,” Sheetal replied.

  Akash was nervous and scared to hear more. He started to choke while Sheetal continued, “Akash ji, are you all right?”

  “Yes, please give me the details.”

  “It is unclear how this accident happened, but…but…it was a serious one. Roshni fractured her leg and arm and has multiple injuries all over her body. She also had stitches on her forehead and left thigh.”

  Akash was concerned for Roshni, but he thanked Sheetal for letting him know and taking Roshni to a hospital. “Sheetal ji, where is she now? How is she feeling? When did this accident happen?”

  “It happened about three hours ago. I brought her to the hospital, and fortunately doct
ors on duty attended to her immediately. She lost a lot of blood too! She’s sleeping now because of the medications. I am here with her in the hospital.”

  “Thank you, Sheetal ji, for taking care of her. I will plan on coming tomorrow. It’s late now, and there are no flights to Bangalore at this time,” he said.

  “Don’t worry, Akash ji, I’m here with her. You can come tomorrow. Please inform Sashank bhaiya and bhabhi as well.”

  “Yes, I think Sashank bhaiya and bhabhi are sleeping. There’s no point in waking them up. I will tell them tomorrow morning. In the meantime if the situation changes, please do not hesitate to call me. I am very worried for Roshni.” He paused and then asked, “Anyway, how did this happen? Where did she go? Was she alone?”

  Sheetal gave the details to Akash and told him that she would call once Roshni regained consciousness. She also asked Akash to call her if he was coming the next day so she could make arrangements to pick him up. Akash agreed, and both of them hung up.

  Akash was in a dilemma whether to wake up Sashank and Kusum, and after giving this some thought, he decided to tell them. He knocked at the door. Silence. He knocked again.

  He heard Sashank bhaiya. “Yes, who is it?”

  “Sashank bhaiya, it’s me, Akash.”

  Sashank opened the door. “What is it, Akash? Is everything all right? You look a little tense.”

  “Sorry, bhaiya, for waking you up. I received a call from Sheetal in Bangalore.”

  “Roshni’s roommate?”

  “Yes, bhaiya.”

  Kusum sensed a nervous tone in Akash’s voice and invited him to come inside the room.

  Akash sighed heavily. “Bhaiya and bhabhi, it seems Roshni was in an accident.”

  Sashank and Kusum shouted, “What? When did this happen? How is she? Where is she?” Both of them pounded Akash with several questions one after another.

  “Bhaiya and Bhabhi, please calm down. I did the same with Sheetal, flooded her with questions.” He paused and continued, “She’s in the hospital. I guess she’s badly injured and has a couple of fractures too. She lost a lot of blood, and they’d just brought her out of the operation theatre. I understand she is still unconscious. Sheetal is with her.”

  As Akash talked, Sashank looked at the clock. It was 11 p.m. He paced the room. It was very apparent both bhabhi and bhaiya were really upset and worried for Roshni.

  Kusum looked at Sashank and Akash. “What do we do now?”

  “It’s already 11 p.m. There is no flight now to Bangalore. I think we should go tomorrow.”

  “Sashank bhaiya, I already told Sheetal that I will leave tomorrow morning…first flight available. I will go check the flight times and also ticket availability. Don’t worry; I will be there tomorrow.”

  “I’ll go with you. She must be in a lot of pain, and with no family around for any moral support, I’m sure Sheetal is also feeling lonely,” said Sashank.

  “I’m going with you too!” said Kusum.

  “Bhaiya and bhabhi, please calm down. Sheetal mentioned that the doctors attended her immediately and have done what was necessary. They also assured her that she will recover with time but needs a lot of rest and care; she is very weak. I will go there tomorrow and study the situation and call you. If urgent, you both can come over, but let me at least check out the situation,” Akash replied.

  “Will she be in a position to travel? If so, I think you should bring her here. We are all here to take care of her,” Kusum suggested.

  “Bhabhi, that I do not know. As I said, I will have a better idea once I go there.”

  Sashank interrupted, “Okay, Akash, then you go first and check out the situation, see how Roshni is feeling, meet the doctor, and let’s come up with a plan.” He paused and then continued, “I agree with Kusum, if there is any way we can bring her here, let’s plan on it.”

  “Okay, bhaiya…do you think we should inform Deepak?” asked Akash.

  Sashank gave this a little thought. “I don’t think we should inform him now. He is all alone there and might get stressed and worried. Let’s wait until you go tomorrow and see the situation for yourself. Then we will decide.” He looked at Kusum. “What do you say?”

  Both Kusum and Akash agreed to this plan. Akash left, telling Sashank bhaiya and bhabhi that he would leave on the first flight the next day.

  Sashank and Kusum were concerned for Roshni and discussed what had happened to her. Instantly, Sashank thought of something else and went to Akash’s room, “Akash, also please check if she is in a good hospital and is getting good care. If not, we may want to shift her to a better hospital.”

  “Okay, bhaiya.”

  ~ ~ ~

  The next morning, Akash called Sheetal at 8 a.m. After checking with her regarding Roshni’s health, he informed her that he was taking the 11 a.m. flight that would arrive in Bangalore at 12:45 p.m. He also thanked her again for taking care of Roshni.

  “Akash ji, Roshni is really in a lot of pain. I’m not sure how we can help her,” Sheetal said sadly.

  “Sheetal ji, you being there with her itself is a relief for us and her.”

  There was silence for a couple of minutes.

  Akash asked for the hospital details so he could go there directly. Sheetal responded that if Aunty arrived on time, she would come to the airport to pick him up. Akash wondered who this aunty was but did not delve into it at that time. He gave the flight details to Sheetal, and they hung up. Sheetal was relieved. At least Akash would be there with her to take care of Roshni.

  ~ ~ ~

  Aunty could not rest all night, thinking of Roshni. She woke up early, got ready, and packed chai and breakfast for Sheetal and Roshni. Her morning prayers were all focused on Roshni’s fast recovery. Of course, she had no idea that Akash was coming. Sunil, Sheetal’s colleague, arrived and introduced himself to Aunty, and they left for the hospital.

  Sheetal waited eagerly for Aunty at the hospital. When they arrived, she thanked Sunil for bringing Aunty. Aunty saw Roshni lying on the bed with all the casts and bandages; her heart melted for Roshni, and she couldn’t help crying.

  After a few minutes, Aunty wiped her tears. “Sheetal bete, did you inform her husband and the rest of the family?”

  “Yes, Aunty, I informed her brothers-in-law. Since her husband lives in the US, I am not sure if he has been informed.”

  Aunty nodded.

  “Aunty, her second brother-in-law, Akash ji, is arriving today at 1 p.m. We will talk about it then,” Sheetal mentioned.

  Aunty asked Sheetal to have chai and breakfast, and Sheetal thanked her for being so thoughtful.

  Aunty was worried for Roshni. “Sheetal bete, how about Roshni beti? Did she wake up, or has she been unconscious?”

  “She was unconscious until 2 a.m. this morning. She woke up for a while but was in terrible pain. The doctor gave her some painkillers, and that’s why she is still sleeping.” She looked at Roshni. “Aunty, she lost a great deal of blood and is badly injured. This was not a simple accident.”

  Aunty nodded, and Sheetal gave her all the details while they had chai.

  Aunty became sad. “Why should this happen to her? She is such an angel. You remember…she was very upset when we talked to her about her husband. I hope this had nothing to do with that situation!”

  “I sincerely hope this had nothing to do with that situation. Well, her brother-in-law should be coming soon. We can discuss it then,” Sheetal said.

  Sheetal checked the time. “Aunty, will you be here for some time? I will go to the airport to pick up Akash ji and bring him here.”

  Aunty agreed. Sheetal gave instructions to Aunty as to what she should do in case Roshni asked for any help, and left.

  Aunty sat next to Roshni on a chair. She held Roshni’s right hand in hers and, wiping her tears, said, “Roshni bete, what did you do to yourself? How did this happen? Why should such things happen to good people?”

  It was time for the doctor’s visit. He enquired who
Aunty was and how she was related to Roshni. Aunty explained the details to him. He came to Roshni, and while talking about the accident, he examined her vital signs and noticed the bandages on her forehead and thigh, where she’d received some stitches, were red. She either had bled or was still bleeding at these two injury sites.

  While this discussion went on, Roshni tried to slowly open her eyes and move her leg. The cast on her right leg was heavy, and all the bandages did not provide her with the flexibility to move. She opened her eyes and saw the doctor in front of her. Her mind was too fuddled with the dose of painkillers, and pain racked her entire body.

  “How are you, bete?” asked the doctor.

  Roshni just nodded and in a very feeble voice said, “It hurts, doctor!”

  “Of course it will hurt, bete. This was not a small accident.”

  Roshni looked at him and then at Aunty, and tears blurred her vision. Physical agony was there and she was unable to bear it; however, the dull ache in her heart, the emotional pain was greater.

  Aunty immediately moved closer to her and placed her hand over Roshni’s forehead, very gently consoling her.

  “Did you inform her family?” asked the doctor.

  “Yes, Doctor, Sheetal beti called them, and her brother-in-law is arriving this afternoon from Mumbai,” aunty replied.

  “Oh, good!” He saw the mangalsutra on Roshni’s neck, so he continued, “What about her husband?”

  “Doctor, he lives in America. I’m not sure if he has been informed yet!” responded Aunty.

  “I think we should inform him. Roshni beti suffered a great deal, and having him here would be plenty of moral support for her.”

  Aunty listened and agreed. Roshni gathered some strength and asked the doctor in a very feeble tone to explain the impact this accident had on her, and he explained. He continued, “Looks like you are still bleeding at these two sites. I will have the nurse check on this and change your bandage.”