Love after Marriage

by Chandra, Bhagya

  Deepak was glad Roshni could maneuver herself. He hugged her. “I am so proud of you, Roshni, good job!”

  He slowly wheeled her out and brought her to the small dining table. Aunty arrived with chai and breakfast. Deepak proudly explained everything to Aunty. Roshni saw the happiness and excitement in his eyes and tone.

  Looking at her and then at Aunty, he said, “I am so proud of her, Aunty. If she shows the same courage, I’m sure she will be back on her feet very soon.”

  “But, bete, how about her fractures?”

  “They will take time to heal, but she should be able to walk on crutches.” He remembered that the crutches hadn’t been delivered yet. He decided to check on them after breakfast.

  Aunty had brought parathas for breakfast. The moment Deepak heard parathas, he asked, “Aunty, did you bring aloo parathas?”

  Aunty nodded her head and served the parathas with spiced yogurt and chai.

  He could not resist his temptation to taste them and took the first bite. “Oooh! Aunty, they are so good. I haven’t eaten such delicious parathas in a long time.” He tried to identify some of the herbs and spices. “Fresh grated ginger, garam masala, chopped cilantro and green chilies, cumin seeds… Oh! Aunty, great combination.”

  He ate and wanted to feed Roshni, but she turned her head, indicating she would eat herself. She tasted Aunty’s parathas, and she agreed with Deepak – they were delicious.

  Deepak went to check on the crutches. Due to a miscommunication, the crutches were not delivered on time. Within ten minutes, the ward boy was in the room and helped Roshni stand up on her own with the crutches! Roshni had tears of joy. She couldn’t believe she was able to stand with the help of crutches. She was too tired to take any steps. The ward boy left after giving Roshni more instructions on the use of crutches.

  After breakfast, Roshni wanted to have a bath, and Aunty helped her. Deepak decided to go to the accounting department to sort out the bill while Roshni was in the bathroom. Aunty helped wash Roshni’s long, dark hair. Roshni felt very refreshed after the bath.

  As Roshni was wheeled out of the bathroom, Deepak entered. The aroma of the soap and shampoo Roshni used spread in the air, and Deepak was captivated by her beauty. She had worn one of the new aqua gowns and had her wet hair draped down. She looked stunningly beautiful.

  Deepak watched as Aunty pushed Roshni to the table. Roshni gently brushed her wet hair, completely lost in thought, the aroma of the soap and shampoo lingering around her. Deepak could not resist and walked towards Roshni. Roshni did not see him until he was very close to her. He could smell the beautiful fragrance around her and stooped down and kissed her cheek. “Roshni, you look so beautiful” he whispered.

  Roshni looked at him in disbelief. She tried to move her head away from him as he stared at her. Aunty walked away to the bed, giving them their privacy.

  After a few minutes, Roshni broke the silence. “Ah, it feels so refreshing to have a nice hot bath, and my hair too smells so good,” she said and brushed her hair. “Thank you, Aunty, I feel so fresh and refreshed.”

  Deepak put his hand on her shoulder. “Roshni, can you stand up and walk?” Then he turned towards Aunty. “Can you please bring the crutches for her? Let her make an attempt.” Deepak motivated her, “Try walking to the bed, Roshni. I will help you.”

  In order to reach the bed, Roshni would have to walk at least eight to ten steps. She was very nervous and tense that she may not be able to do this, but she wanted to try. Deepak helped her stand up with the help of the crutches and stood close to her. He guided her to step her left foot forward, then guided her to step her right foot forward. She managed with great difficulty; all her strength disappeared after the first step. She was excited about this accomplishment and became teary, and Deepak urged her to take the second step. She continued and took four steps. This was a great achievement for her, but she felt very exhausted, her energy drained with these four steps; she wanted to sit in the wheelchair.

  She looked at Deepak, who stood next to her. “Deepak, I want to sit down, please. I feel very weak and will collapse soon,” she said, trembling.

  “Don’t worry, Roshni. I’m right here. Can you take one more step?” he coaxed her.

  “No, I have no strength in my legs.”

  “Please try.”

  Roshni looked at his face. He was encouraging her, and she could see it. With moist eyes, she nodded her head and tried taking one more step, and she did. Deepak was so delighted, and he could not push her anymore. She literally trembled, leaning against him. He held her tightly and rubbed her shoulder in encouragement. She asked him to bring the wheelchair, but instead, he lifted her in his arms. She felt embarrassed since Aunty was right there, but he did not care. She tried to resist, but he held her tightly and laid her on the bed. She felt relieved to be lying down. The few steps she’d taken had drained all her energy.

  He sat next to her, and with his arm around her shoulders, he held her. “Roshni, I am so proud of you. Very well done. If you continue to show this improvement, you’ll be able to walk in a few weeks’ time. Great work, my dear.” He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to him.

  They heard a knock on the door. A young doctor stood by the door, waiting for Deepak and Roshni to give him permission to come inside. He was on his rounds and came to examine Roshni.

  After enquiring about her health, he tested her vital signs and asked if she needed a physiotherapist (PT) to help her with a few movements and exercises. Roshni agreed to take a few sessions until she was discharged, and the arrangements were made.

  Chapter 27

  Roshni’s Homecoming from the Hospital

  Roshni attended a few sessions of physiotherapy and was discharged to go home on Thursday. Aunty had the room ready for her. Roshni was worried as to where Deepak would sleep. Aunty had told her that all his stuff was in her room, but this…sleeping, what could she do? Aunty was occupying the extra room, and it would be rude to have him sleep on the floor; moreover, Sheetal and aunty didn’t know of her relationship with Deepak, and she didn’t want to create a scene.

  She was in a dilemma, and she thought of the statement Deepak had made in Lonawala: “We are adults, and we know to respect each other. Why don’t we sleep on either end of the bed?” She remembered both of them had slept on the same bed on either corner.

  Since Deepak had returned, she had noticed a few things about him: he was respectful of her, and he was genuinely concerned about her and would never agree to be away from her. He had never taken her for granted, so it was okay if he shared the bed with her. This would be a test for him again. Let’s see how he fares! she thought and mentally agreed to share her bed with him.

  Deepak sorted out the hospital bills, providing the insurance information to the hospital. He also informed the insurance company. He updated Roshni and gave her a copy of the insurance card in case she needed it in the future. This was one assurance to her that he was sincerely making efforts to build their relationship.

  By Thursday, Roshni had done more walking, and Deepak was pleased with her improvement. Dr. Swaminathan examined Roshni and made some recommendations of what to and what not to do. He suggested weekly medical examinations and prescribed some medicines. After the examination, Roshni was discharged.

  Fortunately, Babuji’s car was available for Deepak to drive. Everything was packed, Aunty helped Deepak load a few bags in the car, and on the last trip, while Aunty waited in the car, Deepak went to the room to take Roshni with him. She was wheeled out to the hospital entrance, and Deepak helped her into the passenger seat. She was so glad to be outside. She took deep breaths and smiled. She’d missed the fresh air outside, the hustle bustle, sound of the vehicles, vendors shouting and people walking on the streets. Deepak noticed this and was amused at her. He drove them to the apartment.

  The apartment was on the second floor, and as Deepak wheeled Roshni to the elevator, she was lost in thought. She always preferred to use the s
tairs, and now her condition demanded she use the elevator. Aunty was already in the room, waiting for them. When they reached the apartment, Roshni looked around, a sense of relief and satisfaction evident on her face.

  Roshni did not want to go to her room immediately. She wanted to relax on the sofa in front of the TV for a while. Deepak let her rest while he helped Aunty unpack; then he refreshed himself and changed to more comfortable clothes. Roshni was pleased to see him help Aunty. She also thought, And now I don’t have to depend on Deepak because Aunty is home full time.

  Sheetal arrived in the evening and was relieved to see Roshni back home. Deepak called Sashank to let him know they’d arrived home. Kusum and Sashank both talked to Roshni and were glad she was feeling better; more importantly, they were happy Deepak was there to help Roshni.

  Roshni asked Sheetal to have an IT person contact her the next day so she could get set up to work from home.

  Deepak heard this. “Roshni, you are not working yet. It is important you rest and regain some strength.”

  Roshni tried to justify it, but Deepak interrupted her, saying, “No argument, Roshni. You can work maybe in a week, but not now, all right!”

  Roshni was not in a frame of mind to argue and kept quiet. They all had dinner, and then Roshni walked into the room with Aunty’s help.

  ~ ~ ~

  A week passed, and Deepak noticed that Roshni depended upon Aunty to help her for every activity and made no attempts to ask him for any help. This infuriated him. He was worried that if this continued, he would never be able to prove his feelings to her and win her back. He wondered if he could send Aunty somewhere for a few weeks.

  Sheetal noticed this as well and was concerned for Deepak. She wanted him to act on this sooner rather than later or else the situation would not help Deepak.

  Roshni had her weekly medical examination the following Thursday. The doctor’s visit went well, and Roshni improved in her strength and walking. The cast on her left arm and right foot remained, but other bandages were removed. One could see the scars on her forehead and thigh, which probably would take time to heal. Roshni felt exhausted after these few activities. She was worn out, and Deepak brought her home. After lunch, he helped her rest for the afternoon. Being fatigued, Roshni fell asleep very quickly.

  Deepak took advantage of this time. He needed certain clarifications on his project, so he went to the office. He called to make sure the relevant people were available. The thought of Roshni being away from him terrified him, and he wanted to discuss this with Sheetal while he was at work.

  Fortunately for Deepak, there was a project meeting scheduled for that day. At the meeting, he was introduced to a few people who used the ‘new’ software. It was here he became aware that Roshni was on the same team. He was delighted that he and Roshni could work together on this project and he could train Roshni on this new software and its capabilities. He decided to remain silent and let Roshni find out on her own that they were on the same team.

  Deepak contacted Sheetal and asked if she was available to meet with him for a few minutes, and they met in the cafeteria. They agreed that Roshni was avoiding Deepak and this was not good for their relationship. Deepak suggested sending Aunty away to Mumbai to Sashank bhaiya’s house for a few weeks, and Sheetal concurred.

  Deepak called Akash bhaiya from the office so Roshni wouldn’t be able to overhear their conversation. During the conversation, Akash mentioned that Kaki had fallen and injured her knee and foot. She was bedridden, and he and Sashank bhaiya were helping Kusum bhabhi with chores around the house. Deepak saw this as a perfect opportunity and suggested sending Aunty so she could help bhabhi around the house until Kaki recovered.

  Akash approved of this idea. It was decided that Akash would talk to Sashank and call them later that evening. Both Sheetal and Deepak were relieved, and they sincerely hoped that Sashank would agree to the plan.

  ~ ~ ~

  After dinner that evening, the phone rang, and it was Sashank.

  Deepak answered, “Hello, bhaiya, how are you?”

  “Good, Deepak, how is Roshni beti?”

  Deepak looked towards Roshni. “She is doing better, bhaiya. We had her doctor’s appointment this morning, and except for the fractures, all other wounds have healed well. She is still very weak, though.”

  “Did the doctor prescribe any medicines to help her with this weakness?” Sashank enquired.

  “Yes, I discussed it with him this morning, and he had certain diet recommendations.”

  “Good, let’s hope she will pick up some strength soon.”

  “Bhaiya, I heard that Kaki had a fall. How is she doing?” Deepak enquired.

  “Yeah, she wounded her knee and foot and is unable to walk. With this, Kusum is going through some stress managing everything at home.”

  “Oh, sorry to hear about Kaki, bhaiya.”

  Roshni and Sheetal overheard the conversation and looked towards Deepak. Roshni wondered what happened to Kaki.

  Deepak continued, “Bhaiya, we have Aunty here. Would it be okay if she came for a few days to help you and bhabhi? Fortunately, Roshni is home now, and things are more manageable here. I’m sure Aunty would be happy to help out.”

  Roshni was not pleased to hear this. Why was Deepak committing to something without checking with her and Sheetal? She looked at Sheetal, and Sheetal pretended to be unaware of this situation. She signaled her to be patient until they heard the whole story.

  Deepak hung up, informing Sashank that he would talk to Sheetal and Roshni and then call him back.

  Deepak joined Sheetal and Roshni at the dining table. “Roshni and Sheetal, I guess Kaki has fallen down and injured her knee and foot. She is unable to walk. Do you think we could send Aunty to Mumbai for a few weeks until Kaki recovers? I think Kusum bhabhi is a little stressed at this time because she is managing all the work at home. What do you say?”

  “Sure, Deepak, this is a great idea. Plus, Aunty will get a chance to meet the rest of the family and Kaki too!” Sheetal responded and turned towards Roshni. “What do you say, Roshni?”

  Roshni was unhappy, thinking of herself. If Aunty went away, she again was at the mercy of Deepak to help her with everything, and she did not like it. She looked very concerned. “Then what about me? I mean, I’m still handicapped, and Aunty helps me tremendously. I probably will need her help for the next few weeks.”

  Deepak looked towards Roshni and very lovingly said, “It’s okay. I’m here to help you, and Sheetal can also help you, but there are more people in Mumbai, and with bhabhi working, I can understand the stress she is going through. As soon as Kaki feels better, Aunty can come back. Also, Mumbai is close to Gujarat, and Aunty could visit her friends and family.”

  Roshni was very thoughtful of others. She was concerned for Kaki and for Kusum didi, but she was also concerned for Aunty – she should not be pressured into something she did not want to do!

  “Why don’t we check with Aunty first to see if she would like to go? If she agrees, then I’m okay. I don’t think we should force her into this.”

  Deepak and Sheetal nodded in agreement, and they conversed with Aunty.

  Without hesitation, Aunty instantly agreed. “Would it be okay if I go to help Kusum beti until Kaki recovers? I’ve only met Akash, and it will be good to meet the rest of the family.”

  Deepak, Sheetal and Roshni were amazed to hear the immediate response from Aunty. They looked at each other, and Roshni said, “Aunty, thank you for agreeing to go to Mumbai to help Kusum didi and Kaki. It certainly would be a great relief for them, but we don’t want you to feel pressured or forced into this. Do you want to think it over first?”

  “No, beti, after all that you’ve done for me, how can I not think of helping others, especially your family? I can go if they are ready to accept me and my help,” Aunty restated.

  “Aunty, Deepak just talked to Sashank bhaiya, and he was very happy about it. We wanted to confirm with you,” added Sheetal.
>
  “I am fine, Sheetal bete.” She paused and asked, “So when can I go?”

  “Thank you, Aunty, I will talk to Sashank bhaiya, and we will make arrangements. Is that all right?” Deepak said.

  “Okay, beta, I am happy to help.”

  Aunty went back to her chores, and Deepak and Sheetal were thankful for Aunty’s co-operation, but Roshni panicked. She was certainly not looking forward to spending all day with Deepak alone at home, but Deepak was thrilled. Mission accomplished for him!

  Deepak called Sashank and Kusum and informed them that Aunty would be arriving there to help them out for a few weeks. Kusum and Sashank were pleased to hear this and so was Akash. Kaki was happy to get some help.

  Sheetal, Roshni and Deepak decided that Aunty should fly in on Saturday so somebody would be available to pick her up at the airport. A train journey was unfathomable – it was a long distance, and there were safety issues!

  Deepak wheeled Roshni back to the room after dinner and helped her to the bed. She was very quiet. Deepak suspected she was sad because Aunty would be leaving soon. He got her settled on the bed and worked on his laptop and corresponded with the team in the US. Roshni relaxed with her hand across her forehead.

  Deepak looked at her. “Roshni, are you okay?”

  Roshni removed her hand. “I’m just a little worried for Aunty.”

  “Why?” He put down his laptop and made himself available for Roshni as she spoke.

  “We have gotten used to Aunty. We will miss her, and she will miss us too,” Roshni expressed.

  I know, that’s why we are sending her away. Hopefully this will help us in our relationship, Roshni, Deepak thought. He moved closer to Roshni and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right, Roshni. She’ll only be gone for a few weeks. We can manage without her for a few days,” he consoled her.

  She shrugged her shoulders and moved away from him, but there was only so far she could move!