Fidelity in Heart
JD had
mentally prepared himself to speak with Kailash today at the morning walk. He
hoped that his friend was in good spirits.
The two met
at their usual time, and JD began talking of the weather, but got no response
from his friend. “Is everything all right?”
No answer.
“Is there
trouble?”
The Colonel
ignored him and stared at his daughter instead. JD thought this was a good
opportunity.
“Anjali is
an amazing girl. Have you thought of her marriage yet?”
“What do
you mean?” The colonel looked at JD.
“I just
mean, she’s the right age, you’re an Indian parent. You know how it works.”
“Yeah, I
guess I do.”
“So, well,
how do I put this? I’ve a proposition. My son, he says our children love each
other and they want to get married,” JD said.
“I know.
And I refuse.”
“Why?” JD
was a little surprised, and he looked into the Colonel’s eyes.
“How can
you, of all people, ask this question? You told me how reckless your boy
is. And now you expect me to accept him as my son-in-law?”
“I agree.
But he has changed, in earnest. I would never have asked you for her hand for
my son otherwise. He’s promised to join the office the moment he marries her.”
“What is my
daughter, a bait?” The colonel lost his temper again.
“This is
ridiculous, Kailash. They love each other, and we know each other, can’t you
place that much trust in me?” JD had to make an effort for his son’s happiness.
“Love is
good for that one week of romance. Then out go the smiles and in come the
hardships. What will your son do then? Leave my daughter with an insecure
future?” The Colonel had an answer for all of JD’s please. He was adamantly
against the relationship, and nothing was going to change his mind.
The
Colonel’s decision was final. No amount of convincing changed him. Very soon,
Anjali, who had overheard the discussion, came to them. The father and daughter walked out, leaving JD disappointed with both his friendship and his son’s
relationship.
***********
Anjali
decided that she needed to take another route to tackle this situation – the
one that went through the stomach. She walked into the kitchen as Mrs. Colonel
was frying pakodas. She picked a hot one and immediately regretted it.
“Oh god, Anjali, what’s the haste? Wait for them to cool down. What are you doing in the
kitchen anyway?” Mrs. Colonel asked.
“I need
your help. Convince Dad.”
“For what?”
“Don’t
pretend. You know for what. I want to marry Sameer, and he won’t accept the
relationship,” Anjali came to the point.
“What can I
do? Sameer is everything your father hates – indiscipline, lazy.”
“But he’s
not a soldier. And he promises to change. He does have a business.”
“Guys say
these things before marriage to woo women. No one keeps their word.”
“Mammy, don’t
you believe in love?”
“Maybe..”
“Ma, I had
only ever read about this in books and movies. Now, this once, I have felt how
overpowering, how glorious it can be to truly love someone. Sameer makes me
feel like that; he is truly the happiness of my life.”
“See, we
want the best for you. And he and I, we don’t know Sameer like you do. It’s
not so easy for us to trust him.”
“Then trust
me.”
“What?”
“You should
trust me, after all, this is my life. I know Sameer is the right guy for me, and
you must trust me to make a wise decision – one that I have to live with for my entire life. I want you to understand how I feel.”
“You can’t understand wrong and
right because you are blind in his love; he is not made for you.”
Mrs.
Colonel didn’t look convinced. So Anjali made her final attempt.
“If I marry, it will only be Sameer. No one else. So accept him or I shall live here forever,” and she stormed out.
*************
Anjali went
back to her room and was quite angry and lost at the same time. She saw no
solution in sight to her problem. Just then, Raj called. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing
really. What about you?”
“You don’t
sound too well. Is everything all right?”
“Yes. Tell
me, why did you call?”
“I want you
to lay the foundation stone for the bungalow tomorrow. Will you come?” Raj said.
Raj was in love with her and he wanted her to do the honours.
“Why would
I come? Shouldn’t some family do that?”
“Yes. But
this was your idea. And I think a friend would bring me good luck.” Raj praised
Anjali. He joked that beautiful girls brought luck, but Anjali was not to be
taken in by such nonsense.
“This is
absurd. It was just an idea. You’re giving me way too much credit.”
“I’m
serious. It would really mean a lot to me. Think of it as a day out. Sounds like
you could use it.”
**********
Raj had been correct. The
unexpected occasion was a good break for her. Instead of complicated things
like marriage and parents.
She could concentrate on
the more real problems, of what dress to wear. She spent nearly an hour
standing in front of her closet, figuring out what would be the right dress for
the day. Eventually, she picked a blue saree, which sat well against her dusky
colour and with even greater care, picked out the accessories with even greater
care. The reflection in the mirror satisfied her – she was beautiful, and she
felt it.
Raj couldn’t stop staring
at her as she walked out in her angelic grace. He wasn’t the only one. The
crowd of forty people seemed to all stare at Anjali as she went about putting
the brick and cement and conducting the puja. All the attention delighted her
as much as it made her a little conscious. At the end of the whole ceremony,
Raj walked her to the car,
“Thank you for coming. You
really made my day. After all, I got to spend the morning with one of the most
beautiful women I have ever seen.” He meant every word he said.
“You’re too much, Raj.
Thanks for calling me. This really did me good.”
“And it does me heaps of good
to see you this happy again. Oh, here’s your car. So soon. I planned on
spending some more time with you. I had things to tell you.” Raj wanted to make
the best of this happy Anjali. This seemed like a good time.
“The car
can wait. Speak up.” Anjali concentrated on his voice and kept her eyes on his
face. Words always spoke less than the body.
“I’ve felt
this way for a while, Anjali, and my efforts have always been to get to know you
better, so that you may love me as I love you. Will you marry me?”
Anjali was
stunned. She stood there, silent, taken aback, not knowing what to make of it. Her
facial expression had changed, and her happiness had vanished. Raj had always been a
friend of hers, and her feelings were always for Sameer.
“I've got to
go, getting late.” She fled from his side, leaving Raj waiting for an answer.
He followed her and got into the car with her. He said nothing, did nothing,
just patiently waited for her reply.
When they
reached her house and she started to go out, he finally reached for her hand,
“Why don’t you say something?”
“Raj. I don’t love you.
You’re a friend of mine, but I’m already seeing someone. I’m sorry.” There was
an earnestness in her voice.
“Who is this guy?”
“Sameer…I love him.” Now, it
was Raj’s turn to be stunned. Anjali further added. “We’ve been going out for a while and are going to be married soon.”
“Anjali, I love you. Pick
me. I’m a rich guy, I can give you all the wealth in the world.” He was ready
to do whatever it took to win her over.
“You want to buy my love
with money?” Anjali couldn’t believe her ears. She expressed her irritation and
anger.
“No! I don’t want to buy your
love, but you must understand, I can give you a secure future.” Raj got to
damage control.
“Sameer is in my heart, I love
him, and he loves me. I don`t care about a wealthy future,” Anjali said.
“Think about it, Sameer is
nothing but his father’s boy. I am my own man.” Raj wanted to compare himself
with Sameer and come out superior, but he didn’t know of their deep love.
“Well, then, go pick someone
who uses her brains. I go with my heart.”
Saying this, she walked off, and Raj, the man who had gotten everything he wanted, held his head high about his
own success, stood there, disappointed, seeing the woman he loved walk away.
14
Calm Before the Storm
Sameer had,
earlier in the day, gone to his father’s office to get an answer. On hearing
that Kailash uncle had rejected the relationship, he walked out dejected and
defeated.
Raj, still not over
Anjali’s refusal, needed an outlet for himself.
Alcohol was always the solution. He went to the local pub to drown his
sorrows. Sameer, too, for similar reasons, was headed there when Anjali called
him.
“Listen to me, it’s going
to be all right. We will somehow get my father to accept us. I promise.” Anjali
was an optimistic girl.
“Okay, I can try. Why did
you call me?”
“Can we meet?”
“I’m headed to the bar.”
“Why the bar?” Anjali was shocked.
“I thought a couple of
pegs should make life better,” Sameer, like any other alcoholic, had his excuse
ready.
“Listen, if my father gets
to know of this, he will never accept you, under any condition. ”She was worried
now.
“I will be careful, I
promise.”
At the pub, Sameer met
Raj. Sameer, still unaware of the whole story, was cordial towards him. But
Raj, angry and already a few drinks down, was in no mood for civility.
“What do you have that I
don’t? Why did she choose you?” Raj asked Sameer about Anjali, but Sameer had no
clue what he was talking about.
Sameer sat there, a little
confused, but sure that Raj was drunk. He reached out a hand to steady him.
“Relax, sit and talk.”
“Don`t touch me,” Raj
shouted. “Don’t touch me.’’
“Relax.” Sameer smiled.
“I’m handsome as you are,
smart, and have as good a personality as yours. Then why you, why not
me? Even our businesses are the same man.” Sameer, bewildered, tried to do the
math.
“We love each other. It’s
that simple.” Sameer looked straight into his eyes.
“I love her too. Why can’t
she love me?”
“Anjali isn`t some item on
sale, she’s my girlfriend. You can’t just compare things like that.” He took
another swig of the peg, and the strong whisky burned his insides.
“Listen up, kid. I get
what I want, one way or another. You get out of the way, let her be with me or
you’ll face the consequences. ”Raj threatened him.
“And you, uncle, leave her
and us alone. She’s mine and nothing can change that.” Sameer was not afraid of
the guy.
“We will see.”
Sameer was enraged now. In
a moment of anger, he took the glass in his hand and flung the contents on
Raj’s face. Raj punched Sameer in the face and the brawl began. A small crowd
gathered around them, almost enjoying the scene. Just then, Raj pulled out a
revolver, and everyone moved back. At just the right time, Anjali arrived at the
scene. Anjali snatched Raj’s revolver. “Are you mad, Raj? What do you want to
kill him?”
“At least you were right
about one thing.”
Soon after, the security
broke them up, and Anjali helped Sameer to the car. “Why did you come in the
first place, though?” Sameer was still a little drunk and in pain, and it was a
good thing she had come, but he still wanted to know.
“I was just worried. What
if something happened after you got drunk? You promised to be careful.”
“Raj started it. I was
just defending us.”
“Raj is crazy. He cannot
force his love on me.”
Anjali then went ahead to describe how Raj had come to this point. Sameer, now sobered up and in the know of the whole story, could see things better. “I think it’s best if we get married soon. Then nothing can stop us. I will speak with Uncle myself now.”
Chapter 15, 16 soon .........
Thanks for reading
Post a Comment