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“So, Deepak, what do you plan to do now? Roshni was smart, and she already made her decision. What about you?” asked Vivek.
Deepak was quiet. He’d already destroyed Roshni’s self-esteem and their relationship. He shook his head and indicated his mind was muddled; he did not know how to proceed.
He paused, looking at both of them. “I know I messed up. I was stressed, and I wanted to share my feelings, and unfortunately, I blurted it out in front of the wrong person at the wrong time.” He sighed. “It bothered me a lot…it was no fault of hers. Believe me; I tried to explain to her, but…but…” He was silent for a few moments as he recollected. “One thing I became aware of is that she is decent and virtuous, and my next move has to be carefully planned out.”
Vivek interrupted him. “Good, at least you understand that. Deepak, you stayed with her for about ten days after the wedding; what is your take on this? Do you want to end this relationship or…?” He wanted to ask if Deepak had any interest at all. “The ball is in your court now.”
“Vivek, I mentioned this to Roshni as well that I needed some time to digest all that happened.” He got up from the sofa and took a couple of steps, then turned to Vivek and Vaishali. “Yes, I was not sure of arranged marriages, I was apprehensive, but if I went looking for a girl, I would not find anyone better than her!”
Vivek and Vaishali exchanged looks, thinking, At least there is some hope.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, you seem to have developed some liking for her, whatever the reasons, is this true?” Vivek asked Deepak, a very blatant question.
Deepak acknowledged that he definitely valued her for all her qualities. He continued, “I definitely did not make a decision like her to separate or divorce, but now…will she continue with me as her husband? She does not confide in me or respect me – she did say this in anger – but she was very clear on this.”
He sat next to Vivek. “And I talked with her before I left. We discussed a few things; I apologized to her and asked her for some time.”
Vivek and Vaishali waited to hear her response.
“She mentioned at the end, ‘Time is a good healer. Let’s wait and watch what is in store for us!’ For a moment I was relieved that she may be open if I made all attempts. What do you think?” He was genuine when he asked this question to Vivek and Vaishali.
Vaishali responded, “Deepak bhai saab, Roshni is wounded at this time. She does not want to listen to anything you say, and I agree…give her some time.”
“I agree. Her wounds are very raw at this time. Anything you say now will be a wash. By the way, just checking, did you call them and inform you arrived safely?” enquired Vivek.
“Yes, I did. I talked with Sashank bhaiya.”
“Did you talk to Roshni?” asked Vivek.
“Yes, for a couple of minutes, she hung up after a couple of minutes.”
It was already 7:30 p.m. “Let’s leave this here, and Deepak, you need to come up with a plan to deal with this, very soon before it is too late,” Vivek said, assuring Deepak of their help, if needed.
Deepak listened.
“Roshni pushed the ball into your court. She is not interested in playing this game anymore. It is up to you to establish yourself and bring her back in your life…if you are interested,” Vaishali added.
Vivek agreed with Vaishali, and Deepak shook his head. He understood.
“Deepak, by the way, some news for you; Karen has given her two weeks’ notice and is leaving. She is going to her boyfriend who lives in the Boston area! Does that have an effect on you?” Vivek said sarcastically.
Vivek continued his dialogue, “It is easy to get infatuated, but accepting somebody as your life partner is different. Arranged marriages can be successful.” He got lost in thought and stopped abruptly.
Deepak knew Vivek and Vaishali had an arranged marriage. They had their share of arguments, but now they were a happy couple.
It was dinner time, and Deepak ordered pizza. He gave them the parcel that Vivek’s parents sent and also the shawl and kurta. He explained to them that the shawl and kurta were purchased in Jammu as a gift, and he further elaborated and explained how thoughtful Roshni was in getting these for them and his other family members. He said it with respect and pride.
Chapter 9
Roshni’s Trials and Tribulations
It was Sunday morning, and Deepak had left the previous night. Roshni had not woken up yet. Sashank was concerned for her and sent Kaki to check on her. Roshni was all right; she lazed on the bed, the sun shining brightly and bringing in a ray of hope. Roshni reaffirmed to herself the promise she had to fulfill and got up. She went to the bathroom, scooped water with her hands and rinsed her mouth, then she splashed fresh water on her face. She looked into the mirror, wiping her face with a towel – the affirmation came back to her – and with hope, she walked down to the kitchen.
As things returned to normal in the Vermas’ residence, a major change was that all the family was at the dining table during meals. Deepak had initiated this, and now it was Roshni’s job to foster and nurture this habit. Deepak called in the evening to communicate that he had arrived safely, but Roshni showed no interest in talking to him.
Days passed, and Roshni became more comfortable living there and dealing with Sashank and Akash. Kaki played her part in helping Roshni and the brothers understand each other. Roshni took maximum advantage and made every effort to understand these two brothers – a step forward in fulfilling her promise.
Roshni quickly became familiar with the household routine. Sashank woke up in the morning and, after his morning chores, did yoga for a few minutes. After his shower he did pooja and prayers for a few minutes, read the newspaper or watched the news on TV, then had breakfast and a second cup of chai. Some days Akash joined him, but most days, he ate by himself. Sashank left for work by 9 a.m. and returned by 5:30 p.m. After chai and evening snacks, he went for a walk and watched TV in the evening after dinner. Weekends were slightly different, and Sashank, in addition to his walks and yoga, went grocery shopping at Sabzi Mandi and bought vegetables and fruits. He did this once a week with either Lakshmi or Kaki and seemed to enjoy this chore.
