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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?”
