AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Our Apartment, Delhi, 15 February 2013, 6.00 p.m.
Pitajee was sitting on the deewan in our living room, his head in his hands, occasionally looking up to stare dismally at Anu who was sitting a little farther away on the sofa. I sat next to him, one hand loosely slung around his shoulders in a silent show of solidarity. Purva had just come from the hospital, and, seeing Anu in tears, had rushed to her side. He now had his arm around her shoulders and was wiping tears off her face.
‘Are you okay, Anu?’ he asked in his low, gentle voice.
Anu nodded her head, looked up at Purva, then promptly buried her face in his chest and burst into tears. Taken aback at the outburst, Purva cradled Anu, all the while gently murmuring something in her ear. Pitajee and I exchanged a look. This was not good.
‘So what exactly happened?’ asked Purva.
‘I met them, that’s what happened,’ said Pitajee, as if that explained it all.
Purva looked quizzically at Pitajee and then at me.
‘Well … Ahya threw a fit,’ said Pitajee, looking up. ‘Which is quite bad in itself. Then Govind joined in and he threw another massive tantrum.’
For no reason the image of two elephants stamping their feet and demanding ice lollies came to my mind. Being the true friend that I am, I stifled my giggles.
‘And?’ asked Purva, his face serious.
‘They asked me to get out of Anu’s life.’
‘What do you mean? Why are they saying no?’
Pitajee grimaced.
‘Govind actually called out to some servant and asked him to show me out.’
‘Polite way of telling someone to get lost,’ I added helpfully.
‘Thanks, Kas, just in case anyone here had not figured that out,’ said Pitajee, managing a grin. I pulled him closer and playfully tousled his hair.
‘Are you kidding me?’ exclaimed Purva.
‘No Sir, I am not,’ said Pitajee, nodding his head. ‘They asked me a few questions, decided that I would not be able to provide Anu the lifestyle she is used to … I am not an IAS officer, you see. I could have somewhat redeemed myself had I managed to get an IIM A,B or C tag or an engineering degree from IIT, but since I have not, they concluded that I should be simply thrown out of the house.’
‘And the caste bit,’ I added, most helpfully.
‘Thanks, love,’ said Pitajee, throwing a sarcastic grin in my direction. ‘Yes, that Anu and I are not of the same caste does not help matters.’
‘Do you want to consider giving the IAS exam?’ I said, brightening up. It could be the perfect solution to the problem. ‘You could wear a kurta-pyjama, oil your hair generously, take an apartment in JNU and not come out of it for days. We could line your room with books, which you could spend days and days studying. You could also buy a guitar and play songs on it in during the few minutes you are not studying.’
‘I … I … could … I guess…’ said Pitajee doubtfully.
Anu managed a weak smile. ‘No, sweetheart. You won’t. I can’t have you change your career just to please my parents.’
I have to admit that Pitajee looked fairly relieved. ‘I have a friend who has been giving the exam ever since he was two and has still not cracked it,’ he muttered to me.
‘Guys, parents eventually understand. They’ll take their time, but they will come around,’ said Purva optimistically.
There was silence in the room for a few seconds.
‘I don’t see that happening,’ said Anu, voicing the thought that everyone was thinking.
Things were bleak. So bleak that they were almost black.
10.30 p.m.
‘You are very quiet today,’ said Purva, looking up from his book and staring intently at me.
