- 15 -
Anjani and children went back five days after Holi. Everyone enjoyed the Holi Milan function. Humorist poet Surinder Sharma made the audience laugh a lot with his poems. Audience were doubling up with laughter. Some persons from the audience also entertained by telling jokes and anecdotes. In the end, flowers were sprinkled over the audience and prasad of Ladoos was distributed. The children had a lot of fun at their maternal grandparents’ house for a week. Ramesh also gave them a lot of time. Aryan had brought his Laptop and iPad with him. Ramesh and Aryan told and taught each other many new things on Laptop and iPad. After Ramesh’s departure for office, Aryan often used to sit with his Nani with his laptop and teach her new things. Rani felt that Aryan’s IQ was much higher than the children of his age. Pinky used to remain busy with her Nani the whole day. She was so talkative that she would never fall silent. Anjani felt quite relieved due to her being busy with her Nani. Rani would tell Pinky stories and keep her busy in small tasks. One day when Rani was peeling off peas, Pinky asked, “Nani, may I help you.” Rani gave her a bowl of peas and a plate and explained how to peel off. In a little while, Pinky peeled off all the peas. Rani was surprised to see her agility. Similarly, Pinky tried to do every work that Rani was doing.
The day Anjani was to go back, Ramesh asked Rani to prepare the morning tea and went in the drawing room with the newspaper. Anjani and the children were still sleeping. He saw a half-opened book lying face down on the table with the title, ‘Manto Ki Chuninda Kahaniyan’, which Rani had forgot there yesterday evening. When Rani brought tea, Ramesh asked, “When did you buy this book?”
Rani thought for a moment and told him, “Alok gave it to me. He has given two-three other books also.”
“Did he bring these books when he came here or you brought these from his residence?”
Now Rani was in a dilemma, whether to tell a lie or speak the truth. Her mind told her to admit the truth. But she told only half the truth. She did not mention anything about going to Patiala on Basant Panchami because there was no connection. “I went to Patiala the day after Christmas when you had suddenly to go to Delhi. Alok’s personal library has a good collection of books, I brought 3-4 books for reading. If you find time, you must read these books.”
Ramesh wondered whether he should reveal what Lachhmi had told him. His inner restlessness made him blurt out. He bitterly said, “That day you had told Lachhmi that you were going to meet a friend.”
Rani was shocked to hear Ramesh’s harsh tone. She started thinking, he must have specifically asked Lachhmi, only then she must have told him, but what was the need to ask her? Still keeping her composure, she replied, “It’s not necessary that every detail of our life should be told to the servant correctly!”
Giving vent to his anger that was suppressed for a long time, Ramesh said in a more bitter tone, “If not to the servant, you could at least have told me! Alok came here after I left for Mumbai. Surely his programme of coming here was fixed before I left for Mumbai. You told me about his visit only when I asked you after seeing the paintings in the drawing room, otherwise I wouldn’t have come to know. And your friendship has grown to such an extent that he called you to Patiala and you went there!”
“He didn’t call me, I went on my own.”
“It’s the same thing.”
Rani who usually remains calm and takes harsh words in her stride, today spoke firmly, “We’ve been friends since childhood. We visited each other’s houses, played and ate together. Friendship is a natural instinct of human beings, as natural as breathing and feeling hungry. After your return from Mumbai, when I told you about Alok, you yourself had said - ‘childhood memories last a lifetime. ….’ Now if we are meeting again, why should there be any objection?”
Ramesh said without changing his tone, “You don’t see any harm in meeting Alok, but our society doesn’t accept meeting of a married woman with an outsider man as normal. You guys have met two-three times. Perhaps someone who knows you might not have seen you together! But when some people come to know about this, the society won’t digest it. People will point fingers. It’s not easy to bear infamy; at least, I can’t.”
Seeing the expression on Ramesh’s face and to put an end to the conversation, Rani said conclusively, “I don’t see anything wrong in our friendship.”
Ramesh had still not picked up his cup of tea. Rani said, “The tea is getting cold, drink it.”
Ramesh did not drink the tea. He pushed the cup away angrily. When one person is angry, the situation can be avoided from getting worse if the other person remains calm and quiet. Rani did not drag the matter further. She left with the cups on tray. Ramesh found it difficult even to read the newspaper. He was agitated, but did not want to create a ruckus right now, because Anjani could wake up any moment. So, he went out for strolling. Rani started thinking in her mind, ‘Did Ramesh ask Lachhmi or she herself told him? What could she have told him? Did she exaggerate or add spice to it? How can we trust these people? She was also angry at Ramesh that what was the need to ask the maid? He could have asked me directly.’ Apparently, Rani continued to do the household chores, but this matter kept troubling her.
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