- 19 -
On the third day, Vinay was at his sister’s house. Rani liked his arrival, but was a little surprised because Vinay had not given any advance information about his visit. Vinay had thought that when Jija Ji wanted to discuss some important matter, he must have told Rani! So, he did not inform Rani separately. When Vinay reached home, Ramesh had already left for his office.
Rani, “Vinay, how did you come suddenly without any information?”
“Jija Ji called me saying that he wanted to discuss something important. I thought that he must have called after talking to you, so I came straight.”
“No, he didn’t tell me that you were coming.”
Rani had no idea that Ramesh might have called Vinay to discuss something regarding her relationship with Alok. She further said, “Okay. Tell me, how is everyone at home, how is Maa?”
“Maa is fine. Due to age, her body is not that agile as it used to be, but her mind is fully alert. Her memory is also perfect. She misses you a lot.”
“How are Bhabhi (Brother’s wife), Shilpa and Pinku? How is Anil’s business going on?”
“Everyone is fine. Pinku remembers you a lot by calling ‘Bua Dadi, Bua Dadi’ (Grandpa’s sister). Last time when you came, he became very intimate with you. Anil is working very hard; he has set up his business very well. Maa and Anita, both asked me to bring you along. Will you go with me?”
“No, not right now. But I’ll come soon. Now tell me, what’ll you like in breakfast, parantha or sandwich?”
“I took breakfast on the way. I’ll have tea with some biscuits etc., whatever is available at home.”
When Rani was making tea in the kitchen, Vinay informed Ramesh about his arrival. Ramesh told him to come to the office after having tea.
While sipping tea, Rani asked, “How do you feel after retirement; what’s your routine?”
“It has been only two months after retirement. After my morning routine, I go to the showroom with Anil. I’ve my lunch around 2 o’clock and thereafter, take nap for a while. Evening passes in meeting some friend or the other and walk. But I’m thinking of joining some NGO. I’ve done a lot for myself and family; now I feel like serving the society and getting rid of some of the social debt. Guru Ji used to say, service is real devotion to God. Just like pulling one end of a cloth pulls the whole cloth, in the same way, when we connect with the smallest form of the society with the spirit of service, we get connected with the whole world and gradually by connecting ourselves with the Creator of the world, we become His favourite. The only condition is: we shouldn’t expect any money, respect, or any other reward in return for the service being rendered.”
“Very good idea. What can we say about Guru Ji, he reveals the deepest secrets of life in a very simple manner. It depends upon the person concerned how much he understands and how much he acts upon it! …. A businessman never gets the chance to retire.”
While uttering the last words, Rani had unknowingly expressed her pain of getting very little time from her husband, but Vinay was not attentive to this aspect of the matter.
“Didi, now I’m going to Jija Ji’s office. If there were no urgent work, I’ll return from there itself.”
“How is this possible? You go and meet your Jija Ji. I’ll keep the lunch ready. Although your Jija Ji has taken his lunch with him, still if he has time, bring him with you.”
“I’ll see to it,” saying this Vinay left the house.
……
As soon as Vinay came, Ramesh instructed his assistant on the intercom not to let anyone in and also not to transfer any call unless it’s an urgent one. After this, he made a few formal enquiries from Vinay about the family and then, started asking to get the information that he wanted, “Vinay, do you remember something of the period prior to Babu Ji’s transfer to Jalandhar?”
“What kind of thing, Jija Ji?”
“I mean, what did you used to do in your childhood; who were your friends etc.?”
“Yes, I remember very much. We, 4-5 friends, used to play together a lot. At that time, I was in 5th or 6th standard.”
“Do you remember a boy named Alok whose family lived in the house next to the one you were living in then?”
“Yes, he also used to play with us. He was probably studying in 8th standard at that time. He was a very nice fellow. He was very intelligent in studies also.”
“How friendly were you and Rani with him? Did Rani and Alok ever play alone?”
“We used to visit each other’s houses quite often. All of us used to play together. We used to play gilli-danda, chhatapu (Local street games played by children) etc. a lot. Nowadays we don’t even see that kind of street play anywhere. Didi was weak in one or two subjects. Sometimes she used to take Alok’s help in studies.”
“Did you maintain relations with Alok or his family even after you guys came back from Jalandhar?”
“We stayed in Jalandhar for 5-6 years. After coming back from there, we never got in touch with Alok or his family, because the house that Papa had rented then, was quite far off from the old one i.e. the house next to Alok’s. I learnt later that after completing graduation, he had gone to Patiala to do his masters. After that, he got a lecturer’s job in some college there. I don’t have any other information. But Jija Ji, why have you brought up all this today? You had called me to discuss something important?”
“Vinay, important matter relates to Alok. Actually, 3-4 months ago, we had gone to a wedding. There I was having fun with my friends and Rani was enjoying with hers. It was there that she met Alok. Rani introduced him to me also. Since then Rani and Alok have met many times. In the beginning, Alok came here also. At that time, I had gone to Mumbai. As told by Rani, she had also been to Patiala. Then also I was away to Delhi; I had to go to Delhi all of a sudden. One of my friends told me that he had seen Rani with Alok in a public function in Panchkula.”
Ramesh revealed all the information to Vinay that he had about Alok and Rani in one go.
“Does Didi know that you know all these things?”
“Yes, I’ve gathered all this information only from her. I’ve told Rani that the way intimacy is growing between them, it’s difficult for me to tolerate it. I’ve also told her to forget this friendship like a dream and never meet him again, but she’s not ready to do so. She says that they are childhood friends, there’s nothing wrong in their meeting each other. Now you tell me, what’ll happen when such things come out in the open in the society? What will I get but a bad name?”
“Jija Ji, from the way I’ve seen Alok in our childhood, if Didi and he meet each other, there’s nothing wrong in it. Today time has changed. Now if a man befriends a woman or if a woman behaves in a friendly manner with a man, it’s not looked upon with suspicion. Yes, I’ll definitely say that Didi shouldn’t hide anything from you. There should be no secrets between the husband and wife.”
“If it were so, then this situation wouldn’t have arisen, but here the circumstances are different. If I ask her, Rani would probably tell the truth, but she doesn’t tell on her own.”
“If it’s so, then I’ll talk to Didi. Let’s go home now.”
“I’ve brought my Tiffin. Whatever is the outcome of your conversation with Rani, please let me know.”
“Sure.”
Human nature is such that when a person shares his worries with someone trustworthy, his mind gets great relief. Ramesh also felt quite relieved after talking to Vinay.
…….
Vinay came home. Rani was anxious to know why Ramesh had called him. Vinay was confused about how and from where to start the conversation. When a person has any kind of dilemma in his mind, then these emotions automatically reflect on his face. That is why, it is said, ‘Face is the index of mind.’ Emotions cannot be hidden. There are very few people in this world who are adept at not letting the conflict going in their mind show on their face. Vinay was a normal person. Rani understood that Ramesh must have said something due to which Vinay was in a dilemma. Still she did not touch this topic and said, “Come on Vinay, have your meals.”
Vinay was eating absent mindedly. When he got up to wash his hands and came back, Rani asked, “Bhaiya (Brother), what’s the matter, you seem to be lost in thoughts!”
Vinay mustered up some courage and started talking and also turned on the recording of his mobile placed on the sofa. Rani was looking at Vinay, so she did not notice that Vinay had started the recording. Vinay said, “Didi, Jija Ji was asking me about Alok….”
Rani was shocked as to why Ramesh dragged her younger brother into this matter. Still, keeping her composure, she asked, “What did he ask?”
“That how close we were in childhood?”
“What did you say?”
“That we used to visit each other’s houses quite often, play together, and Alok was a good natured and intelligent boy.”
“And…?”
“Then Jija Ji told me that 3-4 months ago, you met Alok in a wedding ceremony and since then you guys have met many times, that you’ve been even to Patiala.”
“And….?”
“Jija Ji doesn’t like your meeting Alok like this.”
“Vinay, Alok and we’re childhood friends. We’ve met after a long gap. You tell me, what’s the harm if we meet, especially when your Jija Ji never has spare time to spend with me.”
“Didi, there’s nothing wrong in meeting, but if such meetings happen without Jija Ji’s knowledge, then certainly it becomes a matter of concern. In my opinion, it’s not right to give more leverage to this friendship.”
“Vinay, you may be wanting to say that since Alok is a man and I’m a woman, so it’s not right to give leverage to this friendship. But just think, if I were a man and Alok a woman, and we had met after a long time, would anyone have still objected to our friendship? No, right? Then in today’s time when the world has advanced so much, why should anyone object to the friendship between a man and a woman? Bhaiya, you’re also a man, don’t mind my words, but the question is of man’s ego. If a woman wants to befriend a man, then her husband doesn’t like such behaviour because it hurts his ego and very few can avoid this mentality.”
Vinay started thinking, ‘Didi is right, but how do I convey to her Jija Ji’s views and importance of family ties?’ When he could not think of anything else, putting an end to the conversation, he said, “Didi, I’m younger to you, still I want that this friendship should remain limited so that it won’t become the reason for rift in your marital relations. We should remember what saint Rahim said :
‘Rahiman’ dhaga prem ka, mut todo chatkaye
Tute se phir na jude, jude gaanth pud jaye.
(Rahim says don’t break the thread of love,
It won’t get joined, even if rejoined, it’ll leave a knot.)
“I hope that you won’t feel bad about what I’ve said, and would definitely ponder over it with a calm and cool mind. One’s honour is always in one’s own hands. Another thing is that if any kind of sourness develops between you and Jija Ji, it’ll hurt all of us, especially Maa the most. Keep this in mind too…. Now I’m leaving.”
Without reacting to Vinay’s advice, Rani said, “Tell Maa that I would come soon. Give my regards to Bhabhi, and my love to Shilpa, Anil and Pinku.”
…….
Vinay reached home in the evening and sent the recorded message to Ramesh. On listening to it, Ramesh thought that it was unlikely that Rani would budge from her stand, but the way Vinay had conveyed his views to her and has said firmly that he wanted this friendship to remain limited so as not to cause a rift in their marital relations and advised her to ponder over it with a calm and cool mind. He has also alerted her about the consequences in view of Maa’s age. So, I should also wait and watch. Having arrived at this decision, he sent a message of ‘Thank you’ to Vinay. Even after coming home at night, Ramesh did not talk about this topic nor did Rani ask anything.
*****
