For earlier parts, click here:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Amrita entered the dining room sulking. Barkha glanced at her and then continued helping her mother set the dinner table. Shikha was amused and teased Amrita, "Storm in lovers' paradise?" Amrita was not amused. She served herself food and went back to her room with the plate, shutting her mother and sister out.
Barkha and Shikha exchanged glances. Barkha shrugged and the two sat down to have dinner. "Is dad going to be late?"
"Yes... He has gone to meet someone," Shikha replied. "Barkha..." her mother began hesitantly, "Sumesh's parents want an engagement before the end of next month and marriage by early next year."
Barkha chewed slowly and shrugged again. "Go ahead, what's the hitch?"
"You... How can we get her married before you?" Shikha asked.
Barkha frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, ma! In this day and age, do you still believe in these notions? Amrita's marriage got fixed earlier and she is getting married. Period. Is that why she is sulking? That I am standing in her way?"
"Think of your father and my plight, Barkha. We are naturally concerned about you and would like to see you happily married..."
"Yes, ma, I didn't say I will not marry. I am only saying that you don't have to connect mine with hers!"
"How can we not? How can we feel happy if you are unmarried at the time of her marriage? How will we face relatives if we get her married first?"
Barkha rolled her eyes. "Seriously ma! Was it really you who taught me to stand on my feet, to be confident, to not worry about what others think? Is marriage the be all and end all of life?"
"It is a part of life," her mother argued.
"Let it remain just a part. I can't marry someone just for the sake of it," Barkha replied angrily, her heart beating fast.
Shikha looked at her daughter sharply and said, "Don't let your disappointment over Sumesh fester."
Barkha looked at her mother startled. "What do you mean?" she demanded nervously.
Shikha put a comforting hand on her daughter's hand and said softly, "I was a fool, blinded by confusion. But I have been observing you... You never talk about Sumesh to Amrita, you in fact either change the topic or move away if his name comes up..."
Barkha got up angrily, "So you worry that if I don't marry, I may disrupt Amrita's marriage?"
Shikha was shocked and hurriedly corrected Barkha. "I cannot stand seeing you hurt, Barkha! Don't I know how much you love Amrita? Isn't that why you even pretended that you didn't care for Sumesh?"
"If you knew it before why didn't you stop me from being foolish?" Barkha cried out and sat back, her face buried in her hands. She was crying and trying hard to control it. But the errant tears, having broken her dam of self-control, were not about to be contained.
Shikha also had tears in her eyes. "I wish I had realised this earlier... What made you do it?" she asked gently.
"Because Sumesh liked Amrita. I was not going to beg him!"
"Then it's best that we remain silent and let things happen the way it is destined to."
Barkha nodded. "I didn't expect you to know. Does Amrita know too? Is that why she is upset? Am I so transparent?"
Shikha shook her head. "I don't know... She came home grumpy. Maybe something happened in the college. Go wash your face. Father has gone to meet someone about your alliance." Before Barkha could protest she urged on, "Just meet the boy... There is no compulsion."
Barkha asked wistfully, "Is it so easy, ma? To get over this disappointment? This hurt? Can I suddenly fill the place Sumesh left vacant with someone else?"
"He is going to be your brother-in-law, Barkha. Where is the luxury to indulge in longing?"
Barkha went still. She knew it, of course, but hearing it from her mother affected her. She looked away, feeling as if already she were cheating on her sister.
"I am not saying you have to get married right away. But what if your life partner is the next man you meet and Sumesh was just a distraction? At least give us a change!"
To please her parents, she would. What choice did she have?
Amrita came to refill her plate. Shikha and Barkha stared as if they were seeing an apparition. They had forgotten she was at home! Had she heard their exchange?
"Amrita!" Barkha called her, hurriedly wiping her face. "What's bothering you? Sit with us, talk to us" she instructed as she would normally, in her matter of fact way.
Amrita's eyes flashed as she looked at her sister, but there were tears there. "I had the most horrible day today. My prof tore my presentation today to pieces." She sat down and sniffed. "And Sumesh was horribly moody when I spoke to him... Sorry, I know I am just throwing a tantrum... But I hate everyone!" And she wailed. Barkha and Shikha laughed in relief.
(Continue to Part VI)
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Amrita entered the dining room sulking. Barkha glanced at her and then continued helping her mother set the dinner table. Shikha was amused and teased Amrita, "Storm in lovers' paradise?" Amrita was not amused. She served herself food and went back to her room with the plate, shutting her mother and sister out.
Barkha and Shikha exchanged glances. Barkha shrugged and the two sat down to have dinner. "Is dad going to be late?"
"Yes... He has gone to meet someone," Shikha replied. "Barkha..." her mother began hesitantly, "Sumesh's parents want an engagement before the end of next month and marriage by early next year."
Barkha chewed slowly and shrugged again. "Go ahead, what's the hitch?"
"You... How can we get her married before you?" Shikha asked.
Barkha frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, ma! In this day and age, do you still believe in these notions? Amrita's marriage got fixed earlier and she is getting married. Period. Is that why she is sulking? That I am standing in her way?"
"Think of your father and my plight, Barkha. We are naturally concerned about you and would like to see you happily married..."
"Yes, ma, I didn't say I will not marry. I am only saying that you don't have to connect mine with hers!"
"How can we not? How can we feel happy if you are unmarried at the time of her marriage? How will we face relatives if we get her married first?"
Barkha rolled her eyes. "Seriously ma! Was it really you who taught me to stand on my feet, to be confident, to not worry about what others think? Is marriage the be all and end all of life?"
"It is a part of life," her mother argued.
"Let it remain just a part. I can't marry someone just for the sake of it," Barkha replied angrily, her heart beating fast.
Shikha looked at her daughter sharply and said, "Don't let your disappointment over Sumesh fester."
Barkha looked at her mother startled. "What do you mean?" she demanded nervously.
Shikha put a comforting hand on her daughter's hand and said softly, "I was a fool, blinded by confusion. But I have been observing you... You never talk about Sumesh to Amrita, you in fact either change the topic or move away if his name comes up..."
Barkha got up angrily, "So you worry that if I don't marry, I may disrupt Amrita's marriage?"
Shikha was shocked and hurriedly corrected Barkha. "I cannot stand seeing you hurt, Barkha! Don't I know how much you love Amrita? Isn't that why you even pretended that you didn't care for Sumesh?"
"If you knew it before why didn't you stop me from being foolish?" Barkha cried out and sat back, her face buried in her hands. She was crying and trying hard to control it. But the errant tears, having broken her dam of self-control, were not about to be contained.
Shikha also had tears in her eyes. "I wish I had realised this earlier... What made you do it?" she asked gently.
"Because Sumesh liked Amrita. I was not going to beg him!"
"Then it's best that we remain silent and let things happen the way it is destined to."
Barkha nodded. "I didn't expect you to know. Does Amrita know too? Is that why she is upset? Am I so transparent?"
Shikha shook her head. "I don't know... She came home grumpy. Maybe something happened in the college. Go wash your face. Father has gone to meet someone about your alliance." Before Barkha could protest she urged on, "Just meet the boy... There is no compulsion."
Barkha asked wistfully, "Is it so easy, ma? To get over this disappointment? This hurt? Can I suddenly fill the place Sumesh left vacant with someone else?"
"He is going to be your brother-in-law, Barkha. Where is the luxury to indulge in longing?"
Barkha went still. She knew it, of course, but hearing it from her mother affected her. She looked away, feeling as if already she were cheating on her sister.
"I am not saying you have to get married right away. But what if your life partner is the next man you meet and Sumesh was just a distraction? At least give us a change!"
To please her parents, she would. What choice did she have?
Amrita came to refill her plate. Shikha and Barkha stared as if they were seeing an apparition. They had forgotten she was at home! Had she heard their exchange?
"Amrita!" Barkha called her, hurriedly wiping her face. "What's bothering you? Sit with us, talk to us" she instructed as she would normally, in her matter of fact way.
Amrita's eyes flashed as she looked at her sister, but there were tears there. "I had the most horrible day today. My prof tore my presentation today to pieces." She sat down and sniffed. "And Sumesh was horribly moody when I spoke to him... Sorry, I know I am just throwing a tantrum... But I hate everyone!" And she wailed. Barkha and Shikha laughed in relief.
(Continue to Part VI)
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