The Flash Point
Tring... Tring...
The phone started ringing. Gita knew it would be Prerna only, as their discussion on the day before had remained inconclusive. She took her cup of tea and sat on the sofa with the phone.
"Hi Prerna, I was just expecting your call. How are you?"
"So you thought of the devil, and the devil called, Haha. I am fine, hope you are the same."
"Haha, you know we are both of the same gene, devil or dove, whatever it is."
"That is a good word, dove! We could not become doves in our young days, so let us become now."
Both had a good laugh at this small sharing.
"Gita, you heard my story, now, and earlier also. I read your notes now. But there is something about you that you have not revealed. I am sure none of your friends know about your family. Why don't you release that load, unless you think I am ineligible to know that?"
"No, Prerna, you cannot be ineligible for knowing anything about me. You know almost everything about me."
"That is the point, friend, I know almost everything, and that is true. But there is something which is hidden, which you have carefully concealed inside your mind. Tell me how you decided to remain unmarried. You already know my story; now I want to hear from you. And I promise, after you, I will give you a nice story, the last nail of my life."
"Okay, dear Prerna, your name is Prerna, and you are always encouraging me. So I will tell you this time."
My father died when I was around 16 years old. I was very close to him, though he loved all three, myself my sister and brother equally. He used to be out of the city due to his job frequently. I still remember that when he was at home, he used to take three of us in the evening to the market and we had something, ice cream, juice, or roadside snacks, anything. He was quite strict on some points. He used to tell me, You are my eldest son. But be careful, if I see or even hear that you are roaming with a boy and having an affair, I will break your legs. We used to joke about that also, but yes, I was serious about his particular reservation and never thought of getting close to a boy even after his death. It was difficult to gather ourselves, but financially, we did not have too many problems, though not extravagant either. My mother used to receive a family pension, and we managed our days with that."
"Even at that early age, I was made to realise that I was the eldest and would have to take care of my younger siblings. I did not sit idle after college and was comfortably settled in a government job before I was 23. My life was still revolving around my mother, brother and sister. My sister started liking a boy, the matter was discussed in the house, and she got married. She had just qualified from her college and went to her husband's house. While I got a loan from the office for her marriage, my mother sold some ornaments. I arranged everything but there was a short pain; I had never thought for myself on those lines."
After her marriage, we three were in the house with some relatives. Brother had gone out on some work. A conversation ensued about the marriage of my brother and my future. My Mausi (sister of my mother) said, "Look, Gita has really proved her worth as the eldest. Her father used to call her the eldest son, and she proved that by arranging her sister's marriage. She had done what her Dad would have. Now we will plan the two marriages at the same time. The brother and sister should both get married also settle down in life.
Mother retorted, "Yes, Didi, I want Gita to get settled in her life. For how long can I tell her to support me and my family? I want Arpit also to get married quickly. I have already fixed his marriage with the daughter of my class fellow and both have met. They also like each other. When Gita goes to her house, I will have my daughter-in-law with me."
I said, "Look, both of you, the first thing is that when you are saying that I need to get settled, note it down that I am settled, and my Dad has taught that in my life. If you impose a boy on me, he might rather unsettle me. And for Arpit's marriage, it is he who will have to manage, not me. But tell me Mother, why are you saying it is your family? It is my family too. But you are saying that you have fixed his marriage. You fixed my sister's marriage, also. And you did without discussing with me, and you say that I am the eldest? If I am not involved in any decision, then what is my status? Am I their stepsister?"
Mausi said, "Gita, what is wrong if both of you get married in quick succession, rather on the same day. Mother will have the company of daughter-in-law, and you can start a family."
"Look, if you feel that I am not settled and you are going to suggest a boy who will oblige me by settling me, just forget. If I ever marry, it should be someone who can accept me on equal footing, not an obligation. Neither will I oblige him by marrying."
Mother, who had always sided with her son, said, "You will have to get married now. Let Arpit have his family, and in this house, only one family can stay. And he is my nominee for the inheritance of this house. Why should you stay with us? I will stay here, in this house with Arpit. You move to your house, get married, and your mausi has also brought a reference."
"Mother, you are obsessed with Arpit, but I still remember that Father used to call me his eldest son. But still, I do not need any share in the house, property or anything. I will build up anything I need."
Mausi said, "Gita, do not get angry like this. That is the norm of society that you will have to marry and leave this house. This is not your house. And for your Father calling you son, he was like that, but society is not like that. It is madness to go against society's rules. And now you both listen, I have a boy for Gita. A very well-behaved one, and I spoke to him about Gita. I have called him here today evening to meet all of you. Gita is already over 25; it will be difficult for us to get a boy otherwise. Their demand is not much as the boy is already divorced once for no fault of his."
I got furious and told, "Listen and understand carefully, if I have to get married, I will arrange for the boy myself. Just forget my marriage. And I am not going to marry a man who is already a divorcee or widower."
Mother retorted, "Why will you not marry a divorcee or a widower? I also married a widower."
"Do you know what you are saying? You are lying, mother!" I shrieked at the top of my pitch.
"What is the use of shouting like that. You cannot change history."
"Do you want to say that I am your stepdaughter?"
"Yes, you are. I never told you all as I had promised, that not only to your father but also my parents had given a verbal undertaking to that effect. I had never differentiated between the three of you. But now, I cannot give you a share in the property as everything belongs to me only. You will have to get married to the boy your mausi is suggesting."
I was madly in tears, the mother suddenly disowning me, after 25 years, she was telling me that I was not her daughter. The matter closed after some more heated exchanges of words and choicest curses hurled at me. Arpit came in between and his statement was equally hurtful, "I cannot wait for you to get married, so I will get married when I want. I don't care when and what you do." The discussion was controlled by the intervention of two elders of the family who knew everything and were sympathetic to me. They escorted me out of that room and took me to their houses, which were nearby.
However, some conversations took place in my absence. After that day, I started withdrawing from the family which was mine for so many years. I felt that even my brother and sister were also aware of my being their step-elder and were eyeing the property. Besides, immense pressure was being mounted on me by everyone for marrying that widower who was 12 years older than me. I had to put my foot down as I refused to marry a divorcee.
That man came to our house a couple of times and tried to impress me, but I was adamant. In between, one day, a lady stopped me when I was going to the office in the morning. She introduced herself as the former wife of that man. She said that the man and his family started mental and physical torture of her after she gave birth to two daughters, but they wanted sons. She was thrown out of the house and told that she would have to guarantee the birth of a son else he would marry again. Unable to bear the torture and secure her life, she got a divorce, and both daughters were with her.
My hatred for that man was there already; it increased on listening to her story. There was no reason that mausi wouldn't know about such details, as they were neighbours for decades. The story changed my attitude towards mausi, from anger to hatred.
Then, I got a better offer, qualified for another examination, and got transferred out of that city and settled in Delhi thereafter.
That is my part, which is with me only.
Prerna said, "Gita, you suffered this, but you have recovered from that shock, I am sure. And sometimes, it is always better to break away from roots if the roots are harming us. Even a tree can be transplanted, why not us? It is better to get transplanted than to get cut as firewood or furniture."
"You are correct in saying it is better to get transplanted. And both of us broke away and transplanted ourselves. At least we had flourished in our own way, and others have not been able to use us as furniture."
"And for the time, let us concentrate on our food preparations. We will get back tomorrow. And tell you something which I have. Bye for now."
"Bye, Prerna, see you soon."
*****
Part 16 is going to be here soon. Read and comment
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