Her Wait

The sweet alarm tone started ringing. She felt lazy at that moment to rise up so she put out her hand outside the blanket and fumbled for the mobile. Her fingers didn’t get the grip of it anywhere beside the pillow so with a frown she put her head out of the blanket. Within this time the mobile started to remind for the second time. This time the trail of the sound helped her discovering the mobile under her pillow. It’s already six! There’s no more time for her to stay in the bed. She sprang up and rushed towards the toilet. For the next hour she will be the busiest homemaker as she will have to finish everything before she gets out of the house at seven thirty. Her pull cab arrives to pick her up at seven thirty five sharp. She joins her duty at seven fifty five. When she was selected for the job she was informed that she will have to join the duty five minutes before time but not five minutes late. Aparna understood the meaning after she joined and did her duty the first day. So she tries her level best to be on time. 

She gets out of the bathroom after taking a bath and then gets ready. She wears a light violet printed saree and two simple matching earrings and ties her short hair into a bun. She puts on sunscreen but didn’t wear any bindi. Then she makes her breakfast (breads with jam on them and a cup of hot coffee); gulps down fast and then snatches her bag from the table and rushes towards the main door. She locks the door and then gets to the ground floor by lift. The moment she reaches the main gate of their apartment her cab arrives. The watchman at the gate said “You are just in time didi ji or the cab driver would have blown the cab horn continuously which is very hard to the ears.” Aparna smiles and boards the cab. Tulika, today is sitting beside the window looking outside which isn’t a common appearance of her. The only reason is that she is always covered with gazettes either playing games on tab or listening songs with headphone checking mails or going through social networking sites. Something must have happened today, Aparna thought but she didn’t ask her any questions. She knows Tulika will share everything when she feels ok, so she left her to be with herself.

The work is same as usual, very strenuous and tiresome. Aparna actually didn’t have time until lunch to pay attention towards Tulika. Both are attending phones talking to patient parties filling up forms for new admissions advancing the final papers to the accounts department before releasing the patient. At the lunch hour Tulika advanced towards Aparna and said “Di I’ve something to say. Do you know what Tushar messaged me yesterday? Just have a look at it…” and she advanced the mobile towards Aparna. Aparna took it from Tulika’s hand and went through the message then asked her “What’s the issue of fight?”

She said “He’s just intolerable and just don’t want to listen anything from me. He wants to meet my parents now and I know they won’t give their consent in this relation as he isn’t of higher caste like ours. I want to talk to my parents first and gradually take their consent but he doesn’t want to give that much time.”

Aparna smiled then said “You are right from your side but I would like to ask you a question if you don’t mind. From when do you know him?”

“Not more than four months. We first met at a common friend’s birthday party. Ritika introduced us but I didn’t like his attitude at the first time but his continuous attention made me attracted towards him. After rejecting him three times I accepted his love.”

“Well did you know at that time he’s of lower caste?”

“No but afterwards I knew that and I didn’t have any objection with it.”

“That’s good. Ok well you introduce him to me first and I’ll talk to him about the matter. I feel I can persuade him to do what you want.”

Tulika pressed Aparna’s palms with warmth and expressed her feelings. She messaged back to Tushar about Aparna’s wish. He replied back he’s ready to meet her and said where to meet.

In the evening at Coffee Time shop they met Tushar. After Tulika introduced both of them, Tushar ordered cold coffee for all of them. Aparna said “Well Tushar I want to talk to you on the issue of your marriage as Tulika wants so.”

“Well Di I feel when you want to talk to me you must be aware of all about us.”

“Oh yes and so I would suggest you should give some time to Tulika to let her understand the home atmosphere before she courages to spill out the beans to her parents.”

“But you aren’t aware that I’m going away to my posting place within this week.”

Tulika screamed “You didn’t say anything about this before.”

Tushar said “Shhh…. You are attracting others curious eyes towards us.”

“I won’t stop… I want an explanation from you.”

Aparna stopped Tulika by pressing on her left arm and said “So when are you coming again on holidays?”

Tushar said “Di I have the news of getting transferred to the Anantnag sector within fifteen days. So after I join there I don’t know when I’ll get leave again as you know these places are very vulnerable to attacks.”

Tulika stared at him hard but without a question more. She sees the news channels everyday and is fully aware how much dangerous those places are. She both felt proud and afraid for her love. But now she made up her mind to introduce him to her parents before he leaves for his work. She said “Please come to our house at seven in the evening. I invite you for tea with snacks. Di I invite you too.”

Aparna smiled “No dear I’ll come some other day. I’ve some work to do”.

In the evening Aparna returned home alone late from office. She thought of having a cup of tea first but then rejected the idea and went to have a shower. In yhe shower she couldn’t enjoy the cold water running down her body as her mind slipped away to Tulika’s house. She wished to know how she could convince her parents. At the dead of the night the message tone woke up Aparna from deep slumber. Tulika has messaged  - Tushar came to our house with his mother and asked for my hand before my parents. My parents had proved their narrow mindedness and did not accept my love. They started insulting him and I asked them to leave at once. My father has threatened me to harm him if I don’t agree to marry the boy they are going to select for me within a month. He is forcing me to submit my resignation so that I don’t get any chance to go out of the house and meet him. I’ve promised to wait for him throughout my life. Let’s see how I can succeed in this matter. Ok Di bye forever, we may not meet again in our lives. Maybe my phone will get disconnected from tomorrow. But don’t worry for me and pray for the best to happen. If I cannot reach him throughout my life I WILL WAIT FOR HIM AFTER DEATH.

For the rest of the night Aparna kept thinking about Tulika and her words. She only prayed from the core of her heart God, help the two souls to unite.