Hide And Seek

The phone keeps ringing early in the day. Shyama was irritated. She was busy in the kitchen as she had to prepare breakfast for hubby and children, pack their lunchboxes and pack a box for herself as she had to leave for school that was a few km away from her home. She was damn busy and amidst this, the phone kept ringing. Well, she had no time to attend the calls and thought she would see to it during lunch. Of course she was wondering who was calling her so early in the day but continued with her jargon of activities. While at School she got busy with her classes During the break she checked her phone and found a message from her cousin sister Smita who wanted to talk something very urgently with her Shyama was perplexed and wondered why her cousin wanted to speak to her so urgently for they were not in regular touch with each other at all. In fact, both had a huge age gap between them and we're not so comfortable with each other. Smita was a way bit more cunning for her age. So, Shyama preferred to avoid her as much as possible. Now this phone call was sort of confusing and a mystery.    After she finished school for the day Shyama came back home. She finished her routine work and once her kids were busy with their evening classes she found some free time and called Smita. Smita was crying profusely putting Shyama in a quandary. Oh my God, what might be the reason she was worried. Smita calmed down after some time and started narrating how a groom who had come to see her for marriage had rejected her without any reason. Shyama got even more confused as Smita was good-looking, educated, and employed. So, what might be the reason for rejection,?? a puzzle indeed. In between sobs, Smita cited a reason that was silly enough to make someone laugh loudly but she had to restrain herself as it was a delicate matter. A young girl's feelings were hurt obviously. She consoled Smita and hung the phone as she had to attend to the door. Shyama said she would talk to her late in the night. Shyama got busy with cooking dinner etc But her mind was working on the issue she just got to hear. She felt bad how a girl got rejected. Feminism and all other headings were reeling in her mind.

After dinner, she called her mother who stayed in the same place as Smita, and got to know that the boy rejected her for the simple reason that she had inquired about his salary and what gadgets he possessed at home. This reason was enough to make Shyama angrier, was this a reason to reject a girl she wondered. She asked her mother whether she was present at the place where this episode happened to which her mom replied that she got to know this through her sister that is Smita's mother. That was it for that day. After a week's time when Shyama's mother was at Smita's house, a young man comes along with his parents and starts an argument as to why Smita had rejected their son after maintaining a relationship for quite some time. He had introduced her to all his kith and kin as his would-be and had even built a house for her where they would be staying together after marriage. After bitter arguments, they barged out of Smita's house warning that they would see that she would never be happily married. They had come to Smita's house to warn against their daughter getting married to someone else After a month or so there was a letter from Bombay that was picked up by Smita's neighbor. She was a lady who was interested in everybody's matters. She opens the letter and reads it only to tell everyone that Smita was rejected by that boy as she was seeing someone else for quite some time and that man was none other than his colleague in his earlier job. This was a juicy matter that spread like wildfire and Shyama too came to know hearsay. This news was hushed up by Smita's parents and she got engaged to another guy from the neighborhood. This was and is a dark secret that all her relatives know but pretend as not knowing. The icing on the cake is Smita is happily married to a doting husband and daughter. She is very comfortable in her place and space. What irks Shyama is the doubt that Smita might have spoken something mean about Shyama and her husband. The reason is the way in which Smita's husband behaves with them. It is quite irritating but all have no option cause the matter is a bit sensitive. Got it,! So in the best of everyone's interest let the secret be dark and kept as a secret.