A wrongdoing

"Dear Molle, how are you all? Where are you living these days?"

Geetha was very much reluctant to pick up her mobile and receive that call from an unknown number.

But then, at that instant, one customer, a mature lady from a respectable family from the nearby apartments, was standing at the counter. She has visited their shop earlier too. 

Geetha and her husband Ashish run a small shop that sells a variety of 'batters' for preparing South Indian delicacies. She felt a strange uneasiness. She thought, the lady standing in front of her, may think why is this girl not taking the mobile phone and why is she not receiving calls?

So, after a few seconds, she received the call. Now, she is shocked to hear someone talking to her in her mother tongue, which didn't happen in the last three years.

And that too, the voice is quite familiar. But she failed to recognize that person. The old man, who called her, understood the situation very well. He immediately said, "Don't worry Geetha, I'm your Suresh sir. And these days, I live in a residential school about 100 km away from our village. Once I met your parents about three years ago."

He took a little pause, to breath sedately.

At that time, I presume you were working in a prestigious IT company in Bangalore. Your father told me this. He was very happy that day. Now, I don't know because last time I met them around six months back.

Don't you worry I have not shared any information about your whereabouts with them, I mean your parents. You may be wondering, how did I manage to get your contact details. One of my students is running a small tyre business near a petrol station close to the city, you live now a days. He had seen both of you and he told me that you are blessed with a sweet little girl, right Molle? "

The man talked quite faster than the usual pace, which he used to prefer.

Now, Geetha felt another wave of uneasiness to continue that conversation in front of that lady. Albeit she knew pretty well that the people live out there cannot follow her mother tongue, but still she couldn't continue. Hurriedly she handed over the zip locked plastic bag containing the specific batter, which she-asked-for, to the lady and said to the caller, "Suresh sâr, right now I'm very busy, if you don't mind, may I call you after some time?"

"It's OK. Don't forget Molle, do call me in this cell phone number. It's with me always." He said from the other end.

While returning the change to the lady, she made a mistake. The lady smiled sedately and said, "It's a call from home, right? You're a bit disturbed it seems. Don't you worry my child, talk to them at your leisure time, have faith in God, everything will be alright."

Geetha gave an anticipatory smile and said, "Thanks aunty."

Inwardly, she started recollecting many fragments of scenes. All those remained dormant within her. She used to wonder, "How did I do all these?" 

Her mother proposed for her marriage. The boy is the only son of one of her mother's cousins. Geetha never met that boy.

She came in contact with Ashish about a year ago. He was running a small business and had contacts with some caterers. And that's how he got acquainted with some contractors dealing with several corporate offices in Bangalore.

One fine Sunday morning, both of them left Bangalore. Before leaving she destroyed her SIM card of the cell phone. Ashish procured a different SIM card from some acquaintance. He used manage such things so easily, which others may find very difficult. They reached Chennai first. But then, both of them finally decided to move to a far off place. And in course of that search they found this last destination of a train from Chennai.

As usual, it took not much time for Ashish to establish a small shop selling batters for South-Indian dishes. By the grace of YouTube videos, people these days can easily learn the culinary skills. And, some South-Indian recipes are very popular in pan-India. People say that even in other countries public like these less spicy yet tasty dishes from India.

Soon after establishing their shop, Ashish came home. It was around a month or so. Geetha's parents and all her relatives were haplessly searching her. Poor village folk, they were all clueless. One of her maternal uncles contacted Geetha's office in Bangalore too. The office made their usual queries. But they failed to trace her. 

One of her relatives once remarked, "We should make sure this fact also, whether a boy of our area is also found missing or not."

By the time they came to enquire about Ashish, he already once visited home only a few days back. Thus, the neighbours didn't put a doubt on him. It was quite logical indeed. 

... 

Geetha turned restless after receiving that call from one of her teachers. Ashish was out of station for some business work. In the evening she called him. Only during the last three months she is using a mobile phone and the SIM card they managed requesting one of their neighbours. In the evening she called Ashish.

Why did this man took so much curiosity to know about us? What is his intention?

No, no, Ashish, he has no untoward intentions. I'm pretty sure about it. I know him very well. He is a nice guy. His students respect him a lot. And see, he has not shared our whereabouts with our family members. And think over the influence of his words, he has instructed that fellow also not to disclose about our whereabouts. And that fellow did obey him. Isn't it?

What we should do now?

I think I should contact him once and talk to him and ask him the same. What do you say?

There was a pause for a few moments. And then he said, "If you bank on him, if you really trust him, then talk to him. Let's see what he says."

... 

The collage of scenes, right from Bangalore to reaching this place, haunted her mind thoroughly.

At around nine forty-five, her child slept because of the tiredness due to her day-long physical activities. Geetha called Suresh, "Hello sâr, is it right time to talk to you?"

Thanks molle for your call. In fact I was waiting for your call.

Did you really expect my call?

Yes, molle, I did. Hope you remember my wife. Do you?

Yes, I have seen auntie and your daughter too. How is she now? 

Your auntie is no more. And our daughter marred a boy working in Dubai. She didn't inform us. Any way they are fine, happily living out there. The boy is earning pretty well.

Dear molle, I think, once you should visit your home. Your parents finally gave up searching. Do you know why? Their apprehension is, there may be a devastating news of abduction, rape or murder. Because of that they stopped now.

 If you decide to meet them and if you need my help, I'll come with you people. I will talk to your father. I feel for him, molle. Don't worry everything will be alright. Your mother will forget everything once you put your sweet little daughter in her lap. Mark my words. Think over my suggestions, talk to your husband. Bye, good night, molle.

She shared her thoughts with Ashish. next morning Ashish got a call from home. A friend called him, one of the acquaintances of his friend, the caller, was beaten up black and blue by a mob because he eloped and married with a Hindu girl. His face changed abruptly, which Geetha noticed through a few furtive glances but she couldn't make out what exactly the caller was saying to him.

And late in the evening, while arranging the steel cupboard by chance she noticed the Aadhar card of Ashish. The name was printed 'Aziz' on that. She was shocked. But, the reality was, they both never had that particular issue in their discussions right from the days they started knowing each other. Moreover, there wasn't any ritual which one could term it as a wedding. In Indic traditions people call nuptial knots. They didn't have. They had seen enough. How there used to be many preparations, many arrangements, huge weddings of two families, in spite of that, so many marriages are collapsing these days just like a 'house of cards' in a flash of trivial light wind. 

She was alone. She started talking to herself. No one can share with any close relatives forget about telling to siblings, what my friend conveyed me about the boy whom my parents told me to marry. I saw in Ashish, the man that I was looking for. Did I do something wrong? I don't know, I haven't seen anything bad until today. Whether 'Ashish' or 'Aziz', whatever, he is industrious and pragmatic. And above all, he is also a good human being. 

On the previous night of the final day of the journey back home, Aziz curtly avoided. There was an urgent meeting with some higher executive of a company for some prospective business opportunity. She didn't force him. 

Suresh sir came to receive her. Hiring a cab they reached home. Father ran out of the house as and when the news reached home. Some people gathered and one of them shouted pointing out Suresh, "This fellow is definitely involved in this abduction case." The crowd suddenly came too close to them. The cab driver left immediately sensing the upcoming trouble. 

One well-built shirtless fellow wearing handlebar moustaches hit Suresh on the back of his neck. He fell on the ground immediately due to that unexpected attack. With her child in her lap. she shouted at that man, "He is not my husband's relative, he is my teacher. Please spare him. He is innocent. If you feel there is a 'wrongdoing', then, you punish me. I'm responsible, not him". There's no logic to impute him. 

Geetha's uncles reached there by that time. They disbursed the crowd because they knew them and thereafter they came home soon along with Suresh, Geetha and her child.

A doctor was called for the required first aid at that instant. Late at night, Geetha, her child, Suresh, and Geetha's mother surreptitiously left the village to get the first train available from the nearest station.

                              *******