Paridhi was walking towards the canteen with Catherine when Subrato called her. She excused herself and walked towards him. “What happened?”

“You remember we were trying to get this book on the history of Nawabs. Found a copy with the help of my cousin.”

“Wow! From where?”

“Apparently from the personal collection of an old man, who happens to be the grandfather of one of her clients. She has warned us against the eccentricity of the old man, but he has invited us to look at other books in his collection, if we want.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Any time we want.”

“I have this project submission for Retail Marketing to be done tonight…”

“And you have left it for the last moment?” he raised his eyebrows in amused disbelief.

“Umm… There was too much to be done…”

“We can go on Saturday.”

“That should be doable. Cathy is waiting. I will see you later. Bye.”

“Hey. What about your…” he seemed to be at loss for words. Then added in want of choice, “fiance? You spoke to him?”

“Shut up,” she hissed in panic, “Nobody knows about it here.”

“I… I am sorry.”

“Bye.”

Cathy and Paridhi didn’t realize that Subrato was not far enough to not hear them. He heard Cathy clearly.

“Pari Ma’am. You really need to spend some time with other subjects too. Only independent study won’t do.”

“Rest of them are group projects. Why are they so dependent on me?” Paridhi appeared least bothered.

“You know that very well. All your group members are spoiled by you. Until you do something, nothing will happen.”

“I don’t care about losing a grade or two.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing!”

—

“Are you ignoring your studies, Paridhi?” Subrato asked her when she came to his office the next day. Without them realizing, their twice-a-week meeting was already happening every alternate day, sometimes even on consecutive days.

“What makes you think so?”

“It’s in the air, let’s say.”

“You must be breathing some polluted air. It is distorting your perception,” she liked their witty exchanges!

“All right,” Subrato sighed, “I overheard your conversation with your best friend yesterday and you did not seem to deny her allegation.”

Paridhi looked surprised and uncomfortable for a moment, but quickly recovered her wits, “Bad manners!”

“Stop evading my question.”

“How does it matter even if I fail? And I won’t fail, just lose a few grades. But who cares? There is no purpose to studies any more.”

“Really? In that case why do this?”

“Before me and my life is butchered for good, I want to do what I like with my time.”

“Paridhi…”

“You don’t have to worry about what I am doing. You are not responsible for my life.”

“I know. But that’s not the point. You have so much potential, Paridhi. You can’t just waste it all. There has to be a way. Just because you get married, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a career. Have you talked to the guy?”

“The obedient son is apparently very shy and an introvert. He hasn’t gathered courage to talk or write to me yet. His mother calls up all the time, however. Telling me how he needs someone to take care of him in a foreign land. That’s what I am going to do in future. How is a retail marketing or a strategic technology management going to help with that?”

“You can work there?”

“Yes. Why not? The US government is waiting to give a work VISA to me. I have seen girls who were in jobs here going there on dependent VISA and finishing their careers for good.”

“What do your parents have to say?”

“My father can’t talk. He is dead. And my mother starts crying if I say anything because as far as she is concerned I am increasing her troubles!”

“This is absurd. There has to be a way out.”

“Yes there is. That I rebel and run away and leave my mother to be taunted to death by my grand mother. She already blames her for my father’s death and my brother running away.”

“Paridhi!”

She broke down, sank into a chair and started sobbing.

Subrato looked at her helplessly for a moment, then walked around the table to go near her and kept her hand on her shoulder. “Stop crying. Please Paridhi. Please. I am sorry. I acted like a jerk.”

She looked up at him and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, although they continued flowing from her eyes, “Nothing for you to be sorry about. Just… Don’t grudge me these last few months of me-time. I am not looking forward to anything more.”

“I won’t open my mouth about it again, I promise. Just don’t cry. Okay?”

She nodded. He gave her a bottle of water and she readily accepted that.

“How do we cheer you up today?” he asked energetically.

“I’m fine.”

“You like classical music, don’t you?”

“How do you know?”

“Remember when you had given me a USB drive full of classical compositions instead of your translated notes.”

She smiled weakly, “I enjoy it. But I don’t understand it.”

“Doesn’t matter. There is a SPICMACAY programme this evening. At JNIT college. Free entry. Shall we go?”

“Did you plan to go?”

“I wanted to go. But I can’t go to such gatherings alone. So, only if you agree. And I don’t think your would-be mother-in-law would frequent those quarters.”

“No. She won’t!” Paridhi replied wryly, “She would be too busy figuring out how much gold does she want in the wedding.”

“I know I just said I won’t open my mouth about it. But still. Dowry? For someone like you?”

“Mummy is happy to give so that she gets rid of the burden of a daughter. She, of course, calls it her duty. And they are greedy enough to take all that is coming their way and ask for more. If I say something, I am naive and don’t understand the world and ultimately I am only increasing Mummy’s troubles. She is right! I don’t understand why the world should be this way.”

“Let’s go. You need to wash your face first.”

“I can use the restroom downstairs.”

“I will wait for you in my car.”

—

To be Continued