“Wedding or not, Mukundo Babu, I can take care of Sumedha. You do not need to send her to the boarding.”

“I can’t do that, Piyali. That won’t be fair to you. Especially when even I am not around. Besides… Piyali. This is something you may not like to hear right now. But I want you to listen, very carefully.”

“What?”

“Banerjee Babu asked me for an engagement. But I refused…”

She looked at him, puzzled.

He stopped for a moment to check her reaction, then continued, “Piyali. You are young. I don’t want to bind you…”

“What do you…”

“No. Don’t say anything. It doesn’t change anything right now. It doesn’t change my feelings for you. It doesn’t change my commitment to you. But you are not committed, Piyali. One year is not a short period of time. If you change your mind… you are free to… And now we will not talk about it. I am really hungry now.”

“Piyali,” he reached out and touched her cheek as he saw her looking out of the car, embarrassed and ashamed, “I had to do the right thing. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t trust you. Just forget it. Please. I need to see you smile. I depend on you being happy.”

Aware of his warm hand on her cheek, she couldn’t help melting at his words. She nodded and smiled.

“That’s better,” he said and put his hand back on steering, “Let’s get some food.”

—

He buckled himself into his window seat and leaned back. People were still boarding the flight and it would be a while before he would have to put his backrest upright. And until then he needed to withdraw from humdrum of passengers trying to find their seats, arranging their luggage and placating their kids.

She hadn’t cried on the airport.

“I made a promise to myself that I won’t cry. You are going to do what is important to you. It would be bad omen if there were tears,” she had said. Her trembling lips, blinking eyes and fisted fingers were telling the story of her exertion; how great an effort she was putting into keeping her promise to herself.

The plan was to focus completely on his Ph. D. and come back only after he had defended his thesis. It would be at least a year before he would behold that face in person again. It would be that long before he would feel the warmth of her proximity and smell of her shampooed hair. He had been unable to restrain himself. He had pulled her close, cupped her face and planted a kiss on her forehead. She hadn’t opened her eyes for a while. He had made it even more difficult for her to keep her promise.

“Open your eyes, Piyali. Let me look into them. Don’t worry about tears. Your tears can’t be bad omen for me.”

“No!” she had turned away to wipe her face and had then turned back to him. “I have to keep my promise.” She had smiled after that and he had followed the suit.

“Stay happy, Piyali. And don’t worry about anything. And yes – do well in your job.”

“You too. Plus you should also do your job fast.”

“Seat upright please, Sir.” He opened his eyes. Everyone had settled in. The flight was about to take off. And he was scared. Not of flying. But of leaving. Leaving her behind. That doomed conversation with his father…

“Marry? You want to marry again?”

“Yes Baba.”

“Marry who?”

“Piyali.”

“Who is she?”

“Maitrayee’s cousin…”

“That headmaster’s daughter?”

“Banerjee Babu’s daughter, yes.”

“One-time foolishness was not enough for you? You want to marry again? And to whom? A headmaster’s daughter. Aporna at least connected you to a good family…”

“Baba. Please. Stop this. I don’t need a rich family.”

“Quite young she is, isn’t she? Has managed to turn your head with her antics–”

“Baba. I just came to inform you. Don’t make me say it, but I don’t need–”

“Right! And what about your Ph. D.? You want to go back to being the school-master again? Or do you intend to do something better with your life.”

“I was very proud to be a teacher. And I haven’t thought about the next steps yet. Piyali and Sumedha could come with me…”

“Listen son. You are not going to get through your Ph. D. with two little chits to take care of. And don’t give me that I-don’t-need-your-permission look. I had paid for your tickets to America. And you haven’t exactly been living off your meagerly scholarship.”

Mukundo gritted his teeth. Was it going to be a seventies’ movie in his life now? Was his father going to disown him and take away the family money and property from him?

“I can live without it, Baba. I am not so spoiled…”

His father looked sharply at him. “Don’t be an emotional fool. Anyway. Here is the thing. You are determined to marry her, right? And I am sure his family is in no mood to let you go either. So, why don’t you do this? You go back to US, alone. Finish your Ph. D. Come back and get married to whosoever you want.”

“You want me to finish my Ph. D. before getting married?”

“Yes. That’s all I am asking for.”

“It can take more than a year.”

“The girl is not getting old, is she? Can’t she wait for you for a year? Love can withstand that much, I am sure.”

His father was convinced that the separation of a year will be the end of his relationship. Mukundo hesitated not only because he was now pining for her company, but also because he found himself affected by his father’s conviction. She was young. One year could make a whole lot of difference. But if it does… That’s when he had made up his mind.

“Fine. If that’s what your wish is, we’d marry after my Ph. D. is finished.” And he had also decided that he won’t bind her.

—

To be continued