“Good morning, Didi.” Some of Mr. Banerjee’s students were leaving as she climbed out of her car. They greeted her as they passed. She smiled and nodded at them and waited until the gate was clear.

“Baba! You should really stop giving tuitions now. You are retired. Take rest, enjoy life. Why are you slaving away like this?”

“Shona, sitting idle does no good to an old mind and body. Keeping it occupied is the best exercise. Besides, a little money is always helpful.”

“Your pension is more than enough Baba. And it is a matter of one more month. In summer holidays, Mukundo Babu would be at home with the kids and I can go back to my job.”

“What after summers, Shona?”

She sighed. It had been two months since Sumedha’s birth and Baishali’s death in childbirth. They had almost come to terms with their loss, but there were still the children to be considered.

“Adi will start proper school this year. Kaki is looking for an aayah and she thinks Mukundo Babu should remarry. I think she is right.”

It was Mr. Banerjee’s turn to take a deep breath.

“Yes. Come, sit here, Pihu. There was something I needed to discuss with you.”

“What Baba?” she wondered if the idea of seeing another woman take his elder daughter’s place in Thakur household was too unpalatable for her old father. But he surely knew that it was a selfish concern. She slid into a chair kept across him and braced herself for an uncomfortable conversation.

“Mukundo should marry again, of course. He has a long life ahead of him. But this marriage is not just about him. It will also have to be about the children.”

“Of course, Baba.”

“And how do we trust a woman to take care of another woman’s children as her own?”

“There is no easy answer.”

“May be there is.”

“What?”

“These children are like your own.”

“Of course, Baba. And I have put everything on hold to take care of them. I will do so as long as possible. But it can’t be forever, Baba. We have to be practical.”

“It can be forever, if… if you married Mukundo.”

She bolted out of the chair.

“That’s absurd, Baba. How can…”

“Sit down, child. Don’t react impulsively.”

He let the silence hang between them until she felt compelled to obey him and sat back.

“Don’t decide now. Think it over.”

“Does Mukundo Babu know?”

“Mohima ji had called a while back. He is fine with it if you are.”

“This… this is so sudden, Baba. I need time.”

“Take your time. And remember that I won’t force you. I had never imagined I’d put you in such quandary ever. But life makes us do things…”

“It’s okay, Baba. I am going to make a cup of tea for myself. You want some?”

“No. Sarala had made some for me earlier.”

“I will get your breakfast then.”

—

“God! I missed you so much, Piyali,” Pronab gave her a tight hug when they met that evening.

“It is difficult to…”

“I know. I know. I am proud of you for how you are supporting your sister’s family. But I still miss you. Hey, what happened?”

She hadn’t blinked back her tears in time and he had seen it. “Nothing. It’s just overwhelming sometimes,” she lied as well as she could.

“Oh God! You poor thing. I wish your family knew about us. I would have liked to stand by your side and help you. But come here now. For next two hours that you are with me, just forget all that awaits elsewhere. Let a couple of more months pass, then take me to your Baba, let our parents talk and everything will fall in place. Relax now.”

But relax she couldn’t. Not then, not later – at night in her bed. Mukundo was her best friend, her mentor, her guide. Even her crush. Which girl in the class didn’t have a crush on the hot and gentle Prof. Thakur? But she knew him too well to treat him frivolously.

He was her sister’s husband. He was like an older brother, a guardian to her. Marrying him? She might still have wrapped her head around it, if she hadn’t been in love with Pronab. They had been together since their second year in college. They always had to be on their watch to hide it from Mukundo at the university.  He would eventually have been the first one to know, he was the one she would have felt most comfortable talking to, and he would have spoken to Baba on her behalf, but she hadn’t wanted to hurry the news.

And now all of a sudden it was too late. What should she do now? Whom should she talk to? Mukundo had been so miserable in last two months that all she had wanted was to bring a little smile to his face. She didn’t have the heart to bring her wretched dilemmas to him.

And then, as Baba had pointed out, it wasn’t just about her, Pronab or Mukundo. It was about the children too. Foremost about the children.

—

“Maashima. I just defeated Thakuma in Chinese Checkers,” Young Aditya was jubilant on phone on Sunday morning.

“Oh wow! Did you?”

“Yes. And when you are back, I’d defeat you too.”

“I am already scared. Be kind to me, little warrior. Okay?”

“We’ll see.”

“Okay darling. I need to finish some chores now. Nanu doesn’t keep the house in great shape. I will see you tomorrow. Take care of your baby sister, okay?”

“Okay. Bye Maashima. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

When she disconnected the call, she saw a bunch of messages waiting for her. All from Pronab.

“I woke up today, and wanted so desperately to find you next to me that it hurt. Can’t think of anything else since then,” one of them read. It would have brought goosebumps and smile to her two days ago. But today she shivered and ran to her room to make sure her father did not see her tears welling.

—

To be continued