Category: Subrato-Paridhi

Coming Around (Part 17 – Last Part)

Posted Mish11 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

“Hello!” Paridhi froze on hearing the familiar long drawn ‘hello’ on the other end of the phone.

Subrato looked at her and blinked in assurance and encouragement.

“Hello Mummy,” her voice drowned. She wasn’t sure what she should talk about. She feared, rather hoped, that the phone will be slammed down at the other end.

But what she got, instead, was emotional fluster, “Pari. Dear… Where… How… How are you?”

“I am fine Mummy. And you?”

“I am alive. What can I say?” Paridhi sighed. The self-pity. Some things never changed. She had always been so busy wallowing in self-pity that she never paid any attention to what her children’s dreams and aspirations were.

Paridhi was wondering how to continue the conversation when to her relief her mother spoke again, “You are in America?”

“Yes.”

“All by yourself?”

“I am independent – yes. But I have had help.”

“From whom?”

“Will tell you some other time. How is Dadi?”

“She has left us. Passed away. It has been six months.”

“Ohh!” Paridhi didn’t know how to react. She had always accepted that domineering woman’s presence in their lives, because she had always been there. But while she felt a sense of responsibility towards her mother, she didn’t have much feelings of any kind towards her grand-mother. “I am sorry,” she mumbled, “You are staying alone Mummy?”

There was silence at the other end. Then there was some sound and Paridhi realized that she was crying. “Mummy. Are you crying?”

“I never had any expectation from your brother. But you also never thought of checking up on me?”

“Mummy. You are the one who had disowned me,” Paridhi could not help retorting.

“I was angry.”

“Of course. So was I. But I called you Mummy, didn’t I? I will keep calling. Okay? Don’t cry now. Please.”

“Yeah. I am fine.”

“And Mummy?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to get back in touch with Bhaiya?”

“You know where he is.”

“Yes. We are in touch. Shall I give you his number?”

“I am his mother. You want me to bow down?”

“Right. No. I don’t want to,” Paridhi sighed. Parents are supposed to love their kids come what may. At least that’s what the entire world seems to believe. But that was not true. Ego, rivalry and all sorts of conflict came in the way of parental love too. “I will call again, Mummy. Bye.”

“Everything all right?” Subrato held her hands gently and asked.

“Dadi is dead.”

“I am sorry,” the response came automatically.

“I’m not sure I’m. How insensitive is that? We are a family, right? We are supposed to love each other. And yet… I must be a terrible person to feel this way about my family…”

“Stop it Paridhi.”

“My mother is alone. She has given birth to me. She has brought me up. How will she manage alone in her old days? I should do something about her. And yet… I… I just don’t feel like going back, meeting her, bringing her here, living with her – any of that. Because… Because she makes me miserable. Even today… But she is my mother. I should feel responsible towards her. Our parents have a right over us. Why? Because they have given birth to us. But it was not my decision that I should be born, was it? Then why should I be responsible for it? Why should I feel indebted that they gave birth to me?”

“Paridhi!” Subrato had to shake her to stop her agitated ramblings.

“Your family is not like that, right?”

Subrato sighed, “No. It’s not. They are more reasonable. But…”

“Nobody’s is. Why me? When families are perfect for every body else, why not me?”

“Tell me something Paridhi. How many people know about your problems with your family?”

“Only… you…” she was confused by his question.

“So, nobody else who looks at your can figure out what you go through in trying to please your family, can they? What makes you think that the same thing doesn’t happen to others.”

She fell silent.

“For some reason, we have idealized, romanticized a lot of things. Haven’t people been talking since forever about pure love, unconditional love and what not about couples? How much of that pure, unconditional, lasting-till-death love do you see around? Parental love is also not as perfect as we would like to believe. Parenthood is probably a special feeling, and it does seem to make some people better. But that’s not a given… And if it didn’t make you mother a better, sensitive person, you are not responsible for it. Nor are you alone. This world is full of people with broken, abusive families. You are actually amongst the better lot because you have escaped unharmed and you are not dependent. You are quite lucky Paridhi, and you are not responsible. Always remember that.”

She broke down and leaned on him for support.

“And I am sorry,” he mumbled, “I shouldn’t have asked you to call her. It has disturbed you, instead of calming you down.”

“No. Don’t say that,” she stopped crying and looked up a him, “It makes me feel like a loser. Someone who has burdened you with her own troubles…”

“Stop this, will you?”

“Why do you even like me? I’m such a messed up person. Ever since we have met, all you seem to be doing is listening to or solving my problems. What do you see in me? What will you ever get from me?” all her insecurities were surfacing.

Subrato sighed, “I will tell you this once and for all Paridhi. And I don’t want you to ask this question ever again. Okay? Listen then. Behind all your troubles is this very unique quality of yours. That you care, care to a fault. Even if you want to turn apathetic, which I thought you had turned towards your family, you can not stop caring. I want that care from you. And I hope that from me you won’t get any troubles in return.”

Paridhi had nothing to say. She just hugged him tight in reply.

“What should I do about Mummy?” she asked a little later.

“You tell me. What do you think you should do?”

“I will ask Bhaiya to call her. I think she wants to connect back with him. But is too egoistic to take the first step.”

“Will he agree?”

“He will. She is his mother too… He did what he did because he had no other option. And he is in Mumbai, closer to her than I am… Plus he is the son. She would feel more comfortable depending on him…”

“Great then. What is there to worry about?” Subrato smiled, “And we can always make trips to India to visit her as well as my family. And tell your brother that you will share any financial responsibilities going forward.”

“I will. Though my guess is that she doesn’t need financial help. Papa has left enough. Remember the lakhs she was willing to spend on my dowry?”

Subrato chuckled to make light of the situation and hugged her gently.

—

Paridhi was perplexed. Subrato had asked her to help him in finalizing the house. And he was showing her the huge houses in the suburbs. When he had landed in New York, he had talked about renting an apartment in Manhattan. Why did he want to move so far into suburbs now? How will they meet? As it was, the thought of him shifting out to his own house was making her feel wretched. And to top that, it was going to be so far.

This was third house they were seeing and boy! Did she fall in love with it? It reminded her of some of the colonial constructions she had seen back in India. Only it was very suitable to the modern sensibilities. It was spacious with a lawn in the front. There was plenty of space for a kitchen garden in the backyard. They walked upstairs to the bedroom. Airy and sunny were the words that came to her mind. The place was almost fully furnished and the bed in the room was thing of beauty with its wooden carvings.

“This one is beautiful.”

“You like it?”

“I do. But do you?”

“All the houses I showed you are pre-selected for my liking. You have to decide.”

“Me? But you have to live here,” she said trying hard to suppress the disappointment in her voice.

“You… You are not going to… shift with me?”

She looked up startled, “Am I?”

“What the… Why on earth would I be looking to buy a house in the suburbs if not to…”

“You are buying the house?”

“Correction Ms. Chauhan. We are buying the house. What were you thinking?”

“How would I know? You never told me anything. When did you say our roommate arrangement was going to continue?”

“Our roommate arrangement is not going to continue.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are… I am sorry I should not have presumed,” he calmed down and spoke seriously, “I mean… I want you to move in with me… No. I want us to move in together. As live-in partners right now, if you insist on the correct technical term. But hopefully soon as husband and wife and life partners. Is that acceptable to you?”

“You are a wicked man! Couldn’t you have told me earlier? I was feeling so wretched…”

“You thought I would leave you behind… Oh my God. Paridhi. Wasn’t it obvious?”

“How would it be obvious? You had never tried to…” her voice drowned in embarrassment.

“Tried to?”

“Nothing.”

“Come on, now.”

She looked here and there and completed her sentence with a shrug trying to look nonchalant, when she was actually feeling extremely shy, “You never showed any inclination towards a live-in or whatever relationship… How would I…”

She remained silent for a couple of moment after that, not daring to look up at him and was taken by surprise when he moved close to her. “I should and could put an end to all your uncertainties right away,” his hoarse voice sent a shiver down her spine. He put his arms around her almost trembling form and led her to the bed.

She lied down silently, feeling the reaction and arousal of her body as he gently, but passionately kissed and nibbled at her neck and earlobes. She could also feel his growing arousal as he had pinned her down beneath himself and his body was pressed hard against hers. One of his hands was caressing her face, hair, neck and breasts, while with the other he pushed up the skirt she was wearing. He drew back for a second and she opened her eyes to look at him.

He noticed the look for surprise and bewilderment on her face, as he took out a packet of condoms from his pocket. He looked from the packet to her face and back in a moment of confusion and awkwardness. Then he sighed before explaining, “I have been thinking about it… for quite sometime… And I wanted to be… not be careless… But you always looked so nervous and child-like… I wasn’t sure you were ready for it… And I carried it in my pocket afraid that you would find it… And… today I am again not sure,” he noticed her expressions and kept the packet down on the bed intending to withdraw.

“This place… this bed… is not ours…” she said suddenly.

“Is that your only objection?” he stopped moving away and asked.

“Yes… No… I mean… Yes!” she finally had to say it. Could somebody’s sensitivity be frustrating? If the person was Subrato, it could be. Right then, she just wanted him to forget everything else and devour her! And here he was! Struggling with whether she was ready! He was right is assessing that she was incredibly nervous. But what he didn’t seem to realize was that with him, she was incredibly ready too!

“Let’s mark it then,” he was back to kissing her senseless, “I have already negotiated down the prices. This is as good as ours. Including the furniture… and the bed…”

He did pull back once more to use the protection and except for those few moments, Paridhi lost every sense of time and place. She didn’t realize how loud her moans of pleasure were until she saw Subrato grinning at her in the end. He planted a soothing kiss on her forehead and asked gently, “Are you okay?”

“Y… Yes,” she felt shy despite the obvious assurance in his kiss as she replied through her panting and sweating.

“I had totally underestimated you,” he sounded amused as he lied down beside her and pulled her close to himself.

“What do you mean?”

“You will know in the days to come… In this very bed! Now that I know I can push you…. Quite far!”

She gulped hard at his obvious reference to their sexual life about which he seemed to be making some grand plans. But she replied bravely, “First get the house. Right now they could sue us for trespassing.”

“Right away, my Lady,” he replied and picked up his phone to call the agent. His dream of making New York his home for rest of his life was going to come true after all!

– The End –

Coming Around (Part 16)

Posted Mish13 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

It had been a week since… Paridhi blushed as she thought about it… since they had accepted each other in their lives. She was on cloud nine. If she could have it her way, she wouldn’t leave Subrato’s side even for a second. But he had to settle in his job, do a lot of paperwork in the office as well as outside and generally get his act of relocation together. He was in control of everything and was by no means inattentive to her. But she was like a proverbial kid in the candy store. She was excited, had gone almost berserk. When Subrato was not around, she would go on shopping trips like she had never done before. She had amassed a pile of dresses and accessories in all shades of purple. The funny thing, however, was that she had never worn them. She felt incredibly nervous when the opportunity to wear any of them came for their dinner outings. She would try them, but would ultimately drop the idea and rush out wearing one of her usual dresses. Her work was clearly affected too. She hadn’t been able to read a single paper from the list Steve had given her in the entire week. Thankfully he didn’t say anything to her. Given that she always worked hard, he assumed that she would come around. Everyone deserved to be cut some slack once in a while.

“Paridhi,” Subrato had to meet some old acquaintances over breakfast on Saturday and had just returned from there. He knocked at her room door several times, but did not hear a reply. “I am coming in,” he announced as he got worried.

“No. No. No. No. No,” a worried Paridhi ran out of the attached bathroom and jumped on her bed.

“I… I am sorry,” he assumed that she was embarrassed because she was undressed and made to leave, but realized immediately that it was not the case. He turned back to be greeted by a weird site. Paridhi was sitting atop a pile of purple fabric on her bed, apparently trying to hide them. He looked attentively and realized that they were a bunch of dresses.

“What… are you doing?” he raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

“Nothing. Nothing at all. What are you doing here?” she tried to hide her embarrassment by acting defiant.

“I was… No. First you tell me. What is all this?” he pointed towards her dresses.

“What would it be? My dresses. You have a problem?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. I have never seen you wearing any of these.”

“You have been here for less than two weeks.”

“Hmm… And even the tags have not been taken out from most of them. I heard some rumors that for last one week, no socialite in New York is able to buy anything in purple. I think I know the culprit.”

She gulped, but still managed to maintain a brave front, “Stop making fun of me.”

He sat down on the bed and she got startled. She lost her balance and fell back on the bed. Subrato followed her deliberately and pinned her under him. “Stop lying to me,” his voice was hoarse.

“Okay. I bought them. So what?”

Subrato could see how nervous as well as excited she was even as she continued to act saucy. “But you didn’t use them. So, I might as well use them now. You know wrap them around us because the room is getting cold and…”

“Subrato,” her nervousness and inexperience got better of her finally.

“Wow!” he looked in her eyes and smiled mischievously, “You got the perfect pronunciation. In the first attempt.” He felt elated on hearing his name from her, but continued his little game, “So, I might just forgive you for wasting these dresses for last one week.”

He got up pulling her back with him. Paridhi felt confused. Why did he withdraw? Wouldn’t he want to… Especially after he had told her so many times that he has been in love with her for long. Did she act inappropriately? Does she need to do something differently? May be she needs to use one of the tricks the dating and relationship magazines mention. May be his emotional connection with her hasn’t resulted in sexual attraction yet.

Her attention went back to him on hearing his voice, “How about you wear this for dinner tonight?” He had picked up a shiny satin dress, “And this homely one for lunch because I am planning to cook you a great Bengali lunch today.”

That brought her out of her confused thoughts for a while. “But aren’t you tired?”

“Not at all. You like fish, I hope?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Great. I got some from the grocery store on my way back.” He kissed her on forehead and got up, “Get ready. I will be in the kitchen.”

He walked out leaving her smiling and still a little dazed and confused. She sighed and tried to put herself at ease, “He is just taking it slow. For my sake. And thank God for that! May be tonight…” she looked at the dress he had picked for her to wear at night and grinned.

—

“Oh God! I overate… Badly! First lunch… Now dinner…” Paridhi deposited herself on the couch looking like she won’t move an inch from there now.

“Sleep it off then,” Subrato also sat down beside her and suggested helpfully.

“No!”

“What happened?” her intensity surprised Subrato.

“Nothing… Nothing at all…” Paridhi mumbled. She didn’t want to sleep. She was hoping… But she couldn’t tell him that, could she? Without realizing she turned crimson at her thoughts.

“Paridhi? Are you all right?”

“I am fine… What has come upon you? I just don’t want to sleep right now.”

“Okay. So, what do you want to do?” he smiled.

“I… I don’t know… Or talk, I guess…”

“Great! I don’t have to make an effort, then. You are the master in that art.”

She hit him playfully on the shoulder, “If you make fun of me talking, I will never ever talk to you.”

“Really? Let’s try that. If you can stay silent in my presence for just ten minutes, I will believe you.”

“You know what… I will kill you,” Subrato’s teasing had gotten to her and she started hitting him continuously. Subrato laughed out loud and forcefully pulled her in a hug. She resisted initially, but gave up pretty soon.

He broke the hug after a while, but held her close and spoke, “There is something… very important… that I want to talk to you about.”

“What?” her eyes shone in excitement… and expectation. He cared so much for her. He would talk before taking any steps…

“I think you should get back in touch with your mother.”

Paridhi was so surprised that she jerked back. There was mixture of bewilderment and contemplation on her face, “Why are you saying this?”

Subrato thought for a moment and smiled while answering, “Your question is your answer.”

“Excuse me?”

“You did not question my suggestion that you should get back in touch with her. You only questioned me suggesting it. So, you have thought about it too. Am I right?”

She nodded still looking thoughtful.

“And I had felt that… Somewhere you are restless… worried… That’s the only reason I suggested…”

“I worry about her. But I am scared for myself too. I don’t want to… I can’t go back to those days. That stress, hopelessness and… feeling of worthlessness…”

“Paridhi. You must realize something at this stage,” he paused to see her reaction. She was looking at him expectantly. So, he continued, “The reason you were being treated like that by your family was not that you were weak or helpless. At least there was nothing in the external world that made you weak. Your weakness was within you, your obsessive need to comply with them, that sense of responsibility you had that it didn’t matter whether others did their duty towards you or not, you could not dodge what you saw as your duty… I do not mean it in a negative sense. Our love and care does make us vulnerable and weak. The reason I am talking about this is that so long as you have moved past that, that thing inside you which was letting others treat you like… like you weren’t a human, you have nothing to fear. Back then, the dynamics of your relationship with your mother was defined by her, or her set ideas of what her society considered right. If you call her now, you will have the upper hand, you will define the dynamics, you will define who is powerful and who is not. There is no reason to be scared for yourself, Paridhi. Absolutely none.”

Tears clouded her eyes and she half smiled through them. “I…” she started speaking, but stopped with a nervous laughter as if she couldn’t find words. Then she made another attempt, “You can’t be real… Am I dreaming or something? What are you made up of?”

He raised one eyebrow comically, “Seriously? That’s one hell of a thankless job I am doing. Now I don’t even exist for you?”

This made her chuckle and she leaned onto him for another hug. “Do you want me to call her now?” she asked while still in the hug.

“Whenever you want Paridhi. I am not doling out a punishment to you, am I?”

“I will do it tomorrow morning. She stays awake till late… watching her soaps.”

“All right.”

They stayed like that for a while and Paridhi did not realize that she had fallen asleep in his arms. He woke her up gently, dragged her in her sleepy state to her room and tucked her in the bed.

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 15)

Posted Mish6 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

It was Saturday afternoon. Although normally Paridhi spent most of her weekends also at work, she wasn’t doing so this time. She was sitting in the hall, with Subrato and filling him in with the details of her research work. Suddenly she changed the topic.

“Did I tell you, I reconnected with my brother?”

“You did?” Subrato straightened up with and asked with interest, “How come? Where did you find him?”

She smiled, “You are the culprit again. You forced me to open a Facebook account.”

“Which you hardly use. But yeah – why shouldn’t I have forced? The reason you didn’t have one was to protect yourself from the prying eyes of your family and potential in-laws. The reason no longer existed. Anyway. So, your brother…”

“Yeah. We just found each other there. He is in Mumbai. In a job. He has a kid also now. He is doing very well for himself.”

“That’s great to know. And Paridhi?”

“Hmm?”

“Did your mother never get in touch with you?”

She shook her head sadly.

“Did you try?”

“No. I… She had disowned me. It wasn’t me…”

“It’s okay. I just…” her extreme care had turned into extreme anger and apathy. She couldn’t be blamed though.

“You know something,” she clearly wanted to talk.

“Go on.”

“I feel really, really bad for her.”

“Paridhi…”

“No. Don’t get me wrong. I am not regretting any of my decisions. She is miserable. But making myself miserable could hardly have solved her problems. She has been a victim of circumstances. Unfortunately, she did not have the strength to take things in her own hands. She tried to make amends for what was wrong with her life in strange ways… Making me miserable…”

“You mean your father’s death…”

“Not really. But how everything was before and after it. Her married life was never peaceful. And apparently the culprit was dowry. Dadi always complained that in her only son’s wedding, she did not get much of dowry and kept taunting Mummy for it all the time. This went on even after several years of marriage. My brother remembers it. My father was apparently stuck between his mother and wife, couldn’t open his mouth before his mother and could not do anything to placate his wife… Result was everyday fight in the house. The day he died… In an accident, while he was driving… There had been a huge fight at home. And till date Dadi blames Mummy for the accident. Apparently if she hadn’t fought with her husband before he left home, the accident would not have happened. And Mummy can’t really hold her ground. She has always been cowed down by Dadi. That even I have seen. She saw us – her children – as the only chance of her getting some ground under her feet. And she tried so hard to mold us in a way that will make her look good to Dadi and the society they both cared so much about, that… She lost both of us. I had seen the misery and gloom after my brother left. I had thought that by making some sacrifices, I could probably give her some respite. But that wasn’t about to happen. Giving whatever they wanted as dowry was her way of assuring that I lived my life with dignity, not the way she had to. She was sure that she was settling me the right way. I won’t be taunted about dowry all my life. What she refused to see was that dowry wasn’t the way to a dignified life, independence was. Obviously, she still doesn’t see it this way…”

Subrato walked towards her and sat beside her. He took her hands in his and pressed them lightly. “I understand Paridhi,” he said in an extremely soft voice, “You were not an idiot that you were trying to put up with all of that for so long. You were trying to set things right.”

“Where do you get this infinite patience from? You have always listened to me, so patiently?”

“Purely selfish reasons Paridhi. Purely selfish. I have been stung by people who don’t care. So, I care a lot about people who do. And now let me get some coffee for you.”

“I will get it.”

“Sit down. You don’t need to play an Indian housewife with me.”

“I am just playing a host.”

“How about we play roommates instead? Equals?”

She smiled, shrugged and gave up. She could try with all her might, but she couldn’t get around this man.

“What is this?” Subrato noticed something lying on the table with his name on it, when he brought the coffee.

“This… is… I haven’t saved enough to repay everything to you. But the application fees. A cheque for that. I wasn’t sure if your old bank account is active. Or you will be opening a new one. So, I haven’t put the date…”

“Paridhi. This…”

There he goes, she thought to herself. He won’t accept it. Part of her wanted him not to accept it. That would mean…

“What happened?” she asked outwardly.

“Umm… Nothing. I will put the date.”

He accepted it! She hoped her disappointment didn’t show.

“I have a question though,” he spoke again.

“Yeah?”

“Will repaying me ensure that you do not feel indebted to me?”

“Why are you… No. I can’t ever stop feeling indebted to you.”

“Why?” he was exasperated.

“Why? Number one – it isn’t just the money. Number two – even for money, it was the time that mattered… Somebody giving me 4800 bucks today won’t matter. So, my returning it to you today doesn’t make the importance of having it then disappear.”

“Paridhi…”

“And number three,” she did not let him interrupt, “This feeling connects me to you. I can’t let it go. It’s… It’s my emotional life line. Why can’t you let me have it? Why does it bother you so much?”

“Because…” he got up, held her hands and made her stand up too, “I have a connection with you too. And I want to know if you feel it. But not under indebtedness. That would spoil everything.”

“What connection?” her voice quivered in anticipation.

“You tell me. If you forget for a while that you feel indebted to me, do you still feel something else?”

“Do you?”

“I already told you, I do. I need to know from you.”

“Like hell, I do. What took you… so long to ask? Was it so difficult to see that?” her eyes filled with tears even as she smiled.

“There is no way to deal with you except patience. You know that, don’t you?” he also smiled and pulled her in a hug. The long-awaited one!

“You drove me to impatience,” she said.

He broke the hug and smiled mischievously, “Really? You are impatient now?”

She suddenly stepped back and said nervously, “I didn’t mean that.”

“You didn’t mean what?”

“Nothing,” she was trying to look anywhere but him to deal with her shyness and embarrassment, “The coffee is getting cold. Let’s… let’s finish it.”

Subrato was amused by her sudden nervousness. But he decided not to tease her. “Sure. Let’s finish the coffee,” he said sat down on a chair across her with his coffee mug.

He noticed that she was holding her mug with both her hands. “You all right?” he asked looking concerned.

“Yes… Yes…” she noticed him staring at her hands, “Just a little cold. Hot coffee feels good….” Her voice trailed as she saw his eyebrows raised. He didn’t believe her. And he was right not to. “I am extremely nervous,” she said plainly and honestly.

He sighed and smiled, then went over and sat beside her. He kept his own coffee mug on the table and put his hands around hers on her mug.

“Are you scared of me?” he asked gently.

“Of course not.”

“Then?”

“I don’t know. How am I supposed to know? It doesn’t happen every day…”

“Silly girl,” he couldn’t suppress a grin, “Here take a sip.”

“Why are you holding my… mug?” she did not say hands.

“Because your hands are trembling and you are going to spill your coffee.”

She took the sip, “Aren’t you going to drink your own?”

“No,” he took her mug from her and deposited that on the table too, “I think there is better coffee waiting for me elsewhere.” He did not give her a chance to interpret what he said and attacked her lips thrusting his tongue deep in her mouth. After initial surprise and awkwardness, Paridhi responded with gusto.

After they broke the kiss, Paridhi hugged him tight and started crying silently. He realized it when he felt the wetness on his shirt.

“Paridhi. What happened…” he tried to break the hug to talk to her, but she clutched him hard.

“No,” she whispered urgently, “Let me be. Don’t push me away.”

She needed to feel the support and care. Her proximity was wrecking havoc on his hormones. But this wasn’t the time. Her emotional voids needed to be filled first.

“You know something,” he said after a while without trying to break the hug.

She pulled back just a bit to look at him and asked, “What?”

“Purple does suit you very well.”

She blushed and grinned and hid her face in his chest.

The check was forgotten and it would be discovered much later, when Paridhi would be packing her stuff to shift to a new house with Subrato.

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 14)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

“Welcome back to New York!” he was startled by her voice.

“What are you doing here?” he asked without thinking.

“Last time I checked this was an airport and people are allowed to come here if they want,” Paridhi grinned.

Subrato had landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport a while back, had passed through the customs and was waiting for his luggage near the luggage belt, when Paridhi had surprised him. His two-year contract with IIAM had been over and he had come back to New York, to his old job. Paridhi had been doing her Ph. D. in New York University for last one year.

Subrato smiled, “So, I am getting a dose of my own medicine, eh? You didn’t tell me you would be coming. In fact, you had said something about being away for a conference.”

He noticed that she was wearing a purple dress. It suited her very well. As usual. He wondered if he should compliment her on that. He also wondered if he could hug her. He badly wanted to. They had been talking to each other regularly. But he wasn’t sure where their relationship stood. She needed time, space… She needed to sort out her own life. He thought that trying to push her into a relationship or commitment would be too much for her to handle. Especially given how indebted she felt to him. Despite his admonitions, she could not stop herself every now and then from talking about how much he had helped her and how she would never be able to repay all of it.

“A little surprise doesn’t hurt, does it?” she replied excitedly. Could she hug him, she wondered. She badly wanted to. But he was her mentor, guide… even a guardian. What if she was too… beneath him? She had thought and accused him of wanting her once, but she couldn’t be sure if he did; in particular if he still did after her accusations. And if she presumed anything wrong, it would be awkward afterwards. Probably disastrous too. So, she refrained.

Subrato was elated to see her there. So elated that his heart was racing. He had to try hard to keep his reactions in control. From their phone calls and e-mails, he had come to believe that she was rather casual about his return to New York. As if it was hardly a big deal for her. It had been disappointing, though he hadn’t let it on. But obviously that was not the case. She had been planning a surprise. May be he could hug her, after all.

But he didn’t!

“No it doesn’t. In fact it makes you… happy. Paridhi. I was unsure about the decision. But right now, I feel really happy that I am back.”

“So am I,” she was not restrained in her response, “Has your luggage come yet? Shall we go.”

—

“Hudson Hotel, 58th street,” Subrato gave the address of the hotel to the cab driver outside the airport, then confirmed with Paridhi, “You will come with me, right? You are free?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

They sat silently for a while as the cab drove on. Paridhi broke the silence, “How long are you going to stay in the hotel?”

“They will pay for three weeks. I need to find an apartment by then.”

“Hmm… And what if you didn’t find an apartment by then?”

“Three weeks is long enough. I have already seen some options online…”

“But if you can’t?”

“Paridhi? What do you want to say?”

“I… I… Nothing… Nothing at all.”

“Sure?”

“Yeah.”

“I will find an apartment. Don’t worry.”

“Of course. You will…”

And awkward silence came between them once again.

“You could stay in my apartment,” suddenly she spoke again.

“Excuse me?”

“My roommate has moved out a while back. I haven’t taken anyone else in. I have a spare room. You can… Of course, only if… you want…”

He stared at her for a while before answering, “Why don’t you give the driver your apartment’s address?”

—

The room she led him to was squeaky clean, the bed was made and every piece of furniture was in place.

“Wow! You haven’t been doing Hotel Management here, have you?” he teased her.

“Huh?”

“I thought you weren’t know to keep your room clean. Back in those days, at least.”

She smiled, “I have snatched you away from a luxurious hotel. I hope it is comfortable.”

“It’s the best!”

“Why don’t you freshen up? I will get something to eat and drink. You want to take rest after that?”

“It’s better to stay awake until evening. Will help get over the jet lag faster.”

“Okay. Towels are there in the bathroom. I will make some coffee while you freshen up.”

But when Paridhi came back to the room with coffee, he had fallen asleep. She smiled, covered him with a blanket and stepped out noiselessly to avoid waking him up.

—
“So much for overcoming jet lag quickly,” he came to the hall after waking up.

Paridhi was reading something, “It’s okay. You have to join only on Monday. You will be fine by then. Did you sleep well?”

“Very well.”

“But now you will remain awake the entire night.”

“Truth be told, I am quite accustomed to doing that now.”

“Really? Why?”

“Somebody stole my sleep.”

Paridhi guffawed, albeit nervously, “I feel like I am watching a bollywood movie live with those corny dialogs. Shall I get you some coffee?” Then she regretted changing the subject. What if he did intend to say what she wanted to hear? But it was too late now.

“That’d be great.”

“So, I haven’t asked you yet,” he asked after she had brought coffee, “How have you been?”

“Fine!”

“Don’t you miss India?”

“I miss people.”

“But overall… Are you happy, Paridhi?”

“You mean to ask whether I have done the right thing in taking your advice,” she smiled, “The answer is yes. I couldn’t have taken a better decision. Steve, my guide, is very happy. But you, of course, know that.”

“Why would I know that?”

“Come on. You thought you would be able to keep it a secret from me. Steve told me how strong a recommendation you had given to him for me. And not just the formal one. He obviously knows you very well and respects you a lot.”

“We have worked together in past. And the respect is mutual. But yeah – you caught me. I have, indeed, kept a tab on your work,” he grinned.

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t do you a favour or anything Paridhi. You have done well. It proves that you got only what you deserved.”

“Why are you so hyper about proving that you never helped me with anything. You have helped me at every step. What is the harm in accepting it?”

“I wish I could explain. But anyway, aren’t you hungry?”

” I haven’t cooked at home. I still eat at Indian time. But restaurants here will be open for dinner already. If you don’t want to go out, I can order something in.”

“No. In fact, let me take you to a great Indian place in New York. I think you can’t get such nice Indian food even in India.”

“Really? Let’s go.”

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 13)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

Paridhi was still getting ready for the engagement ceremony, when she heard the commotion outside. Feeling uneasy, she grabbed the photo Subrato had given to her and came outside.

“There must be some misunderstanding, Mala ji,” her mother was pleading with her would-be mother-in-law, “Our daughter is not like that.”

“The proof is here. Which mother in the world can get his son married to a characterless girl, who is roaming around the city with God-Knows-Whom! I am leaving. This engagement can’t happen.”

“What’s going on?” Paridhi interrupted.

“You tell me,” her grandmother was literally grinding her teeth, “What is going on?” She thrust the photograph Mala had brought into Paridhi’s hand. “Who is this?” she demanded.

“This is… Wait a minute… Who clicked the photo?”

“Why don’t you just answer what has been asked of you?” it was her mother this time.

“I will,” Paridhi was sure by now of where all of this was going, “But I want to know who took this photo.”

“Somebody who cared about my son and my family,” Mala interrupted bossily, “I don’t care who it was. I am just happy I got to know your true colors in time.”

“And that somebody will be you, isn’t it Mala Auntie?” Paridhi looked directly in her eyes.

“What are you saying?”

“You very well know who this is. You spoke to me, I introduced him as my Professor, I had told you that there was a class dinner and we were waiting for others. You had even cracked a joke about we being a spoiled generation. But you were least interested in any of that, right? What you were really interested in was a way to create this drama. So, after talking to us so nicely, you took this photo without telling us. Just so you could use this as a weapon against me and my family on this day, right? What more? The very next day after meeting me here, and taking this photo, you went ahead and confirmed the proposal to my mother. It was all very convenient, wasn’t it? Wasn’t that why you had insisted on a small family-only engagement ceremony. You already knew the drama you were going to play here, didn’t you? Having too many people around would have been inconvenient!”

“That’s a great story darling,” Mala was prepared for this part and confident sarcasm was literally dripping from her words, “The question is why on earth would I do that?”

“You didn’t think I would have an answer for that, did you? Unfortunately for you, I have a photograph as well,” she straightened out the crumpled photograph in her hands in front of Mala’s eyes and she visibly recoiled in surprise.

“What… what is this?” she stammered.

“The truth. The real reason this engagement can not happen, could never have happened,” she turned around to show the photograph to other people in the room as well, which included her mother, grand mother and a relative who had been instrumental in fixing this wedding, whom her family had blindly trusted.

“Mummy. These people never intended to go ahead with this wedding. Aniket is not busy. He is… well… I don’t know whom you have insulted more? Me or your own son, Mala Auntie? What is more disturbing? Living with a handicap? Or having parents who can’t accept that their son may not fetch the fat dowry they had planned all through their lives and who trick somebody into giving that dowry. Or is he also happily a part of it? Like mother, like son?”

“This is outrageous. A characterless girl is making false accusations on my family…”

“Enough!” Paridhi roared this time, “Two things. First, make sure all the dowry money that has been given to you is back with my mother in twenty-four hours. Otherwise I am reporting this to the police. There is no saying what will happen once this goes out. Proving that you intended to deceive us all along is going to be a piece of cake for me. And dowry charges on top of that… You might want to read up on Internet how bad they can be… And you too Pradeep Uncle,” she turned to the relative, “Nobody is going to preach me about trusting the family any longer. How much of a cut were you going to get in the dowry? Actually… I am not interested in that right now. You just show as much enthusiasm in getting that money back to Mummy by tomorrow, as you had shown in getting this so-called-relationship fixed. Else be ready to be a co-accused of fraud and dowry charges. And the second thing. Get out!!”

—

Subrato smiled in admiration, “That was… something. And your legalese was quite in place. Fraud charges, co-accused etc. etc.”

“I had read up about the legal implications of it all. I might be sad, but I was not shocked that it happened this way. I couldn’t have guessed that she would try to use you to created this drama though. I was expecting something on my brother…”

“Never mind! I am not harmed,” suddenly he frowned recalling something, “You said something about holding you responsible. Who is holding you responsible? For what?”

“It was because I could not impress other decent people whose proposals had come earlier that we fell for these tricksters. What will my family do now? Where will they find a groom for me? The word will get out. And it doesn’t matter what the reality is, it is always the girl who suffers. Especially given that there is also dirt to be dug up on my brother.”

“This is ridi…” Subrato reacted impulsively, but controlled himself. Given her tendency to be by her family despite their insensitivity, he did not want to become another person hurting her.

“You can say it. You have always thought it to be ridiculous, haven’t you? My family? Me? My insistence on not going against them.”

“I don’t think you deserved this. Any of this. But beyond that, I am no one to pass judgment on who is right and who isn’t.”

“You are very kind.”

“Come on now… By the way, you came back just like that?”

“No. I finally did what anybody who had any clue of my situation thought I should do. I rebelled. I told them I am going to take none of it going forward. And they should leave me alone.”

“And?”

“And my grand mother blamed my mother as usual, for everything, and my mother told me that she will disown me if I stepped out of the house, like she had done for my brother.”

“And you still stepped out.”

“Yep. I am on my own now.”

Subrato watched her sombre face for a couple of seconds. He hadn’t been blind. He had often questioned himself on caring so much about her. She refused to see that her family was ruining her life. She accused him of conspiring against her when he tried to help her. Was she worth it? This moment answered it for him. Yes. A big, fat YES. She wasn’t an idiot. She wasn’t weak. She just cared. Cared to a fault. But that wasn’t a fault he could grudge her. She was worth all of it and more.

“No you are not,” he said suddenly.

“Excuse me?”

“You are not on your own. I’m there.”

“Yeah. I can see that very clearly. You were at Charbagh station too. At midnight,” she chuckled, albeit sadly. Still her attempt at cracking a joke showed that she had accepted her decision whole-heartedly and was willing to move on.

“If you accept that,” he said very carefully and slowly, watching her reaction, “I will take the liberty of being a bit intrusive and ask how are you placed financially and what help will you need.”

She seemed quite at ease as she replied and that made Subrato comfortable too, “This is the last term. Fees have already been paid for. I have enough savings from my pocket-money and summer internship stipend to last me a few months for my personal expenses. I will go for placements and try to get the joining as early as possible.”

“You have already thought everything through,” he smiled, “But if you ever need anything…”

“I will, I think…” she was more hesitant now.

“Go on.”

“If I get an admission in Ph. D. and have to go to US…”

“You will need money for the trip and setting down there until you start getting your pay from the university. Don’t worry.”

“It’s probably stupid, but I really don’t know how much that will be and how big a burden that will be for you. I still have to pay you back the application fees…”

“Umm… Despite what you would like to believe, I am not a first year MBA student. I have earned long enough now for that not to be a burden.”

Paridhi frowned and blushed at the first-year-student joke. Then she just shook her head, smiled and did not say anything in reply.

“I should go to my hostel now.”

“How will you explain reaching this late?”

“Delayed train. Indian railway can be our best friend sometimes. Nobody will doubt that.”

He realized very consciously how much he loved her witty remarks, “Have you eaten something?”

“I am not hungry.”

“Since when have you not eaten?”

She had forgotten that she was hungry since the morning. She had been advised to fast for the engagement.

“All right,” she did not directly reply to his question, but agreed to eat, “What do you have?”

“Only some dry snacks. But it’s better than being hungry.”

She followed him to his kitchen and noticed that there were no dishes in the sink.

“Have you eaten anything?” she asked in concern.

He just smiled and shrugged. He hadn’t eaten anything since morning. He had been too agitated.

“Fine. Let’s have an untimely meal of what have we got… Haldiram bhujia, Sunfeast biscuits and… Mixed fruit juice… A meal to remember!” she grinned and Subrato automatically followed the suit.

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 12)

Posted Mish10 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

Subrato slumped into his chair after Paridhi left and his eyes fell on the invitation card lying on his table. He picked it up. Engagement was fixed for 26th February. Less than ten days were left. And he had lost her trust! There was nothing he could do. She’d throw herself into an even worse pit than she currently was in. And he’d be able to do nothing.

He took a deep breath and tried to think clearly. It was only an engagement. The truth will come out somehow or the other. Unless there is an evil identical twin plan at work, which was too filmy to be true, by the day of engagement, the truth will come out. He just had to pray that she will hold herself together when it does. There, unfortunately, was no question of him being there for her.

He looked at the invitation card again. 26th February, 3.00 pm. He would be counting days, hours, minutes and seconds till then!

“And it’s only an engagement,” he told himself, “Things will be all right.”

—

It was five in the evening on 26th February. Subrato was restless. What had happened? He recalled his short, not-so-shocking chat with Stacey last night.

“Hi Subrato. Is it too late there?”

“No. I am very much awake,” he replied. Even if it had been too late, he wasn’t going to get any sleep that night, “Everything all right, Stacey?”

“Yes. I was just wondering. About Aniket… What you had asked about him. What really happened?”

“Hasn’t he left for India?” Subrato asked although it would not be surprising if he hadn’t. What could he be planning to do here anyway?

“Left for India? I saw him in the office cafeteria just a while back.”

“Hmm… Nothing has happened till now. And if he hasn’t left, nothing too bad will happen in future either.”

“Nobody is in trouble, I hope?”

“Nobody will be, I hope!”

“Just… take care of yourself.”

“Thanks Stacey. You have been extremely helpful.”

“And you have been very kind. All the best Subrato.”

“Same to you. Bye.”

It had taken him all his self-control to speak with civility to Stacey. He was in no mood to talk to anyone, much less explain his interest in Aniket to anyone. But despite his past grudges, Stacey had been helpful to him and he owed her for that. If Paridhi was not willing to believe him, it wasn’t Stacey’s fault. Whose fault it was? His own? Possibly. But possibly nobody’s. Paridhi’s strong sense of responsibility towards her mother has made her incapable of doing things for her own well-being. Not even refusing to marry into a cheating, lying, greedy family.

Her care for her family was adorable and annoying at the same time.

Subrato snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the watch again. 5.30! What was he waiting for? News won’t come from thin air. He will have to call her.

His call was picked up pretty quickly, though not instantaneously. “I am taking a train at 7 ‘o clock,” she said without waiting for any greetings. Was it a calmness in her voice? No. It was a chill.

“Paridhi. I…”

“I know that you know what has happened. Let me come and apologize in person.”

“That’s not the point. But you are taking a train this late. What time will it reach?”

“At midnight or so…”

“How will you… I will be at the station…”

“No. You don’t need…”

“Which train?”

“I will be fine.”

“Listen to me for once, will you? Which train?”

“Ganga Gomti,” his complain made her comply.

—

“Hadn’t any of your friends gone from here?” he asked while driving back to the institute from the station.

“I hadn’t told anyone.”

“Hmm…”

“Did you mean to ask why?”

“I don’t mean to do anything to make you feel bad.”

“You can’t do anything to make me feel worse than I am feeling right now. I didn’t invite anyone because I did not want to take the risk of everyone witnessing what finally happened. I accused you of unthinkable things. I was trying not to believe you. But deep down, I was only hoping that my accusations were true. I didn’t believe they were. That is no excuse for how I behaved with you, of course. But… that is a way of apologizing…”

“You know what your biggest problem is? You take too much responsibility on yourself. For everyone’s actions. You don’t need to do that for mine. I didn’t feel great that you didn’t trust me. But I have to be responsible for acting in ways that were bound to make you suspicious. So, stop beating yourself up over it.”

She smiled, but with extreme sadness, “Life is funny. Or may be I am funny. Right now you are the only person I think I have wronged. And you are the only person who doesn’t hold me responsible.”

“Who holds you responsible?”

“Everybody.”

“What exactly happened?”

He noticed tears filling her eyes. They were about to reach campus. She must talk.

“Can we… go to my house?” he asked hesitantly. It was past midnight.

She nodded.

He drove silently until they reached his house.

—

She sat silently on a chair in his living room, while he brought her a cup of hot tea. Until she took a sip, she hadn’t anticipated how much she needed the drink. She finished it silently and he let her do that.

“Thanks!” she finally said.

“I know that Aniket never left US…”

“He didn’t? And you knew this?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Just like I knew other things about him.”

“And how did you know anything about him?”

He sighed, “You remember, I had told you about Stacey? She works in the same company.”

“You called her?” her eyes widened in surprise, “Why… How… I mean… had you been in touch with her?”

“No.”

“Wasn’t it uncomfortable? It must have been…”

“Paridhi…”

“You did it for me?”

“So what?”

“And I…”

“If you once again start lamenting how you were wrong and all that, I swear I will throw you out of my house right now and not talk to you ever again. Do you understand?”

Paridhi smiled through her tears.

“And now you will tell me what happened.”

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 11)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

“Hi Stacey. This is… Subrato.”

“Subrato?” she didn’t know how to respond. They hadn’t spoken in over a year. They had even blocked each other on Facebook to avoid awkwardness. “Hi…” she added after a hesitant pause.

“Don’t be alarmed. It’s nothing about the past. I do need an unrelated favor, however. It is really, really important for me.”

“Anything I can do,” she sounded almost eager. She probably wanted to assuage her guilt about the way she treated him. Right now, Subrato did not mind exploiting it.

“It might be uncomfortable for you, but there is nothing wrong in it. It is really a question of someone’s entire life.”

“Why are you beating around the bush, Subrato?”

“I hope you remember something about the arranged marriage tradition in India I had told you about. There is an Indian guy in your office. He is an engineer, not a designer. But I was hoping you could tell me something about him.”

“What.. can.. I… tell…”

As Subrato had guessed, it was an uncomfortable proposition for her.

“Anything you know. Especially if there is a red flag. Just think if there is any reason why you wouldn’t want your best friend to be engaged to him. His name in Aniket Chauhan…”

“Hold on. Say that name again.”

“Aniket… Aniket Chauhan,” Subrato americanized his pronunciation of the name to help her place him in her memory easily.

“That Indian guy… he is a test engineer if I am not wrong. He had a major accident a few months back. He is the one getting married?”

“Yeah. Why? You sound surprised.”

“I, of course, am… He can’t get married. Not after the accident.”

“What has happened?”

Subrato heard in shock what Stacey told him next.

“Do you… happen to have a photo of him Stacey? Any office photo?” he asked after she was done.

“I do. There was an office party recently. But…”

“It won’t be traced to you. Trust me on this. Please. I need to be sure we are talking about the same guy”

“Okay… Fine…”

—

“Catherine!” Subrato spotted her in the academic area and called her.

“Yes Sir.”

“Where is Paridhi? I haven’t seen her for last one week. She had one of my books…”

Catherine gave a knowing smile. His excuse for asking about Paridhi was rather lame. “She has gone to Allahabad. She wasn’t feeling well.”

“In the middle of the trimester. Just like that?”

“I don’t understand her these days. You can call her about the book.”

“Her phone is switched off. Would you happen to have her home number?”

“I, in fact, do. Tell me your mobile number. I will SMS it to you.”

“Thanks. Please note down…”

—

One full ring had gone unanswered on the landline number Catherine had given him. Feeling hopeless, he still decided to give it another try. It got answered this time. And the voice made his heart skip a beat. It was definitely her.

“Paridhi?” he asked.

“Don’t call me again. I will get in trouble.”

“Meet me once, please. It is very important. I won’t do anything you find inappropriate. But there is something about Aniket you need to know. Please Paridhi….”

The phone was disconnected. He grew more and more agitated. He didn’t know that she was crying at the other end. “I’m sorry,” she was mumbling repeatedly holding the phone close to her heart. She wasn’t angry at him. She was angry at herself.

She couldn’t just throw away her studies like that though. She had to go back. She decided to take the train to Lucknow that afternoon itself. She was in his office before dinner time.

His relief on seeing her was obvious.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I am fine. Aniket is coming for engagement after all. Here is your invitation.”

He took it from her with a trembling hand.

“Do you have a photo of Aniket?”

“Why?” she did not get his drift at all.

“Just humour me. Do you have one? If yes, please show it to me.”

“Mummy had sent me some initially. They should be in my mailbox.”

“Please use the laptop and download them for me.”

She was completely confused, but she humored him as he had asked. He knew the face well by now. He had stared at the photo Stacey had sent for too long. They were of the same person. All, except one, photographs of Aniket that Paridhi had showed only the upper body. The only full-length photograph was obviously old.

“Can you please sit down, Paridhi?”

She obliged.

“I have a photograph of his as well,” he said finally, “which you must look at.” And he handed her a copy.

She was shocked. “What is this… A wheelchair?”

“It’s not just about the wheelchair. His… He had a major accident few months back. It’s the entire lower body…. He shouldn’t get married Paridhi. His parents are playing a big game…”

“Stop!” she almost shouted in anger.

“Paridhi!”

“You are the one playing a game… I respected you so much. I trusted you so much… And this is how… If you had asked me to rebel against my family for you… I might have relented… But this… this dirty, pathetic game… No. You can’t play this with me. I am not an idiot. And I hate you!”

“Paridhi, there is no game.”

“Not a word more. This time… I am not running away from you. I am going to stay in the campus. But don’t you dare come near me or try to talk to me.”

“Please listen to me… This is…”

But she didn’t wait and stormed out of the room.

—

Paridhi threw herself on her bed in the hostel room and buried her face in the pillow. Nothing made any sense to her. She took a look at the photograph of Aniket in a wheelchair that Subrato had handed over to her. It was with a group of people. Possibly in his office. She made to throw the photograph away, but didn’t finally do that. A part of her wanted to throw it away. But another part of her couldn’t suspect Subrato of playing a game the way she had accused him of. But if he was indeed playing a game, wasn’t she herself responsible for it? Didn’t she practically throw herself at him? Wasn’t she already aware of her feelings? Shouldn’t she have stepped back instead of relying on him not getting affected by them? If he was playing a game, she was responsible for it. She was at fault! Always! So, even if she shouted at him, blamed him, accused him, she’d have to ensure that nothing goes wrong from now on. But what was she to do? Aniket and his family were not going to get any better. Her mother won’t start looking at the world in a different way. What would happen to her? To her family whom she was trying so hard to please!

She thrust the photograph in a bag that she’d take with her to Allahabad and tried to concentrate on other things. Not that it was working out for her!

She was at fault! Always!

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 10)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

She came to his office a couple of days later. She knocked and walked in without waiting for his permission. He realized that it had become her habit for quite sometime now. Especially when she was sure nobody else was inside.

“Hi!”

“Hi Paridhi. You had some work?”

“No. I came… Just like that…”

“I thought you would be busy.”

“Why did you think that?”

“Last term. Placements. Then your wedding preparations… When is it anyway?”

She sighed.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I didn’t come to bother you with these things. I just thought… I actually have a lot of time in hand. I am applying only to selected companies for placement. There are only three courses to be done this term. Can I continue the independent study project? Not for credit, of course. Just to keep myself busy.”

“You can, if you want to. But what are you trying to run away from?”

“It’s a daily roller-coaster. They neither leave me out of it, nor do I have any say in it.”

“What happened?”

“Every other day, there seems to be a problem. Sometimes about jewelry, sometimes about dates for engagement and wedding, sometimes about nothing at all…”

“If the families have so much problem, why do they want the wedding?”

“God knows.”

“Probably they enjoy the dance. It is part of the ritual. You shouldn’t bother.”

“How do I not bother? Mummy keeps calling. And when she gives me some respite, Dadi is more than willing to fill the void.”

“Is it worth it, Paridhi?”

“Don’t give me more self-doubts than what I already have.”

“I am sorry. Do you have any specific ideas about the project, you’d like to work on?”

“Not really. You must be working further, right? What was your plan?”

“I was thinking of extending the study to other Indian states of that time. Nizams in Hyderabad, for example. You can pick up one such state to study. We can also do comparisons of the economic policies of different states.”

“Sounds good. Anything to get me started?”

“I will send you an e-mail.”

“Okay. I will see you later.”

He saw her walking out. She looked pale and sickly, her mental agony showing up in her physical condition too. Her gait was listless. The question she had refused to answer kept bugging him. Was it worth it? Will it really make her mother happy? What was the guarantee? And even if it did, for how long? Won’t her unhappiness and disappointment seep back into her mother’s life too? And if it didn’t, if her problems would never bother her mother, was such a mother worth all the sacrifices?

And for some reason, his own old pain came back to fore. It hurt him until he had to ask. Was Stacey worth all the pain and hurt he was carrying? Probably not. He should move on. He wanted to move on. Move on to what? To whom?

—

It was a Saturday evening. She had gone to Allahabad, her home, for the weekend. Her mother wanted her there to help with preparations. And Subrato was pacing up and down his living room thinking constantly about her. Nothing about this impending wedding sounded right. Apart from the short conversation she had with Aniket before the term started, she had not talked to him at all. He was too busy, according to his parents. So, even the wedding could not happen before June. Paridhi’s mother wanted at least the engagement to happen soon, if he could not come for long enough to get the wedding done. The promised dowry money was being given to Aniket’s parents in installments almost every week. When they raised concerns about the expense of his coming to India twice – once for engagement and then again for wedding, her family had gone ahead and offered to pay for his India trip for engagement, in addition to the already absurdly high dowry. He was to come in the last week of February for the engagement. It was already nearing the end of January and hence all the hurry of preparations on Paridhi’s mother part.

Subrato was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of doorbell. It was past seven in the evening. Who would it be at this hour? Definitely not a student. He opened the door still preoccupied with his thoughts of her. It was like a personification of his thoughts. It was her at the door.

“What happened? You came back already?” he asked as he stepped aside to let her in.

She looked like she was just waiting from come inside in the privacy of his house. She started sobbing even before he had closed the door behind them.

“Hey. What’s wrong? Stop crying Paridhi. Talk to me.”

She was about to slump on the floor, when he caught her, “That’s enough. Stop crying. Come here. Sit down.”

“As soon as the money for his tickets was given to them, they changed the plan,” she was able to talk only after a couple of minutes.

“Changed the plan?”

“He is not getting any leaves. So, he will come directly for wedding. Mummy freaked out and…”

“And she blames you.”

Paridhi nodded.

“Don’t listen to her. She is just disturbed.”

“She… And Dadi… They said things I don’t have the heart to repeat.”

“This has to stop Paridhi. This can’t be healthy. You can’t marry this guy. You can’t go to such a greedy family.”

“They have already pocketed at least seven lacs rupees of dowry.”

“Who cares!”

“My family does. They won’t let go. Let’s not talk about that. Please. I… I have to adjust. I just don’t know…”

He held her by her shoulders and pulled her in a gentle hug. She did not resist. “This is not fair,” he mumbled, “You don’t deserve this. Please don’t let them do this to you.” His gentle embrace tightened into an intimate hug effortlessly. From both their sides.

She came to her senses first and pulled herself away. Subrato looked lost for a moment before the realization dawned on him. Damn it! He was no longer just her confidant. He was no longer just an observer in her story. He was a participant in it. Whether he willed it or not.

But before he could gather his thoughts and say anything, he heard her mumble, “This isn’t right. This is disastrous. Do you understand that?”

She didn’t wait for his reply despite asking the question and ran out of there. Subrato helplessly sank into a chair lying nearby.

That night he made the call he had been unable to make up his mind about.

—

To be Continued

Coming Around (Part 9)

Posted Mish12 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

“Steve. Take her without thinking twice. She will be a great asset. Great aptitude for research and hard-working,” Subrato was speaking to an acquaintance in New York University, when Paridhi came in. He quickly finished the conversation, “It is some unearthly hour there, Steve. I will call you back later. Bye.”

Paridhi had come back from home after a short break between the trimesters.

“Congratulations Paridhi. You are still the topper after last trimester’s result,” he welcomed her.

“I myself haven’t collected the grade-sheet. How do you know?”

“It is not some super-secret. We have access to the grade sheets of all students.”

“Right. I was worried about the grade in independent study,” she teased him, “The prof was so difficult to please.”

“You managed to scrape through,” Subrato also replied in jest and both of them laughed. “So, how was the break?”

“I spoke to him finally. Just for a few minutes.”

“Spoke to whom? Oh! You finance?”

“Yeah. Aniket Chauhan. That’s his name. I guess I never told you that.”

“You didn’t. I had started wondering if you knew yourself. Anyway, how did it go?”

“It was just how-are-you-i-am-fine conversation. But I did tell him that I intend to pursue a Ph. D. or get a job there. He said that was fine with him.”

“That’s… That’s great Paridhi. So, you are feeling better now?”

“I am indeed. May be this great Indian arranged marriage drama will work out all right.”

“I’m very happy for you. So, what else did you do?”

“Went Lehanga shopping,” she grinned, “Now help me. I have these photos from the trials. Tell me which one looks good.”

“Arr… Me? I am not an expert.”

“I’m not asking for an expert opinion. Here, see these,” she handed her mobile phone to him. It had photos of hers in different lehangas. Something made him feel very uncomfortable as he went through those photos. But making his choice was not difficult. It was purple lehanga with heavy silver work that caught his attention. It looked very good on her.

“This one,” he showed the photo to her.

“Wow! I liked this too. But everyone thought I should get something in red or related shades.”

“Like I said I am not an expert. They probably know better.”

“But for this one thing, the final choice is mine. I am going with the purple one.”

“Sure?”

“Yes.”

“By the way, which company does Aniket work for?”

“He works for Praxis Solutions, their offshore Indian arm actually. But he has been on site for last 2 years in New York.”

“Praxis Solutions?” Subrato asked looking tense.

“Yes. Why? Some problem?”

“No. No. Nothing like that. So, things are looking great for you. Only one trimester left here.”

“Yes. And I have only three courses this trimester. It is going to be very light.”

“And placements?”

“I won’t hear from the universities before placements, will I?”

“Unlikely.”

“Then yes – placement madness too.”

“You would prefer a Ph. D. over a job? Assuming you get one that takes you to US?”

“You yourself said I would do better in a Ph. D.”

“That was my assessment. But what do you want?”

“I trust your assessment.”

“You shouldn’t trust anyone blindly.”

She laughed at that, “Sometimes it is my fate. At least here, it is my choice. Anyway. So, Mummy is very happy with my compliance. So, I have some extra pocket-money this time. Not enough to pay you the application fees back. But I can take you out for a nice dinner.”

“That’s great. But you shouldn’t be spending your extra pocket-money on me.”

“Who should I be spending it on?”

“I don’t know. Yourself. Your friends.”

“Why are you being so pricey. You don’t want to come with me?”

“Arr… No. No. I was just… trying to be nice?”

“Don’t then. Are you free tonight?”

“Very much.”

“I will meet you at the institute gate at quarter to seven, then.”

“Okay Ma’am. Whatever you say.”

—

“You were also in New York, right?” Paridhi asked during their ride to the restaurant.

“Yeah.”

“You must know the place very well then.”

“Like the back of my hand. I had assumed it would be my home for rest of my life.”

“And then you landed in Lucknow!” Paridhi chuckled, “Plan on going back?”

“I have two-year contract with the institute. Will see after that. Haven’t made up my mind.”

“Do you like it here?”

“In parts.”

“Which parts do you like?”

He grinned, “Being mistaken as a first year MBA student. That is very flattering.”

“Shut up. It’s not fair to bring that up. I made a fool of myself, all right.”

“Well – you asked the question.”

She pouted and did not reply.

“I also like our dinner dates. So long as your mother-in-law doesn’t intervene.”

“Stop making fun of me.”

“You don’t seem to appreciate genuineness. Am I supposed to say that I like the greenery on the campus, the academic environment, the director and the PGP chairman?”

“I give up!”

“Here we are. Falaknuma at Clark Awadh. This would be extremely expensive. Are you sure we are going here?”

“I have cash with me. If I run out of it, you can pay the balance. I won’t pay for any hard drinks, by the way.”

“I won’t dare being caught drinking with an underage girl!”

“What the… I am not underage!”

Subrato laughed out loud, “I know. I was just pulling your leg. If I can be a first year MBA student, you’d very much be underage. Come now.”

—

It was another restless night for Subrato. Why the hell had she worn a purple dress to the dinner? He had not commented on it, but he could not put her image in that dress out of his mind. The color did indeed suit her well. But why did she…

And her fiance was at Praxis Solutions. Their New York office. Should he? Should he not? Will it be a help or an interference?

—

To be continued

Coming Around (Part 8)

Posted Mish6 CommentsPosted in English, Original, Subrato-Paridhi

Subrato twisted and turned in his bed that night. This hadn’t been unusual since the fateful day Stacey had walked out on him and he had flushed the ring down the toilet. But lately that pain had started fading away. Today it was something else that was keeping him awake. The tear-stained face of Paridhi. He could not stop comparing the happy-go-lucky girl he had met on the train to Lucknow just a few months back to this dejected, sad girl he knew now. It wasn’t fair. She was intelligent. She was caring… Despite her mother’s unfair, almost cruel attitude, she cared about her. She deserved better in return. But what could be done? He felt quite helpless. If she wanted to rebel, there were ways to help her. But what she wanted… To keep everyone happy… It was impossible to do anything about it… And who the hell was this guy, supposedly her fiance, who had no interest in talking to her. Subrato had seen his fair share of arranged marriages amongst his family and friends. Nobody got married like this in 21st century.

He fell asleep only in the wee hours of morning and was annoyed when a furious knock on the door woke him up.

“Paridhi? What are you doing here?” he was barely able to keep his eyes open.

“Did you fall sick? You had pani-puri last night? You shouldn’t have had it… Why did you have to compete with me…” her verbal diarrhea was back full on.

“Stop. Calm down. I am just sleepy because I slept late. Who told you I was sick?”

“You didn’t come to your class,” she mumbled realizing that she might have panicked unnecessarily.

“What class… What time is it… Oh God! Didn’t my alarm go off?”

“You didn’t answer your cell phone either. Many people called.”

“But this is Macroeconomics. First year class. How did you know?”

“Their entire section was celebrating not having an 8 ‘o class… But I… unnecessarily disturbed your sleep… I will leave…”

“Wait. Come in. Give me a minute.”

He went back inside his room and came out after washing his face and brushing his teeth. The look of embarrassment was clear on Paridhi’s face as she sat on the edge of a chair in his hall.

“Now, don’t look so disconcerted,” he grinned at her.

“I got worried,” she mumbled.

“I am not surprised. You care. A bit too much.”

“Is that a bad thing?” her question sounded earnest.

“No. That’s the sweetest thing in the world. Given how uncaring and insensitive most people are… it is the rarest and the sweetest quality. But yes – you do run the risk of people taking advantage of you.”

“But you won’t do that, would you?” she grew emotional.

He looked at her for a moment before answering, “No. I won’t.”

They sat in silence for a minute. He was looking at her, while her eyes were downcast. Finally, she looked up and said, “I should leave now.”

“No. Wait. You have come here for the first time. Let me at least get you some tea.”

“You make it yourself?”

“I don’t have an army of servants.”

“Let me do it.”

“You don’t trust me to make tea? I cook for myself too,” he said light-heartedly.

“It’s not that.”

“Sit down Paridhi. You are a guest today. I won’t be a minute.”

“Let me at least come to the kitchen with you.”

“All right. And there was something I have been thinking about and wanted to tell you.”

“Yeah?”

“Have you considered going into research. A Ph. D?”

“Umm… No. Why do you ask?”

“I think you have an aptitude for research. And you would do really well there.”

“Why are we discussing my career here?”

“Because,” he put the water to boil on the stove and turned to face her, “You can apply to the universities in US. You still have time for this year’s application deadlines at most places. If you get a scholarship for Ph. D. you can go there on student VISA and after that there shouldn’t be any problem in your career there.”

“Hmm,” she appeared thoughtful as she tried to digest this information, “Is that really feasible?”

“Definitely feasible. We, of course, have to pray that you get the scholarship or at least acceptance from one of the good universities. But I think you stand a good chance.”

“In which field?”

“I would recommend Economics. Although, if you don’t like that we can consider other options too.”

“No. No. Economics is fine,” her eyes shone, “This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“Wait until your dreams come true,” he smiled fondly.

“Thank you! Thank you so much.”

“Don’t get over-excited right away. Let the plan succeed.”

“If I fail, I fail. Nothing can be done about it. But for now, I at least there is something to try. How do I apply?”

“You don’t have any classes to attend?”

“The trimester is about to end. I have 85% attendance in all of them. And you have already missed the only class you had to take today.”

“You know my schedule. Great. Let me also toast some bread then. We will discuss over breakfast.”

—

“This Statement of Purpose reads like poetry!” Paridhi remarked unsurely. She was in Subrato’s office and they were working on the last-minute improvements in her application package before submitting it to various universities.

“It reads just fine. Here… I corrected some proofreading mistakes. I think we are ready to submit. Payment can be done online.”

“But I don’t have a credit card.”

“I am using mine.”

“Okay. How much is it?”

“Varies from university to university…”

“How much for this university,” she peered at his laptop as he prepared to submit the first application, “Oh my God! 400 dollars. Is that the average?”

“I think so.”

“No wait. That’s like… You had shortlisted 12 universities for me. 4800 dollars… 25 thousand? 30 thousand? I can’t do it. I don’t have so much saving and Mummy will never agree to…”

“Relax. I am paying.”

“No. No,” she panicked and grabbed his hand to stop him from submitting the application. She lost balance in his reflex attempt to free himself and he had to hold her to stop her from hitting the table. They suddenly found themselves in uncomfortable physical proximity. Paridhi gulped in embarrassment as she regained her balance with his help. Subrato withdrew his hand as soon as she was stable. He also looked embarrassed, but he recovered faster than her.

“It’s not a big deal, Paridhi. Let me pay.”

“It’s way too much money.”

“Make sure you don’t leave behind any of the gold jewelry your mother-in-law is so keenly planning to getting from your family. They will be rightfully yours. And once you have them you will have more than enough money to repay me.”

“I am supposed to do things believing that my dowry will come to me. You have no idea how absurd and impractical that thought is. Let’s drop this idea. Or at least cut down on the number of universities…”

“Paridhi. Do me a favour. Let me pay. Please. Our lives, hopefully, are not ending tomorrow. Once you get the admission and scholarship, you can slowly pay me back from that. Trust me.”

“But…”

“Please…”

She was disarmed. She looked on emotionally, as he submitted applications and made payments repeatedly.

“The last date for submission of recommendations is around 15th January at most places. One will be mine, of course. Make sure you remind the PGP chairman to write his before the deadline. Recommendations play a very important role.”

She nodded wordlessly.

“Cool then. This is done. Now concentrate on your exams and report submissions for all projects. You must not lose your grades, if you have go into research”

She nodded again.

“And don’t forget to submit the report of independent study before deadline. I didn’t give grade-drop to anyone in Econometrics because of you. But I won’t be so lenient this time,” he mock-threatened her to lighten the mood.

She looked at him in surprise. He did it for her! Why?

“You have taken the vow of not talking or what?” he joked and got up from his chair to stretch a bit.

An overwhelmed Paridhi could not stop herself. She went forward and hugged him tight. He was surprised, almost shocked. He patted her head, but did not hug her back. He looked confused. And almost scared of touching her.

She looked embarrassed after breaking the hug. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Don’t worry. Our emotions do get too much for us to handle at times,” he feared that his own voice will tremble, but he managed to maintain an outward calm, “Are you all right?”

“Yes. Irrespective of what comes out of it all, I will forever be indebted to you… For caring…” she said. Subrato could not reply to that; just looked at her with a mixture of curiosity, fondness and…

“I should leave now,” she spoke again, “Too may deadlines approaching for the trimester. I will send you the report by mail.”

“Sure.”

She took one final look at him and then left.

—

To be continued