chapter 26

Chapter 26Battle lines are drawnHer mother made a rare appearance in her room after Anu had changed.“I didn’t want us to discuss this in front of your kaki. To think that my daughter can hurt me so much! Bring me shame!” her mother said in a remarkably controlled voice. In fact, her voice was almost a whisper, and yet so clear. She reminded Anu of Mr. Arya…the way he had insulted her after her open defiance in a meeting.Her mother sat down heavily. “I thought you were a sensible girl. You should have known this could never work! And to do this behind my back!” She seemed to be swaying between concern for her daughter and anger.Anu tried to placate her mother and sat next to her. “Ma…Chintan is not like his father. There was no intention of doing anything behind your back. It just…we just…” Her mother’s unforgiving eyes fixed on her made her fumble.Suddenly, her mother softened. Stroking her daughter’s hair, she said, “If your father had been there, he would have taken all responsibilities. We have only each other now. We have to look out for each other. If they hurt you…? I don’t think I can take another jolt to my heart. You understand, don’t you? You couldn’t work with this Arya… how will you manage living with that family? If something happens?” She got up, silencing her daughter with a gesture. “I am sure you will not disappoint me.”Anu sank in her bed, leaning against the head stead. She tossed and turned as sleep eluded her, and finally fell into a restless sleep.  The next morning, she woke up with the same dismal feeling and by afternoon, she was ready to give it all up. Her mother’s message was clear, and not completely wrong. She trusted Chintan, there was no gainsaying that. But the thought of Mr. Arya made her stomach churn.Meeting Chintan that day didn’t improve her mood much. He seemed as tense as she, though he tried to assure her everything would be fine. She felt a knot in her stomach. When she hesitantly asked, “Will your father meet my mother?” she saw a frown on his face for the first time since she had known him. Plunged into a gloomy silence, she was further dismayed when he said, “I wish your mother hadn’t asked for this…”“It was inevitable, wasn’t it?” she asked in a small voice.He amazed her by saying curtly, “I would have informed him after we were married.”The knot in her stomach tightened when her mother pointedly ignored the topic after she returned. The following day, as she was leaving for work, her mother said, “I thought we could go to the temple together this evening. It has been a long time.”Anu looked at her mother surprised. Yes, it had been more than a year… Was this her way of making Anu come back early, not meet Chintan?The plan for the day was to change anyway. Chintan called her in the afternoon his voice trembling with suppressed excitement. “Dad has agreed to visit your mother this evening.”“What!”She rushed home early, and was startled to see her mother getting ready for the temple. With a trembling heart, she told her mother of Mr. Arya’s impending visit.“But we are not free today!” her mother said. “You should have told Chintan we are going to the temple.” Her mother continued getting ready. Anu sat watching her mother, dazed. Her mother seemed to be taking agonisingly long to dress.“Ma…getting Mr. Arya is difficult…”Her mother’s one look quelled her. “Get ready,” her mother instructed.Anu felt as if she were 10 years old again. She went to her room with tears in her eyes, upset. She dressed half-heartedly, then called Chintan, asking him to delay their visit, updating him on the scene at home. Chintan told her that luckily, they would be delayed as his father was still out.Anu and her mother returned from the temple at around 8. Soon after, Chintan and Mr. Arya came. “Didn’t you tell them, it won’t be convenient today?” her mother asked her, loud enough for the Aryas to hear.Mr. Arya, though, gave no indication of having heard. He seemed busy examining the house. “Why, Chintan, do you think the outhouse that we are planning would be this size?”Chintan smoothly sidestepped the question and introduced Anu’s mother. Mr. Arya and she locked eyes, then Mr. Arya smiled and said, “I must say you have brought up your daughter with just the right values.” His voice was smooth and insinuating. “She was my favourite employee… No Anu? She is ambitious, yes, she is. Now she wants to become my daughter-in-law!” He smiled at Anu pointedly. Anu looked down.“My daughter is well-brought up. Knows her place and has tremendous dignity. Wealth doesn’t charm her. I was hoping your son has some recommendation besides being your son?” her mother said pleasantly, a clear match to his sarcasm.Mr. Arya’s raised an eyebrow. “Indeed? My son, mercifully, doesn’t have to go around proving his worth. And I thought,” here he again looked at the house, “he had better taste.”Chintan cleared his throat and said, “Baba…”Arya raised his palm and said impatiently, “Don’t interrupt when elders are speaking.” He turned back to Anu’s mother. “So, I understand you wanted to meet me. What about?”“To see if I judged you wrong. Unfortunately,” Anu’s mother got up, “I seem to be right in guessing that you will not give my daughter a happy home.”Mr. Arya got up too. “There was never a question of giving her a home. My son may amuse himself with girls like her if he wants to.” He looked Anu up and down, making her skin crawl. “But to mistake that for something more…”Anu looked at Chintan, willing him to correct his father. Chintan, as shocked, opened his mouth to protest when Anu’s mother raised her voice, “You may leave now, Mr. Arya. I think my daughter is safer where she is.”“And that is where she shall remain always.” Mr. Arya turned to go.Chintan interjected angrily. “Dad! I love her and will marry her.”Anu’s mother said softly, “Sorry, son. I think you can stop dreaming. If you think I will let you even see her after this.” Mr. Arya laughed sardonically. “Son, she is attractive, but I will find you a replacement. However, if you insist on pursuing this, then you can forget all about me supporting that farm of yours.”Chintan stared at his father angrily. He stepped closer to Anu. As if sensing it, Arya turned and deliberately looking at Anu appraisingly, said, “But trust me, I have tasted better women.”Anu burst out angrily at this insult, “Mr. Arya! I had some respect for you. You have dashed it all today.” She felt Chintan’s arm on her, restraining her. She turned to him and spat out, “Your father sits here, in my house, and insults me. Are you going to tell me to wait before reacting, Chintan?” She felt the dam of restraint breaking. Her voice became shrill as she demanded, “Wait and watch your father shred me to pieces and then use that to get your way?”“Anu!” Chintan exclaimed, his hurt look searing her heart. “You know him…and you expected this would happen. Did I say he has to give me permission? It was your mother who insisted on it!”“So now you blame me for this!” Anu’s mother asked and then turned to look at Anu triumphantly. Her look of ‘see what you are letting yourself into’ was unmistakable.Chintan stepped forward pleading, “Anu, we don’t have to care for what they say!”“Oh! So you will teach my daughter now to rebel against her mother?”He turned on her. “What do you want to do? Keep her tied to your pallu all your life as your personal nurse?”“Chintan!” Anu shrieked, contrite when her mother looked stunned and hurt. Her head ached suddenly. “Go away! How dare you talk to her like this!”Chintan turned to her, pleading, “I love you, Anu! Don’t let them come in the way!” Arya returned suddenly. “Son, I am waiting for you in the car. I hope you are done here. Then we can discuss the other matter you were mentioning – funds for the expansion of your retail business.” Chintan stared at his father shocked, the intended threat unmistakable.Anu ran into her room, knowing their love was being held ransom. She didn’t even know right now how she felt about him!Despite the closed door, she heard an altercation between Chintan and her mother, and her mother say clearly, “You will never marry my daughter!” She heard Chintan leave. She had held her breath without realising, and as she released it, floodgates opened and tears flowed unstopped.