Chapter 1
As she walks down the corridor, Mr, Shukla gasps. He almost does not want to believe that the jaunt form is the Poonam he knew. But, there is no mistaking the cheerful smile, it is her, alright.
As she touches his feet and puts her hands together with a “Namaste”, he can’t help but notice how much older she looks since when they last met.
The last time they met was when she was conferred her post graduation degree from the institute. It was just five years back. She graduated and he gave his best wishes and blessings to yet another batch.
Lots of students come and go, but Poonam was always special to Mr. Shukla. Her devil-may-care attitude combined with her deep caring for others, her soft and courteous manner combined with her brutal honesty, she was the daughter he wished he had.
As she settled in the seat beside him, he tried not to look at her graying temples and growing wrinkles. Her face was so dark and splotchy, all her radiance gone. As if she could read his mind, she said “Time flies.” He gave a weak smile in response.
“So how have you been, Poonam?” He manages to ask. She answers with an unflinching bright smile “Wonderful, Sir!” His heart sinks.
Though he has been in touch with Poonam over the years and knows she has lost her father, he does not know how to broach the subject. Finally his words tumble out “Your father. How is he? Is he...?” Her face doesn’t lose its calm as she says “We lost him Sir. It’s been four years. I think I told you before.”
“What happened?” He musters “He had diabetes, didn’t he ?”
She lets out a sigh “Diabetes. That’s what. Renal failure eventually.”
Her calm wrenches his heart. Briefly, the image of the Papa’s girl crosses his mind. How she would wait for the vacations to see her father, the many gifts she would buy for him. How she’d be fighting tears when talking about his waning health.
“You married. How are your in-laws?”
“They are fine Sir. So am I. My mother-in-law just needed a little bashing down. Now she doesn’t talk to me. My life is good.”
He looks appalled, so she continues merrily, “She was mean to me, I tried telling her off nicely. Then I realized, my father’s gone. My mother is more concerned about her social image than my happiness. I have no elder brother. So I have to be my savior.”
His eyes are wide with shock now. She continues, “I told her, this marriage is on probation far as I am concerned. The day I decide it is not my best interest I will walk out. I won’t even bother to file a divorce. You may send me the paperwork to sign later.”
“You see Sir, I never wanted to marry. After my father’s death my family was upon me like a flock of vultures. When he was alive, he shooed off anyone who tried to talk him into ignoring my wishes. After he died, they just bothered me too much. I agreed in exasperation.” She continues, “After all, my father had kept enough money for my marriage, which he said I could use for something else if I didn’t marry. So to marry me off, no one had to spend a dime. They only needed to give their valuable advice.”
Back to her poised self again, she sighs “Whatever.”
A long minute passes before Mr. Shukla asks “How is your husband?”
She replies with a smile this time “Fine, I hope. He’s a great person. Only he never stands up to his mother. Like if my mother told him all the things his mother said to me, I would definitely stop my mother. But he never tries. Which hurts. Otherwise he is good. We get along wonderfully.”
Mr. Shukla heaves a sigh of relief.
As the evening skies darken, Poonam says she has found a spiritual teacher. She says she has found happiness, has given up smoking and alcohol. Mr. Shukla regards her with concern. After all, spiritual teachers are phonies. Her haggard face doesn’t look like that of a happy person. Except for her brilliant smile which lights up her eyes. But it’s difficult to say if she is smiling for happiness or at happiness.
Soon, it is time for Mr. Shukla to leave. Poonam walks him to his vehicle. On the way she tells Mr. Shukla that she suffered a miscarriage a few months ago. She initially did not want a baby, but still the miscarriage broke her heart and her body. He advises her to eat good food.
As she waves him goodbye, Mr. Shukla feels melancholic. The girl he came to meet from so far away was never to be seen again. A God-fearing man, an unformed question leaves his heart nonetheless, why does God allow the worst to happen to the best of people?
