Manoj was upset and didn’t know how to react to the news. He didn’t want to hurt Sikha, as he knew how vulnerable she was, at that moment. He wanted to console her, take her in his arms but he feared the worst. Sikha was sobbing continuously while she was speaking to Manoj. It was becoming increasingly difficult for Sikha to hold her tears. Sikha and Seema Di never wanted this to happen but as we say, Life surprises us every minute and it’s difficult to predict things. Taking baby steps Manoj approached his better half,
“Sikhu, please don’t be upset, things will be fine”
“What… How can you be so sure, Manoj? Do you realize what has happened?” Sikha said, as she wiped her tears with a white napkin.
With courage on his sleeves, Manoj drew himself close to his ladylove and then holding her tightly he said “I know, it’s testing time for you guys… but just be brave and remember one thing, I will support you in every possible way.”
“That man… How could he do this?” Sikha got up from the couch and went into the wash room closing the door behind her with a thud “
Though in past Manoj has resented to Sikha’s such type of behavior of getting closed in their tiny bathroom, today he feels otherwise. He wants Sikha to cry her heart out and maybe in this attempt she would be able to forgive the person whom she loved the most.
Sikha loved her Dad immensely, Mr. Mishra was her ideal man. When Manoj had proposed Sikha five years back, she had given this prompt reply “ I want someone like Dad,”. She loved being her Dad’s little girl, but today this girl has got the shock of her life.
“Sikhu, Dad has been having an affair and Mom needs to be free…” Suddenly Sikha’s world kept crashing hearing to Seema Di’s words.
“What… Di? I mean, Do you know what you are saying?”
“Yeah!! I know pretty well, and it took me a long time to accept the fact. But now that I have done, I want you to know the truth as well”
Seema Di’s words gave Sikha a deep wound that could hardly heal. And since then Sikha has been suffering silently. Sikha always epitomized the bonding of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Mishra were married for last thirty years and though Sikha has been staying in hostel since the age of eighteen, she has always yearned for her parents’ company. Her Mom and Dad were the people she idealized and looked up to. She could hardly understand the reason for disagreement between two matured souls. In her college days she had seen her Mom and Dad fight, but those were on petty issues and things used to be fine between the two in no time. She had never imagined in her slightest thought that her beloved duo will be interested to seek life independent from each other. At such a ripe age when both of them are in their late fifties how could they think of Divorce?
Divorce… was a very hard word for Sikha. She had seen her childhood bestie Richa pass through a very rough phase owing to her parents’ separation. She had seen Richa break sown several times and being a strong girl, she had supported her pal to the best of her ability. But today when the sword is looming on her head, she wants to run away to the quietude of her inner soul. She can’t digest the fact, that her superman has cheated on her Mom. When both looked so happy together, what must have transpired leading to such an ugly situation? How could Dad fall in love with another lady and that to at this age? What will everyone think? How is Mom going to fend for herself after this? Should I speak to Dad again or not? All these questions have been making waves in Sikha’s mind and she seemed utterly helpless.
“Do you want to speak to Dad?” asked Manoj, the moment Sikha came out from the washroom.
Wiping her tears with her bare hands and tying her hair up with a band, Sikha said “No…. I don’t want to speak to him on this, only person I am going to talk to is Mom. I want to know from her. Seema Di is flying from Delhi tomorrow with the papers, once she is here, both of us will go and meet Mom”.
Manoj and Sikha have been married for last three years. All this while, Manoj had never seen Sikha in such a state, emotionally weak but stern on face, a trait she has inherited from her Mom, who had never been vocal about her husband’s wrong deeds. A true and gentle lady, Mrs. Mishra was a perfect blend of grace and intelligence. Manoj was aware, as to how Mamma (as Manoj fondly calls her) had sold her paintings and supported Sikha while she was in college as Dad’s salary was not enough to support entire Mishra household. Not only that, Sikha used to always blabber how Mamma was a perfect wife who not only loved her family dearly but also had been for her in-laws through thick and thin. It’s evident that Sikha is heartbroken, and to divert her attention Manoj said…… “Hey Sikhu, Mummy was asking, what you cooked today?” Sikha used to hate such kitchen related probing that used to come from Manoj’ s mother every now and then. Today Manoj wanted to use it as a weapon to deviate his sweetheart’s attention from such an untoward thing, but to no avail. To his surprise, Sikha said nothing and just uttered a silent “Hmm”.
Sikha was eager to meet Mom the next day, she didn’t have the courage to meet her alone and was waiting for Seema Di’s arrival. Manoj wanted to take a day off from work but Sikha asked him to continue with his office duties. Sikha’s swollen eyes and puffy face bore testimony to the fact that she had been awake the whole night. She texted her boss, that she will be on leave owing to some personal emergency. She took the mobile in her hand and started exploring the pictures of Mom and Dad. Sikha’s gallery showed pictures of the happy couple which had been clicked on their last vacation, moreover there were clicks from Sikha’s cousin’s marriage too which immediately popped up. As Sikha touched them with her hands, tears started rolling down her eyes. Suddenly the door bell rang, and Sikha ran at her highest speed…it was Seema Di, Sikha’s elder sister.
“Sikhu…”Seema Di, hugged Sikha so tightly that she could hear her breathe.
“Di…” Sikha, was unable to utter a word. Sikha was crying continuously at the top of her voice. Seema Di held her close to her heart and thereby planting a kiss on her forehead said,
“Let’s go and meet Mom, Sikhu…” Sikha didn’t have the courage to face Mom, but on Seema Di’s insistence she gathered herself and got ready to face the purest soul on this planet who has been punished without any fault of hers.
Throughout the thirty-minute car ride, both the sisters hardly spoke to each other. Silence was killing Sikha to the core and with curious eyes she looked at Seema Di’s face and said, “What do you feel Di? Will Mom sign the Papers? Will you be able to forgive Dad ever?”
Seema Di didn’t utter a word and Sikha got her answer.
The moment their car stopped In front of Mishra niwas, Sikha started to have cold feet. Her anxiety soared up and in a fit of rage she grabbed Seema Di’s hand and ran past the hallway to arrive in the living room. Mrs. Mishra was busy giving final touches to one of her canvas paintings, when Sikha came and hugged her….
“Sikhu and Seemu, What happened? Both of you together, I mean hope things are fine” Mrs. Mishra exclaimed.
Swallowing a lump in her throat Sikha said “How can things be fine Mom? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand? How could Dad do this? Who is that Bitch…? Tell me Mom, I swear, I will show that lady her real place”
Before Mrs. Mishra could react, Seema Di said, “Sikhu, there’s no point discussing things now, Mom… I have got the papers ready; you just need to sign. Rest I will take care of”
Sikha snatched the papers from Seema Di’s hands and showing the same to her Mom yelled at the top of her voice “ I understand Di… but what will Mom do after this? , Do you have slightest idea…?”
Paint brush fell down from Mrs. Mishra’s hand and soon both the daughters ran to their Mom’s rescue, but Mrs. Mishra stopped them and said “Please, allow me to pick the brush, I don’t want help from anyone. Please try to understand my dearie. Since last thirty years I have been dependent on your Dad. I loved him dearly and did whatever I could to fulfill his and his family’s need. Never I bothered to think about myself. Despite being a bright student, I became a homemaker just to take care of you all. But all Thanks !! to Mr. Mishra, I have realized my worth. His treachery was hard to digest. I was unsure initially but now I am firm. Now that life has given me one more chance to be independent, I won’t let it go. The road ahead may be difficult but as a true warrior I will fight and strive through”
Tears rolled down from Mrs. Mishra’s eyes. Sikha and Seema Di immediately ran to their Mom’s rescue. As Seema Di held Mom firmly, Sikha said “I was afraid, but not anymore. My mom never deserved this betrayal, but I salute her spirit and will stand with her no matter what.” “Get the papers Di, Let Mom sign these and be free to carve a path of her own”
