Through the reinforced glass, Adhrit got a peek of the pristine and minimalist white room. The woman's peaceful expression and sleeping form caused a slight twitch in the corners of his lips.
He bit his lips to hold back his whimpers while anguish stung his eyes and blurred his vision. He traced the mirage captured by the glass with quivering fingers, as though it were a snowflake that would wither apart between his fingers.
A croaky voice coming from a short, stout woman in a crimson cotton saree interrupted his melancholic thoughts, saying, "It's been a while since you came."
"How are you, son?" she asked, flashing an affectionate smile. She rested her hand on Adhrit's biceps. "Purvi had come earlier and filled me in on what happened."
Adhrit stepped away from the older woman, avoiding her touch and averting his gaze. He leaned his elbows against the wall extension that held the window and gazed at the peaceful sight of the sleeping woman.
"The situation, Adhrit, has no free exit or an easy way out. You must make a choice, and quick. Your decision in this case may have unpleasant consequences, but it can liberate you from feeling powerless and anxious," she said.
Tidal waves of fear, possibilities, reactions, and effects filled his vacant mind, and he fluttered his eyelashes. "What do you think she would want me to do, Mausi?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.
The woman with twinkling eyes, Ratna, directed her attention towards her twin sister, who was oblivious to her presence behind the glass. The Sinha siblings visited the asylum to see their mother during times of intense emotion, turning to their aunt, who was also their mother's twin, to understand her psyche.
"Don't forget to look after yourself, Adhrit. It's what she would want for you. She longed to do the correct thing, and it's commendable to take pride in an unshakeable conviction. It's crucial to release your grip when the suffering is too much to handle."
She said, "I hope you know when to stop." Her sister's Fate had left her terrorized with the prospect of love and marriage.
Her post-graduation in clinical psychology led her to discover her passion for helping the inmates and crestfallen family members of the asylum, leading her to open a clinic in a vacant room.
Adhrit took a sharp breath and moistened his dry and wounded lips. "What if... What if I regret my decision one day, Mausi? What if my decision leaves everyone unhappy?"
Ratna's wrinkled hand rested on her nephew's clenched fist. "Regret thrives on our own thoughts. Adhrit, the existence of infinite possibilities, doesn't change the fact that only one reality exists and it inevitably leaves someone dissatisfied. Other than accepting and learning from our past, there's little we can do."
The conflict between sensibility and insecurity in Adhrit's mind resulted in a throbbing headache and an aversion to light. "I don't want Mitali to end up like Maa, Mausi."
Fresh waves of concern hit the older woman upon hearing the undertone of desperation and helplessness in Adhrit's words. "She won't. Not with you by her side."
Adhrit could only hope to live up to the expectations of his beloved aunt, for he had little doubt he would submerge into the endless ocean of repentance if he allowed a similar Fate to draw Mitali into its depths.
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"How long do you plan to tend to my physical health without paying heed to my wishes, Mr. Sinha?" Her voice was icy, slicing through his conscience and causing both annoyance and concern.
He shut the door behind him and turned to face her with his hazel eyes swirling with contempt. "Mitali, how much longer do you intend to escape reason and ignore the repercussions in your mind?"
Mitali scoffed. "The thought of consequences comes to mind when someone without power or money requests something. When your grandmother demanded that you sire a child, did she consider the reason or consequences? Did those thoughts trouble your sister when she asked me to sleep with you?"
Mitali's pigmented lips curled into a sardonic smile as she sniffled through her tears. "They have the power to sweep consequences away, unlike me. I don't have the capital to silence someone. Mr. Sinha, does this indicate that my dreams and aspirations are not deserving of fulfillment?"
Adhrit dragged his fingers down his face after rubbing his eyes. "You know truth is far from your implications, Mitali. I'm reluctant because I care about your well-being."
"Mr. Sinha, why does your perception of my well-being matter more than my willingness to take risks? Why do you think your concern is more significant than my choice? Wasn't the intention always to produce an heir? I'm offering, and in fact wishing, the same. Why can't you just accept it?" she demanded.
There was no mistaking her confusion and indignation, as they were evident in her quizzical eyes and angled eyebrows. His hesitance was completely lost on her. She considered him as irrational, as he had judged her actions and thoughts. Despite the seriousness of their situation, Adhrit had a strange and almost irresistible urge to burst into laughter.
Both fought battles that were hidden, and the scars they left behind bewildered those who saw them. Despite their different approaches to braving scars, Adhrit felt a deep empathy for the shared obliviousness between them.
They knew each other alright, but Adhrit wondered if they recognized the true form of one another - their prayers, their ramblings, their curses, and their whimpers. They were only aware of the debts that brought them together in a whirlwind beyond their wildest nightmares.
"You accepted the Fate - any Fate - that bestows the fortune of motherhood to you, Mitali. Facing the waves of remorse when Fate devastates you again is not something I'm ready for."
Adhrit left before Mitali could respond to his words of concern by turning around on his heel and walking through the door. Leaning on the shut door, Adhrit exhaled deeply, the sound of his breath rumbling in his lungs.
Acceptance was far from an easy road to tread.
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Quite happy with the way this turned out. What is reasonable to me might be unreasonable to someone else, and that's the realization Adhrit had. I still believe Mitali's demands are far from ideal in their situation, but we rarely accept the situation as is and seek the ideal. Please VOTE and COMMENT!
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River & Desert
Romance"There's no need to go searching for a bride, Dadi. We don't need a bride. It's a surrogate that we need. In order to fulfill my obligation, I need a surrogate to bear the heir." **** "We have less than two days left to repay the money," said Mitali...
