The Bride

9.Renaissance

1 year later

it has  been two days of continuous rain and thunder encompassing the north. i lighten the diya beside  my  study table and tried to concentrate on the words in the book in the dim light.  . i  can’t fail again. i can't . i shook the thoughts of past to claw me again. i clutch the blanket close to my body , monsoon has resulted in deep decline in temperature .i see my roommates trying to sleep on their bunks while loud thunder keeps resonating  scaring  the shit out of  vivek  ,my  roommate. who could have thought such a tall and muscled   can be scared of thunder . i saw vivek shook in fear at sound of thunder  again  covering himself head to toe with the blanket making me chuckles at his antics and suddenly the memory that i have buried deep inside my mind makes a appearance.

flashback

"khushi you really need to learn Urdu ,you can't flunk it. now study"

even at my stern expression and firm voice she have not bunged a little.

"khushi?"  i said firmly yet she shook her head in a no and flinched as thunder strike the earth.

"i dont like Urdu, its so hard   ji  and it not auspicious to study in thunder " khushi's child voice made its way to me, making me shake my head in utter disbelief his wife can make hundred of excuses per second to not to study she has hated all  her subjects some day or the other . but i have  been stern with her and her not  to  study excuses have reduced with time.

it had been two months that she has been going to the school. they have to pass through almost twenty five days of the month the same ritual of her crying , begging and running away or make silly excuses to not go to school . my mother was more than happy to not let the daughter in law of the house go out of the house .but  i had  been firm on my  decision .i  might have started it as a means to get some distance from her but eventually i  have felt happy and right to get her the education that every one deserves. society's patriarchal view of a educated girl being the  weapon  of destruction of family might have shaken his family trust but i remained firm.

i come out of my thought as khushi kept on sneezing

"did you bath in rain?" sternness still evident in my  voice , lately i have begin to sound like my father.

"noooo"

lie. clear lie.

khushi shook in fear again as  lightning struck again. looking at her fearful and state clearly no interest of study. i  let her go this time.  when i said her to go sleep and she has  jumped  in the bed instantly not giving even a second to change my mind.i laughed as she covered her self fully in blanket  but instantly get up banging her covered head with her fist .

she drank her almond or whatever special milk my mother is making for her lately, to sharpen her brain.she again cuddled in the bed .

chuckling at her antics , switching off the lanterns . i laid on the bed beside her and soon sleep came over me in the comfortable silence of the room.

flashback ends

i have never thought the happiness, that peace  was so temporary and fragile as a glass. events that has followed completely  changed my life. the little emotion and care i harbored for my family  was shattered to pieces and my life with my wife came to a standstill.

constant banging on the door of our little one room which gives shelter  to three boys hoping to fulfill their dreams rattled with sound. first he thought it was figment of his imagination or maybe someone have left their door open which kept on banging due to wind.

banging increased in frequency and also in audibility so much that my khumbh- karan roommate  also woke up from his deep slumber.we first look at each-other silently questioning who it can be in the middle of the stormy night.