Sea Mist

Chapter 10

KHUSHI woke up to find that Arnav had left the bed, and since it was Sunday, her alarm was set for a later time than the usual 6 AM. As she stood in the kitchen a little later contemplating what she should make for breakfast, Mrs. Rai walked into the kitchen.

"I hope you know it will be just the two of us today," Mrs. Rai said, "Arnav and Manav have gone to Delhi."

Khushi felt a twinge of disappointment. "If it's okay with you I will just make dosa then," Khushi said and began her preparation for chutney.

"Don't worry about chutney Khushi," aunty said, "let's just use spiced chutney powder today."

"Sure aunty." Khushi loved spiced chutney powder mixed with sesame oil as that was what they did at her house. Her mother was not a very big fan of coconut chutney.

Finally, Khushi sat down for her breakfast after making half a cup of coffee for Mrs. Rai as was her custom after breakfast.

"This is amazing coffee that you make Khushi," she said, "I would like to tell you again that we are very lucky to have met you."

"Please aunty," Khushi said, "don't say that. I have learnt so many new things from you. You are a great teacher."

Mrs. Rai smiled. "Arnav will be lucky to find someone like you."

Khushi went red in the face but she remained silent.

Then Mrs. Rai's face became serious. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said that. It's not like I can have any say in his future. Sorry dear."

Khushi noticed the pain that crossed Mrs. Rai face. "Why do you say that aunty? Do you think you no longer have any right to interfere in Arnav's life because your sister is no more and that your brother-in-law remarried?"

"Ah Khushi," the old woman sighed, "I wish that were the case."

"It's actually nice to see Arnav keeping in touch with you – there is a family I know where the child completely lost touch with his mother's family after the father re-married."

"Khushi – you are mistaken and rightly so because we didn't really explain this to you earlier. Arnav doesn't really like to talk about this part of his life."

As Khushi waited to hear what Mrs. Rai was trying to say Mrs. Rai said, "When my sister Soundarya met Arnav's father – he was already a married man."

"Oh!" Khushi said unable to stop herself.

"Khushi, before you judge my sister, I would like to tell you her story from the beginning so you can understand."

"My sister and I lost our parents in a car accident when my sister had just finished her B.A. I was newly married and my husband and I taught in a nearby college. Since we had certain financial commitments, she started looking for jobs and found the position as a secretary at a construction company in Udupi city.

"Mr. Raizada had come down for the project and as they worked together my sister fell in love with Arun. At first, she didn't know he was married, but eventually she found out, and when she confronted him, he promised her that he would end the marriage and marry her."

Khushi couldn't imagine how the young girl might have felt in the face of such a quandary.

"He left for Delhi as the project ended and as she waited for him, she got a call from him one day telling her he wouldn't be able to leave his wife and she never told him that she was expecting his child."

"That's when she came and told us," Mrs. Rai continued, "needless to say we were shocked beyond words, and when we asked her why she didn't tell him she told us she thought it was wrong to break up someone's home. As we were wondering what we should do – she told us with startling clarity that she was keeping her baby at any cost."