Married Life.. (Part 4)

(This is the fourth part of the short story series. Hope you guys like it. As usual do leave your feedback and comments. They definitely inspire me :) )

Please read the 1st, 2nd part and 3rd part also.
Part 1 - Back to Home

Part 2 - US Syndrome

Part 3 - Get up..Grandpa..

______________________________________________

It’s all OVER!! Arul sighed. He could see Anjali joining Mridula in their grandfather’s room. He looked sadly at his mom and dad.

His dad patted on his shoulders. “You did your best” he whispered. “Am proud of you, my son”

Arul forced a smile. Thuddd!! All of them heard a hard slapping sound. Arul could see Anjali walking out of her grandfather’s room happily. Mridula and the MLA’s son, Mari joined her out.

Anjali climbed up on the stage and sat in her place. Arul still stood wondering what had happened. Mridula came to the stage holding something small. Arul recognized it as a beetle nut. His eyes questioned Mridula as to what had happened.

“Grandfather swallowed this by mistake. It got stuck in his throat and he choked. Luckily Mari slapped it out his system. Grandfather is perfectly alright now” she glanced at Mari and smiled at him. He didn’t smile back. An old aunt wheeled grandfather out his room into the marriage hall.

Arul could not believe that his marriage was back on track again. Damn grandfather and his beetlenut. He took his place near his princess.

“Mangalyum thanthunanae…” the priest chanted the mantras and flowers showered upon the blessed couple.
-----------------------

“We have to go to the farm temple” spoke Anjali.

“Farm temple?” replied Arul.

“It is about 2 kilometers walk from our native village” Mridula chipped in.

“Isn’t this your native place?” Arul looked bewildered.

“No. Our native is a small village called Seval. We would be going there today”

Arul had no option but to agree to their proposal. He was happy that his parents would be accompanying him.

An hour’s journey in the mini-van was pretty rough. The rain had widened all the potholes. Every time the mini- van ploughed itself into a deep pit, Anjali held Arul hand even more closely. He liked it and wished the entire road was covered with potholes.

They reached the village main road. Arul asked the driver to stop and got out. The road leading to the village was a pucca road.

“Can you drive through this?” Arul questioned the driver.

“No problem sir” replied the driver cheerfully. Arul stretched himself a little and then got back in the mini-van.

Another ten minutes later, they reached Anjlai’s ancestral home. It had a small door and even smaller pillars holding the main walls and roof.

Arul bent his head as he walked his way into the home. He was amazed that the home had a row of 10 continuous rooms starting from the main door. Arul walked straight through all the ten rooms and reached the back courtyard.

He could hear the sound of anklets. Anjali and Mridula soon joined him in the backyard.

“There are snakes here” teased Mridula.

“What?” The startled look on Arul’s face told the whole story.

“Just kidding” she smiled sheepishly. She pushed Anjali towards Arul and ran through a small series of steps.

“Wait..” Anjali ran behind her. Arul just could not believe that the two sisters were playing in the backyard. He just watched two young women turn into two small kids. Strange!!

“Food is ready!!” came a loud, clear shout from Anjali’s mother.

Arul and the two sisters joined the others seated on the floor.

A big plantain leaf with many dishes adorned the floor. Thank god, I don’t have to cook anymore.. Arul smiled at his wife. Perhaps he didn’t realize what challenges lay ahead of him.
--------------------------------

“Have you taken the umbrella?” spoke Anjali.

“We don’t need any dear” replied Arul confidently.

Anjali stared at him “It’s very cloudy”.

“We don’t need it Anjali” protested Arul. Anjali picked up the three umbrellas resting on the front cot.

Arul mentally counted the number of people coming along with them. He caught his wife hand and started walking. His mom, dad and Mridula and her parents followed them. They reached the end of the main road and crossed a small bridge over a canal.

“Usually this is very dry. It running full because of the rains” explained Anjali.

A pleasant strong breeze blew across the lush paddy fields. Arul truly was amazed by the view. A little ahead a narrow pathway led them to a farm of banana plantation on one side and a small canal ran on the other side.

As they walked a little further they could see tall coconut trees. Two people were busy plucking the coconuts. Anjali’s father quickly ran and spoke with them and got the whole gang some really nice coconut water.

“Here.. mapla..have some” Anjali’s father handed the coconut to Arul and then passed onto others. Heavenly.. Arul sipped the last drops of the water off the 3rd coconut.

After 30 minutes of walk they reached the place. Arul had never seen anything like this. It was a much desolated small temple.

“My grandfather had reconstructed this temple” Anjali’s spoke proudly. “The legend has it that a great Pandya king came to visit the Nellai-Appar koil but had to stay here overnight as heavy rains lashed through the city. He caught glimpse of this shiva linga and saw a five headed snake protecting it. He quickly built a small temple here.”

Five headed snake Arul laughed inside himself. He had no major beliefs in temples and gods but would visit temples as he didn’t want to hurt his parents or anybody else. As Anjali swept the place clean, her father dressed up the lingam. Arul looked closely at the lingam. It was a strange rectangularly shaped stone. There were some verses written on it.

“Its olden- golden tamil” smiled Anjali. Everybody settled around the small nandi sitting in front of the god. Anjali’s father started doing the pooja. Anjali sat directly in front of the lord and motioned Arul to sit beside her. As Arul took his seat near his beloved, he saw Anjali close her eyes and go into a trance state.

Arul closed his eyes and suddenly he could feel the soft touch of his wife’s hand. Some strange energy passed through him. He wanted to open his eyes but his whole body went out of his control. His mind went blank.

“ARUL…. ARUL… Wake up” Anjali whispered into his ears. Arul shook a little and opened his eyes expecting everybody to be crowding around him as he thought he had fainted. Everybody was sitting normally in their positions. Arul looked at Anjali and she gently smiled at him. He didn’t understand what had happened.

As they walked back, Mridula walked closer to Arul and spoke “You went blank?”

Arul was startled “How do you know?”

“Akka has powers. She meditates and she gets some strange power while doing that”

Arul nodded his head gravely understanding that Mridula also has had such previous experiences.

“She needs to be around temples” Mridula just completed her sentence when it began drizzling. Mridula quickly gave one umbrella to her parents and one to Arul’s parents and took one herself. She gently pushed Anjali towards Arul and laughed.

“Give them an umbrella” shouted Anjali’s father. Mridula smiled at them. “Newly wedded couples don’t need umbrellas”

Anjali’s father ran up to Arul and handed him his umbrella. “No sir. I am fine” smiled Arul as he handed the umbrella back to his father-in-law. He had understood Mridula point only now.

He pulled Anjali closer and took her sari’s pallu and created a small umbrella for both of them. Nevertheless they got drenched partially. I am liking this thought Arul as he kept holding Anjali more tightly with every step. She too liked it. They halted mid-way to take some shelter.

“Stupid girl” scolded Anjali’s father. Mridula mischievously smiled at Arul and Anjali and they smiled back. Parents never understand.
---------------------------------

“Take her out Arul. See, she has been crying continuously from the time we left Tirunelveli” Arul mom advised him.

“Sure amma” Arul walked up to his wife. He could see that her eyes had bloated.

“How about going to a super movie?”

“Any movie is fine” Anjali wiped off her nose with her hanky. Arul gently pressed her head onto his chest. She clutched him tightly.
---------------------------------------

“Hold this” Anjali gave the big bag of popcorn to Arul. From the corner of his eyes he could see the superstar's name rolling out on the screen.

R

A

J

N

I

Arul watched the wife with astonishment as she inserted his finger in her mouth and let out a huge whistle. The people in the front row turned back to see who it was. Arul covered his face with the popcorn bag. He had never heard anybody whistle at ‘Satyam’ theatre before. Anjali sheepishly smiled.

A group of boys sitting upfront stood up and turned around “Super whistle mamae”. They whistled even more loudly. Arul was in complete shock. He looked at his wife and laughed. I have always wanted to do that. I should learn it from her soon. Anjali smiled at her, tucked her hand tightly into his and they watched the movie in silence.

Arul took his bike out the parking lot and started it. As they drove back home, they stopped at the traffic signal. Arul removed his helmet, turned back at Anjali and spoke “Super whistle mamae”. Anjali sheepishly smiled at him back.

“Can I tell you something?” spoke Anjali.

“Yeah” replied Arul.

“You drive really slowly”. Arul was taken aback by this frank reply. He had driven slowly considering the fact that Anjali had worn a heavy saree. He wanted to prove her wrong and drove as fast as he could as Anjali hugged him harder and harder.

Arul slowed his bike down as he reached near his home. Anjali got down from the bike. Arul could see that her hair badly strewn because of the drive. As Arul walked back after parking his bike, Anjali caught his hand. She came close to him and kissed him on his cheek. Arul blushed. This was the first time that Anjali had kissed him.

“I am very happy” she hugged him tightly.
------------------------------------

“Where are we going?” Anjali had questioned Arul for the 100th time that afternoon.

“You will see it in a few minutes” spoke Arul as he clutched her hand inside the auto rickshaw.

“What happened to your bike?” questioned Anjali.

“It was my friend’s bike and he needed it. We are nearly there at our destination” Arul spoke maintaining the suspense.

“I want you to help me a little” spoke Arul. Anjali lifted her eyebrows asking him what help he wanted.

“I want to tie this black band around your eyes. I will hold you and take you inside”. Anjali wanted to protest but decided against it as she also wanted to be surprised.

Arul tied the black band around her eyes and held her and took her inside a huge hall. All the other people standing there were very surprised. Arul slowly took Anjali to a couch and asked her to sit on it slowly. Anjali wanted to untie the band but just held herself. The couch was very much like an easy chair and she slowly kept on inclining her back till her back touched the sofa. She felt as though she would soon sleep on the couch.

“The programme is about to start. Please remain seated” came the announcement through the speakers.

Arul slowly untied the black band. As Anjali opened her eyes she was completely amazed to see the night sky with a host of stars. It took her a moment to realize that Arul had brought her to the ‘Birla Planetarium’. She was damn thrilled to see all the stars and the constellations. She had started liking Arul a lot now.

After completing the show, both of them visited the museum. Strangely nobody was around there. They could see huge replicas of trains and many models of airplanes. Anjali wanted a picture of every one of them and Arul obliged. He had become her official photographer. Anjali went and sat inside every plane and train. Anjali brought Arul his childhood memories.

After their great time at the planetarium, they headed to the Besant Nagar beach.

It was quite late by the time they reached home. Arul paid the auto-driver and could see Anjali smiling at him.

“What?” spoke Arul.

Anjali just nodded her head. Arul closed his eyes and titled his head towards her expecting a good lip service. Anjali gently slapped his cheek, which startled Arul.

“I am tired” spoke Anjali as her eyes gleamed.

“So?” spoke back Arul.

“Carry me on your back to our apartment” smiled Anjali.

“You must be kidding me” Arul shot back.

“No… Please… carry me.. please” begged Anjali.

Reluctantly Arul took her on his back and walked home. He hoped nobody in the surrounding apartments saw this strange spectacle.

Anjali gently kissed his on his cheek as he slowly shifted her down on reaching their home. “Women always do this when they are happy” she declared.

“As you wish madam” Arul bent a royal bow in front of her. Anjali laughed out aloud.
-------------------------------

“Amma, please tell him” pleaded Anjali.

“He will never listen to me” spoke back Arul’s mom. She was happy that this topic was being discussed now.

“Can both of you shut up please?” Arul shot an angry glance at Anjali.

“Can we not stay in Chennai?” protested Anjali to Arul.

“Anjali, it is a matter of few weeks. You will get used to US.” Arul tried to diffuse the situation.

“Why don’t you understand? I don’t want to go” protested Anjali even loudly.

“Answer my question. Can we not live in Chennai?”

“What about my job there? How can I leave everything and stay here?” retorted Arul.

“What about me and your parents? Are we not important?”

“Anjali.. Stop this topic. We are going there. If you don’t like it there, we will come back. But for once let us go there. I bet you will like that place.”

Arul’s mom winked at Anjali asking her to not continue the conversation. Anjali murmured something as she went to her room and banged the door shut.
------------------------------------

“Where is Anjali?” questioned Arul to his mother waking up wearily. He wanted to apologize for yesterday's fight and also wanted to give her tips for the important day.

“I don’t know da. I didn’t see her from the morning. Perhaps she must have gone to the terrace”

Arul quickly climbed up the stairs and reached the terrace. He searched the entire place. No traces of his wife. He rushed back home.

“Amma, she is not there upstairs” Arul spoke hastily as he wiped the sweat off the brows. “Today is her VISA date. We have the appointment at 10 and it’s already 7:30 now”

Arul’s father came out his room. His mom explained the whole story to him.

“Has she gone back to her home after yesterday’s fight?” questioned his dad.

Arul dropped back on the couch; his mind raced fast where is Anjali??

________________________________________________________

CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PART
________________________________________________________