Vaidehi

A coffee cup fuming on the side table. Raman is lying half naked on the bed looking up towards the ceiling. Point blank. The spark in his eyes is lost as worn out as the stars he stuck on it last year. It's onset of Rain. Dark clouds have started to take over the corners in the sky just as the slowly growing silence in the room. Vaidehi is sitting on a chair in the balcony having a drink, waiting for the rain. She looks at her husband, but he is still counting his stars on the dead lucid sky of his.

**************

Raman is upset holding his head sitting on the bed. A medical document is kept unrevealed on the side table. Tears rolling down Vaidehi’s eyes sitting in front of him.

“Nothing has changed! We will find a way out!” Vaidehi's voice is more contemplating to herself than to him.

Raman removes her hand, pushes her back, stands up and pick a cigarette and tries to light it up. He fails, he tries furiously but even the lighter is not in his favour! Vaidehi goes close, takes the lighter and light it up in one go. While lighting up the cigarette,

“We can adopt Raman!” Vaidehi is searching for answer in his eyes.

Raman gives a weird dead look and blows off the lighter, smashes the cigarette and walks out.

Vaidehi kept standing there still holding the lighter. A tear rolls down her cheek smeared with the golden hour.

***************

Raman and Vaidehi are having dinner on the dining table. Vaidehi is serving food to him and then joined him. Raman gets a call. His mother is on the other side.

(Over phone)

Raman’s Mother: I called you many a times ? where were you?

Raman: “ hmm ..Was busy in some work mom! you tell me How's it going over there? ” (while chewing his food)

Raman’s Mother: “What else! my usual chores of household! By the way I have a good news for you!"

Raman: “What! Gold value has come down?”

(Raman asks Vaidehi to pass the bowl of curry blinking his eyes with a smile)

Raman’s Mother: “ Wha..? Don't talk rubbish! How much gold have u seen me to wear in your lifetime? Anyways, the good news is your cousin Nikhil became father of a beautiful baby girl!"

Raman stopped eating and a silence stuck his face. “ oh!” ( then clearing his throat ) “ great news Mom! congratulate Nikhil on my behalf!

Raman’s Mother: “ why don't you congratulate him personally? Anyways your aunty is very happy ! She is a grandma now! bloody old ! She was asking about you both! I said her clearly! I dont want to be old like you ! I dont want to be grand ma!.. ”

Raman interrupts her. “Good night mom”

Raman’s mother: “hey listen...I was..”

Raman cuts the call. He bangs the spoons on the plate. Vaidehi goes close to him. She shrugs him.

Vaidehi: “Why don’t you tell her?”

Raman: “Look!”

              “I can die but can’t ruin my identity, my respect, my masculinity in front of all!”

Vaidehi: “What nonsense are you thinking Raman? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Raman: “I am a MAN!" He whispers, " a perfect one!" He turns up pushing off the chair, " God damn it. Just leave me ALONEEE!”

Raman leaves! Vaidehi sits blank as the echo still pertains in her inner mind walls!

*********************

Vaidehi is out on a trip. It's her college reunion. She has not spend a single moment with her college friends after her marriage. But now it's different.The silence has grown between them just as the dark clouds. But it still didn't rain yet.

Vaidehi is having a smoke while walking in the balcony of the resort talking to her best friend Urmi over phone.

Urmi: “Guess you should talk to each other and clear it out! Listen Vaidehi! shit happens in every relation! But don’t let it ruin your relation like that! ”

Vaidehi: “You will not get it!”

Vaidehi looks at the sky with a smile on her lips and tears in eyes. She starts reciting lines from her own poetry "Sita":

           “ A husband is your lord, his words are your vow

Whatever he decides you soul should follow

These ideals of woman were embedded in my heart

At the fertile land of very youth

Since I was born from earth

Till as a lady I sprout.”

Suddenly she finds Raman is on waiting call. She disconnects it while talking to Urmi.

A tall, dark and genuinely handsome guy in a maroon shirt awaits the end of the balcony. Samar Singhal, Vaidehi’s Colleague cum college friend comes out with a glass of whiskey for Vaidehi. Samar has always loved Vaidehi, has always been there in her thick and thin. Five years were long, but not cruel!

Samar: “Are you done with your call?”

Vaidehi: “ Yes! Just a minute! Okay Urmi We will catch up later”

Urmi (over phone): "Is that samar! Wait! Vaidehi? what are you up to?.."

Vaidehi disconnects the call, puts her phone on flight mode turns back smiles at Samar and takes the glass from him. She takes a sip and they both moved into the room.

 **********************

Vaidehi is sitting on the corner of bed with mobile in her hand trying to reach Dr. Gautam. Raman walking furiously around the bed room, hitting everything possible.

Raman: “How come you miss your periods? How could you do this to me! Answer me Vaidehi”. Raman jumps towards her, hold her up very tightly and asks furiously,

  “Whose child is this? Huh?!”

 “Who is the fucking FATHER ?!”

 Vaidehi moves his hands off her, walks in silence towards the open window. She didn't find the dark clouds anymore in the sky! It has entered her room, through her womb!

 Raman yells out: “ It’s Samar right? I will kill that bastard!”

A sudden breeze touched her. Vaidehi shivers! Raman breaks down punching the bed severely.

Vaidehi closed her eyes. A visual appeared in her mind.

 *****(flashback)

Samar: “One day he will come to know about it Vaidehi? Have you even thought how he will react then?”

Vaidehi is sipping her whiskey, admiring a painting of Ram Sita, the icon of perfect couple in Indian Culture, hung on the wall of the resort.

 Vaidehi (with a smile): “I am Vaidehi! do you know the meaning? it's other name of Sita, whose soul can dwell in two bodies.”

 A smile appears in the corner of Samar’s lips.

***** 

**********************(Two months later)

Vaidehi sitting in the balcony sipping green tea. She is adjusting the wedding ring on her finger. She remembers the last night before she left her house... sorry... his house.

*****(flashback)

Raman (yelling): “Get out of my life! I don’t want to see your face anymore!”

 Raman opens up his wedding ring and throws it on her face.

 *****

A ring on her mobile brings her out of thoughts. Vaidehi walks back to her bedroom to find her phone. It’s Dr. Gautam Calling.

(over phone)

Dr. Gautam: “It’s already late Vaidehi! You have already missed your two session checkups. Report is not in our favour. It's better if you come to clinic as soon as possible with your last report.”

Vaidehi cuts the call takes out the report from the drawer and a takes out an envelope. She opens it up while going near the window for some light. She opens the report which says she has ovarian cancer and she is in 3^rd stage. From the envelop she takes out a ring. This ring is Raman’s. She wears it in the same finger, two rings together! the vows of two carried by one! A strong breeze suddenly breaks through her window. She goes out to the balcony to welcome. Finally it is raining.

*****(flashback)

Vaidehi is sipping her whiskey, admiring a painting of Ram Sita hung on the wall of the resort.

Vaidehi (with a smile): “I better die in silence and let his masculinity keep whispering the word "perfect one" ”

****

The rain kepts drenching her wide open arms.

_________________The End______________