Two's a company?

“Oh my God, her mango leaves are hanging over our wall!”

“It’s just one twig, Rani, why do you need to make such a big fuss now?”

“One twig is still an invasion of my privacy. She must cut it off now or I will do it!”

“Amma, when is your war with Aunty Saras ever going to end. You have hated each other since that mango tree was a small potted plant. Even I have grown up and go to college now. You have got to stop this!” Said Rani’s middle-child Archana.

“Oh, why must I stop it when she does not. I heard her talking to her helper this morning when I was drying clothes. I could hear her through the walls. She said that her children were much smarter than anyone else’s children and that is why they were all abroad having good jobs and earning good salaries! She says all these about people but she talks to everyone so sweetly when she sees them.”

“Let her talk. It’s her mouth and the day will come when she pays for it. Why do you even worry so much?”

“Well, I suppose you are right. But you do know that I don’t like people who talk about others behind their back and pretend to be nice up front. Psychopaths! I don’t know how Samy lives with all this.”

“I don’t know why you are so troubled by people like this Amma. You have always taught us to chill and here you are, whining about a very small matter.” Rani’s oldest son Arav spoke.

Are you going to feed us breakfast Amma?” Asked Anil, her youngest son.

“But her children are not smarter than mine.”

“Aiyo Amma, we are all different and good in our own ways. Why do we even compare?”

“Sigh. I need that mango leaf off my wall!”

“I will see to that Rani if it bothers you so much.”

“Yes, it does. It’s disgusting, it’s as if she is spying on us through those leaves. She is a very ill-hearted person, and I don’t want to be close to her. We should just leave this place.”

“Why are you so worked up this morning Amma? I am pretty sure it is not just about the mango leaf. Do you want to talk about it?” Asked the mild-mannered Archana.

“No Ma. It’s Aunty Anjali’s death anniversary today.”

“Oh…I am sorry Ma.”

“Everyone was quiet around the dining table. 

“Aunty Chong and I spoke yesterday about Aunty Anjali and how we all, including Saras, used to be so close and united. And then we realised that Saras whom we trusted to be a close friend turned out to be our greatest enemy. Saras and Reena broke us all apart. 

They drove Anjali to her suicide. All those things they said behind her back and all those messages about Anjali’s husband and their children. It wrecked their family. The poor children lost their mother. Though it has been ten years oh I cannot forget.” Tears welled in Rani’s eyes as she spoke.

“Anjali was the sweetest person, and everyone loved her. That was the problem. They could take advantage of her and bully her. I wish I could have done something!”

“Amma.” Arav placed his hand around Rani’s shoulders.

“How can anyone ever forgive her? How will God forgive someone like her? She lives as if she had done nothing. No conscience. Still gossiping. Still so full of herself. We thought she would change, but she never did, and she never will. I feel sorry for Saras because the day will come when each of us will pay for our deeds, and I just hope hers is not harsher than what had happened to Anjali.”

“Rani, don’t say that.”

“No Raj. If someone stirred the pot, then she or he got to own it especially when they have not shown a single sign of regret or guilt in what they had done. If not today, then one day the truth will come out for sure. Till then Anjali’s soul will not rest in peace.” 

“Leave it, Rani. Don’t stress yourself too much over all these. We know what happened, God will take care of things.”

“If only God kept Anjali alive! Each time I see her children, I feel guilty that I was not a good friend to their mother. They will ask me one day for sure. Anshu still asks me why his mother left. He was only two when she died.” 

Rani took a deep breath. She then stepped away from the dining and opened the kitchen drawer and took the scissors.

“What are you going to do Amma?” Asked Archana.

Rani walked to the back door that led to their yard and stepped outside. She walked past the clothes pegged neatly on the line, her small farm with healthy pumpkins, brinjal, curry leaves, and a moringa tree, and arrived at the back wall. Rani stood and looked at the huge mango tree on the other side of the wall. She then held the single twig with a couple of leaves that spilled over to her side of the wall. Rani took the scissors and brought them close to the twig. She paused for a bit, and then pushed the twig back into Saras’s side of the wall.

“I knew you won’t do it Amma.” Arav said.

Shocked by the voice, Rani turned around and saw Arav standing behind her, arms folded.

“I knew you would not cut it off. You will never harm anything or anyone!” Arav smiled at his mother lovingly. 

“Oh son, I almost did. Somehow, I felt like the tree was trying to tell me that everything would be fine.”

“You planted that tree Amma, along with aunty Saras, Anjali, and Chong when aunty Saras moved into the house. It was a mark of your friendship. I don’t think you would hurt it.”

"I won't. I should not. Like I always said, we should always be kind."

“Rani, come quick.” Mr Raj called out from the kitchen.

Rani rushed inside, followed by Arav.

“What is it, Raj? What happened?”

“There’s been an accident. Samy just called me.”

"Samy called you? That's strange. What could it be?"

"I don't know but we are soon to find out."