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Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Forsaken - Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Raju sat there in stunned silence. He could not believe what he was hearing. How can it be possible? But it was too real to be made up. He watched the hunched figure, sitting across the table, with a thin, grey beard and soiled clothes. If what he said was true, God was very cruel to him.
“I can’t believe it.” Finally he spoke. But he did not see any reason not to believe him.
“You wanted my side of the story. I gave it to you. Believe it or not, is there really any difference?” Ajit sported a scornful smile.
“Then what happened? You did not tell me the rest.” Raju was curious to know the whole of it.
“Then what? I washed up from a nearby tap as much as I could. I went home. Even before my reaching there, the news has reached there. The same guy who recognized me, had home number, and he called up Ammachi. It was the first time Ammachi beat me. With the broom, with whatever she could get. And she cursed me.” Ajit said in an emotion-less voice.
The most painful thing was Ajit thought, the final thing Ammachi said.
“As soon as you came out, your mother died. You came to make other’s suffer. Devil’s son. You will never get peace. Mother-killer. I never want to see your face again. Get lost.” She cursed him.
That was the last he saw Ammachi.
“Where were you all these years?” Raju asked in a low voice. He was moved by his story.
Ajit thought of the long years he spent in exile. How many cities it had been? The struggle to feed himself, the beatings he took from urchins, the streets where he slept for countless days.
Suddenly he felt another wave of pain washing through him. It had been only an hour or two since his last dose of medication, but the pain came back with a vengeance. Now the pain is not limited to his abdomen. He felt the sharp pangs under his chest. He flinched.
“Are you all right?” Raju saw him squinting as if in pain.
“Yeah, I am okay” he said through clenched teeth. He was not at alright. He suspected that his final days had begun. The beginning of the end.
“You are not going to ask about your father?” Raju questioned after a long pause.
“Kurien had lost everything in Dubai.” Since he did not answer his question, Raju ventured. “His partner cheated him and he was jailed for some time in Dubai. Then he returned home, with empty hands.”
Ajit did not feel any surprise. Nor did he feel elated. It was as if he was talking about somebody who was not related to him at all. It was all about some stranger.
“And his beloved son, Anish, he has become his headache now. He lost a lot of money in some business with his friends and now sitting idle at home” Raju was taking a perverse pleasure telling him that. He remembered how Kurien scorned this boy.
“Anita?” He did not even remember her face. She and her mother never considered him existing. He saw her only a few occasions.
“She was married off to some guy in Pala. I don’t know much about her.” Raju explained.
There was another long pause. Raju checked his watch. It’s four-fifteen now. He had to move. He motioned towards the boy who served them and asked for the bill.
As he counted the notes from his wallet he remembered he had not paid Ajit fully. He took out four five-hundreds from his wallet, thought for a moment, and then added another two.
“Here is the cab rent. I think I’ll have to go now.” Raju stood up to go.
“What will you do now? Would you inform father?” Ajit asked while hesitatingly accepted the money.
Raju did not know what to answer. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“I don’t know” finally he admitted.
“Please don’t. There is something I haven’t told you.” Ajit decided to come open with him.
Raju sat back. He was curious.
“I haven’t got a lot of time.” He started.
“What do you mean by that?” Raju questioned. The creases on his forehead were more visible now.
Ajit explained what Dr. Kulkarni told him. Raju was aghast.
“What? I can’t believe it. I mean you are very young” Raju was really wondering why Ajit was chosen for all these.
“Why I told you this is, I don’t want you to tell anybody about seeing me.” Ajit concluded.
“But I already told Susan.” Raju remembered his telephone conversation with Susan. Was it today itself? So many shocks since then, he thought.
“I hope she won’t tell anybody,” Ajit mumbled.
“No. She won’t,” he was thoughtful.
“Ok. Please forget about all these. There was nothing I could do, or you could have done. It’s my fate.” He stood up, started to lose his balance and then straightened.
“You did not take any medicines?” Raju stood up as well.
“No use. It’s all too late.” Ajit smiled at him. Strangely he was at peace.
“Aji, you never asked anything about Nisha.” Raju was contemplating whether to tell him. But this news is really shattered him, and he want to give him whatever good news he can.
Raju saw Ajit’s eyes sparkled for a second. That fleeting second, he saw that big, feminine eyes of that boy. Then it was gone.
Ajit just nodded. Raju explained about her studies in U.K. and her job there, why she was in India et al. Finally he informed him about her unwillingness to marry.
“I know about your relationship back then. I wasn’t against it, but your father’s attitude worried me. That’s why I forbade her from talking to you. I thought when you were able to support yourself, I could talk about it with your Ammachi.” Raju explained.
Ajit just smiled. He was happy to know at least one person from his past was doing well. She was an angel. She deserved only the best things in the world.
Then, without any preamble, Raju blurted out.
“Do you want to talk to her?”
Ajit’s heart skipped a beat. All the while, he was contemplating whether he should ask about her. But he refrained from it, fearing that Raju would get mad. Now Raju was asking the same question. But talk about what? About the past? About their love, which was never destined to be? Or his struggle? His initial euphoria died down. He realized that they were now in opposite poles. Moreover, it may open up old wounds.
Raju took his silence for assent.
“Right now she is in the conference. And tonight you can’t talk to her because Paappan Achayan will be coming. You tell me where to come and I’ll bring her. I’ll explain everything to her tonight. But…” Raju trailed off. He was devising a plan in his mind. If Nisha saw him in that condition, it could rekindle the old flames. But if Ajit agreed to do what he had in mind, she might just see the point they were stressing all along.
“But?” Ajit knew his heart would burst now.
“You have to tell her that you are married. Tell her you are married and have kids. You can say you married some local girl and you know….” He once again did not complete his sentence. Raju was feeling guilty to do this to the man, but he was, after all, Nisha’s father. Only her well-being mattered to him now.
Ajit let out a knowing smile. Yes, this is what it is. Everyone is selfish. He wants to use me to help her make up her mind. Hell, why not. If she gets a good life, my life would worth something.
He agreed and told him where to come. “Come to the Khar Railway station, on the west side of it, and ask any Cigarette vendor where Ajit Bhai, Taxiwallah, would be. They will know where to find me”
Raju said he would get another cab, since Ajit had drunk too much and it was not a good idea to drive now. Raju told him to give him a call if there was anything he could do, he would be glad to help. Ajit said he would. They parted ways.
Raju sat there in stunned silence. He could not believe what he was hearing. How can it be possible? But it was too real to be made up. He watched the hunched figure, sitting across the table, with a thin, grey beard and soiled clothes. If what he said was true, God was very cruel to him.
“I can’t believe it.” Finally he spoke. But he did not see any reason not to believe him.
“You wanted my side of the story. I gave it to you. Believe it or not, is there really any difference?” Ajit sported a scornful smile.
“Then what happened? You did not tell me the rest.” Raju was curious to know the whole of it.
“Then what? I washed up from a nearby tap as much as I could. I went home. Even before my reaching there, the news has reached there. The same guy who recognized me, had home number, and he called up Ammachi. It was the first time Ammachi beat me. With the broom, with whatever she could get. And she cursed me.” Ajit said in an emotion-less voice.
The most painful thing was Ajit thought, the final thing Ammachi said.
“As soon as you came out, your mother died. You came to make other’s suffer. Devil’s son. You will never get peace. Mother-killer. I never want to see your face again. Get lost.” She cursed him.
That was the last he saw Ammachi.
“Where were you all these years?” Raju asked in a low voice. He was moved by his story.
Ajit thought of the long years he spent in exile. How many cities it had been? The struggle to feed himself, the beatings he took from urchins, the streets where he slept for countless days.
Suddenly he felt another wave of pain washing through him. It had been only an hour or two since his last dose of medication, but the pain came back with a vengeance. Now the pain is not limited to his abdomen. He felt the sharp pangs under his chest. He flinched.
“Are you all right?” Raju saw him squinting as if in pain.
“Yeah, I am okay” he said through clenched teeth. He was not at alright. He suspected that his final days had begun. The beginning of the end.
“You are not going to ask about your father?” Raju questioned after a long pause.
“Kurien had lost everything in Dubai.” Since he did not answer his question, Raju ventured. “His partner cheated him and he was jailed for some time in Dubai. Then he returned home, with empty hands.”
Ajit did not feel any surprise. Nor did he feel elated. It was as if he was talking about somebody who was not related to him at all. It was all about some stranger.
“And his beloved son, Anish, he has become his headache now. He lost a lot of money in some business with his friends and now sitting idle at home” Raju was taking a perverse pleasure telling him that. He remembered how Kurien scorned this boy.
“Anita?” He did not even remember her face. She and her mother never considered him existing. He saw her only a few occasions.
“She was married off to some guy in Pala. I don’t know much about her.” Raju explained.
There was another long pause. Raju checked his watch. It’s four-fifteen now. He had to move. He motioned towards the boy who served them and asked for the bill.
As he counted the notes from his wallet he remembered he had not paid Ajit fully. He took out four five-hundreds from his wallet, thought for a moment, and then added another two.
“Here is the cab rent. I think I’ll have to go now.” Raju stood up to go.
“What will you do now? Would you inform father?” Ajit asked while hesitatingly accepted the money.
Raju did not know what to answer. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“I don’t know” finally he admitted.
“Please don’t. There is something I haven’t told you.” Ajit decided to come open with him.
Raju sat back. He was curious.
“I haven’t got a lot of time.” He started.
“What do you mean by that?” Raju questioned. The creases on his forehead were more visible now.
Ajit explained what Dr. Kulkarni told him. Raju was aghast.
“What? I can’t believe it. I mean you are very young” Raju was really wondering why Ajit was chosen for all these.
“Why I told you this is, I don’t want you to tell anybody about seeing me.” Ajit concluded.
“But I already told Susan.” Raju remembered his telephone conversation with Susan. Was it today itself? So many shocks since then, he thought.
“I hope she won’t tell anybody,” Ajit mumbled.
“No. She won’t,” he was thoughtful.
“Ok. Please forget about all these. There was nothing I could do, or you could have done. It’s my fate.” He stood up, started to lose his balance and then straightened.
“You did not take any medicines?” Raju stood up as well.
“No use. It’s all too late.” Ajit smiled at him. Strangely he was at peace.
“Aji, you never asked anything about Nisha.” Raju was contemplating whether to tell him. But this news is really shattered him, and he want to give him whatever good news he can.
Raju saw Ajit’s eyes sparkled for a second. That fleeting second, he saw that big, feminine eyes of that boy. Then it was gone.
Ajit just nodded. Raju explained about her studies in U.K. and her job there, why she was in India et al. Finally he informed him about her unwillingness to marry.
“I know about your relationship back then. I wasn’t against it, but your father’s attitude worried me. That’s why I forbade her from talking to you. I thought when you were able to support yourself, I could talk about it with your Ammachi.” Raju explained.
Ajit just smiled. He was happy to know at least one person from his past was doing well. She was an angel. She deserved only the best things in the world.
Then, without any preamble, Raju blurted out.
“Do you want to talk to her?”
Ajit’s heart skipped a beat. All the while, he was contemplating whether he should ask about her. But he refrained from it, fearing that Raju would get mad. Now Raju was asking the same question. But talk about what? About the past? About their love, which was never destined to be? Or his struggle? His initial euphoria died down. He realized that they were now in opposite poles. Moreover, it may open up old wounds.
Raju took his silence for assent.
“Right now she is in the conference. And tonight you can’t talk to her because Paappan Achayan will be coming. You tell me where to come and I’ll bring her. I’ll explain everything to her tonight. But…” Raju trailed off. He was devising a plan in his mind. If Nisha saw him in that condition, it could rekindle the old flames. But if Ajit agreed to do what he had in mind, she might just see the point they were stressing all along.
“But?” Ajit knew his heart would burst now.
“You have to tell her that you are married. Tell her you are married and have kids. You can say you married some local girl and you know….” He once again did not complete his sentence. Raju was feeling guilty to do this to the man, but he was, after all, Nisha’s father. Only her well-being mattered to him now.
Ajit let out a knowing smile. Yes, this is what it is. Everyone is selfish. He wants to use me to help her make up her mind. Hell, why not. If she gets a good life, my life would worth something.
He agreed and told him where to come. “Come to the Khar Railway station, on the west side of it, and ask any Cigarette vendor where Ajit Bhai, Taxiwallah, would be. They will know where to find me”
Raju said he would get another cab, since Ajit had drunk too much and it was not a good idea to drive now. Raju told him to give him a call if there was anything he could do, he would be glad to help. Ajit said he would. They parted ways.
Forsaken - Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Ajit was lying in the cab. He came back to Khar and found his shanty no more. There was all kind of debris littering the whole area. He went straight to Babaji’s shop, collected the few belongings and deposited in the trunk of the car.
He was frightened. After leaving Raju, he could not sit properly. There was something in his stomach that was hurting him. He tried to eat something, but as soon as he took two bites, his stomach was full. Towards the evening, he had trouble breathing. He decided to go to the doctor next day.
He bought another pint from the nearby bar, and sat in the car. He sat there for many hours, aware about the growing pain. He did not take any pain killers since it was of no use. As he drank the last drops from the bottle, he felt a little numbness in his brain.
Right in front of his eyes, he saw his entire life being played out as if in a film. The struggling, yet happy childhood, the days spend with Nisha, the cruelty of his father, the treason of Reji, the pain, the humiliation, everything was being played out. He laughed with the characters when they laughed, he cried when the boy cried, he felt his heart breaking when the boy and girl parted. Then he saw a cactus, growing out from the ground, and growing through the car’s floor, upward and it grew up to his chest, as he looked on. His whole body was scratched by its thorns, and he was bleeding. He felt the thousands of thorns pulling at his flesh. Then he saw a hand, a slender hand reaching out to wipe out the blood. It was precariously close to his face when something yanked him away from it. It was so powerful. He struggled to free from its clutches, but it dragged him further down. The final thing he saw was a fifteen year old girl smiling at him from a small, torn photograph. He reached up once more, kissed it and went down with the force that was pulling him down. He went into the smothering darkness, screaming her name.
Ajit was lying in the cab. He came back to Khar and found his shanty no more. There was all kind of debris littering the whole area. He went straight to Babaji’s shop, collected the few belongings and deposited in the trunk of the car.
He was frightened. After leaving Raju, he could not sit properly. There was something in his stomach that was hurting him. He tried to eat something, but as soon as he took two bites, his stomach was full. Towards the evening, he had trouble breathing. He decided to go to the doctor next day.
He bought another pint from the nearby bar, and sat in the car. He sat there for many hours, aware about the growing pain. He did not take any pain killers since it was of no use. As he drank the last drops from the bottle, he felt a little numbness in his brain.
Right in front of his eyes, he saw his entire life being played out as if in a film. The struggling, yet happy childhood, the days spend with Nisha, the cruelty of his father, the treason of Reji, the pain, the humiliation, everything was being played out. He laughed with the characters when they laughed, he cried when the boy cried, he felt his heart breaking when the boy and girl parted. Then he saw a cactus, growing out from the ground, and growing through the car’s floor, upward and it grew up to his chest, as he looked on. His whole body was scratched by its thorns, and he was bleeding. He felt the thousands of thorns pulling at his flesh. Then he saw a hand, a slender hand reaching out to wipe out the blood. It was precariously close to his face when something yanked him away from it. It was so powerful. He struggled to free from its clutches, but it dragged him further down. The final thing he saw was a fifteen year old girl smiling at him from a small, torn photograph. He reached up once more, kissed it and went down with the force that was pulling him down. He went into the smothering darkness, screaming her name.
Forsaken - Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Reji was smiling inwardly. He was having immense pleasure in seeing the Mecheril boy staggering to the gate. That damned lady, the boy’s grandmother, was badmouthing him everywhere, especially in the church that he was a drunkard. And a womanizer. “Look at your own grandson now,” he mused. “I promise that I’ll make him a good drunkard, like me. Then let me see how you can go around and talk about it”
He was looking for a way to tarnish the image of that kid for long. It had started since his childhood. Though he was elder to Ajit by a couple of years, there was a constant comparison with him.
“Look at that Ajit, you fool. He doesn’t have a mother, his father abandoned him, but how good he is in his behavior. And you, you have everything and that spoiled you.” His mother used to say whenever he picked up another fight at the school.
The hell they knew. Reji thought. Since his childhood, he had seen his mother and father fighting everyday. His father drank too much and started a fight for no rhyme or reason. If the tea was little cold, there would be a fight. If it was too hot, another one. It usually ended with beating up the wife. On her part, she always pestered him with silly things. He had never seen any love between them. He could never study in his house.
His only solace was his friends. Unfortunately for him, he was hooked up with a group of boys who were spoiled brats, whose parents were highly affluent and working outside India. They sent money to them and they were splashing it. By the time he realized it, he was branded an outcast since everyone knew of drinking and womanizing traits.
What they have done to me, He thought, I’ll do it to him. After all someone had to be there to carry on the legacy. He laughed to himself.
Ajit was feeling guilty. Ammachi was pleading with him.
“Monay, please don’t spoil your life. You have to continue your studies. Why you are getting into the company of that cursed boy, Reji?”
“He is not cursed. He was nice to me.” Ajit retorted.
“The hell he was. You don’t know him. He is trying to avenge the feud with our family.” She tried to make him understand.
“What am I supposed to do? I have no friends, I have nobody. Should I sit in here all day, watching my life wasted like this?” He was on the verge of tears.
“So is this the way you want to live your life?” she questioned.
Ajit did not reply. He knew he was being needlessly harsh with her. But he could not help it.
Ajit did not go out for the next week. He stayed home and renewed his promise. That he would never hurt his Ammachi and would never drink.
Three weeks later, he received his licence. He was elated. He had proved his father wrong. He had always told him that he was not good enough for anything. Now you see, he challenged his father in his mind; I have got the Driving License. Now I’ll join a good institute to study some good course and I’ll become somebody, one day.
Ajit joined a computer course in Ranny, on the insistence of Johny, who advised him not to waste his time. There were still some five to six months before the next academic year would start and by which time Ajit could complete the course. He predicted that this new technology called computer will replace all the type writers and had already become a rage. Ajit was not very open to this idea, but Johny made him agree for it.
But from the first day, he was fascinated by it. The most attractive thing was, he could give commands, as his teacher explained, and the computer would obey. A rack-full of files could be placed into a small diskette. It was called floppy. He was hooked to it from the first day. And the games. A shooting game where he could shoot down all the rockets that were flying on the screen got him addicted. It was the early days of computer and a program called DOS has changed the way computers operated, his teacher had said.
It was the second week of his class, and he has become an expert in DOS. The teacher praised him for his quick learning, and told him if he continued that way, in the near future, he could join for another course, where he could develop his own games. The thought fascinated him. The course, known as programming, was very popular in the world around and he could get job immediately, the teacher suggested.
It was a Saturday. There was no class today, but the instructor allowed him to come and practice. Ajit was particularly moody since he tried to call up Nisha in the morning without any success. Susan picked up the phone.
“Hello.”
“Aunty, this is Aji,” He tried in a pleasant voice.
“Yes Aji, what is it?” She was not at all friendly.
“Aunty what did I do to you all, to behave like this?” his voice quivered.
“Aji, I have told you many times and I am telling you this. Raju Achayan is really angry with your father. He doesn’t want us to talk to you folks. He is mad about your father threatening him and doing all that at his house.” She said in a soft voice, referring to the mayhem Kurien created when he was there. In fact she was feeling guilty to talk like this to the boy, for no fault of his.
“Aunty, can I talk to Nisha, Just for a minute. Please.” he was begging.
“Nisha is not here, Monay. She wouldn’t do anything that displeases her father. His word is the last for her.”
Ajit hung up the phone in utter dismay. He has tried to call her few times in the past month, but had not succeeded a single time. He was aching to listen to her soft voice, to hear her calling him Aji. Disappointed he set out to the computer institute. As he was leaving the house, Ammachi called out from behind.
“When you will return, Monay?”
“By evening Ammachi,” he replied.
“Go carefully Monay, Last night I had a dream that you met with an accident. So please be careful when you cross the road. There are too many vehicles on the road these days” She said in a concerned voice.
“Ammachi, I am not a kid now. I know it.” He said in a mocking voice and left the house.
He walked not more than hundred meters, when a vehicle stopped near to him. It was the white Maruti Omni and the familiar face of Reji smiled at him from the driving seat. Surprisingly there was nobody with him.
“Hey you have been missing for so long from the vicinity. Where were you?” he queried.
“I was a little busy with my computer course.” he said proudly.
“Come. I’ll drop you there.” he motioned with his head to get in as he unlocked the front door.
Ajit hesitated. Then seeing no harm in riding with him, he got in.
“Where are your friends today?” Checking the backseat to make sure he is alone, he asked him.
“Well, I am getting rid of them. They are bad influence” He whispered as if they are co-conspirators and he feared someone would overhear him.
“Oh.”
“Even I want to join for this computer course. How is it? Easy?” Reji questioned as he overtook a car.
“It’s easy and fun.” Ajit said with touch of pride. Somebody has asked for his advice.
For a minute they rode in silence. Then Reji asked.
“What about the party I offered? Shall we go for it today?”
“No. I can’t come with you today.”
“But why? Today is Saturday. So if you go to the class, or not, no one will notice.”
Ajit said he could not drink. He promised Ammachi.
“Ok. I’ll tell you what. Even I am planning to quit this habit. But for one more time. The last time I am asking you. After this even I will stop drinking.” He made it sound like a farewell.
Ajit was adamant. They had reached the institute. He thanked him for the lift and was about to get down.
“I thought you are my friend. I dropped all my friends and you are the only one left. Please Ajit, give me a chance to treat you. After today, I will never ask,” he was pleading.
Ajit found his pleading strange. Usually he was surrounded by his cronies and never fell short of company. Maybe he was telling the truth. He must have left all of them and was trying to become a good man. Anyway he had promised it would be the last time. Moreover, he was in a melancholic mood at not being able to talk to Nisha and did not feel like working on the computer.
“Ok. I’ll come. But it’s the last. Okay?” Ajit looked at him questioningly.
“Yes of course.” Reji was visibly relaxed.
They bought the liquor from the bar and took it to the Van. Instead of opening the bottle, as was the custom, he put it on the seat and started the vehicle.
“Where are we going?” Ajit queried.
“I know of a good place. There they serve very good Kappa (tapioca) and beef. A party means not only drinking, is it?” He winked at him.
It was a couple of kilometers from town. As they passed, the landscape changed. There were many huts, mostly made out of mud walls and thatched roofs. The huts were situated very close to each other.
“This is the tribal colony” Reji explained.
“Why we are going here?” Ajit was perplexed. He saw these kind of huts, but it was first time he saw so many of them as close to each other.
“On the other end of this colony, there is one Aunty I know of. She makes that Kappa and beef and she allows us to drink there,” he explained.
They parked the van at the road side and got out. Passersby’s gave them a curious glance.
“Come, let’s go,” Reji urged.
Ajit mind was in turmoil. He did not like the setup or the way people looked at them. They were standing in front of a house, which was partially covered from the view by the foliage that grew on the yard. The house was made up of raw-brick and a tiled roof. There was something sinister about the whole situation.
“Come on man. Have you developed cold feet?” Reji was impatient.
Ajit got down. He was having a premonition that something was wrong. He could not put his finger on it though. An old man walking by and seeing them, spat on to the road contemptuously.
Ajit climbed down from the van, locked the door and walked towards the house.
Reji knocked on the locked door. He did it twice before the door opened. A lady opened the door. Seeing Reji, her face suddenly went dark. She looked around, urged them to move inside.
“I told you not to come in the day time,” she told Reji.
“My friend wanted to come now,” he pointed to Ajit, winking at her.
Ajit was looking at the lady. She was in her late thirties, or early forties. When she smiled, the teeth were visible. The y were placed randomly and having lots of space in between. She wore a lungi, a sheet of cloth worn around the waist and reached till her ankles, and a blouse. Her mid-riff was bare. Mass of lump hung from there.
She looked at him and gave that grotesque stretching of lips, of which she considered as a cute smile.
“Oh such urgency.” Then turning to Reji, “The neighborhood is not very good. That’s why I told you not to come during the day.”
‘It’s okay. Get something to eat.“ He spoke as he opened the full bottle of whiskey.
She brought some pickle and fried dry-fish, which obviously was a left over from last night. She placed a jug besides them and went back to get the glasses.
As she left, Ajit whispered to Reji.
“I am not feeling well. Let’s go.”
“What’s the issue, kiddo? Let’s have a couple of drinks and we are on our way. I guess she hasn’t prepared the Kappa and beef. It’s available in the evening only.”
“What is he saying, Reji?” She came into view with three glasses in hand.
“He is a little afraid.” He explained as he took the glass from her and started pouring the drink into them.
“Don’t worry. When you leave this place, you will be a pro. I will see to it,” she giggled.
Reji gave him a glass. He took it with trembling hands. He just wanted to finish the drink fast and get out from this place. He knew what it was.
Reji stood up after finishing his drink. He took the keys from the table.
“Aunty, I’ll be back in a minute. You give him what he requires,” he said with a wink.
“Where are you going? I am coming with you.” He was frightened to see the lady finishing her glass in one gulp like a veteran. He did not want to be left alone with this monster.
“Hey, boy, I am going to get some cigarettes. It’s just around the corner. You two just pour another drink. I’ll be back by then.” With that he left the room. The lady stood up, walked to the door and closed it.
Ajit was really frightened now. He tried to hide his nervousness by pouring another drink. But right now he did not feel like drinking it. He prayed that Reji would return soon.
The lady stood opposite to him. Seeing his nervousness, she teased him.
“Why you are trembling, Monay? I am not going to eat you,” she giggled.
“I am not trembling.” Ajit said defiantly.
“How much cash have you got?” Ajit was totally taken aback by this question.
“Cash? I don’t have anything. It’s Reji’s treat.” He said pointing towards the bottle, which was half empty now.
She laughed. A wicked, dirty laugh, Ajit thought. He started to fidget.
“Ok. I don’t mind who is paying. I should get my money.” With that she sat down heavily and mixed another drink for herself.
Ajit knew what she was referring to. He felt like retching. The mere thought of it made him sick. As he watched, the lady downed the drink as she did before. One gulp. Then once again she stood up and took his hand in hers.
“Come on then? What are you waiting for? Your friend to help you?” She giggled once again.
Ajit recoiled. He stood up to run. He shook her hand off from his and made a dash towards the door. His timing was little late. He heard a commotion outside the door. It was like so many people talking at once. He could hear someone talking loudly.
“We cannot allow this. We are staying here with our families.”
Then someone else seconded that;
“Yes. Our kids are growing up seeing this wickedness. We should teach them a lesson.”
And yet another person;
“That too in broad day light? What is this world coming to?”
Ajit froze in his tracks. He knew what it meant. The local residents were coming to catch the whore.
He did not know what to do. He ran towards the kitchen, hoping that there would be a door, through which he can escape. He found the door, and tried to unlatch it.
“No use. There is no way over there.” He heard the lady from behind.
He turned to see she was standing right there in the room. She too was little surprised from the sudden change of events, and from experience she concluded that the business here is over. She had to find another green pasture. There were loud knocks on the door.
Ajit frantically searched for a place to hide. He saw a bed in the room towards his left. He thought of hiding under it, but he realized it would be too dangerous. That will convince the crowd that he was in it. The banging has become louder and the door swayed on its hinges.
“Please do something. Please. If I am caught here, my life would be finished” He pleaded her in a hushed voice.
“What can I do? There is no way.”
The banging was ever louder. He thought the door would give way any moment. He swallowed hard and walked towards the door and opened it.
The first blow connected with his nose. Instantly he saw flashes. There was a current of blows. Most of them were aimed at his face. He saw one fist coming straight at his right eye, as you see in close-up photography. Then the eye went out.
He did not know what was happening to him. He heard someone calling out to the others.
“See, they were drinking liquor.”
“A stimulant, huh” There was laughter. He turned towards the origin of the sound. He wanted to tell him that he was tricked. He wanted to tell him that he did not come for it.
“Look at that bastard. If he is like this at this young age, what would it be when he will be a man? Scum of the earth.”
Someone spat at him. He felt the sticky fluid land on his face and slowly making its way down. He wanted to die. He was finished.
That’s when someone suggested.
“Let’s call the police. Let these scumbags rest in the lock-up tonight.”
Ajit’s throat went dry. He looked at the man, who has grabbed his hair in his fist, as if to prevent him from running away. A pleading look. His heart screamed to let go.
He tried to talk. But only a croak came out. He saw blood dripping on to his shirt.
“No. No. If the police come, then we would have to go to the court and you know all that stuff.” And turning to him, with a vicious, contemptuous look on his face, he suggested.
“If you ever come back to this area, we will break your legs.” And to the lady “You should vacate the house right now. If we see you anywhere within ten kilometers of this area, you are dead. You understood?”
The grasp on his hair loosened. As he got up to his feat, he saw many people looking on from the road disgustingly. He hoped no one would recognize him.
“Hey, you. Stop there.” Some one from the crowd shouted at him. Ajit obliged.
“I know you. You belong to Mecheril Family, right?” he came up to him, studied his face as if to make sure.
Ajit’s heart stopped beating. If someone recognized him, it would all be finished. Without looking at the man, he replied.
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me. I know you. I know I have seen you in Johny’s house. I worked in his estate for a year” The man turned towards the crowd.
“I know this fellow. He hails from a good family, and his uncle, Johny is a friend of mine. And I know his father as well.”
Ajit was sure about one thing. The news will reach his village like a wildfire. It’s all over. What would I do? How could I look at Ammachi? When his father learns of it what would it be like? His mind churned. He walked with his head down. His cursed life should end. Yes, I can’t live any longer now. It is the end.
He thought about Nisha. He was damn sure, when she or Raju uncle came to know about this incident, they would be horrified. They will never look at me. Why, oh why did you do it Reji? What did I do to deserve such a fate?
Reji was smiling inwardly. He was having immense pleasure in seeing the Mecheril boy staggering to the gate. That damned lady, the boy’s grandmother, was badmouthing him everywhere, especially in the church that he was a drunkard. And a womanizer. “Look at your own grandson now,” he mused. “I promise that I’ll make him a good drunkard, like me. Then let me see how you can go around and talk about it”
He was looking for a way to tarnish the image of that kid for long. It had started since his childhood. Though he was elder to Ajit by a couple of years, there was a constant comparison with him.
“Look at that Ajit, you fool. He doesn’t have a mother, his father abandoned him, but how good he is in his behavior. And you, you have everything and that spoiled you.” His mother used to say whenever he picked up another fight at the school.
The hell they knew. Reji thought. Since his childhood, he had seen his mother and father fighting everyday. His father drank too much and started a fight for no rhyme or reason. If the tea was little cold, there would be a fight. If it was too hot, another one. It usually ended with beating up the wife. On her part, she always pestered him with silly things. He had never seen any love between them. He could never study in his house.
His only solace was his friends. Unfortunately for him, he was hooked up with a group of boys who were spoiled brats, whose parents were highly affluent and working outside India. They sent money to them and they were splashing it. By the time he realized it, he was branded an outcast since everyone knew of drinking and womanizing traits.
What they have done to me, He thought, I’ll do it to him. After all someone had to be there to carry on the legacy. He laughed to himself.
Ajit was feeling guilty. Ammachi was pleading with him.
“Monay, please don’t spoil your life. You have to continue your studies. Why you are getting into the company of that cursed boy, Reji?”
“He is not cursed. He was nice to me.” Ajit retorted.
“The hell he was. You don’t know him. He is trying to avenge the feud with our family.” She tried to make him understand.
“What am I supposed to do? I have no friends, I have nobody. Should I sit in here all day, watching my life wasted like this?” He was on the verge of tears.
“So is this the way you want to live your life?” she questioned.
Ajit did not reply. He knew he was being needlessly harsh with her. But he could not help it.
Ajit did not go out for the next week. He stayed home and renewed his promise. That he would never hurt his Ammachi and would never drink.
Three weeks later, he received his licence. He was elated. He had proved his father wrong. He had always told him that he was not good enough for anything. Now you see, he challenged his father in his mind; I have got the Driving License. Now I’ll join a good institute to study some good course and I’ll become somebody, one day.
Ajit joined a computer course in Ranny, on the insistence of Johny, who advised him not to waste his time. There were still some five to six months before the next academic year would start and by which time Ajit could complete the course. He predicted that this new technology called computer will replace all the type writers and had already become a rage. Ajit was not very open to this idea, but Johny made him agree for it.
But from the first day, he was fascinated by it. The most attractive thing was, he could give commands, as his teacher explained, and the computer would obey. A rack-full of files could be placed into a small diskette. It was called floppy. He was hooked to it from the first day. And the games. A shooting game where he could shoot down all the rockets that were flying on the screen got him addicted. It was the early days of computer and a program called DOS has changed the way computers operated, his teacher had said.
It was the second week of his class, and he has become an expert in DOS. The teacher praised him for his quick learning, and told him if he continued that way, in the near future, he could join for another course, where he could develop his own games. The thought fascinated him. The course, known as programming, was very popular in the world around and he could get job immediately, the teacher suggested.
It was a Saturday. There was no class today, but the instructor allowed him to come and practice. Ajit was particularly moody since he tried to call up Nisha in the morning without any success. Susan picked up the phone.
“Hello.”
“Aunty, this is Aji,” He tried in a pleasant voice.
“Yes Aji, what is it?” She was not at all friendly.
“Aunty what did I do to you all, to behave like this?” his voice quivered.
“Aji, I have told you many times and I am telling you this. Raju Achayan is really angry with your father. He doesn’t want us to talk to you folks. He is mad about your father threatening him and doing all that at his house.” She said in a soft voice, referring to the mayhem Kurien created when he was there. In fact she was feeling guilty to talk like this to the boy, for no fault of his.
“Aunty, can I talk to Nisha, Just for a minute. Please.” he was begging.
“Nisha is not here, Monay. She wouldn’t do anything that displeases her father. His word is the last for her.”
Ajit hung up the phone in utter dismay. He has tried to call her few times in the past month, but had not succeeded a single time. He was aching to listen to her soft voice, to hear her calling him Aji. Disappointed he set out to the computer institute. As he was leaving the house, Ammachi called out from behind.
“When you will return, Monay?”
“By evening Ammachi,” he replied.
“Go carefully Monay, Last night I had a dream that you met with an accident. So please be careful when you cross the road. There are too many vehicles on the road these days” She said in a concerned voice.
“Ammachi, I am not a kid now. I know it.” He said in a mocking voice and left the house.
He walked not more than hundred meters, when a vehicle stopped near to him. It was the white Maruti Omni and the familiar face of Reji smiled at him from the driving seat. Surprisingly there was nobody with him.
“Hey you have been missing for so long from the vicinity. Where were you?” he queried.
“I was a little busy with my computer course.” he said proudly.
“Come. I’ll drop you there.” he motioned with his head to get in as he unlocked the front door.
Ajit hesitated. Then seeing no harm in riding with him, he got in.
“Where are your friends today?” Checking the backseat to make sure he is alone, he asked him.
“Well, I am getting rid of them. They are bad influence” He whispered as if they are co-conspirators and he feared someone would overhear him.
“Oh.”
“Even I want to join for this computer course. How is it? Easy?” Reji questioned as he overtook a car.
“It’s easy and fun.” Ajit said with touch of pride. Somebody has asked for his advice.
For a minute they rode in silence. Then Reji asked.
“What about the party I offered? Shall we go for it today?”
“No. I can’t come with you today.”
“But why? Today is Saturday. So if you go to the class, or not, no one will notice.”
Ajit said he could not drink. He promised Ammachi.
“Ok. I’ll tell you what. Even I am planning to quit this habit. But for one more time. The last time I am asking you. After this even I will stop drinking.” He made it sound like a farewell.
Ajit was adamant. They had reached the institute. He thanked him for the lift and was about to get down.
“I thought you are my friend. I dropped all my friends and you are the only one left. Please Ajit, give me a chance to treat you. After today, I will never ask,” he was pleading.
Ajit found his pleading strange. Usually he was surrounded by his cronies and never fell short of company. Maybe he was telling the truth. He must have left all of them and was trying to become a good man. Anyway he had promised it would be the last time. Moreover, he was in a melancholic mood at not being able to talk to Nisha and did not feel like working on the computer.
“Ok. I’ll come. But it’s the last. Okay?” Ajit looked at him questioningly.
“Yes of course.” Reji was visibly relaxed.
They bought the liquor from the bar and took it to the Van. Instead of opening the bottle, as was the custom, he put it on the seat and started the vehicle.
“Where are we going?” Ajit queried.
“I know of a good place. There they serve very good Kappa (tapioca) and beef. A party means not only drinking, is it?” He winked at him.
It was a couple of kilometers from town. As they passed, the landscape changed. There were many huts, mostly made out of mud walls and thatched roofs. The huts were situated very close to each other.
“This is the tribal colony” Reji explained.
“Why we are going here?” Ajit was perplexed. He saw these kind of huts, but it was first time he saw so many of them as close to each other.
“On the other end of this colony, there is one Aunty I know of. She makes that Kappa and beef and she allows us to drink there,” he explained.
They parked the van at the road side and got out. Passersby’s gave them a curious glance.
“Come, let’s go,” Reji urged.
Ajit mind was in turmoil. He did not like the setup or the way people looked at them. They were standing in front of a house, which was partially covered from the view by the foliage that grew on the yard. The house was made up of raw-brick and a tiled roof. There was something sinister about the whole situation.
“Come on man. Have you developed cold feet?” Reji was impatient.
Ajit got down. He was having a premonition that something was wrong. He could not put his finger on it though. An old man walking by and seeing them, spat on to the road contemptuously.
Ajit climbed down from the van, locked the door and walked towards the house.
Reji knocked on the locked door. He did it twice before the door opened. A lady opened the door. Seeing Reji, her face suddenly went dark. She looked around, urged them to move inside.
“I told you not to come in the day time,” she told Reji.
“My friend wanted to come now,” he pointed to Ajit, winking at her.
Ajit was looking at the lady. She was in her late thirties, or early forties. When she smiled, the teeth were visible. The y were placed randomly and having lots of space in between. She wore a lungi, a sheet of cloth worn around the waist and reached till her ankles, and a blouse. Her mid-riff was bare. Mass of lump hung from there.
She looked at him and gave that grotesque stretching of lips, of which she considered as a cute smile.
“Oh such urgency.” Then turning to Reji, “The neighborhood is not very good. That’s why I told you not to come during the day.”
‘It’s okay. Get something to eat.“ He spoke as he opened the full bottle of whiskey.
She brought some pickle and fried dry-fish, which obviously was a left over from last night. She placed a jug besides them and went back to get the glasses.
As she left, Ajit whispered to Reji.
“I am not feeling well. Let’s go.”
“What’s the issue, kiddo? Let’s have a couple of drinks and we are on our way. I guess she hasn’t prepared the Kappa and beef. It’s available in the evening only.”
“What is he saying, Reji?” She came into view with three glasses in hand.
“He is a little afraid.” He explained as he took the glass from her and started pouring the drink into them.
“Don’t worry. When you leave this place, you will be a pro. I will see to it,” she giggled.
Reji gave him a glass. He took it with trembling hands. He just wanted to finish the drink fast and get out from this place. He knew what it was.
Reji stood up after finishing his drink. He took the keys from the table.
“Aunty, I’ll be back in a minute. You give him what he requires,” he said with a wink.
“Where are you going? I am coming with you.” He was frightened to see the lady finishing her glass in one gulp like a veteran. He did not want to be left alone with this monster.
“Hey, boy, I am going to get some cigarettes. It’s just around the corner. You two just pour another drink. I’ll be back by then.” With that he left the room. The lady stood up, walked to the door and closed it.
Ajit was really frightened now. He tried to hide his nervousness by pouring another drink. But right now he did not feel like drinking it. He prayed that Reji would return soon.
The lady stood opposite to him. Seeing his nervousness, she teased him.
“Why you are trembling, Monay? I am not going to eat you,” she giggled.
“I am not trembling.” Ajit said defiantly.
“How much cash have you got?” Ajit was totally taken aback by this question.
“Cash? I don’t have anything. It’s Reji’s treat.” He said pointing towards the bottle, which was half empty now.
She laughed. A wicked, dirty laugh, Ajit thought. He started to fidget.
“Ok. I don’t mind who is paying. I should get my money.” With that she sat down heavily and mixed another drink for herself.
Ajit knew what she was referring to. He felt like retching. The mere thought of it made him sick. As he watched, the lady downed the drink as she did before. One gulp. Then once again she stood up and took his hand in hers.
“Come on then? What are you waiting for? Your friend to help you?” She giggled once again.
Ajit recoiled. He stood up to run. He shook her hand off from his and made a dash towards the door. His timing was little late. He heard a commotion outside the door. It was like so many people talking at once. He could hear someone talking loudly.
“We cannot allow this. We are staying here with our families.”
Then someone else seconded that;
“Yes. Our kids are growing up seeing this wickedness. We should teach them a lesson.”
And yet another person;
“That too in broad day light? What is this world coming to?”
Ajit froze in his tracks. He knew what it meant. The local residents were coming to catch the whore.
He did not know what to do. He ran towards the kitchen, hoping that there would be a door, through which he can escape. He found the door, and tried to unlatch it.
“No use. There is no way over there.” He heard the lady from behind.
He turned to see she was standing right there in the room. She too was little surprised from the sudden change of events, and from experience she concluded that the business here is over. She had to find another green pasture. There were loud knocks on the door.
Ajit frantically searched for a place to hide. He saw a bed in the room towards his left. He thought of hiding under it, but he realized it would be too dangerous. That will convince the crowd that he was in it. The banging has become louder and the door swayed on its hinges.
“Please do something. Please. If I am caught here, my life would be finished” He pleaded her in a hushed voice.
“What can I do? There is no way.”
The banging was ever louder. He thought the door would give way any moment. He swallowed hard and walked towards the door and opened it.
The first blow connected with his nose. Instantly he saw flashes. There was a current of blows. Most of them were aimed at his face. He saw one fist coming straight at his right eye, as you see in close-up photography. Then the eye went out.
He did not know what was happening to him. He heard someone calling out to the others.
“See, they were drinking liquor.”
“A stimulant, huh” There was laughter. He turned towards the origin of the sound. He wanted to tell him that he was tricked. He wanted to tell him that he did not come for it.
“Look at that bastard. If he is like this at this young age, what would it be when he will be a man? Scum of the earth.”
Someone spat at him. He felt the sticky fluid land on his face and slowly making its way down. He wanted to die. He was finished.
That’s when someone suggested.
“Let’s call the police. Let these scumbags rest in the lock-up tonight.”
Ajit’s throat went dry. He looked at the man, who has grabbed his hair in his fist, as if to prevent him from running away. A pleading look. His heart screamed to let go.
He tried to talk. But only a croak came out. He saw blood dripping on to his shirt.
“No. No. If the police come, then we would have to go to the court and you know all that stuff.” And turning to him, with a vicious, contemptuous look on his face, he suggested.
“If you ever come back to this area, we will break your legs.” And to the lady “You should vacate the house right now. If we see you anywhere within ten kilometers of this area, you are dead. You understood?”
The grasp on his hair loosened. As he got up to his feat, he saw many people looking on from the road disgustingly. He hoped no one would recognize him.
“Hey, you. Stop there.” Some one from the crowd shouted at him. Ajit obliged.
“I know you. You belong to Mecheril Family, right?” he came up to him, studied his face as if to make sure.
Ajit’s heart stopped beating. If someone recognized him, it would all be finished. Without looking at the man, he replied.
“No.”
“Don’t lie to me. I know you. I know I have seen you in Johny’s house. I worked in his estate for a year” The man turned towards the crowd.
“I know this fellow. He hails from a good family, and his uncle, Johny is a friend of mine. And I know his father as well.”
Ajit was sure about one thing. The news will reach his village like a wildfire. It’s all over. What would I do? How could I look at Ammachi? When his father learns of it what would it be like? His mind churned. He walked with his head down. His cursed life should end. Yes, I can’t live any longer now. It is the end.
He thought about Nisha. He was damn sure, when she or Raju uncle came to know about this incident, they would be horrified. They will never look at me. Why, oh why did you do it Reji? What did I do to deserve such a fate?
Forsaken - Chapter 26
Chapter 26
The bar was totally empty. The afternoon rush was just over and the waiters were cleaning the floor when they walked in. It was dark inside and strewn with used paper napkins. There was a pungent aroma inside the bar. The aroma of stale smoke and liquor.
They sat down on a corner table, which was just cleaned by the waiters. As they did so, a boy, no more than eighteen and was wearing a black t-shirt and dirty trousers, came over. He stood there expectantly.
“I want a quarter of whiskey.” Ajit ordered. He chose a cheap local made one. He then looked expectantly at Raju.
“I’ll have a coke.” Raju declined the offer.
The waiter came back with the orders and put it in front of them. Ajit opened the bottle, poured almost all the content of the quarter whiskey, added little water and drank in one gulp. Then he took a piece of cucumber from the plate that the boy just placed there.
All the while Raju was just observing him. His initial contempt has subsided and sympathy took its place. Sure, he had gone through hell. He thought. He got the punishment. There is no point in hurting him anymore. But the accusation that he was the reason was too much for him.
“Do you remember the day when my father came to your house and burned my cricket kit?” Ajit started without any preamble.
“Yes. How can I forget?” Raju answered. It was still clear in his mind. Kurien came bursting inside searching for the boy. Raju pleaded with him to let the boy finish the tournament at least. His remarks were terse.
“Do you plan to adopt him, Raju? I am his father. You have no right to interfere. I want him to study.”
They had an argument. Kurien threatened him with physical violence if he interfered and Raju had no doubt that he meant it. So he was a mute spectator to the horrifying, savage act.
“Once back at home, he beat me with his belt.” Ajit was pouring whatever was left in the bottle.
It was as if Kurien was determined to break every bone in the boy’s body. He let out his anger and hatred on him. After beating and kicking him in the stomach, he took his leather belt, and swung it. It coiled around Ajit’s upper torso and as it uncoiled, it went with the skin. It was all in the closed room. He could hear the pounding on the door. It was Ammachi.
“Eda leave him. Please don’t kill him. I sent him. You beat me, but please, oh please, let the boy out.”
Ajit took the punishment without shedding a tear. It was like his body was insulated against any pain. He did not feel any pain. Finally and fortunately Kurien had had enough. He opened the door. Ammachi came running. As she saw his shirt-less upper torso, she let out a gasp.
Later she put some Ayurvedic oil onto the wounds. Ajit did not speak at all. His stare was blank. He was not aware about the things he was being subjected to.
That night Ammachi decided to confront Kurien. She went to Kurien, who was sitting in the living room, reading a Malayalam news paper.
“God will never forgive you for what you did to the boy” She cursed him.
Kurien sprang up from the seat. He grabbed a wooden chair that was closer to him and smashed it.
There was a thunderous noise as the chair made contact with the floor. Splinters flew across the room.
“De Thalle (vulgar term for lady), if you don’t behave properly, I will kill both of you,” he thundered.
“But why you hate him so much? What did he do?” She asked as she stood back, away from his reach as if she feared he would strangulate her.
“It is my broadmindedness that I am feeding him. The bastard. And you, despite knowing that I was coming, you let that creep continue there?” he said through clenched teeth.
“If you are his father, then you had to feed him and look after him.” She retorted.
“If I am the father. He is not mine” he spoke with hatred filled in his voice.
Ammachi was taken aback. She knew that he doubted his former wife and they quarreled about it, but she had never thought that his suspicion was this deep.
“If that is the case, you never touch him anymore. Otherwise I’ll call in all our relatives and neighbors.” She warned him.
“If I can feed him, I have the right to punish him” He was boiling in anger.
“No. You don’t give a penny to that boy, you dog. I have half of your father’s property in my name. He will live by that. If you touch him once more, I am going to call the police.”
With that she turned back.
Ajit never returned to college. He could not face Prof. Sathyapalan. After all he had let him down. And his friends must be aware about what happened there, he believed.
Ajit was full of hatred. He hated his father and prayed for his death. After a week or so, Nisha called up once.
“Aji, how can you stand this?” was her first query. From her voice it was apparent that she was going through some stress.
He did not answer. He was humiliated right in front of her. Yet nobody raised a voice. He was angry.
Then Nisha told him about Kurien’s threat and he understood.
The next thing that she said, though, completely put him off.
“Aji, I am calling you since Amma and Acha are not at home. I was warned by Acha not to call you or have any relationship with you.” She said in a voice that expressed her anxiety.
“Why?” Ajit was taken aback. He could not think of losing her.
“Acha said that he would never speak to your father, for what he said. I think Acha knows of our love. He said if Kurien uncle come to know about us, he would wreak havoc. Nowadays Acha locks the phone,” she said in one breath.
Ajit hated his father even more.
“Now what do you think?” He was resigned to his fate.
“I will never forget you. You are the only man in my life.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know Aji. I can’t defy Acha. I can’t forget you.”
“Nisha, please. I can’t live without you.”
“Do you think I can? But circumstances are like that. At least for sometime we have to go without seeing or speaking to each other.”
So, that’s it. It was that easy.
“So you are going to avoid me, huh?” Ajit asked with a scorn in his voice.
“I am not avoiding you. You are there in my heart. I’ll come with you when you find a good job and can stand on your own leg. Then, you call me, I’ll come with you without thinking twice. Okay? I have to go Aji, I am calling from a nearby telephone booth and Acha may return anytime now. Bye” She did not even wait for him to say bye.
Was that goodbye? Ajit wondered. Wasn’t it a few days only, when she said he was her life?
“It’s my fate. Everyone that I love has to depart from my life. First it was mother, whom he did not even have slightest memory of. Then his father. It was another thing that he ever loved him. Now Nisha.”
“I am forsaken”’ he thought. “Now I have nobody”
It was that then he started drinking. It had started on Christmas day. He was sitting at the bus stop, absent mindedly watching the people who were waiting for the bus. They all had places to go. He did not even like to go to Johny Uncle’s place. A group of local boys, with whom he was never acquainted because of their reputation of being outcasts and their drinking habits, were having a good time. It was apparent that they had a celebration. They were standing around a Maruti Omni van, which belonged to Reji, who was the leader of the group.
Reji spotted him and waved to him. He hailed from a good family, Kalathil, but because of his nefarious activities, he was looked down by the good boys like Ajit. Kalathil family has a long running feud with Mecheril and in the church they always in opposition to each other. Every decision supported by Mecheril family was routinely opposed by Kalathil family.
As Reji said something pointing to him, the group erupted in laughter. Ajit started to fume. He stood up, walked up to the group.
“What the hell was so funny?” He came close to Reji, pushed him on his chest. He was spoiling for a fight. He wanted to vent his anger somewhere.
The group stopped laughing. They closed in on him menacingly.
“Hey guys. Cool it. It’s between me and him” Reji called out.
“So you wanted to fight me, huh? Want to challenge Reji Kalathil?” He asked as they both looked each other in the eye.
Ajit glared at him, not saying anything.
“Hey man. It’s Christmas. Let’s not fight. If you want to prove something, challenge me in drinking. Can you do that?” The group once again erupted in laughter amidst, loud “Aye Aye.”
Ajit flinched. He never drank liquor.
“Oh. Look at him. He is the Mamma’s boy man. He can not do that.” One of the boys teased, raising a half-empty liquor bottle and waving it on his face.
Ajit did not know what drove him. He grabbed the bottle in his fist, opened it and poured a mouthful.
He gasped. It was burning. He could sense the liquid flowing down in his body. It was like molten wax flowing down his throat. He threw up.
“Hey, easy. First time it feels a little harsh. But it will be okay.” Reji said, winking to the others.
In a few minutes, Ajit was floating. He felt like he did not weigh at all. He got a third-person view of his own body. It was as if his eyes were hovering over him, watching him. It felt wonderful.
He had one more at the insistence of Reji. This time it was mixed with water and he drank it slowly. The taste was bitter, but he swallowed it. Within ten minutes, he was walking into the house, staggering. He straight away went to his room. He just wanted to lie down.
As he lied down, he felt something rushing in to his brain. It was like his body is being lifted from the bed, slowly and gradually. He felt the rush of blood into his brain. With a loud, awkward sound, he threw up on his bed.
The next day he woke, feeling famished. He remembered what he has done. His head sank in shame. Ammachi encountered him at the kitchen. She was furious and chastised him. She warned him that if he ever did that once again, he was out of the house.
Ajit was feeling exhausted. His head was pounding. He was thinking about the wonderful feeling he had yesterday after downing the drink. He slept well and for a change, there were no frightening dreams. It was as if all his worries had been washed away by the liquid. But he did not want to disappoint Ammachi and he promised himself that he will never drink.
Two days later, he had to appear for his driving license test. He had turned eighteen and was now eligible for it. So he got up early morning, and after breakfast he was ready to go.
“Where are you going, Mone?” Ammachi has forgiven him, but kept an eye on him. She did not want him to go astray.
“I told you Ammachi, I got a driving test today at Pathanamthitta R.T.O office.” The R.T.O (Regional Transport Officer) was the licensing authority.
“Ok. Take the car then,” she suggested.
“I would never, ever touch that man’s car,” he spat.
“Then how are you going to take the test without a vehicle?” She knew that much. For a license test, one needs to bring his own vehicle.
“I have spoken to a Driving school owner. If I pay him a five-hundred, he would let me take his vehicle.” He had arranged it over the phone, since he knew the man personally.
She gave him the money.
When he reached the driving school premises, bad news waited him. Last night one of the students rammed the car into a wall. It is in the workshop and would not be out until the next day.
Ajit cursed his luck. If he missed this chance, he had to wait for another month. Not that he has some urgency. But he was longing for it for many years. Since his education stopped abruptly, he did not know what to do. Even if he had to go for some technical studies, like I.T.I or diploma course he had to wait until the next academic year.
He was about to turn back home when a van stopped near to him. Reji poked his head out of the window and called out.
“Ajit, what are you doing here?”
“Nothing. Going home.” He was not feeling the same anguish towards him as he did before Christmas. Why should I? He reasoned. He hasn’t done any harm to me.
“No. Why are you in this driving school? I mean you know driving.” He knew Ajit drove the car since his early teenage years.
Ajit explained about the driving test and how he could not attend it.
“What are friends for, boy? Once we shared a drink, you have become one of us. Come, hop in. I’ll take you there” Reji offered.
Ajit thought about it for a minute. What the hell, I will just go with him, and once done I’ll pay him the five hundred as petrol cost and return home.
So he jumped into the van. He found two more boys sitting in the van.
“I hope I am not bothering you.” He said to everyone.
“Not at all. It would be our pleasure to help you. I mean, I know how much you have suffered”
Ajit’s plight was a well-known secret in his village.
During the journey, Ajit was a mute spectator to the boisterous behavior of the group. They passed lewd comments at girls, frightened the cyclists by swerving towards them and all the while laughing hysterically. Ajit was hoping that he is not making a mistake by travelling with them. Oh, this is another village, where no one knew who I am, he reasoned.
The test was successful since Ajit was an experienced driver. He took the “H” test, where he had to drive the vehicle forward, then in reverse, turning to left, and straighten then forward once again, completing the “H” shape. He did it with ease and was told that his license would be ready in two weeks.
As they were heading back, Ajit offered to pay Reji the amount he was supposed to pay the driving school guy. Reji sported a hurt look.
“Hey, are you putting a price tag on my goodwill?” he asked.
Ajit tried to explain. But he was cut short by one of the guys.
“If you insist paying, why don’t you buy some whiskey, so that we all can enjoy?”
There were murmurs of assent.
He thought of the promise he made. Then he told them that he would pay for it, but he won’t drink. They objected to this, but agreed later.
They parked on an empty road side, and Reji opened the dash and took out a glass. They started drinking from the same glass, one drank the liquid in a single gulp and passed it on to the next one who repeated the routine.
After a few pegs, Reji offered.
“Ajit, why don’t you just try one? See, it won’t be like last time. That was your first, huh?”
Ajit declined the offer. But the temptation was strong. He saw the golden brown liquid being poured into the glass, adding the water to make it a smooth looking liquid, and downed with one neat gulp. He felt the urge to take a drink.
“Ok. I will take one, just for your company,” he asked them, a little shy.
“There you are. See only men drink. Okay? You are a man now” Reji exclaimed.
Ajit took the glass in his hand. Just by holding it, he felt powerful. He was a man. A grown-up, strong, masculine man. He raised the glass to his lips, and drank half of it. It was smooth. He did not feel the bitterness at all this time.
Another round followed. By the time the glass reached Ajit, he was feeling a little light. A slight numbness. It felt wonderful.
He let them pour another one for him. And another one.
By the time they reached his house, he was full drunk. As he was climbing down from the Van, a few meters down from his gate, Reji reminded him.
“Once you get the license, I will give you a party. Okay? It’s on me. You give me call when you get the license.”
The bar was totally empty. The afternoon rush was just over and the waiters were cleaning the floor when they walked in. It was dark inside and strewn with used paper napkins. There was a pungent aroma inside the bar. The aroma of stale smoke and liquor.
They sat down on a corner table, which was just cleaned by the waiters. As they did so, a boy, no more than eighteen and was wearing a black t-shirt and dirty trousers, came over. He stood there expectantly.
“I want a quarter of whiskey.” Ajit ordered. He chose a cheap local made one. He then looked expectantly at Raju.
“I’ll have a coke.” Raju declined the offer.
The waiter came back with the orders and put it in front of them. Ajit opened the bottle, poured almost all the content of the quarter whiskey, added little water and drank in one gulp. Then he took a piece of cucumber from the plate that the boy just placed there.
All the while Raju was just observing him. His initial contempt has subsided and sympathy took its place. Sure, he had gone through hell. He thought. He got the punishment. There is no point in hurting him anymore. But the accusation that he was the reason was too much for him.
“Do you remember the day when my father came to your house and burned my cricket kit?” Ajit started without any preamble.
“Yes. How can I forget?” Raju answered. It was still clear in his mind. Kurien came bursting inside searching for the boy. Raju pleaded with him to let the boy finish the tournament at least. His remarks were terse.
“Do you plan to adopt him, Raju? I am his father. You have no right to interfere. I want him to study.”
They had an argument. Kurien threatened him with physical violence if he interfered and Raju had no doubt that he meant it. So he was a mute spectator to the horrifying, savage act.
“Once back at home, he beat me with his belt.” Ajit was pouring whatever was left in the bottle.
It was as if Kurien was determined to break every bone in the boy’s body. He let out his anger and hatred on him. After beating and kicking him in the stomach, he took his leather belt, and swung it. It coiled around Ajit’s upper torso and as it uncoiled, it went with the skin. It was all in the closed room. He could hear the pounding on the door. It was Ammachi.
“Eda leave him. Please don’t kill him. I sent him. You beat me, but please, oh please, let the boy out.”
Ajit took the punishment without shedding a tear. It was like his body was insulated against any pain. He did not feel any pain. Finally and fortunately Kurien had had enough. He opened the door. Ammachi came running. As she saw his shirt-less upper torso, she let out a gasp.
Later she put some Ayurvedic oil onto the wounds. Ajit did not speak at all. His stare was blank. He was not aware about the things he was being subjected to.
That night Ammachi decided to confront Kurien. She went to Kurien, who was sitting in the living room, reading a Malayalam news paper.
“God will never forgive you for what you did to the boy” She cursed him.
Kurien sprang up from the seat. He grabbed a wooden chair that was closer to him and smashed it.
There was a thunderous noise as the chair made contact with the floor. Splinters flew across the room.
“De Thalle (vulgar term for lady), if you don’t behave properly, I will kill both of you,” he thundered.
“But why you hate him so much? What did he do?” She asked as she stood back, away from his reach as if she feared he would strangulate her.
“It is my broadmindedness that I am feeding him. The bastard. And you, despite knowing that I was coming, you let that creep continue there?” he said through clenched teeth.
“If you are his father, then you had to feed him and look after him.” She retorted.
“If I am the father. He is not mine” he spoke with hatred filled in his voice.
Ammachi was taken aback. She knew that he doubted his former wife and they quarreled about it, but she had never thought that his suspicion was this deep.
“If that is the case, you never touch him anymore. Otherwise I’ll call in all our relatives and neighbors.” She warned him.
“If I can feed him, I have the right to punish him” He was boiling in anger.
“No. You don’t give a penny to that boy, you dog. I have half of your father’s property in my name. He will live by that. If you touch him once more, I am going to call the police.”
With that she turned back.
Ajit never returned to college. He could not face Prof. Sathyapalan. After all he had let him down. And his friends must be aware about what happened there, he believed.
Ajit was full of hatred. He hated his father and prayed for his death. After a week or so, Nisha called up once.
“Aji, how can you stand this?” was her first query. From her voice it was apparent that she was going through some stress.
He did not answer. He was humiliated right in front of her. Yet nobody raised a voice. He was angry.
Then Nisha told him about Kurien’s threat and he understood.
The next thing that she said, though, completely put him off.
“Aji, I am calling you since Amma and Acha are not at home. I was warned by Acha not to call you or have any relationship with you.” She said in a voice that expressed her anxiety.
“Why?” Ajit was taken aback. He could not think of losing her.
“Acha said that he would never speak to your father, for what he said. I think Acha knows of our love. He said if Kurien uncle come to know about us, he would wreak havoc. Nowadays Acha locks the phone,” she said in one breath.
Ajit hated his father even more.
“Now what do you think?” He was resigned to his fate.
“I will never forget you. You are the only man in my life.”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know Aji. I can’t defy Acha. I can’t forget you.”
“Nisha, please. I can’t live without you.”
“Do you think I can? But circumstances are like that. At least for sometime we have to go without seeing or speaking to each other.”
So, that’s it. It was that easy.
“So you are going to avoid me, huh?” Ajit asked with a scorn in his voice.
“I am not avoiding you. You are there in my heart. I’ll come with you when you find a good job and can stand on your own leg. Then, you call me, I’ll come with you without thinking twice. Okay? I have to go Aji, I am calling from a nearby telephone booth and Acha may return anytime now. Bye” She did not even wait for him to say bye.
Was that goodbye? Ajit wondered. Wasn’t it a few days only, when she said he was her life?
“It’s my fate. Everyone that I love has to depart from my life. First it was mother, whom he did not even have slightest memory of. Then his father. It was another thing that he ever loved him. Now Nisha.”
“I am forsaken”’ he thought. “Now I have nobody”
It was that then he started drinking. It had started on Christmas day. He was sitting at the bus stop, absent mindedly watching the people who were waiting for the bus. They all had places to go. He did not even like to go to Johny Uncle’s place. A group of local boys, with whom he was never acquainted because of their reputation of being outcasts and their drinking habits, were having a good time. It was apparent that they had a celebration. They were standing around a Maruti Omni van, which belonged to Reji, who was the leader of the group.
Reji spotted him and waved to him. He hailed from a good family, Kalathil, but because of his nefarious activities, he was looked down by the good boys like Ajit. Kalathil family has a long running feud with Mecheril and in the church they always in opposition to each other. Every decision supported by Mecheril family was routinely opposed by Kalathil family.
As Reji said something pointing to him, the group erupted in laughter. Ajit started to fume. He stood up, walked up to the group.
“What the hell was so funny?” He came close to Reji, pushed him on his chest. He was spoiling for a fight. He wanted to vent his anger somewhere.
The group stopped laughing. They closed in on him menacingly.
“Hey guys. Cool it. It’s between me and him” Reji called out.
“So you wanted to fight me, huh? Want to challenge Reji Kalathil?” He asked as they both looked each other in the eye.
Ajit glared at him, not saying anything.
“Hey man. It’s Christmas. Let’s not fight. If you want to prove something, challenge me in drinking. Can you do that?” The group once again erupted in laughter amidst, loud “Aye Aye.”
Ajit flinched. He never drank liquor.
“Oh. Look at him. He is the Mamma’s boy man. He can not do that.” One of the boys teased, raising a half-empty liquor bottle and waving it on his face.
Ajit did not know what drove him. He grabbed the bottle in his fist, opened it and poured a mouthful.
He gasped. It was burning. He could sense the liquid flowing down in his body. It was like molten wax flowing down his throat. He threw up.
“Hey, easy. First time it feels a little harsh. But it will be okay.” Reji said, winking to the others.
In a few minutes, Ajit was floating. He felt like he did not weigh at all. He got a third-person view of his own body. It was as if his eyes were hovering over him, watching him. It felt wonderful.
He had one more at the insistence of Reji. This time it was mixed with water and he drank it slowly. The taste was bitter, but he swallowed it. Within ten minutes, he was walking into the house, staggering. He straight away went to his room. He just wanted to lie down.
As he lied down, he felt something rushing in to his brain. It was like his body is being lifted from the bed, slowly and gradually. He felt the rush of blood into his brain. With a loud, awkward sound, he threw up on his bed.
The next day he woke, feeling famished. He remembered what he has done. His head sank in shame. Ammachi encountered him at the kitchen. She was furious and chastised him. She warned him that if he ever did that once again, he was out of the house.
Ajit was feeling exhausted. His head was pounding. He was thinking about the wonderful feeling he had yesterday after downing the drink. He slept well and for a change, there were no frightening dreams. It was as if all his worries had been washed away by the liquid. But he did not want to disappoint Ammachi and he promised himself that he will never drink.
Two days later, he had to appear for his driving license test. He had turned eighteen and was now eligible for it. So he got up early morning, and after breakfast he was ready to go.
“Where are you going, Mone?” Ammachi has forgiven him, but kept an eye on him. She did not want him to go astray.
“I told you Ammachi, I got a driving test today at Pathanamthitta R.T.O office.” The R.T.O (Regional Transport Officer) was the licensing authority.
“Ok. Take the car then,” she suggested.
“I would never, ever touch that man’s car,” he spat.
“Then how are you going to take the test without a vehicle?” She knew that much. For a license test, one needs to bring his own vehicle.
“I have spoken to a Driving school owner. If I pay him a five-hundred, he would let me take his vehicle.” He had arranged it over the phone, since he knew the man personally.
She gave him the money.
When he reached the driving school premises, bad news waited him. Last night one of the students rammed the car into a wall. It is in the workshop and would not be out until the next day.
Ajit cursed his luck. If he missed this chance, he had to wait for another month. Not that he has some urgency. But he was longing for it for many years. Since his education stopped abruptly, he did not know what to do. Even if he had to go for some technical studies, like I.T.I or diploma course he had to wait until the next academic year.
He was about to turn back home when a van stopped near to him. Reji poked his head out of the window and called out.
“Ajit, what are you doing here?”
“Nothing. Going home.” He was not feeling the same anguish towards him as he did before Christmas. Why should I? He reasoned. He hasn’t done any harm to me.
“No. Why are you in this driving school? I mean you know driving.” He knew Ajit drove the car since his early teenage years.
Ajit explained about the driving test and how he could not attend it.
“What are friends for, boy? Once we shared a drink, you have become one of us. Come, hop in. I’ll take you there” Reji offered.
Ajit thought about it for a minute. What the hell, I will just go with him, and once done I’ll pay him the five hundred as petrol cost and return home.
So he jumped into the van. He found two more boys sitting in the van.
“I hope I am not bothering you.” He said to everyone.
“Not at all. It would be our pleasure to help you. I mean, I know how much you have suffered”
Ajit’s plight was a well-known secret in his village.
During the journey, Ajit was a mute spectator to the boisterous behavior of the group. They passed lewd comments at girls, frightened the cyclists by swerving towards them and all the while laughing hysterically. Ajit was hoping that he is not making a mistake by travelling with them. Oh, this is another village, where no one knew who I am, he reasoned.
The test was successful since Ajit was an experienced driver. He took the “H” test, where he had to drive the vehicle forward, then in reverse, turning to left, and straighten then forward once again, completing the “H” shape. He did it with ease and was told that his license would be ready in two weeks.
As they were heading back, Ajit offered to pay Reji the amount he was supposed to pay the driving school guy. Reji sported a hurt look.
“Hey, are you putting a price tag on my goodwill?” he asked.
Ajit tried to explain. But he was cut short by one of the guys.
“If you insist paying, why don’t you buy some whiskey, so that we all can enjoy?”
There were murmurs of assent.
He thought of the promise he made. Then he told them that he would pay for it, but he won’t drink. They objected to this, but agreed later.
They parked on an empty road side, and Reji opened the dash and took out a glass. They started drinking from the same glass, one drank the liquid in a single gulp and passed it on to the next one who repeated the routine.
After a few pegs, Reji offered.
“Ajit, why don’t you just try one? See, it won’t be like last time. That was your first, huh?”
Ajit declined the offer. But the temptation was strong. He saw the golden brown liquid being poured into the glass, adding the water to make it a smooth looking liquid, and downed with one neat gulp. He felt the urge to take a drink.
“Ok. I will take one, just for your company,” he asked them, a little shy.
“There you are. See only men drink. Okay? You are a man now” Reji exclaimed.
Ajit took the glass in his hand. Just by holding it, he felt powerful. He was a man. A grown-up, strong, masculine man. He raised the glass to his lips, and drank half of it. It was smooth. He did not feel the bitterness at all this time.
Another round followed. By the time the glass reached Ajit, he was feeling a little light. A slight numbness. It felt wonderful.
He let them pour another one for him. And another one.
By the time they reached his house, he was full drunk. As he was climbing down from the Van, a few meters down from his gate, Reji reminded him.
“Once you get the license, I will give you a party. Okay? It’s on me. You give me call when you get the license.”
Forsaken - Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Ajit heard a loud tap on the door. He wanted to sleep a little more. But the tap was ever louder and he heard someone calling his name. He opened his eyes with great effort. First he could not see anything. He squinted to make out the surroundings. Then everything came back to him. He was sitting in the car, waiting for Raju.
He saw the bulky frame of Raju tapping on the door. He did not have any idea how long it had been. He straightened. Suddenly he felt an excruciating pain in his abdomen. It was like somebody had pricked him with thousands of needles. He gasped in pain. He bit his lower lip and reached for the front door handle to open it.
Raju got in. As he sat the springs of the seat protested. It creaked under his weight. He has put on a lot of weight, Ajit thought. The long scar above his left eye, the souvenir of that train accident was still prominent, with its criss-cross stitch marks. Ajit turned the ignition. While it was revving up, he picked a soiled plastic bottle from underneath the dashboard, took two tablets from his pocket and swallowed it.
“What are they for?” Raju asked.
“Nothing. I am little tired and these are vitamin tablets.” Ajit replied. He did not see any reason why he should tell him.
“So where can we go?” Raju asked him.
“You said you wanted to go to Worli” Ajit looked at him quizzically.
“That will be after we had our little chat” Raju said in a terse voice.
Ajit nodded. He did not know why he wanted to talk. Why he can’t let him go? What is the use when both of them know it’s completely a waste of time?
Raju waited for some time for Ajit to say something. He just sat there, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Finally Raju decided to break the silence.
“Can we go to this beach? A beach is a good place to do some reminiscence. As we see it in the films” Raju tried to lighten up the mood pointing to the shore that was some five hundred meters away.
Without answering Ajit put the vehicle in motion. He drove along the cost line and stopped at the Bandra Bandstand, a popular hangout for couples. There was a shelter at the bus stop close to the parked car. They got out and walked towards it. It was empty.
Raju sat down on the cement bench and motioned for him to sit. He sat at the edge of the bench.
“So Aji, how are you?” Raju started the conversation.
“What do you want to know?” Ajit wore a defiant look. He could not make himself do the small talk.
“Straight to the point, huh? I thought you would ask how Susan was doing.” Raju said with a smirk.
Ajit did not respond.
“Okay. At least you would want to know what happened to Ammachi?” Raju teased him.
For a moment Ajit thought of her. The soft, loving face, her white hair, and the perennial smell of Ayurvedic Kuzhambu. He expectantly looked at Raju, urging him to continue.
“She died the next year of your running away.” Raju said in a soft voice. He knew how close Ajit was to his grandmother. He expected a sob, at least a shock from him. Instead he sat there, like a statue. The only difference was the fluttering of hairs in the breeze that was coming from the sea. The breeze tasted like salt.
“And Johny, he passed away last year. Heart Attack.” Raju continued as there was no response from Ajit.
Now he saw the man shaking. He was biting his lower lip, as if to stifle a cry. When he turned to Raju, there was tears welled up in his eyes.
“How did Ammachi…..” He could not finish the sentence.
“After your running away, she was quite ill. Right before her death, a week before, she called me.” Raju said with a sad look in his eye.
“What did she say?” He wiped the tears.
“She wanted to see me. She said it is urgent. I went there with Susan and Nisha”
***********************
Raju could not believe his eyes. He remembered Aley Ammamma as a jovial, plump yet affable person. What he saw was the antithesis. She was frail, the eyes were puffy and there were bags under it. She was lying on the bed when they came.
They sat besides her bed. There was a strong smell of disinfectant in that room. On a small table near the bed, sat a dozen or so small bottles, with colored liquids in it.
Raju took her frail hand in his. It was cold.
“How are you, Aley Ammame?” he asked her.
She tried to sit down. He put his hands under her and helped her to get up. Susan propped up the pillows and she leaned on to it. Then she motioned Nisha to come close.
As she took her hand, she started sobbing. Nobody spoke for a long time. Once the sobs subdued, she started talking.
“Raju, you are like my son. I want you to do something for me.” She was speaking in a tired voice.
“What is it Ammamme?” Raju was ready to do anything to make her at ease.
She scanned all the three faces. When she talked, her voice was very calm. She fixed her gaze on Raju.
“I want you to know that half of the property here is in my name. I want you to transfer it to my boy’s name”
“Kurien? Why should I…” He could not think of why she wanted him to do it.
“No. Not Kurien. Ajit” As she spoke his name, her lips quivered.
Raju just nodded.
“Why I am doing this is, otherwise Kurien won’t give him a penny. Because,” She looked around to check anyone else listening “he thinks he is not his son”
Then Raju understood why Kurien was so cruel to him. So that was the issue. He heard about people suspecting their wives and doubting parentage, but he had never thought Kurien would do that.
“And my poor boy, even I forsook him. Had I been a little caring, he would not have run away. Now where is he?” She started to cry once again.
“Ammamme. There are so many incidents like this. Once they realized their mistake, they will come back. I know so many people who ran away from home and once money is over, have returned home” Raju tried to console her.
“You don’t know him, Raju. He is not that type. I don’t know if I can see him before I die”
Raju did not know what to say. He could not stand the situation. Since his parents died early, it was in her he found solace. He stood up to go. Then she pleaded once more.
“Raju, you will do it. Won’t you?”
“Ammamme, nothing will happen to you now. I’ll go now and come back after a week with the registrar. At that time we could do all the things. Okay?”
She meekly nodded. Once again she took Nisha’s hand in hers and caressed it.
“Study well Moley. Okay?”
From there they went to Johny’s house. After the pleasantries both the men moved under the big mango tree.
“I have been to Aley Ammamma’s house. She is in a very bad condition.” Raju started.
“Yeah. I know. I was there last week. She would not go to hospital” Johny said in an obvious melancholic mood.
“Why, I mean, it is more than one year now. Isn’t it?” Raju asked.
“From the time the boy is missing, she stopped taking her medicines. She could not sleep either. She stayed here for one month after that incident, I saw her plight. She was heartbroken.” Johny was thinking about the happy times.
“But why did he do it?” Raju asked. Johny thought for a moment. He was ashamed to tell the truth. But Raju must know. After all he is Nisha’s father and even for a short while, Johny thought of Ajit marrying Nisha.
“Raju, that scoundrel has done the nastiest thing in the world. He was caught from a prostitute’s house by the locals. They beat him and paraded him. That night he ran away.”
Raju was stunned. He could not imagine Ajit stooping to such low levels. He felt a thousand insects crawling over him. He only knew that the boy has run away and attributed it to Kurien’s attitude towards him.
“I can’t believe it! Ajit? How? I mean, he was not that type.” Raju was trying to find a correct word to express his anguish, same time trying to make his mind believe what was just been conveyed to him.
“Even I could not believe it. But it was true. The whole village came to know. The Mecheril family name has been tarnished” Johny spat.
“Did he talk to you after that incident? I mean you two were very close.” Raju hoped there must be some mistake.
“Nope. I came to know the next day, by then he was missing.”
Raju left the place with a heavy heart. While they were driving back, Raju narrated everything to Susan. He saw Nisha cringe when she heard about the reason of his running away. Her lips quivered and a drop ran down her cheek. Then she looked away, to the landscapes that were running backward.
**************************
As he was speaking about the visit to Ajit’s house, the anguish came back to Raju. He, to this date, had difficulty in believing the real reason behind Ajit’s running away. He looked at Ajit with contempt. Nasty son-of-a-bitch, he did not know how many lives he has spoiled. And here he is, driving a cab, in his torn, dirty uniform, living on the street. How could someone be so irresponsible? How he could cheat someone like Nisha?
Ajit was sitting in the same position. He was totally devastated. How many people suffered? Will he ever get peace? He shuddered.
“But I could never make it back to your house as I promised to her. Couple of days after my visit she died.” Raju concluded.
He saw a tear drop from his eyes. Well, cry you idiot. You deserve it.
Some time passed in silence. Then Ajit asked him.
“Johny uncle hated me. Did he not?”
“Who did not?” Raju retorted.
“Why did you do it? Were you so horny?” Raju let his contempt show in his voice.
Ajit cringed. He could not answer. He would never believe it.
“I think I have to go.” Ajit stood up as he spoke.
“You are not going anywhere without giving me an answer. All these years, how many times I wished that I could meet you. You spoiled Nisha’s life.” Raju was all worked up.
“No. I did not. You did” Ajit burst out. He has had enough. All his life, he was taking blame for things that he did not do.
“What? I did?” Raju let out a smirk.
“Yes. It was you who forbade Nisha from talking to me” Ajit looked at him accusingly.
“Yes, after that incident with your father at my house, I did not see that it was appropriate. I was mad at your father.” Raju conceded.
“Did you ever think how much it hurt me? How much it hurt Nisha?” He asked with all the pain in his voice.
“You mean to say, because of that you went to that prostitute?” Raju let a hollow laugh out.
Ajit thought for a minute. He knew he had come to a point of no return. If he did not tell him the truth, there would never be another chance. It’s of no use, he told himself, but at least I could die knowing that one person knew the truth. But not here. His hands were trembling. He needed drink very badly.
“Raju uncle,” he started in a strained voice, “I will tell you the truth. But I need a drink. There is a small bar around the corner. If you would like to hear my side of the story, come with me.” He started walking towards the car. He heard Raju mumbling something and walking right behind him.
Ajit heard a loud tap on the door. He wanted to sleep a little more. But the tap was ever louder and he heard someone calling his name. He opened his eyes with great effort. First he could not see anything. He squinted to make out the surroundings. Then everything came back to him. He was sitting in the car, waiting for Raju.
He saw the bulky frame of Raju tapping on the door. He did not have any idea how long it had been. He straightened. Suddenly he felt an excruciating pain in his abdomen. It was like somebody had pricked him with thousands of needles. He gasped in pain. He bit his lower lip and reached for the front door handle to open it.
Raju got in. As he sat the springs of the seat protested. It creaked under his weight. He has put on a lot of weight, Ajit thought. The long scar above his left eye, the souvenir of that train accident was still prominent, with its criss-cross stitch marks. Ajit turned the ignition. While it was revving up, he picked a soiled plastic bottle from underneath the dashboard, took two tablets from his pocket and swallowed it.
“What are they for?” Raju asked.
“Nothing. I am little tired and these are vitamin tablets.” Ajit replied. He did not see any reason why he should tell him.
“So where can we go?” Raju asked him.
“You said you wanted to go to Worli” Ajit looked at him quizzically.
“That will be after we had our little chat” Raju said in a terse voice.
Ajit nodded. He did not know why he wanted to talk. Why he can’t let him go? What is the use when both of them know it’s completely a waste of time?
Raju waited for some time for Ajit to say something. He just sat there, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Finally Raju decided to break the silence.
“Can we go to this beach? A beach is a good place to do some reminiscence. As we see it in the films” Raju tried to lighten up the mood pointing to the shore that was some five hundred meters away.
Without answering Ajit put the vehicle in motion. He drove along the cost line and stopped at the Bandra Bandstand, a popular hangout for couples. There was a shelter at the bus stop close to the parked car. They got out and walked towards it. It was empty.
Raju sat down on the cement bench and motioned for him to sit. He sat at the edge of the bench.
“So Aji, how are you?” Raju started the conversation.
“What do you want to know?” Ajit wore a defiant look. He could not make himself do the small talk.
“Straight to the point, huh? I thought you would ask how Susan was doing.” Raju said with a smirk.
Ajit did not respond.
“Okay. At least you would want to know what happened to Ammachi?” Raju teased him.
For a moment Ajit thought of her. The soft, loving face, her white hair, and the perennial smell of Ayurvedic Kuzhambu. He expectantly looked at Raju, urging him to continue.
“She died the next year of your running away.” Raju said in a soft voice. He knew how close Ajit was to his grandmother. He expected a sob, at least a shock from him. Instead he sat there, like a statue. The only difference was the fluttering of hairs in the breeze that was coming from the sea. The breeze tasted like salt.
“And Johny, he passed away last year. Heart Attack.” Raju continued as there was no response from Ajit.
Now he saw the man shaking. He was biting his lower lip, as if to stifle a cry. When he turned to Raju, there was tears welled up in his eyes.
“How did Ammachi…..” He could not finish the sentence.
“After your running away, she was quite ill. Right before her death, a week before, she called me.” Raju said with a sad look in his eye.
“What did she say?” He wiped the tears.
“She wanted to see me. She said it is urgent. I went there with Susan and Nisha”
***********************
Raju could not believe his eyes. He remembered Aley Ammamma as a jovial, plump yet affable person. What he saw was the antithesis. She was frail, the eyes were puffy and there were bags under it. She was lying on the bed when they came.
They sat besides her bed. There was a strong smell of disinfectant in that room. On a small table near the bed, sat a dozen or so small bottles, with colored liquids in it.
Raju took her frail hand in his. It was cold.
“How are you, Aley Ammame?” he asked her.
She tried to sit down. He put his hands under her and helped her to get up. Susan propped up the pillows and she leaned on to it. Then she motioned Nisha to come close.
As she took her hand, she started sobbing. Nobody spoke for a long time. Once the sobs subdued, she started talking.
“Raju, you are like my son. I want you to do something for me.” She was speaking in a tired voice.
“What is it Ammamme?” Raju was ready to do anything to make her at ease.
She scanned all the three faces. When she talked, her voice was very calm. She fixed her gaze on Raju.
“I want you to know that half of the property here is in my name. I want you to transfer it to my boy’s name”
“Kurien? Why should I…” He could not think of why she wanted him to do it.
“No. Not Kurien. Ajit” As she spoke his name, her lips quivered.
Raju just nodded.
“Why I am doing this is, otherwise Kurien won’t give him a penny. Because,” She looked around to check anyone else listening “he thinks he is not his son”
Then Raju understood why Kurien was so cruel to him. So that was the issue. He heard about people suspecting their wives and doubting parentage, but he had never thought Kurien would do that.
“And my poor boy, even I forsook him. Had I been a little caring, he would not have run away. Now where is he?” She started to cry once again.
“Ammamme. There are so many incidents like this. Once they realized their mistake, they will come back. I know so many people who ran away from home and once money is over, have returned home” Raju tried to console her.
“You don’t know him, Raju. He is not that type. I don’t know if I can see him before I die”
Raju did not know what to say. He could not stand the situation. Since his parents died early, it was in her he found solace. He stood up to go. Then she pleaded once more.
“Raju, you will do it. Won’t you?”
“Ammamme, nothing will happen to you now. I’ll go now and come back after a week with the registrar. At that time we could do all the things. Okay?”
She meekly nodded. Once again she took Nisha’s hand in hers and caressed it.
“Study well Moley. Okay?”
From there they went to Johny’s house. After the pleasantries both the men moved under the big mango tree.
“I have been to Aley Ammamma’s house. She is in a very bad condition.” Raju started.
“Yeah. I know. I was there last week. She would not go to hospital” Johny said in an obvious melancholic mood.
“Why, I mean, it is more than one year now. Isn’t it?” Raju asked.
“From the time the boy is missing, she stopped taking her medicines. She could not sleep either. She stayed here for one month after that incident, I saw her plight. She was heartbroken.” Johny was thinking about the happy times.
“But why did he do it?” Raju asked. Johny thought for a moment. He was ashamed to tell the truth. But Raju must know. After all he is Nisha’s father and even for a short while, Johny thought of Ajit marrying Nisha.
“Raju, that scoundrel has done the nastiest thing in the world. He was caught from a prostitute’s house by the locals. They beat him and paraded him. That night he ran away.”
Raju was stunned. He could not imagine Ajit stooping to such low levels. He felt a thousand insects crawling over him. He only knew that the boy has run away and attributed it to Kurien’s attitude towards him.
“I can’t believe it! Ajit? How? I mean, he was not that type.” Raju was trying to find a correct word to express his anguish, same time trying to make his mind believe what was just been conveyed to him.
“Even I could not believe it. But it was true. The whole village came to know. The Mecheril family name has been tarnished” Johny spat.
“Did he talk to you after that incident? I mean you two were very close.” Raju hoped there must be some mistake.
“Nope. I came to know the next day, by then he was missing.”
Raju left the place with a heavy heart. While they were driving back, Raju narrated everything to Susan. He saw Nisha cringe when she heard about the reason of his running away. Her lips quivered and a drop ran down her cheek. Then she looked away, to the landscapes that were running backward.
**************************
As he was speaking about the visit to Ajit’s house, the anguish came back to Raju. He, to this date, had difficulty in believing the real reason behind Ajit’s running away. He looked at Ajit with contempt. Nasty son-of-a-bitch, he did not know how many lives he has spoiled. And here he is, driving a cab, in his torn, dirty uniform, living on the street. How could someone be so irresponsible? How he could cheat someone like Nisha?
Ajit was sitting in the same position. He was totally devastated. How many people suffered? Will he ever get peace? He shuddered.
“But I could never make it back to your house as I promised to her. Couple of days after my visit she died.” Raju concluded.
He saw a tear drop from his eyes. Well, cry you idiot. You deserve it.
Some time passed in silence. Then Ajit asked him.
“Johny uncle hated me. Did he not?”
“Who did not?” Raju retorted.
“Why did you do it? Were you so horny?” Raju let his contempt show in his voice.
Ajit cringed. He could not answer. He would never believe it.
“I think I have to go.” Ajit stood up as he spoke.
“You are not going anywhere without giving me an answer. All these years, how many times I wished that I could meet you. You spoiled Nisha’s life.” Raju was all worked up.
“No. I did not. You did” Ajit burst out. He has had enough. All his life, he was taking blame for things that he did not do.
“What? I did?” Raju let out a smirk.
“Yes. It was you who forbade Nisha from talking to me” Ajit looked at him accusingly.
“Yes, after that incident with your father at my house, I did not see that it was appropriate. I was mad at your father.” Raju conceded.
“Did you ever think how much it hurt me? How much it hurt Nisha?” He asked with all the pain in his voice.
“You mean to say, because of that you went to that prostitute?” Raju let a hollow laugh out.
Ajit thought for a minute. He knew he had come to a point of no return. If he did not tell him the truth, there would never be another chance. It’s of no use, he told himself, but at least I could die knowing that one person knew the truth. But not here. His hands were trembling. He needed drink very badly.
“Raju uncle,” he started in a strained voice, “I will tell you the truth. But I need a drink. There is a small bar around the corner. If you would like to hear my side of the story, come with me.” He started walking towards the car. He heard Raju mumbling something and walking right behind him.
Forsaken - Chapter 24
Chapter 24
As he walked into the living room, dreadful of what is coming, he saw an unexpected sight. His father was sitting on the couch. Raju was sitting opposite to him. There was tension in the air.
No one spoke as he entered the room.
“Ah, Mr. Kapil Dev has come” Kurien scorned as he came to view.
Nobody spoke. He saw Susan Aunty was standing at the door to the kitchen, Nisha right behind her. Their eyes met for a brief second. He could not decipher the look. Was it angry or pity? Or just plain fear?
He stood there, frozen in his tracks. He did not know what to do.
“Where were you?” Kurien asked in a harsh voice.
Ajit tried to answer, but nothing came out.
“Can’t you hear me? You bastard!” Kurien snapped.
Ajit jerked. His legs weakened. He looked pleadingly at Raju who just averted his gaze.
“I went to play cricket.” Ajit stuttered.
“I did warn you not to waste time on things that is of no use, did I not?” Kurien stood up.
“But I was playing for my college. My professor is here.” Somehow he managed.
Ajit did not know what happened. He saw Kurien standing up and before he could finish his sentence, there was a sound. His left ear suddenly went quit. He got a taste of blood in his mouth. It was then he realized that his father has hit him across his face.
He heard someone gasping. And a sob. His head was spinning. There was only a buzz in his head. He heard voices, but that was from a long distance. Something was yanked off his shoulder. He realized it was his kit. He heard Raju shouting from far, far away.
“Kurien, this is my house. You are not going to do it here.”
“Shut the hell up. Who you are? His father?” He heard his father’s raspy voice yelling at Raju.
He saw a figure moving in front of him. He stood there paralyzed. He got hold of a chair nearby to steady himself. He wet his lips with his tongue and he felt the taste of blood. Something was running down his chin, some thick fluid. He wiped it with his hand.
Somebody held his hand. From the touch he sensed it was Nisha. He thought he was going to buckle.
He could see the face of Nisha, but it was faded. It was faded at the edges and gave him a feeling that the contours of her face was changing every second. As if smoke changing shape in a breeze. He shook his head to clear the vision. She stretched her hands to wipe the blood from his chin. That was the last visual he had about Nisha. He was yanked away from her, by his father and being thrown into the back seat. As he was being dragged into the car, he saw his kit burning in the porch.
As Kurien started the car, Ajit heard the voice of Raju Uncle pleading with him.
“Kurien, Please. He has a brilliant future in cricket. Don’t spoil it”
“Raju, stay out of this. I am sending him to college to study. Not to waste my money like this.
The little bastard is having a good time when I am sweating it out in the desert,” he spat.
“You will repent for this Kurien. You will repent.” He heard Raju’s voice.
“Okay. I won’t come to your door asking for help.” Kurien spoke with disgust.
“I once thought you are my friend. Never again. You are sick man. You are sick” Raju said with contempt.
Kurien started the car and drove away. In the back seat Ajit turned to see a disheveled Raju looking on unbelievingly.
As he walked into the living room, dreadful of what is coming, he saw an unexpected sight. His father was sitting on the couch. Raju was sitting opposite to him. There was tension in the air.
No one spoke as he entered the room.
“Ah, Mr. Kapil Dev has come” Kurien scorned as he came to view.
Nobody spoke. He saw Susan Aunty was standing at the door to the kitchen, Nisha right behind her. Their eyes met for a brief second. He could not decipher the look. Was it angry or pity? Or just plain fear?
He stood there, frozen in his tracks. He did not know what to do.
“Where were you?” Kurien asked in a harsh voice.
Ajit tried to answer, but nothing came out.
“Can’t you hear me? You bastard!” Kurien snapped.
Ajit jerked. His legs weakened. He looked pleadingly at Raju who just averted his gaze.
“I went to play cricket.” Ajit stuttered.
“I did warn you not to waste time on things that is of no use, did I not?” Kurien stood up.
“But I was playing for my college. My professor is here.” Somehow he managed.
Ajit did not know what happened. He saw Kurien standing up and before he could finish his sentence, there was a sound. His left ear suddenly went quit. He got a taste of blood in his mouth. It was then he realized that his father has hit him across his face.
He heard someone gasping. And a sob. His head was spinning. There was only a buzz in his head. He heard voices, but that was from a long distance. Something was yanked off his shoulder. He realized it was his kit. He heard Raju shouting from far, far away.
“Kurien, this is my house. You are not going to do it here.”
“Shut the hell up. Who you are? His father?” He heard his father’s raspy voice yelling at Raju.
He saw a figure moving in front of him. He stood there paralyzed. He got hold of a chair nearby to steady himself. He wet his lips with his tongue and he felt the taste of blood. Something was running down his chin, some thick fluid. He wiped it with his hand.
Somebody held his hand. From the touch he sensed it was Nisha. He thought he was going to buckle.
He could see the face of Nisha, but it was faded. It was faded at the edges and gave him a feeling that the contours of her face was changing every second. As if smoke changing shape in a breeze. He shook his head to clear the vision. She stretched her hands to wipe the blood from his chin. That was the last visual he had about Nisha. He was yanked away from her, by his father and being thrown into the back seat. As he was being dragged into the car, he saw his kit burning in the porch.
As Kurien started the car, Ajit heard the voice of Raju Uncle pleading with him.
“Kurien, Please. He has a brilliant future in cricket. Don’t spoil it”
“Raju, stay out of this. I am sending him to college to study. Not to waste my money like this.
The little bastard is having a good time when I am sweating it out in the desert,” he spat.
“You will repent for this Kurien. You will repent.” He heard Raju’s voice.
“Okay. I won’t come to your door asking for help.” Kurien spoke with disgust.
“I once thought you are my friend. Never again. You are sick man. You are sick” Raju said with contempt.
Kurien started the car and drove away. In the back seat Ajit turned to see a disheveled Raju looking on unbelievingly.
Forsaken - Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Nisha was sitting upright on the bed, wrapped in the bed sheets. She just sat there, thinking of what had happened just moments before. At first she thought she would die. The most valuable thing a girl had was spoiled. Her body had been violated. It made no difference that the perpetrator was the man she loved. Before marriage, it was never supposed to happen. It was a sin.
She knew she had only herself to blame. She was allowing him to get close physically. She gave him the freedom. She should have gone to her mother when she came back from school. And while it was happening, why did not she scream? That would have made him come back to his senses. She has to admit that she did enjoy it. Her resistance was feeble. It was like a shadow-fight where both of them knew of the outcome. Now another thought frightened her. What if something happened? What if she got pregnant? On this thought she broke down and started crying.
Ajit was sitting on the couch in the living room, his head cradled in his hands. He knew he has committed a grave crime. He could not look at Nisha. May be this was the last time he would ever see her. She was going to tell her mom and the consequences frightened him. What would happen now? What should he do?
“Why, oh why did I do it?” he cursed himself for spoiling everything; he cursed Vinod for provoking him with dirty thoughts. He cursed his life.
He did not have the courage to face Nisha. He knew he had taken advantage of her situation. The pure, angelic love had been spoiled. It has become dirty and earthly. Had I not gone into her room, had I not massaged her, had I not listened to Vinod, this would not have happened.
He was taken aback when he heard loud sobs from her room. Now a new fear enveloped him. What if Nisha commit suicide? He has heard about such incidence. He jumped up from the seat and ran towards the room. He saw her in sitting position, head resting on her knees and her body shaking. He slowly walked towards her and touched her on the shoulder.
Nisha recoiled. She raised her head. Her eyes were bloodshot. Streams of tears ran down her cheeks. Her beautiful hair was in total disarray. She looked pathetic.
“Nisha I am sorry.” Ajit blurted out.
Her body shook vigorously as another wave of grief hit her. Ajit stood there not knowing what to do.
The sobbing subdued a little.
“Nisha, I don’t know what to say except I am sorry” Ajit once again tried. He was gripped by the fear that Susan would turn up any moment.
“It was my fault.” Nisha finally spoke. When she did, there was certain calmness in her voice.
“No. It was entirely my fault. I took advantage of the situation. Please forgive me” Ajit was on the verge of crying.
“Anyway whatever happened happened. I lost something that is irreversible.” She was calm now.
Ajit stood there, his hand still resting on her shoulder.
“if Amma or Acha come to know what happened, everything is finished. But I tell you one thing.
If something goes wrong, I’ll end my life.” There was an eerie calmness that troubled him.
“Please don’t say that. I will die with you.” He was solemn.
“Aji, I loved you with my heart. Please don’t ever leave me,” she pleaded.
“Leaving you? I would give my life for you. Please forgive me” Ajit was relieved a bit.
That instant the phone rang. Ajit looked at her expectantly. Since she wasn’t moving, he went out to attend the call.
It was Susan and she had bad news.
He came back to break the news to her. Contrary to his expectation, she did not start another round of crying. She stood up, the bed sheet still wrapped around her and walked into the bathroom.
Within five minutes they were on their way to hospital. They rode silently. Remarkably for Nisha, she recovered well from the shock. She was thinking fast.
“Aji, If Amma or Acha asks why I look like this, tell them I had a bad headache and came back from school early. Okay?” She asked him from behind.
He just nodded.
“One more thing, now I can not think of a man except you. If you ever try to leave me, I will end my life. This is not just a threat. I will do it” From her tone, he knew she was determined.
“Nisha, I am promising you. I will never, ever even think about leaving you.” He promised.
Once in the hospital, Susan asked the question Nisha was expecting. She gave the exact version she told Ajit. The matter was settled there since Susan was more concerned about Raju’s health. They agreed that Ajit should go back since he had a match next day. But he was adamant, that he would not go back. Raju and Susan took it for his love towards Raju, but Ajit was scared about Nisha revealing the facts to her mother. Susan tried her best to persuade Ajit, but he stood his ground. So it was decided that they all stay in the hospital room. Nisha has the presence of mind to bring some bed sheets and a change of dress for her mother with her so they spread the sheets on the floor and slept there.
Ajit got up early, went to the house. Susan gave him elaborate descriptions about the directions with landmarks. He reached home, showered and went to the ground.
The match was a tight one. The opponents gave a tough fight. It all came down to the last ball of the match and with a little luck Ajit’s team won the match. There were delirious celebrations on the ground and off it too. Ajit took part in the post-match meeting and left.
As he approached the house, he saw a frightening sight. His father’s Maruti 800 parked near the gate. A foreboding feeling descended upon him. Nisha had informed her parents and Ammachi must have come to take him. With trembling hands he rode into the gate and to the impending disaster that is waiting for him at the house.
Nisha was sitting upright on the bed, wrapped in the bed sheets. She just sat there, thinking of what had happened just moments before. At first she thought she would die. The most valuable thing a girl had was spoiled. Her body had been violated. It made no difference that the perpetrator was the man she loved. Before marriage, it was never supposed to happen. It was a sin.
She knew she had only herself to blame. She was allowing him to get close physically. She gave him the freedom. She should have gone to her mother when she came back from school. And while it was happening, why did not she scream? That would have made him come back to his senses. She has to admit that she did enjoy it. Her resistance was feeble. It was like a shadow-fight where both of them knew of the outcome. Now another thought frightened her. What if something happened? What if she got pregnant? On this thought she broke down and started crying.
Ajit was sitting on the couch in the living room, his head cradled in his hands. He knew he has committed a grave crime. He could not look at Nisha. May be this was the last time he would ever see her. She was going to tell her mom and the consequences frightened him. What would happen now? What should he do?
“Why, oh why did I do it?” he cursed himself for spoiling everything; he cursed Vinod for provoking him with dirty thoughts. He cursed his life.
He did not have the courage to face Nisha. He knew he had taken advantage of her situation. The pure, angelic love had been spoiled. It has become dirty and earthly. Had I not gone into her room, had I not massaged her, had I not listened to Vinod, this would not have happened.
He was taken aback when he heard loud sobs from her room. Now a new fear enveloped him. What if Nisha commit suicide? He has heard about such incidence. He jumped up from the seat and ran towards the room. He saw her in sitting position, head resting on her knees and her body shaking. He slowly walked towards her and touched her on the shoulder.
Nisha recoiled. She raised her head. Her eyes were bloodshot. Streams of tears ran down her cheeks. Her beautiful hair was in total disarray. She looked pathetic.
“Nisha I am sorry.” Ajit blurted out.
Her body shook vigorously as another wave of grief hit her. Ajit stood there not knowing what to do.
The sobbing subdued a little.
“Nisha, I don’t know what to say except I am sorry” Ajit once again tried. He was gripped by the fear that Susan would turn up any moment.
“It was my fault.” Nisha finally spoke. When she did, there was certain calmness in her voice.
“No. It was entirely my fault. I took advantage of the situation. Please forgive me” Ajit was on the verge of crying.
“Anyway whatever happened happened. I lost something that is irreversible.” She was calm now.
Ajit stood there, his hand still resting on her shoulder.
“if Amma or Acha come to know what happened, everything is finished. But I tell you one thing.
If something goes wrong, I’ll end my life.” There was an eerie calmness that troubled him.
“Please don’t say that. I will die with you.” He was solemn.
“Aji, I loved you with my heart. Please don’t ever leave me,” she pleaded.
“Leaving you? I would give my life for you. Please forgive me” Ajit was relieved a bit.
That instant the phone rang. Ajit looked at her expectantly. Since she wasn’t moving, he went out to attend the call.
It was Susan and she had bad news.
He came back to break the news to her. Contrary to his expectation, she did not start another round of crying. She stood up, the bed sheet still wrapped around her and walked into the bathroom.
Within five minutes they were on their way to hospital. They rode silently. Remarkably for Nisha, she recovered well from the shock. She was thinking fast.
“Aji, If Amma or Acha asks why I look like this, tell them I had a bad headache and came back from school early. Okay?” She asked him from behind.
He just nodded.
“One more thing, now I can not think of a man except you. If you ever try to leave me, I will end my life. This is not just a threat. I will do it” From her tone, he knew she was determined.
“Nisha, I am promising you. I will never, ever even think about leaving you.” He promised.
Once in the hospital, Susan asked the question Nisha was expecting. She gave the exact version she told Ajit. The matter was settled there since Susan was more concerned about Raju’s health. They agreed that Ajit should go back since he had a match next day. But he was adamant, that he would not go back. Raju and Susan took it for his love towards Raju, but Ajit was scared about Nisha revealing the facts to her mother. Susan tried her best to persuade Ajit, but he stood his ground. So it was decided that they all stay in the hospital room. Nisha has the presence of mind to bring some bed sheets and a change of dress for her mother with her so they spread the sheets on the floor and slept there.
Ajit got up early, went to the house. Susan gave him elaborate descriptions about the directions with landmarks. He reached home, showered and went to the ground.
The match was a tight one. The opponents gave a tough fight. It all came down to the last ball of the match and with a little luck Ajit’s team won the match. There were delirious celebrations on the ground and off it too. Ajit took part in the post-match meeting and left.
As he approached the house, he saw a frightening sight. His father’s Maruti 800 parked near the gate. A foreboding feeling descended upon him. Nisha had informed her parents and Ammachi must have come to take him. With trembling hands he rode into the gate and to the impending disaster that is waiting for him at the house.
Forsaken - Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Susan was about to leave for home when it started to drizzle. There was not a single cloud ten minutes earlier. All of a sudden the climate changed with gusty winds blowing across. The plastic carry bags that were littering the sidewalks flew around and the dust swirled up. That’s when the phone rang.
“Hello.” Susan answered the call.
“Susan, it’s me.” She heard her husband’s voice at the other end.
“Where are you? Have you reached the station?” She was relieved. Once he was there, she did not have to come to the shop very often.
“I am calling from Dr. Krishnan’s hospital,” he said.
“Hospital? Why? Are you all right?” She was alarmed.
“Hey, don’t get upset. I am all right.” He tried in a soothing voice.
She waited for him to go on.
“Susan, as I was getting out of the train, I fell down on to the platform,” he explained.
For a minute Susan’s throat went dry. Fell from the train? Her hand shivered. She took a firm grip on the phone otherwise, she feared, it would slip from her hand.
“Susan?” He was worried how she would take the news. Now there is no response.
“I am coming over. Is there anything serious?” She found herself shaking and on the verge of crying. The staff were watching her.
“Hey, nothing serious. I just lost some paint,” he tried to joke.
“I’ll be there in a moment. Okay?” She hung up the phone.
She frantically searched for a rickshaw. When needed, none of them were around. She cursed under her breath. Finally she managed to get one. As soon as she got into it, it started to pour.
Dr. Krishnan’s Clinic was some fifteen minutes drive from the shop. As they reached the hospital, she paid the driver, and not waiting for the change, ran into the hospital. She did not know where to go.
“Do you know where is Mr. Jacob Thottumkal admitted?” She asked a young man who was manning the front reception.
He looked up from behind the glass partition. Then he checked the list and gave her the room number.
Susan was running. She took two stairs at a time. As she reached the second floor, she was panting. She found room number thirty-eight, and opened the door.
Raju was lying on a bed, his hands were bandaged. And there was a heavy bandage right above his left eyebrow.
She sat besides him and took his hand into hers. She started sobbing.
“Don’t. I am all right Susan.” Raju tried to console her.
“How many times did I tell you to be careful when boarding and getting down from a train?” She managed through sobs.
“I am sorry. But there is nothing serious. No fracture, nothing. It’s just a bruise on the hand. I fell on to my left side.”
“What is it on your face?” She wiped her eyes.
“I just hit a trolley on the platform. It is a deep cut. That’s it.” He ran his right hand over it.
“Oh my God. How deep? I mean is it really serious?” She started sobbing again.
“No. No. It’s just four stitches,” he said casually.
“Four stitches? My God!” She exclaimed.
“See Susan, this hospital is really good. I insisted on coming here just to be sure. They have done a scanning and there is nothing wrong. Just to make sure they put me on observation.
Otherwise I could have gone home.” He said in a soothing voice. He understood her anxiety. A blow to the head could be lethal. In fact it was really a miracle he survived the fall without any major damage. He was jumping out from the running train to exit before the station got crowded.
Suddenly Susan remembered.
“Nisha must have come back. I should call her. Ajit can bring her here”
“Call from the nurse’s station. I called you from there.”
She gave the number to one of the nurses. Ajit answered the call after some time.
“Hello”
“Aji, Monay, this is Susan Aunty.” She spoke into the mouthpiece.
“Yes Aunty?”
“Monay Raju Uncle had an accident. Nothing serious. You take Nisha and come over immediately”
“Where Aunty?” he queried.
“Dr. Krishnan’s Clinic. Nisha knows it” She gave the address and land marks, just to be sure.
“Ok Aunty. I’ll come over at once.” He disconnected the line.
Susan was about to leave for home when it started to drizzle. There was not a single cloud ten minutes earlier. All of a sudden the climate changed with gusty winds blowing across. The plastic carry bags that were littering the sidewalks flew around and the dust swirled up. That’s when the phone rang.
“Hello.” Susan answered the call.
“Susan, it’s me.” She heard her husband’s voice at the other end.
“Where are you? Have you reached the station?” She was relieved. Once he was there, she did not have to come to the shop very often.
“I am calling from Dr. Krishnan’s hospital,” he said.
“Hospital? Why? Are you all right?” She was alarmed.
“Hey, don’t get upset. I am all right.” He tried in a soothing voice.
She waited for him to go on.
“Susan, as I was getting out of the train, I fell down on to the platform,” he explained.
For a minute Susan’s throat went dry. Fell from the train? Her hand shivered. She took a firm grip on the phone otherwise, she feared, it would slip from her hand.
“Susan?” He was worried how she would take the news. Now there is no response.
“I am coming over. Is there anything serious?” She found herself shaking and on the verge of crying. The staff were watching her.
“Hey, nothing serious. I just lost some paint,” he tried to joke.
“I’ll be there in a moment. Okay?” She hung up the phone.
She frantically searched for a rickshaw. When needed, none of them were around. She cursed under her breath. Finally she managed to get one. As soon as she got into it, it started to pour.
Dr. Krishnan’s Clinic was some fifteen minutes drive from the shop. As they reached the hospital, she paid the driver, and not waiting for the change, ran into the hospital. She did not know where to go.
“Do you know where is Mr. Jacob Thottumkal admitted?” She asked a young man who was manning the front reception.
He looked up from behind the glass partition. Then he checked the list and gave her the room number.
Susan was running. She took two stairs at a time. As she reached the second floor, she was panting. She found room number thirty-eight, and opened the door.
Raju was lying on a bed, his hands were bandaged. And there was a heavy bandage right above his left eyebrow.
She sat besides him and took his hand into hers. She started sobbing.
“Don’t. I am all right Susan.” Raju tried to console her.
“How many times did I tell you to be careful when boarding and getting down from a train?” She managed through sobs.
“I am sorry. But there is nothing serious. No fracture, nothing. It’s just a bruise on the hand. I fell on to my left side.”
“What is it on your face?” She wiped her eyes.
“I just hit a trolley on the platform. It is a deep cut. That’s it.” He ran his right hand over it.
“Oh my God. How deep? I mean is it really serious?” She started sobbing again.
“No. No. It’s just four stitches,” he said casually.
“Four stitches? My God!” She exclaimed.
“See Susan, this hospital is really good. I insisted on coming here just to be sure. They have done a scanning and there is nothing wrong. Just to make sure they put me on observation.
Otherwise I could have gone home.” He said in a soothing voice. He understood her anxiety. A blow to the head could be lethal. In fact it was really a miracle he survived the fall without any major damage. He was jumping out from the running train to exit before the station got crowded.
Suddenly Susan remembered.
“Nisha must have come back. I should call her. Ajit can bring her here”
“Call from the nurse’s station. I called you from there.”
She gave the number to one of the nurses. Ajit answered the call after some time.
“Hello”
“Aji, Monay, this is Susan Aunty.” She spoke into the mouthpiece.
“Yes Aunty?”
“Monay Raju Uncle had an accident. Nothing serious. You take Nisha and come over immediately”
“Where Aunty?” he queried.
“Dr. Krishnan’s Clinic. Nisha knows it” She gave the address and land marks, just to be sure.
“Ok Aunty. I’ll come over at once.” He disconnected the line.
Forsaken - Chapter 21
Chapter 21
He woke up to the shrill jangling of Nisha’s alarm clock. It was five thirty. He felt like sleeping a little more, but the thought of practice woke him up. As he came into the living room, he saw light in the kitchen. He walked over there to find Susan in the kitchen.
“Ah, Monay, I was thinking about waking you up” she said as she poured him a cup of black, steaming coffee.
“Nisha is still asleep?” he asked her as he took the sip.
“She is a lazy girl. Never gets up before six.” Susan replied.
“But I have to go to the ground before six thirty.” he said with a little anxiety.
“No problem. You go and wake her up” Susan replied as she turned the dosa that she was preparing, upside down.
He went to the room to find Nisha sleeping on her side. One hand was folded under her head, and the other rested on the pillow which was laid to her side. He watched her sleeping. In her sleep, she looked like an angel, he thought. The rising and falling of her chest was rhythmic.
He shook her by the shoulder and called out her name. After a couple of attempts, she protested.
“What is this? Let me sleep, Amma”
“It’s not Amma. It’s me. Look” Ajit said in a low voice.
She opened her eyes, looked at him. Then giving him a smile, she sat upright.
“Isn’t it a bit too early, Aji?” she complained as she yawned.
“No. I had to leave by six ten,” he replied.
Reluctantly she climbed down from the cot and marched into the bathroom.
Ajit ate a couple of dosas on Susan’s insistence. He was not used to having breakfast this early. But Susan said the hotels were not that good and it was not a good idea to eat outside when you had something important lined up.
Susan gave the key of Raju’s bike, the Yamaha RX100. Susan told him to ride carefully and drop Nisha at her tuition class. He agreed and started the bike.
He learned riding bikes in college. Few of his friends had bikes, Yezdis, Bullets and RX100s. Now he was showing off his skills in riding. He opened the throttle to the maximum and the bike started to pick up speed.
“Aji, go slow. I am scared.” Nisha called out from behind.
He took both the hands from the handle. Nisha was terrified.
“Aji, if you don’t stop this nonsense, I’ll scream,” she warned him.
“Hey don’t worry. I know riding very well.” He put the hands back on and once again the bike started to gain speed.
“Aji, monay, Please. Slow down,” she pleaded.
Ajit pretend he did not hear it. The streets were empty except for a few people jogging on the sidewalk. He approached a junction and not knowing where to go, he slowed down for Nisha to guide him.
“Which way, Nisha?” he called out.
“Turn left” she said in a stony voice.
He took the left and after a few more turns Nisha asked him to the stop the bike.
She got down. Her face was clouded.
“Why, what happened?” He enquired.
“You go straight, take the second right and go straight. You can’t miss the college. It is on your left side.” She started to walk away.
“Where are you going?” he questioned.
“I can walk from here to my tuition center,” she replied.
“Come on. I’ll drop you there” He was confused.
“Not required. If I travel with you this way, we may not reach there alive,” she retorted.
So that was the issue.
“Ok. I’ll go slow,” he conceded.
“You carry on. I am not coming with you. You don’t pay any attention to my words” She was still shivering from the experience. She walked off to his left, without saying anything more, leaving a bemused Ajit behind.
He toyed with the idea of going after her and then thought the better of it.
He reached the ground when they already started warming up. Prof. Sathyapalan was there giving instructions to the boys. He joined in and started practicing earnestly. Vinod, his close friend in the team, came up to him.
“How was yesterday?” he asked in a mischievous tone. He knew about Nisha. Ajit has told him during the journey.
“Nothing man. I slept early.” Ajit replied.
“She is a beauty. You are lucky.”
Ajit just smiled.
“Ajit, the seniors are plotting something,” Vinod said in a cautionary voice.
“What?” Ajit was worried. He knew the undercurrents within the team related to the captaincy issue.
“I heard them speaking about losing the match. Don’t play well is what Suresh said to his cronies” Suresh was the captain last year. He was removed from it after a string of defeats against lesser known college teams.
“Damn it! How can they do it in such an important tournament?” Ajit cursed under his breath.
Vinod glanced towards the professor who was throwing balls to a group of boys as fielding practice.
“Do you think it’s a good idea to tell Sir?” he asked Ajit.
“No. Wait. Let’s see. Anyway, I’ll ask Sir about the playing eleven. Then I may tell him.” Ajit said while busy calculating the different manipulations.
The match started at eight thirty. Ajit lost the toss and was put into bat. Despite the information Vinod gave him, the match was going smoothly. They have scored a healthy forty-two runs from ten overs with just two wickets down. Suresh was batting at one end and the new batsman was one of his friends.
That was when all things started going wrong. They pushed at the simplest of deliveries, played right into the hands of the fielders. The ploy was clear. Score at a snail’s pace.
Prof. Sathyapalan was clearly agitated. He waved from the sideline to attract their attention, but they did not even look towards him. They were busy shadow-batting, or removing some pebbles from the pitch.
By the fifteenth over, the score read a paltry forty-seven. Five runs from five overs. Ajit knew he has to do something. He walked over to the professor, who was clearly in a foul mood.
He explained what Vinod told him in the morning. The professor’s face went dark.
“Why did not you tell me this in the morning?” he screamed at him.
“Sir, I thought they won’t do it since this is an important match” He was taken aback.
He mumbled something which was clearly some profanity. Both knew they are helpless in this situation. Unless one of the players got out.
After a few minutes, Professor called up Ajit.
“If any one of them gets out, you are next. Okay? Go, hit as many runs as possible,” he exhorted.
“Yes sir” Ajit was already padded up.
It was not until the seventeenth over, that Suresh’s wicket went down. He scooped a full length delivery to the waiting hands of the cover fielder. But the damage was already done. With fifty-eight runs on the board, it was a lost match.
Ajit went in to bat. He was on the striker’s end since the other guy did not try to run while the ball was up in the air. Three balls left in that over.
The bowler was a tall fellow. As he was watching from the sidelines, Ajit saw that the bowler got a good bounce from the pitch. As the new batsman, he would probably try to bounce me out, Ajit guessed. He took guard on the leg stumps.
Ajit looked around to see the field formation. The offside has four men in catching positions. Keeper was standing back. No short-cover or gully. Good.
As expected, it was a bouncer on the off. Ajit judged the bounce and left it alone. The bowler came up to him in his follow through and sneered at him.
The next ball Ajit scored one run. The non-striker, Suresh’s crony, was reluctant to run. But if he did not run, either he would be run-out or Ajit would. Getting Ajit run-out may achieve the goal they planned, but it will be too obvious that had they played to loose. That could result in their removal from the squad. So he ran for one run.
Ajit was determined not to run single off the last delivery. That would give the other guy strike. He sure was going to waste the next over. So he stood his ground, when the other man pushed the ball into the gap and called for a run.
As the fielders were changing positions, Ajit saw Nisha. She was walking into the pavilion. She sat at the front row and as he watched her, she waved at him. Since it was an important match, the school gave off during the match.
Ajit felt a rush of adrenalin. This is the moment. He has to show her his prowess in this. He looked at her once more, gave a smile and got ready to bat.
The first two balls he drove to the boundary. There was sporadic applause. The next ball he hoisted over the mid-wicket for a huge, towering six. The ball landed in the pavilion.
He saw Professor and Nisha both were standing and cheering. He felt like king.
The next ball he drove the ball to the gap and took off. Only through half-way, he saw his partner turning back.
Damn it! He is going to get me out. He thought frantically. There is no time to run back.
He shouted to the guy.
“Run Gopi, Run.”
A scornful smile spread across his face as he stood there on his crease. Ajit already reached the non-striker end. What happened next was unbelievable. The fielder, who collected the ball, saw Ajit running and threw the ball to the keeper. It missed him by a mile. No back-up was there. The ball rolled to the boundary for a four.
Ajit heaved a sigh of relief. He got one life. It was a clear run-out had the ball struck the stumps, or the keeper collected it. Gopi still stood there, the smile replaced by a frown. Ajit walked up to him.
“What the hell were you doing?” he spat.
“You don’t teach me when to run, okay? I am your senior,” he retorted.
“Hell with you. Sathyapalan Sir already knows about your plans. The one you concocted with your wily friend, Suresh.” Ajit hissed at him.
An expression of alarm crossed Gopi’s face. Then he shrugged it off.
Last ball Ajit scored one run to retain his strike. This time, thinking about the consequences, Gopi complied and ran.
At the end of their innings the total read eighty-four runs.
During the break Prof. Sathyapalan gave Suresh a dressing down. He warned him that if he tried any tricks in the field, he could be sure of sitting on the bench for the remainder of the tournament. Or for any matches that was going to come after it.
Ajit placed his field in an attacking manner. The bowlers responded to it and bowled in a tight line. Ajit opened the bowling and bowled two overs in tandem with Vinod. Once they completed their first spell, it was fourteen runs without a wicket.
Ajit sensed the match slipping away. He was aware about the opposition’s tactic. Play it safe in the first half and blast through the second. He knew that if they loose this match, they would be returning home, the same evening. No more seeing Nisha.
He rotated his bowlers, placed fielders in catching positions but no wickets. After the halfway mark, N.S.S College was sitting pretty with fifty-two runs without a wicket.
Eleventh over. Ajit took the ball. While he was marking the run-up, he thought of the long wait to see Nisha. After this, there may not be another chance for long. I want to win this, he said to himself. It was apparent that the batsmen are not going to play areal shots. He re-arranged the field packing the offside. He placed Vinod in the first-slip. They had a talk during the break of previous over. Ajit had a plan.
Ajit started his run up. As he was closing in to the crease, he saw the batsman moving towards his leg to make room. In the delivery stride, Ajit changed his pace and bowled a slow delivery that swung in. The batsman heaved, missed the line completely, edging the ball in the process. The ball ballooned in the air.
For a second, Ajit’s heart stopped beating. He saw the ball going up. He thought it is being hit for a six. Then he saw it right above him. It was coming down. Somebody screamed “Catch it.”
The ball safely landed in his outstretched open palm. One wicket down.
The team crowded around him, high-fiving each other as they see it on television.
The next batsman was a short guy, and Ajit decided to give him a yorker. He steamed in with all the power he could muster and banged in a full length delivery. His intended yorker turned out to be a full length one. It landed right in front of the batsman.
The batsman tried to drive the ball. It took the outside edge and travelled to the first slip. Vinod gleefully accepted the offering. Two wickets down. There was even bigger celebration this time.
The rest of the over was completed without a single run scored. They were back in the match!
Wickets started to fall and by the eighteenth over they folded up with seventy-two runs. Ajit was elated. Not only had he saved his team, but his stay has been extended by two days. He saw Nisha standing the gallery, clapping. The coach came over and hugged him.
During dinner, Nisha was talkative and explained her mother how Ajit single-handedly won the match for his team. He tried to be humble, saying it was others who took most of the wickets.
“When is the next match, Aji?” Susan asked.
“Day after tomorrow,” he replied.
“I think Raju Achayan will return by tomorrow evening. If it is possible we will come to watch,” she said.
Ajit went to the practice early next morning, and returned home by ten ‘o clock. Susan was ready to go to the shop and explained him where things were. She had prepared break fast and lunch.
Ajit wandered around the house feeling lonely. Then he thought of calling Ammachi.
“Hello, Ammachi,” he said in a cheerful voice.
“Monay, is it you?” she was anxious.
He explained how he won the match and how good Nisha’s mom was towards him. Ammachi asked him to finish the tournament and return as soon as possible. He sensed a tension in her voice.
“Is everything all right Ammachi?” He was concerned.
“It’s okay. Nothing to worry. But come back soon.” Then she hung up.
Ajit put the phone back into its cradle. He was thoughtful. He was sure there was an edge to Ammachi’s voice. Was she ill? Or was there some kind of problem? He was worried. He thought of calling back, but decided against it. If there was something he needed to know, she would have told him. He brushed away the thoughts and turned his mind to Nisha.
During the journey to Trivandrum he told Vinod about Nisha. He was his best friend and confidant. He told him about the night at Johny uncle’s house. He told him about their childhood days. After all Vinod was the more experienced one in this matter. He had many girlfriends.
“So now you are going to stay at her house?” was his first question.
“Yes,” he said sheepishly.
“Have you touched her?” He was sporting a devilish smile.
Ajit’s face reddened. He knew what his friend meant by “touch.”
“Come on. I can’t do that. I can’t think of her that way” he protested.
Vinod let out a delirious laugh, As if he heard the best joke of the year.
“You fool. Are you going to marry her?” he asked.
“Of course I am” Ajit retorted.
“Are you going to do it then?”
Ajit did not respond. He did not like someone say those things about Nisha.
“Ok Kiddo, you have to understand it. If you love her, she is all yours. Be intimate. Touch her, fondle her and if possible…” his voice trailed off in a suggestive manner.
Ajit tried to think of it. He and Nisha. Somehow the thought was disgusting. But at the same time it was arousing. He liked to believe that his love was very pure. Very divine. Somehow sex did not really fit into the scheme of things.
Ajit left the subject at that. Now being alone, he thought about Nisha. He knew his feelings had taken a new dimension after that talk with Vinod. Even when he came to the house and they embraced, he was aroused.
He ate the lunch Susan Aunty prepared. He did not feel like eating since he was not used to eating alone. He tried to watch television, a small black and white set and got bored very soon. Doordarshan-Hindi was the only channel available and they did not have anything interesting.
It was three ‘o clock when the he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door to find Nisha standing there.
“Hey, How come you are back so early?” He was surprised to see her. Usually she would return home before four o’clock.
“I wasn’t feeling well. I have a head ache,” she sounded tired.
“Oh.” He let her in.
She went directly to her parent’s room and lay down on the cot. Ajit followed her.
“Shall I apply some balm on your forehead?” He asked in a concerned voice. He touched her
forehead and it was warm. Then he remembered the talk at the church when she was having her period.
“Hey, you have temperature. I think you have fever, or is it the other thing?” He was sporting an impish grin.
Nisha’s lips parted in a smile as she tried to spank him. He evaded it.
“No. It’s okay. Give the Vicks bottle. It’s in the side table, second drawer”
He took the small bottle from it and scooped some balm on to his finger. Then he gently applied it on her forehead and front neck. Her skin was smooth. He kept massaging her on the forehead.
“Feeling better?” he asked after a few minutes passed in silence.
“Um” she replied without opening her eyes.
“If you are not feeling good, Shall I call Aunty?”
“No. You just sit here with me. Just keep doing the massage,” she said in a soft voice.
She dozed off. The gentle caress of his hands had a soothing effect. She was not feeling too well since morning. She thought of skipping the afternoon session of school, but dragged herself on. By two ‘o clock the pounding was unbearable. So she informed the teacher and came straight to home.
Normally she would have gone to the hardware shop since her mom would be there. But then the thought of Ajit at home drove her there. She was little apprehensive about what her mother would think, but being together since childhood, her parents had never suspected them. In their eyes they were still kids.
She wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but whenever he touched her, she was experiencing a strange feeling. Her heart jumped with joy. Her whole body erupted in a shock wave. She just wanted to experience that feeling. She never thought that he would act indecently.
So when she sensed that somebody was lying besides her, she thought it was her mom. She had no idea how long she had slept, or slept at all. She put her hands around her mom, and snuggled closer. That was when she realized it was not her mom. The softness was not there.
She sprang open her eyes to see Ajit. His face was very close to hers. His breath came in rapid hisses and was hitting her on the face. His hands were under her blouse and were caressing her back.
Nisha recoiled. Her whole body went rigid. Then the reality hit her hard.
She tried to push him away. But he was too strong for her. He kissed her while embraced her in a vice-like grip. She could not fight him.
“Aji, please let go off.” She tried hard to get away from him.
“Nisha, we love each other. Then why?” His touch was very hot. His face was like a pan radiating heat.
“This is wrong. I love you but this is wrong.” She got one of her hands free and tried to push him away.
The fight did not last long. She knew she was succumbing to the lust. He planted an affectionate, long kiss on her lips. She felt her whole body weaken.
“Aji, please don’t do this.” She pleaded in a weak voice.
He wasn’t listening to anything. For him, she was all his. There was nothing wrong in what he is doing. Nisha’s pleas fell on deaf ears. He was blinded by lust.
Outside it started to pour down.
He woke up to the shrill jangling of Nisha’s alarm clock. It was five thirty. He felt like sleeping a little more, but the thought of practice woke him up. As he came into the living room, he saw light in the kitchen. He walked over there to find Susan in the kitchen.
“Ah, Monay, I was thinking about waking you up” she said as she poured him a cup of black, steaming coffee.
“Nisha is still asleep?” he asked her as he took the sip.
“She is a lazy girl. Never gets up before six.” Susan replied.
“But I have to go to the ground before six thirty.” he said with a little anxiety.
“No problem. You go and wake her up” Susan replied as she turned the dosa that she was preparing, upside down.
He went to the room to find Nisha sleeping on her side. One hand was folded under her head, and the other rested on the pillow which was laid to her side. He watched her sleeping. In her sleep, she looked like an angel, he thought. The rising and falling of her chest was rhythmic.
He shook her by the shoulder and called out her name. After a couple of attempts, she protested.
“What is this? Let me sleep, Amma”
“It’s not Amma. It’s me. Look” Ajit said in a low voice.
She opened her eyes, looked at him. Then giving him a smile, she sat upright.
“Isn’t it a bit too early, Aji?” she complained as she yawned.
“No. I had to leave by six ten,” he replied.
Reluctantly she climbed down from the cot and marched into the bathroom.
Ajit ate a couple of dosas on Susan’s insistence. He was not used to having breakfast this early. But Susan said the hotels were not that good and it was not a good idea to eat outside when you had something important lined up.
Susan gave the key of Raju’s bike, the Yamaha RX100. Susan told him to ride carefully and drop Nisha at her tuition class. He agreed and started the bike.
He learned riding bikes in college. Few of his friends had bikes, Yezdis, Bullets and RX100s. Now he was showing off his skills in riding. He opened the throttle to the maximum and the bike started to pick up speed.
“Aji, go slow. I am scared.” Nisha called out from behind.
He took both the hands from the handle. Nisha was terrified.
“Aji, if you don’t stop this nonsense, I’ll scream,” she warned him.
“Hey don’t worry. I know riding very well.” He put the hands back on and once again the bike started to gain speed.
“Aji, monay, Please. Slow down,” she pleaded.
Ajit pretend he did not hear it. The streets were empty except for a few people jogging on the sidewalk. He approached a junction and not knowing where to go, he slowed down for Nisha to guide him.
“Which way, Nisha?” he called out.
“Turn left” she said in a stony voice.
He took the left and after a few more turns Nisha asked him to the stop the bike.
She got down. Her face was clouded.
“Why, what happened?” He enquired.
“You go straight, take the second right and go straight. You can’t miss the college. It is on your left side.” She started to walk away.
“Where are you going?” he questioned.
“I can walk from here to my tuition center,” she replied.
“Come on. I’ll drop you there” He was confused.
“Not required. If I travel with you this way, we may not reach there alive,” she retorted.
So that was the issue.
“Ok. I’ll go slow,” he conceded.
“You carry on. I am not coming with you. You don’t pay any attention to my words” She was still shivering from the experience. She walked off to his left, without saying anything more, leaving a bemused Ajit behind.
He toyed with the idea of going after her and then thought the better of it.
He reached the ground when they already started warming up. Prof. Sathyapalan was there giving instructions to the boys. He joined in and started practicing earnestly. Vinod, his close friend in the team, came up to him.
“How was yesterday?” he asked in a mischievous tone. He knew about Nisha. Ajit has told him during the journey.
“Nothing man. I slept early.” Ajit replied.
“She is a beauty. You are lucky.”
Ajit just smiled.
“Ajit, the seniors are plotting something,” Vinod said in a cautionary voice.
“What?” Ajit was worried. He knew the undercurrents within the team related to the captaincy issue.
“I heard them speaking about losing the match. Don’t play well is what Suresh said to his cronies” Suresh was the captain last year. He was removed from it after a string of defeats against lesser known college teams.
“Damn it! How can they do it in such an important tournament?” Ajit cursed under his breath.
Vinod glanced towards the professor who was throwing balls to a group of boys as fielding practice.
“Do you think it’s a good idea to tell Sir?” he asked Ajit.
“No. Wait. Let’s see. Anyway, I’ll ask Sir about the playing eleven. Then I may tell him.” Ajit said while busy calculating the different manipulations.
The match started at eight thirty. Ajit lost the toss and was put into bat. Despite the information Vinod gave him, the match was going smoothly. They have scored a healthy forty-two runs from ten overs with just two wickets down. Suresh was batting at one end and the new batsman was one of his friends.
That was when all things started going wrong. They pushed at the simplest of deliveries, played right into the hands of the fielders. The ploy was clear. Score at a snail’s pace.
Prof. Sathyapalan was clearly agitated. He waved from the sideline to attract their attention, but they did not even look towards him. They were busy shadow-batting, or removing some pebbles from the pitch.
By the fifteenth over, the score read a paltry forty-seven. Five runs from five overs. Ajit knew he has to do something. He walked over to the professor, who was clearly in a foul mood.
He explained what Vinod told him in the morning. The professor’s face went dark.
“Why did not you tell me this in the morning?” he screamed at him.
“Sir, I thought they won’t do it since this is an important match” He was taken aback.
He mumbled something which was clearly some profanity. Both knew they are helpless in this situation. Unless one of the players got out.
After a few minutes, Professor called up Ajit.
“If any one of them gets out, you are next. Okay? Go, hit as many runs as possible,” he exhorted.
“Yes sir” Ajit was already padded up.
It was not until the seventeenth over, that Suresh’s wicket went down. He scooped a full length delivery to the waiting hands of the cover fielder. But the damage was already done. With fifty-eight runs on the board, it was a lost match.
Ajit went in to bat. He was on the striker’s end since the other guy did not try to run while the ball was up in the air. Three balls left in that over.
The bowler was a tall fellow. As he was watching from the sidelines, Ajit saw that the bowler got a good bounce from the pitch. As the new batsman, he would probably try to bounce me out, Ajit guessed. He took guard on the leg stumps.
Ajit looked around to see the field formation. The offside has four men in catching positions. Keeper was standing back. No short-cover or gully. Good.
As expected, it was a bouncer on the off. Ajit judged the bounce and left it alone. The bowler came up to him in his follow through and sneered at him.
The next ball Ajit scored one run. The non-striker, Suresh’s crony, was reluctant to run. But if he did not run, either he would be run-out or Ajit would. Getting Ajit run-out may achieve the goal they planned, but it will be too obvious that had they played to loose. That could result in their removal from the squad. So he ran for one run.
Ajit was determined not to run single off the last delivery. That would give the other guy strike. He sure was going to waste the next over. So he stood his ground, when the other man pushed the ball into the gap and called for a run.
As the fielders were changing positions, Ajit saw Nisha. She was walking into the pavilion. She sat at the front row and as he watched her, she waved at him. Since it was an important match, the school gave off during the match.
Ajit felt a rush of adrenalin. This is the moment. He has to show her his prowess in this. He looked at her once more, gave a smile and got ready to bat.
The first two balls he drove to the boundary. There was sporadic applause. The next ball he hoisted over the mid-wicket for a huge, towering six. The ball landed in the pavilion.
He saw Professor and Nisha both were standing and cheering. He felt like king.
The next ball he drove the ball to the gap and took off. Only through half-way, he saw his partner turning back.
Damn it! He is going to get me out. He thought frantically. There is no time to run back.
He shouted to the guy.
“Run Gopi, Run.”
A scornful smile spread across his face as he stood there on his crease. Ajit already reached the non-striker end. What happened next was unbelievable. The fielder, who collected the ball, saw Ajit running and threw the ball to the keeper. It missed him by a mile. No back-up was there. The ball rolled to the boundary for a four.
Ajit heaved a sigh of relief. He got one life. It was a clear run-out had the ball struck the stumps, or the keeper collected it. Gopi still stood there, the smile replaced by a frown. Ajit walked up to him.
“What the hell were you doing?” he spat.
“You don’t teach me when to run, okay? I am your senior,” he retorted.
“Hell with you. Sathyapalan Sir already knows about your plans. The one you concocted with your wily friend, Suresh.” Ajit hissed at him.
An expression of alarm crossed Gopi’s face. Then he shrugged it off.
Last ball Ajit scored one run to retain his strike. This time, thinking about the consequences, Gopi complied and ran.
At the end of their innings the total read eighty-four runs.
During the break Prof. Sathyapalan gave Suresh a dressing down. He warned him that if he tried any tricks in the field, he could be sure of sitting on the bench for the remainder of the tournament. Or for any matches that was going to come after it.
Ajit placed his field in an attacking manner. The bowlers responded to it and bowled in a tight line. Ajit opened the bowling and bowled two overs in tandem with Vinod. Once they completed their first spell, it was fourteen runs without a wicket.
Ajit sensed the match slipping away. He was aware about the opposition’s tactic. Play it safe in the first half and blast through the second. He knew that if they loose this match, they would be returning home, the same evening. No more seeing Nisha.
He rotated his bowlers, placed fielders in catching positions but no wickets. After the halfway mark, N.S.S College was sitting pretty with fifty-two runs without a wicket.
Eleventh over. Ajit took the ball. While he was marking the run-up, he thought of the long wait to see Nisha. After this, there may not be another chance for long. I want to win this, he said to himself. It was apparent that the batsmen are not going to play areal shots. He re-arranged the field packing the offside. He placed Vinod in the first-slip. They had a talk during the break of previous over. Ajit had a plan.
Ajit started his run up. As he was closing in to the crease, he saw the batsman moving towards his leg to make room. In the delivery stride, Ajit changed his pace and bowled a slow delivery that swung in. The batsman heaved, missed the line completely, edging the ball in the process. The ball ballooned in the air.
For a second, Ajit’s heart stopped beating. He saw the ball going up. He thought it is being hit for a six. Then he saw it right above him. It was coming down. Somebody screamed “Catch it.”
The ball safely landed in his outstretched open palm. One wicket down.
The team crowded around him, high-fiving each other as they see it on television.
The next batsman was a short guy, and Ajit decided to give him a yorker. He steamed in with all the power he could muster and banged in a full length delivery. His intended yorker turned out to be a full length one. It landed right in front of the batsman.
The batsman tried to drive the ball. It took the outside edge and travelled to the first slip. Vinod gleefully accepted the offering. Two wickets down. There was even bigger celebration this time.
The rest of the over was completed without a single run scored. They were back in the match!
Wickets started to fall and by the eighteenth over they folded up with seventy-two runs. Ajit was elated. Not only had he saved his team, but his stay has been extended by two days. He saw Nisha standing the gallery, clapping. The coach came over and hugged him.
During dinner, Nisha was talkative and explained her mother how Ajit single-handedly won the match for his team. He tried to be humble, saying it was others who took most of the wickets.
“When is the next match, Aji?” Susan asked.
“Day after tomorrow,” he replied.
“I think Raju Achayan will return by tomorrow evening. If it is possible we will come to watch,” she said.
Ajit went to the practice early next morning, and returned home by ten ‘o clock. Susan was ready to go to the shop and explained him where things were. She had prepared break fast and lunch.
Ajit wandered around the house feeling lonely. Then he thought of calling Ammachi.
“Hello, Ammachi,” he said in a cheerful voice.
“Monay, is it you?” she was anxious.
He explained how he won the match and how good Nisha’s mom was towards him. Ammachi asked him to finish the tournament and return as soon as possible. He sensed a tension in her voice.
“Is everything all right Ammachi?” He was concerned.
“It’s okay. Nothing to worry. But come back soon.” Then she hung up.
Ajit put the phone back into its cradle. He was thoughtful. He was sure there was an edge to Ammachi’s voice. Was she ill? Or was there some kind of problem? He was worried. He thought of calling back, but decided against it. If there was something he needed to know, she would have told him. He brushed away the thoughts and turned his mind to Nisha.
During the journey to Trivandrum he told Vinod about Nisha. He was his best friend and confidant. He told him about the night at Johny uncle’s house. He told him about their childhood days. After all Vinod was the more experienced one in this matter. He had many girlfriends.
“So now you are going to stay at her house?” was his first question.
“Yes,” he said sheepishly.
“Have you touched her?” He was sporting a devilish smile.
Ajit’s face reddened. He knew what his friend meant by “touch.”
“Come on. I can’t do that. I can’t think of her that way” he protested.
Vinod let out a delirious laugh, As if he heard the best joke of the year.
“You fool. Are you going to marry her?” he asked.
“Of course I am” Ajit retorted.
“Are you going to do it then?”
Ajit did not respond. He did not like someone say those things about Nisha.
“Ok Kiddo, you have to understand it. If you love her, she is all yours. Be intimate. Touch her, fondle her and if possible…” his voice trailed off in a suggestive manner.
Ajit tried to think of it. He and Nisha. Somehow the thought was disgusting. But at the same time it was arousing. He liked to believe that his love was very pure. Very divine. Somehow sex did not really fit into the scheme of things.
Ajit left the subject at that. Now being alone, he thought about Nisha. He knew his feelings had taken a new dimension after that talk with Vinod. Even when he came to the house and they embraced, he was aroused.
He ate the lunch Susan Aunty prepared. He did not feel like eating since he was not used to eating alone. He tried to watch television, a small black and white set and got bored very soon. Doordarshan-Hindi was the only channel available and they did not have anything interesting.
It was three ‘o clock when the he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door to find Nisha standing there.
“Hey, How come you are back so early?” He was surprised to see her. Usually she would return home before four o’clock.
“I wasn’t feeling well. I have a head ache,” she sounded tired.
“Oh.” He let her in.
She went directly to her parent’s room and lay down on the cot. Ajit followed her.
“Shall I apply some balm on your forehead?” He asked in a concerned voice. He touched her
forehead and it was warm. Then he remembered the talk at the church when she was having her period.
“Hey, you have temperature. I think you have fever, or is it the other thing?” He was sporting an impish grin.
Nisha’s lips parted in a smile as she tried to spank him. He evaded it.
“No. It’s okay. Give the Vicks bottle. It’s in the side table, second drawer”
He took the small bottle from it and scooped some balm on to his finger. Then he gently applied it on her forehead and front neck. Her skin was smooth. He kept massaging her on the forehead.
“Feeling better?” he asked after a few minutes passed in silence.
“Um” she replied without opening her eyes.
“If you are not feeling good, Shall I call Aunty?”
“No. You just sit here with me. Just keep doing the massage,” she said in a soft voice.
She dozed off. The gentle caress of his hands had a soothing effect. She was not feeling too well since morning. She thought of skipping the afternoon session of school, but dragged herself on. By two ‘o clock the pounding was unbearable. So she informed the teacher and came straight to home.
Normally she would have gone to the hardware shop since her mom would be there. But then the thought of Ajit at home drove her there. She was little apprehensive about what her mother would think, but being together since childhood, her parents had never suspected them. In their eyes they were still kids.
She wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but whenever he touched her, she was experiencing a strange feeling. Her heart jumped with joy. Her whole body erupted in a shock wave. She just wanted to experience that feeling. She never thought that he would act indecently.
So when she sensed that somebody was lying besides her, she thought it was her mom. She had no idea how long she had slept, or slept at all. She put her hands around her mom, and snuggled closer. That was when she realized it was not her mom. The softness was not there.
She sprang open her eyes to see Ajit. His face was very close to hers. His breath came in rapid hisses and was hitting her on the face. His hands were under her blouse and were caressing her back.
Nisha recoiled. Her whole body went rigid. Then the reality hit her hard.
She tried to push him away. But he was too strong for her. He kissed her while embraced her in a vice-like grip. She could not fight him.
“Aji, please let go off.” She tried hard to get away from him.
“Nisha, we love each other. Then why?” His touch was very hot. His face was like a pan radiating heat.
“This is wrong. I love you but this is wrong.” She got one of her hands free and tried to push him away.
The fight did not last long. She knew she was succumbing to the lust. He planted an affectionate, long kiss on her lips. She felt her whole body weaken.
“Aji, please don’t do this.” She pleaded in a weak voice.
He wasn’t listening to anything. For him, she was all his. There was nothing wrong in what he is doing. Nisha’s pleas fell on deaf ears. He was blinded by lust.
Outside it started to pour down.
Forsaken - Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Ajit scanned the crowd at Trivandrum Central railway station. During the journey, he told Prof. Sathyapalan regarding his intentions about staying at Raju Uncle’s home. Initially the Professor did not agree, but after a lot of pleading and a promise that he would be present at the ground before 6:30 AM everyday for practice, he conceded. Now since they were there, his heart started to beat furiously. He was thinking about this reunion with her, for long now.
“Ok boys. Let’s move.” Professor called out to the group.
Ajit’s heart began to sink. Maybe she wouldn’t come after all. May be she was ill. Or Raju must have had second thoughts and prevented her from coming over here to pick him up.
He thought about calling her up from a near by telephone booth, but decided otherwise. She must have left the house already. I can’t hold up the group anymore, he thought with a heavy heart. He heaved up his cricket kit on to the shoulder and started walking with the group.
That’s when he saw her. As usual she was wearing a long frilled skirt and a matching blouse. His heart jumped.
“Nisha,” he called out with all his excitement. She was coming in from the main exit and was searching the crowd. She was panting like as though she had been running.
They came face to face. It took a lot of effort not to embrace her. He touched her hand.
“Sir, this is Raju Uncle’s daughter Nisha. Nisha this is our coach Prof. Sathyapalan.” He made introductions.
He was aware of the group ogling at her. He felt like punching them. He wanted to get away from here.
“Okay, Sir. I’ll go with her now,” he stated to Professor.
“Okay, but remember, six thirty in the morning, college ground,” the Professor reminded him.
“Sure Sir.” He left the group, Nisha in tow.
They got an auto rickshaw from outside the station. He put his heavy kit into the seat and let Nisha get in.
“How are you?” finally he asked.
Nisha was sitting very close to him since most of the space was taken up by the cricket kit. He could smell her perfume. Her shampooed hair flapped around her face and some strands hit his face.
“I am okay? You?” she asked in that soft, nasal tone.
He took her hand in his, gave it a squeeze. She withdrew her hand immediately and pointed towards the rickshaw driver with her face.
Both sat there, looking at each other.
“You look thinner” Nisha broke the silence.
“You are not fatter either,” he retorted.
“You don’t know how much I wanted to see you,” she said in a hushed tone.
“You are telling me? I could not sleep or concentrate in anything. I was thinking about you all the while” His voice was filled with love.
She tossed off her inhibitions out of the window and sat little closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Automatically his hands enveloped her. They did not talk much. It was like telepathy. Both knew what the other was thinking. They were letting their hearts feel the proximity of each other.
As they were approaching her house, she moved away and gave the driver instructions at junctions. She asked him to stop the vehicle in front of a black painted gate. They got out and paid the driver. She opened the door with a key.
“Where is Susan Aunty?” he asked her.
“She is at the shop. Since Acha is not in town, she looks after the shop,” she answered as she opened the door.
The house was a small one, consisting of two bed rooms, and a living room and a kitchen. A small compound was adorned by a plethora of plants and Raju’s Ambassador and his beloved bike, the Yamaha RX100 were resting in the porch.
“Not coming in?” she teased him.
He walked in. The next moment they were locked in a fierce embrace. All the pent-up emotion had burst.
They stood like that way for some time. Then freeing one arm, he raised her face and kissed her for what was like an eternity.
Some moments passed and they became aware about the surrounding. She withdrew from him. Her face was flushed deep. She did not dare look him in the eye.
“Amma will come any moment,” she cautioned him as she moved away from him.
She showed him her room, which was readied for him. She said she would sleep in Amma’s room since Raju was away.
As they were sitting in the sit-out and chatting Susan came. She was genuinely happy to see the boy and inquired about the health of Ammachi and about his tournament.
“Do well Monay.” she wished him sincerely.
After dinner, he went in to the room. Lying there on Nisha’s bed, he felt a faint waft of her perfume in the room.
For the life of me, I want you Nisha. I will never leave you. He promised himself as he closed his eyes.
Ajit scanned the crowd at Trivandrum Central railway station. During the journey, he told Prof. Sathyapalan regarding his intentions about staying at Raju Uncle’s home. Initially the Professor did not agree, but after a lot of pleading and a promise that he would be present at the ground before 6:30 AM everyday for practice, he conceded. Now since they were there, his heart started to beat furiously. He was thinking about this reunion with her, for long now.
“Ok boys. Let’s move.” Professor called out to the group.
Ajit’s heart began to sink. Maybe she wouldn’t come after all. May be she was ill. Or Raju must have had second thoughts and prevented her from coming over here to pick him up.
He thought about calling her up from a near by telephone booth, but decided otherwise. She must have left the house already. I can’t hold up the group anymore, he thought with a heavy heart. He heaved up his cricket kit on to the shoulder and started walking with the group.
That’s when he saw her. As usual she was wearing a long frilled skirt and a matching blouse. His heart jumped.
“Nisha,” he called out with all his excitement. She was coming in from the main exit and was searching the crowd. She was panting like as though she had been running.
They came face to face. It took a lot of effort not to embrace her. He touched her hand.
“Sir, this is Raju Uncle’s daughter Nisha. Nisha this is our coach Prof. Sathyapalan.” He made introductions.
He was aware of the group ogling at her. He felt like punching them. He wanted to get away from here.
“Okay, Sir. I’ll go with her now,” he stated to Professor.
“Okay, but remember, six thirty in the morning, college ground,” the Professor reminded him.
“Sure Sir.” He left the group, Nisha in tow.
They got an auto rickshaw from outside the station. He put his heavy kit into the seat and let Nisha get in.
“How are you?” finally he asked.
Nisha was sitting very close to him since most of the space was taken up by the cricket kit. He could smell her perfume. Her shampooed hair flapped around her face and some strands hit his face.
“I am okay? You?” she asked in that soft, nasal tone.
He took her hand in his, gave it a squeeze. She withdrew her hand immediately and pointed towards the rickshaw driver with her face.
Both sat there, looking at each other.
“You look thinner” Nisha broke the silence.
“You are not fatter either,” he retorted.
“You don’t know how much I wanted to see you,” she said in a hushed tone.
“You are telling me? I could not sleep or concentrate in anything. I was thinking about you all the while” His voice was filled with love.
She tossed off her inhibitions out of the window and sat little closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Automatically his hands enveloped her. They did not talk much. It was like telepathy. Both knew what the other was thinking. They were letting their hearts feel the proximity of each other.
As they were approaching her house, she moved away and gave the driver instructions at junctions. She asked him to stop the vehicle in front of a black painted gate. They got out and paid the driver. She opened the door with a key.
“Where is Susan Aunty?” he asked her.
“She is at the shop. Since Acha is not in town, she looks after the shop,” she answered as she opened the door.
The house was a small one, consisting of two bed rooms, and a living room and a kitchen. A small compound was adorned by a plethora of plants and Raju’s Ambassador and his beloved bike, the Yamaha RX100 were resting in the porch.
“Not coming in?” she teased him.
He walked in. The next moment they were locked in a fierce embrace. All the pent-up emotion had burst.
They stood like that way for some time. Then freeing one arm, he raised her face and kissed her for what was like an eternity.
Some moments passed and they became aware about the surrounding. She withdrew from him. Her face was flushed deep. She did not dare look him in the eye.
“Amma will come any moment,” she cautioned him as she moved away from him.
She showed him her room, which was readied for him. She said she would sleep in Amma’s room since Raju was away.
As they were sitting in the sit-out and chatting Susan came. She was genuinely happy to see the boy and inquired about the health of Ammachi and about his tournament.
“Do well Monay.” she wished him sincerely.
After dinner, he went in to the room. Lying there on Nisha’s bed, he felt a faint waft of her perfume in the room.
For the life of me, I want you Nisha. I will never leave you. He promised himself as he closed his eyes.
Forsaken - Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Ajit found the days very long. He lost interest in everything. He waited for 7:30 PM everyday, the usual time he could call Nisha. They had agreed upon the timing since that is the time, Susan would be busy in the kitchen. Raju usually would be home by 8:00 PM. Ajit had lost his appetite and Ammachi noticed it.
“Why you are not eating anything Aji? Are you all right?” She asked seeing the boy nibbling at his dinner.
“Nothing Ammachi. I am eating.” Then he would force himself to eat something.
The only consolation was the evening cricket practice. They were practicing hard for the upcoming inter-collegiate cricket tournament and Prof. Sathyapalan, the coach, was stressing the importance of it. St. Thomas College never won the trophy. This time he was determined that he and his boys will rewrite history.
Ajit was the captain. There were some players in the team who could not digest it. Normally the captaincy was reserved for the degree students. But Ajit was an extremely talented boy and Prof. Sathyapalan recognized it. He was sure that Ajit would come back to the college for his higher studies and he had a bright future in cricket.
After the practice, Ajit was changing into regular cloth, when Prof. Sathyapalan came up to him.
“Ajit, you are not concentrating on the game,” he complained.
“No Sir. I am trying my level best,” he said with a flaccid expression.
“I have been watching you over the past few days. You seem lost. What is the matter?” He was determined to address the problem, if there was any, since his hopes of winning the tournament largely depended on this boy.
“Nothing, Sir. It’s just that I could not concentrate. I don’t know why.” He lied. He knew only too well what was bothering him. He wanted to be with Nisha.
“See, our fortunes largely depends on you. You have to understand that” the Professor said in a calm voice.
Ajit kept quiet.
“I made you captain on my own initiative. Don’t let me down” the Professor continued.
“I’ll do my best sir.” Ajit mumbled. He was feeling guilty. He knew about the split in the team since the seniors did not like his being captain. But since the Professor was adamant, they could not do much about it without risking their place in the team.
The Professor talked about the virtues of being mentally tough, to excel in whatever one does and facing the adversity. Ajit half-heartedly listened to his pep-talk. He promised he would concentrate on the game.
As they were leaving the changing room, the Professor announced the news to him.
“Our tournament schedule has arrived. It starts next month.”
“Oh. “ Ajit was less enthusiastic now.
“We play N.S.S College, Changanachery in the Quarter finals.” He referred to a card from his pocket and declared.
N.S.S was last year’s runner up.
“It will be tough match, I guess,” Ajit said meekly.
“Tough they are, but not unbeatable” the Professor exclaimed.
“Where is the match, Sir? Their college ground?” Ajit asked without much interest. It was all the same.
“Trivandrum,” the Professor said.
Ajit’s hear t skipped a beat. He thought he did not hear it properly.
“Where?” He wanted to make sure.
“Trivandrum. St. Baselios College ground. ” the Professor answered.
St. Baselios was Nisha’s school adjoined by the St. Baselios College!
Ajit could not believe his ears. This was God’s blessing indeed. He could go to Trivandrum. He could see Nisha. He was elated.
They exchanged goodnights and parted ways, once the Professor dropped him at the bus stop.
Ajit could not suppress the smile. He was looking for a way to visit Nisha and this was the perfect opportunity. He could not wait for the tournament to begin.
He conveyed the news to Nisha and she too was euphoric.
“Hey, it’s my school ground,” she exclaimed when he said the college’s name.
“How many days you will be here?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“It depends on whether we win the first match.” Ajit answered.
“You will of course.” She was sure.
“One week, if we win the Quarter and Semi,” he replied.
“Then you can stay here, with us?” She questioned.
“I don’t know. I may have to stay where the team is staying. Normally it is the college hostel, who is hosting the tournament” He was hoping he could stay at Nisha’s house.
“We will see. When is it?” She wanted to confirm the news.
“Two weeks. Beginning from next month.”
They spoke for a couple of minutes more and hung up.
Ajit was practicing really hard from the next day onwards. He wanted to win the tournament, while Nisha watched him playing.
When Ajit presented the case to Ammachi, she was little apprehensive.
“I don’t know. Your father may not allow it”
“Ammachi, this is once in a lifetime opportunity. If we win, I could get into the State team,” he pleaded.
Seeing the boy’s enthusiasm, she consented.
“Ok. I am not going to tell your father.” She said.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. The next problem solved by itself.
“You said it is in Trivandrum, right?” she queried.
“Yes Ammachi.”
“That’s where our Raju’s house is, isn’t it?” She did not know where exactly they were.
“Yeah. They are just outside the city. Half an hours distance from the ground,” he replied.
“Ok. I’ll call Raju and tell him. May be you can stay with them.” She was making sure her grandson was comfortable. That’s all she could do for him.
Ajit did not know what to say. It was all too easy to be real. He pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming.
When Ammachi told Raju about the tournament, he was more than happy to accommodate the boy.
“Aley Ammamme,” he addressed her this way “I may not be here that time. I have to go to Bangalore for some business. But Susan will be here. I should be back within a week or so” Raju told her.
Ammachi’s concern was who will pick Ajit since he is new to the city. Raju informed that Nisha was familiar with the city and she would pick him up.
Ajit found the days very long. He lost interest in everything. He waited for 7:30 PM everyday, the usual time he could call Nisha. They had agreed upon the timing since that is the time, Susan would be busy in the kitchen. Raju usually would be home by 8:00 PM. Ajit had lost his appetite and Ammachi noticed it.
“Why you are not eating anything Aji? Are you all right?” She asked seeing the boy nibbling at his dinner.
“Nothing Ammachi. I am eating.” Then he would force himself to eat something.
The only consolation was the evening cricket practice. They were practicing hard for the upcoming inter-collegiate cricket tournament and Prof. Sathyapalan, the coach, was stressing the importance of it. St. Thomas College never won the trophy. This time he was determined that he and his boys will rewrite history.
Ajit was the captain. There were some players in the team who could not digest it. Normally the captaincy was reserved for the degree students. But Ajit was an extremely talented boy and Prof. Sathyapalan recognized it. He was sure that Ajit would come back to the college for his higher studies and he had a bright future in cricket.
After the practice, Ajit was changing into regular cloth, when Prof. Sathyapalan came up to him.
“Ajit, you are not concentrating on the game,” he complained.
“No Sir. I am trying my level best,” he said with a flaccid expression.
“I have been watching you over the past few days. You seem lost. What is the matter?” He was determined to address the problem, if there was any, since his hopes of winning the tournament largely depended on this boy.
“Nothing, Sir. It’s just that I could not concentrate. I don’t know why.” He lied. He knew only too well what was bothering him. He wanted to be with Nisha.
“See, our fortunes largely depends on you. You have to understand that” the Professor said in a calm voice.
Ajit kept quiet.
“I made you captain on my own initiative. Don’t let me down” the Professor continued.
“I’ll do my best sir.” Ajit mumbled. He was feeling guilty. He knew about the split in the team since the seniors did not like his being captain. But since the Professor was adamant, they could not do much about it without risking their place in the team.
The Professor talked about the virtues of being mentally tough, to excel in whatever one does and facing the adversity. Ajit half-heartedly listened to his pep-talk. He promised he would concentrate on the game.
As they were leaving the changing room, the Professor announced the news to him.
“Our tournament schedule has arrived. It starts next month.”
“Oh. “ Ajit was less enthusiastic now.
“We play N.S.S College, Changanachery in the Quarter finals.” He referred to a card from his pocket and declared.
N.S.S was last year’s runner up.
“It will be tough match, I guess,” Ajit said meekly.
“Tough they are, but not unbeatable” the Professor exclaimed.
“Where is the match, Sir? Their college ground?” Ajit asked without much interest. It was all the same.
“Trivandrum,” the Professor said.
Ajit’s hear t skipped a beat. He thought he did not hear it properly.
“Where?” He wanted to make sure.
“Trivandrum. St. Baselios College ground. ” the Professor answered.
St. Baselios was Nisha’s school adjoined by the St. Baselios College!
Ajit could not believe his ears. This was God’s blessing indeed. He could go to Trivandrum. He could see Nisha. He was elated.
They exchanged goodnights and parted ways, once the Professor dropped him at the bus stop.
Ajit could not suppress the smile. He was looking for a way to visit Nisha and this was the perfect opportunity. He could not wait for the tournament to begin.
He conveyed the news to Nisha and she too was euphoric.
“Hey, it’s my school ground,” she exclaimed when he said the college’s name.
“How many days you will be here?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“It depends on whether we win the first match.” Ajit answered.
“You will of course.” She was sure.
“One week, if we win the Quarter and Semi,” he replied.
“Then you can stay here, with us?” She questioned.
“I don’t know. I may have to stay where the team is staying. Normally it is the college hostel, who is hosting the tournament” He was hoping he could stay at Nisha’s house.
“We will see. When is it?” She wanted to confirm the news.
“Two weeks. Beginning from next month.”
They spoke for a couple of minutes more and hung up.
Ajit was practicing really hard from the next day onwards. He wanted to win the tournament, while Nisha watched him playing.
When Ajit presented the case to Ammachi, she was little apprehensive.
“I don’t know. Your father may not allow it”
“Ammachi, this is once in a lifetime opportunity. If we win, I could get into the State team,” he pleaded.
Seeing the boy’s enthusiasm, she consented.
“Ok. I am not going to tell your father.” She said.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. The next problem solved by itself.
“You said it is in Trivandrum, right?” she queried.
“Yes Ammachi.”
“That’s where our Raju’s house is, isn’t it?” She did not know where exactly they were.
“Yeah. They are just outside the city. Half an hours distance from the ground,” he replied.
“Ok. I’ll call Raju and tell him. May be you can stay with them.” She was making sure her grandson was comfortable. That’s all she could do for him.
Ajit did not know what to say. It was all too easy to be real. He pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming.
When Ammachi told Raju about the tournament, he was more than happy to accommodate the boy.
“Aley Ammamme,” he addressed her this way “I may not be here that time. I have to go to Bangalore for some business. But Susan will be here. I should be back within a week or so” Raju told her.
Ammachi’s concern was who will pick Ajit since he is new to the city. Raju informed that Nisha was familiar with the city and she would pick him up.
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