The Invincible Moonsheen – Part-25 (Telugu Original “Venutiragani Vennela” by Dr K.Geeta)

The Invincible Moonsheen

Part – 25

(Telugu Original “Venutiragani Vennela” by Dr K.Geeta)

English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar

(The previous story briefed)

Sameera comes to meet her mother’s friend, Udayini, who runs a women’s aid organization “Sahaya” in America. Sameera gets a good impression of Udayini. Four months pregnant, Sameera tells her that she wants to get a divorce and the circumstances are conducive to it. Udayini asks her to listen to the story of “Tanmayi” and pursue her to make her own decision after listening to the story. Tanmayi and Shekhar, who met at a wedding ceremony, go to marry with the permission of their elders. After the marriage they started their new life in Visakhapatnam. A boy was born to the couple in a year of their marriage. Tanmay engages in her studies deeply and enjoys the friendship with her colleagues forgetting all about her household disturbances. Her parents came to stay with her for a month while Shekhar is away on his long-term camp.

***

          Tanmay left the class in the middle to catch the bus home.

          As soon as she got into the bus she fell asleep after being awake the whole night.

          She reached home by dinner time. She felt debilitated walking from the bus stop. When she was about to reach the corner of the street she heard Mridul’s crying. She became nervous and she stormed inside, opening the gate. She saw her father walking with the child on his shoulder consoling him. When the boy caught the sight of his mother he started crying wildly and jumped on her. She hugged him passionately, taking the child from her father. The child suddenly felt something warm and comfortable and soon fell asleep.

          “Umm…He is almost tired of waiting for you maa…” Bhanumurthy heaved a sigh of relief.

          “Where is Mom?”

          “She’s sleeping. Her health is disturbed. She has been suffering from a fever for four days. When I tried to feed him he was stubborn. Maybe the boy wants her mother’s presence and her feeding. Now you came, wait until she’s recovered maa…” saying, Bhanumurthy felt relieved.

          “Oh, no Daddy, I must go Monday. Lots of pending homework, I will take the boy with me and come back when mother’s health gets well.”

          Jyoti who heard it remarked sharply, “How… How can you go? Are you bound to do it even though I am sick?”

          Bhanumurthy hushed her up and said to Tanmay, “Thalli, how long can you manage by yourself without informing Shekhar? Think about it once.”

          Tanmay couldn’t answer any of his questions. She’s unaware of the answer.

          She hugged the kid and said to herself, “The only thing is I must accomplish my Doctorate by any means! That’s all”

***

          On Monday she caught her bus back to her destination. Bhanumurthy who was in dilemma accompanied her lack of no option. The cool breeze storming inside through the window panes did not thwart her thoughts. The boy in her lap jumped in delight.

          She began to plan what to do after reaching home. “First I should call Shekhar. As long as the kid is with her it won’t be possible to attend the classes. I must collect notes from my friends.” 

          When she got down the Auto she found a scooter identical to Shekhar’s uncle.

          She thought, “Did they come?” But the door locked. Maybe somebody’s!

          She stepped in and prepared rice. Then she readied the kid. Meanwhile, the servant maid came and said that the owner was calling her. Tanmay suspected something odd and went up. She was shocked at the presence of Shekhar and his Pinni, seated already there in the penthouse hall. She could understand why the scooter was parked there now. The kid jumped upon Shekhar calling him Nanna…Nanna… He took him to his lap. The owner and his wife sat on the chairs side by side.

          Tanmay felt disgusted to see the owner’s face.

          She was in total confusion as to why this meeting was arranged.

          The owner’s wife showed a chair.

          Tanmay looked at Shekhar in confusion and gestured, “What is this all?”

          Shekhar broke all of a sudden, “You rogue! How dare you come here without saying anything to your husband, and start staying with someone?”

          Tanmay, terrified looking at him in shock, couldn’t help to answer.

          His Pinni added fuel, “ Yes! in broad daylight, I saw her with somebody last week! They both went out in the late evening”

          “Yawk! Stop that bullshit!” Tanmay cried aloud, “Don’t demoralize me” She was filled with tears.

          “My sister was so unlucky to have this daughter-in-law and suffered a lot. Many prosperous alliances were left because of this girl!” 

          The owner suddenly added his version with a cruel intention, “Many boys used to come to her, I watched plenty of times! And this girl had an eye on me too…”

          “Yawk! It’s a lie!  This man only caught my hand!” She shouted disgustedly.

          The owner’s wife shouted aloud, “Mind your tongue! Are you blaming my husband? You are enjoying it here when the husband is somewhere at least not informing him of your whereabouts! Oh, what a woman you are! You should vacate the house at once!” She lashed in anger.

          Tanmay retorted sharply, “Stop it! I don’t want to stay with disrespectful people like you!” and she turned towards Shekhar, “What is this nonsense? If you have any doubts, talk with me straight away! Why this stupid court marshaling?

          The kid who was embarrassed jumped off Shekhar’s lap and was about to reach out to her mother. He kicked off the water glass while jumping.

          Shekhar remarked, “Look! How stupidly this woman is taking care of the child!” She pointed at her and shouted, “I don’t want to waste my time discussing with you! I will see your end!”

          Tanmay lost her control. She got up sharply and snatched the kid and said waving her pointed finger, “Look! Damn all of you! I don’t care to answer any of you” and she dashed out.

          Tanmay felt weak in her feet and her heart sank in depression. The floor under her feet seemed shaken.

          She couldn’t understand in the beginning why this man created such a mess before strangers. Why these gang-hailing scandals upon her with no grounds she couldn’t imagine herself. 

          She stormed inside and latched the door.

          She fell across the bed and started crying uncontrollably.

          Oh, how insulting! How disgusting!

          That guy kept me screwed before strangers with character assassination. It’s more than death! She wept and wept and wept.

          What wrong did she do? Can she live up to these scandalous rumors in society? 

          The kid was crying at his top.

          She wants to die from the humiliation. She began to think of dying but when she looked at the sobbing child she couldn’t think ahead.

          She waited for some time, came out from the sorrowful mood and composed herself to think coolly. 

          Dying needs no effort but living has plenty. She shook her head and thought about it. The responsibility of the kid pulling her back.

          She took a paper and drew two columns. She began to list out the pros and cons of dying and living.

          Living had the advantage of bringing her child like a good citizen as opposed to his uncultured father. If she opts for death the child grows motherless and may likely to grow up like his father. Moreover, she couldn’t lose him. So the better thing is living, and growing the kid in a healthy and respectful atmosphere. She took the child nearer to her bosom and patted on his head. She should live and raise the child like an ideal person.

          “Sorry my child, Don’t be scared, I am with you, I will be with you, I will support you all along your life! Why should we scare anyone until we do no wrong?”

          She freshened and fed the kid and lay with him on the bed beside him. Though she tried to get to sleep by closing her eyes, she couldn’t. The humiliation she experienced before others is gnawing her head.

          She could hear the noises of Shekhar’s entry and exit but she didn’t want to rise from her bed. The noises of the guy’s bang on the cupboard doors hurling things from it and rudely closing the doors were audible to her. It went almost one hour and finally the main door hinted at his exit.

          She didn’t leave the bed one hour after he went. Her mind became blank and the thought processing almost blocked her spirits. She couldn’t understand why the guy was making all this mess. Her marriage life is altogether unhappy and for no reason, she is blamed for everything.

          Now this man tainted her goodwill before others and made her guilty before those mean strangers! Why is this happening? What was the mistake she committed? Is it wrong to seek higher studies?

          If I can’t pursue my studies at this critical point what would be going to my already ruined life?

          She closed her eyes and said, “Oh my Anonymous friend! Help me, give me strength to save my little one from all these adversities!” 

          She rose and looked around. She was feeling sick and nauseous. Her eyes suddenly fell upon the Cupboard.

          The racks of Shekhar’s were emptied. Gold ornaments, Money, and Bank passbooks all vanished from the rack. When she carefully looked around, she found nothing of Shekhar’s belongings, including his clothes and shoes. He lifted off everything whatever he wanted.

          She felt weak in her feet and she collapsed.

          She started crying, keeping her head down to her knees.

          The boy, frozen with fear, got down the cot and quietly approached her.

          She grabbed him and cried much louder.

          She said, “See, what your father did for us!” she broke again helplessly.

          The kid who was frightened in confusion cried aloud walking out calling Nanna…nanna…

          Tanmay dashed out and brought the kid back. She decided to call home and tell everything to her father.

          She gathered her savings. They were around one hundred rupees. The sun was set already. She walked out with the kid, locked the door and headed to the STD booth. When she started talking to her father she choked and burst into tears.

          Bhanumurthy consoled, “Don’t worry Thalli, that guy might be at his grandma’s house. I’m coming there, be brave, everything will be alright”

          Jyoti grabbed the phone and intervened, “That’s why I  told you! don’t go and stay alone there! see now what happened, why didn’t you call us when that guy created such a mess? Did he think we can’t do anything? I’m sick, otherwise, I would have come to you. Your dad is coming there, don’t cry, We will set it right nanna!” 

          When Tanmay was coming back she saw Karun badly bruised seemingly manhandled by somebody. He was bleeding and his clothes were torn. She was appalled at this sight and asked embarrassed, “What happened Karun?”

          “Ummm…This is your guy’s brutal treatment…” and he spat on the road in disgust.

          Karun continued, “While I was coming from the library and heading to the bus stop, that guy assaulted me with his gang of four and beat me indiscriminately. when I asked what wrong I did, he forced me to sign and put thumbprints on some plain papers!” 

          He was almost in shock and trembling with fear. He was about to burst out.

          “Oh God! I’m sorry…” She was unable to say anything of her embarrassment. She folded her hands helplessly and said crying, 

          “Oh, I am helpless…please never come to this side” and ran into her house.

          Everything became blank and void. She became crippled and helpless.

          “God! What’s happening to me? I’m cursed! forgive me Karun! Because of me, you were in trouble so badly. Maybe you won’t have money for treatment! How helpless I am!” She collapsed and began to beat her head violently.

          The kid cried loudly watching her mother.

          In her fit of emotion, she began to thrash the boy indiscriminately.

          The boy started crying wildly and ran into the kitchen and hid behind the stove chamber.

          Frenzied in her tormented emotions she knocked her head to the wall. She started bleeding from her forehead and soon fell unconscious.

          She could only remember that she called “Mridul”

***

          She suddenly woke up when someone sprinkled water on her face.

          She sat upright on the bed shocked when she saw Karun nearby.

          She said collecting her senses weakly, “I told you not to come”

          “Of course…but … you were altogether in a helpless condition and in an alarming situation… You seemed unconscious and this kid sobbing abandoned…At that moment how could anyone leave?”

          Tanmay felt guilty. She said, “Umm…I am sorry…I troubled you…”

          “It’s okay…I could understand…but I am barely ignorant of the things that led him to beat me up so wildly! At one point I thought of reporting the police but I didn’t want your name unnecessarily exposed, moreover, it’s not an affordable business person like me…”

          Tanmay gave a detailed story about what had happened so far.

          Karun heard keenly while she narrated and at the end he said, heaving a sigh, “I could understand what is happening with him. As an average husband, he couldn’t tolerate your ideals. Hopefully, I believe and pray to God, he shouldn’t do any harm with those papers duly signed by me…And I seriously suggest you don’t go for any extreme decisions…you remember you have a child…Be positive and be compromising…” Then he walked out.

          Right at that moment the lady approached them.

          Tanmay who was greatly averted at her sight questionably asked, “What is up to you?”

          The lady looking at Karun’s exit derisively remarked, “Ha… nothing much…Thalli…Your man told me that you are vacating, The Day after tomorrow is the First and the rent should be paid before leaving. Tell me when you can vacate so that we can rent it to others”

          Tanmay couldn’t assimilate, she was undecided about saying anything. How can she pay rent at this time? whom she can ask? until her father arrived she kept quiet sadly. She’s too weak and exhausted to do anything. 

          Bhanumurthy came early in the morning. He moved watching his daughter in such a pathetic condition. He said tearfully, “Amma, don’t be distressed. I’ll go for him to his grandma’s house and let’s talk with him clearly about what he intended”  

          In the evening Bhanumurthy came alone.

          He said, “Amma, that guy was not there! I enquired about all his relatives and called home also. He was nowhere, perhaps he went to Nellore.”

          He added, “Possibly he would be there. I hope he won’t leave his son and you alone.”

          Tanmay couldn’t speak anymore. She nodded her head thoughtlessly.

          Bhanumurthy heaved a sigh and said, “Let’s think of it after we reach our home. We should vacate it now”

          Tanmay felt humiliated observing her father’s pursuance about rent. He settled it and came back.

          Again she’s a dependent daughter to parents!

          She felt ashamed of her helplessness.

          While packing up she felt pain looking at the bookshelf, kitchen rakes, the neat rooms, curtains and plants she grew.

          “Oh, Lots of dreams I have cherished about my family life!”

           Now everything is devastated. She said to herself.

          “Yes! We must know the facts. These material things are not perpetual. These vessels, the kitchen, the curtains, and the book rakes all are temporary. We should not go crazy after them.”

*****

(Continued next month)