Mist

Aarti, lying on the bed, was waiting for her husband. She was angry and hungry for she liked to take dinner with her husband and her husband had not come home so far. It was going to midnight. Her husband Ajay was a taxi-driver. He is a heavy drinker and he is used to drinking heavily after working-hours.

And her wait came to end when she heard knock at the door. She opened the door. Ajay was at door. He was staggering. She cried with anger, “Here you come, bastard.”

Hearing a bad name he stopped staggering and stared at her and said to her, “Why are you calling me a bad name? Today I earned five hundred rupees.” He took out some rupees from his pocket and held them out towards her.

               

Without saying him anything she went to the kitchen to bring dinner for him. He began to sing a song. 

She placed a plate full of the meal before him. She was still in anger and turned to the bedroom. He said, “Have you taken a meal?”

She replied with coolness, “Yes.” and began to go to the bedroom.

He said, “Stop, you are telling a lie to me. You have not taken dinner. She stopped and turned to him and shouted with anger, “What have you to do with whether I take the dinner or not?”

He said, “Cool down. Why are you so angry with me?”

               

She cried, “you are asking me why am I so angry with you!” She looked into his eyes for a moment or two and told him, “Listen to me. Heavy drinking is not good for your health. I am your wife and always wish good for you. I want you to give up this dirty habit.”

He replied briefly, “I can’t give up drinking.”

She shouted with anger, “Then go to hell.” She left the room.

She couldn’t sleep all night. She left bed early morning and found that Ajay had already gone to his work. She felt sorry for not providing him breakfast. Although he is a heavy drinker, he is working hard nowadays from early morning to late night to collect money for the marriage of his younger sister Shilpa. Shilpa is his responsibility after the death of parents. She is twenty-two years old girl. The growing tension between her brother and Aarti made her work as a maid. She and Aarti both worked as a maid in some houses. They used to go to work in the morning every day and returned home in the evening. Aarti was not satisfied with her life. She was in tension due to Ajay’s habit of drinking. She had her own ways and dreams. After all, nobody in the world likes poverty. She, too, did not like poverty.

Aarti had been noticing from some days that Shilpa was returning home late. When she asked for the reason behind coming home late, Shilpa replied that she had to do some extra work in a home. Shilpa didn’t talk too much to Aarti and that was why it was so difficult for Aarti to find out what was going in the life of Shilpa. One day, when Aarti was returning from the market after buying ration, she found Shilpa going somewhere with a boy in a bike. That night, when Aarti inquired Shilpa, she got afraid and remained silent for a while and then she accepted that she was in love with that boy. Aarti got shocked hearing this and slapped her in anger. She took offense at being slapped by Aarti. She cried with anger, “How dare you slap me?” Saying so, she went out of the room.

Aarti tried her best to make Shilpa understand. All her attempts went in vain. Shilpa didn’t restrain herself and keep meeting with that boy. At last, Aarti had to tell Ajay everything about Shilpa. Ajay, hearing all this got furious at Shilpa and beat her severely and refrained her from going out of the home.

               

Shilpa’s not going to work hit the family income. Now, Aarti and Ajay both were searching for a suitable groom for Shilpa. Each member of the family was now in tension.

               

One day, when Ajay was returning home, he found Shilpa talking to a boy at the corner of the street. He stopped immediately and rushed to them and began to beat both of them. Other people of the street had to interfere to alleviate him.

               

At the suggestion of his fast friend, Ajay went to the parents of that boy and told them all about the matter. But the boy’s father refused to listen to him and insulted him. They held Shilpa responsible for the matter.  

               

In these ways, the days were passing. With passing time Aarti was going frustrated. For her, there was no end to the hardships of life. Ajay was busy earning money, drinking and finding a suitable groom for his sister. Shilpa was still pining for that boy. Each one was confined in his or her own space. Gradually she began to feel isolated from the other two members of the family. Now she began to ignore Ajay.

               

One night Ajay was in a good and romantic mood and he tried to come close to her but she ignored him. It was for the first time in their married life when she refused to intimate with him. It was alarming.

               

She didn’t know how she falls. Time was passing. Sameer was a young man of age around thirty years for whom she was working as a maid those days. Although he didn’t like to talk too much to anybody, one day he asked her, “What’s a matter with you? Why are you in so much tension? Would you like to share your problem with me?”

               

And she got what she needed most at that hard time. What she needed was someone who could listen to her; someone who conciliate her; and who give attention to her. Sameer was that person. Soon Sameer made a special place in her heart. The arrival of Sameer in her life was like a ray of light in the darkness of her life. Soon she was tied with Sameer with the bond of affection, trust, and care.

 One day, when she returned home for work, she found Ajay waiting for her. Seeing her, He cried with joy, “Here is good news for you. I have found a suitable boy for Shilpa. He is a clerk in a bank and is ready to marry Shilpa.” He was very happy. She was seeing a smile on his face after such a long time. She herself was feeling happy and relieved after such a long time.

Shilpa got unhappy over the issue of her marriage against her will. She immediately refused to marry that boy. Aarti tried to convince her by explained that the boy is a suitable match under the current situation and they couldn’t find any better option for her. But Shilpa was under the influence of her first love.

               

Soon the date of engagement was fixed. They got busy in the preparation of engagement and then marriage. Shilpa was restless and something was going in her mind.

               

And then happened what was unexpected. After two days of the engagement ceremony, Shilpa eloped with her lover. It was a bolt from the blue to Ajay. He was going mad with anger. He raised his hand on her lover’s father during an argument with him. It was a very hard time for both Ajay and Aarti. Ajay began to drink excessively. Excess drinking affected badly on his work, health and his relation to Aarti.

               

Now Aarti began to spend her more and more time out of the home; especially with Sameer. During these evenings Sameer told her a lot about his life. Sameer was an alone man having no relative or far relative. His parents passed away in childhood and he was brought up by his grandparents. By the age of twenty-five, he had lost his grandparents. He had no one except a few friends. He worked in a private firm and got an attractive salary. He gradually got attracted to her. Aarti was the first lady to come into his life.

               

One night Ajay returned home late in a drunken state. Aarti was lying in the bedroom. She was that time was absorbed in the thoughts of Sameer. She ignored him. He tried to come close to her. She was already angry at his coming late and his being in a drunken state and his attempt made her furious and she kicked him in an attempt to keep him away from her. He took offense and retaliated. He beat her severely and went out of the home. She wept alone all the rest of the night. She didn’t go to work the next day. She was feeling wounded and insulted. She did nothing but kept thought and wept all day. Ajay didn’t return home that evening. She waited for him till late at night but he didn’t come. The next day she decided to leave home.

               

She took shelter in the house of a far relative. She hoped that Ajay would come to take her home. But let alone taking her home, he even did not call her up. Her emotions for Sameer were on the surge. She was going mad in his love. She wanted to tell him how much she loves him. But it was hard for her to forget her husband; to leave him alone and in the lurch. She was in a dilemma. She was silent. There was something in her heart and mind which was stopping her from falling.

                              

On the other hand, Ajay was searching for her sister desperately. Days were passing in the way. He was alone and his aloneness made him drink more than ever. Soon he fell ill.

               

She was sad and now she was feeling guilty for leaving her home. She always thought about Ajay. Every day she prayed for his well being, in spite of being angry with him. One day, Ajay’s friend phoned her saying that Ajay had fallen ill seriously and was admitted to hospital.  

               

Hearing this she immediately rushed to the hospital. She found him lying unconscious in the hospital. She felt very sorry for Ajay. It came into her mind if she had not left the home, he would not have admitted to the hospital. She would have somehow kept him from excess drinking.

               

She began to look after him. Soon he began to recover from his illness. Her nursing made them come close to each other more than ever. Soon Ajay got well. She returned home with Ajay. One day, to their great surprise and happiness, Shilpa Along with her lover who was now her husband visited them. She was happy with her husband. Seeing her happy, Ajay was happy too.

               

Aarti soon forgot Sameer. She was now happy with Ajay. Ajay didn’t know what was between Aarti and Sameer. He was happy that everything had gone right the life.