Lata must’ve fallen asleep at some point after hours of twisting and turning, for she awoke with a start. What was she doing, wearing a saree through the night?
Suddenly everything came rushing back. The pink dawn of new love and freedom that the sun had promised just yesterday. The flight to the station. The last time she had seen Divendra. The long, humiliating wait in the waiting room. The unexpected rescue by Ajay.
Where was he? Had he left for his practice already? She didn’t meet Usha’s eyes, for fear of the recrimination she would see in them. It was ridiculous! Afraid of her own maid! Still, she couldn’t bring herself to ask for the whereabouts of her pati-deva.
Lata got up unconcernedly, tying her hair in a loose bun, adjusting her saree, as if she slept in it every night. And ran away with charming rogues every second day of her life. A little bubble of hysteria broke through, causing her to make a choking sound.
‘Don’t worry Memsahib, I don’t believe a word of it. I told the driver that my Memsahib isn’t like that,’ said Usha fiercely.
‘So is everyone gossiping about me?’ asked Lata tremously.
‘Arre, I say that Bhagwaan will blacken the faces of all those who say anything against my sidhi-saadhi Memsahib.’
‘Do the neighbours know about it too?’ Lata couldn’t help asking.
‘Don’t worry Memsahib, I will set them straight. These things happen…’
‘These things?’
‘There are times when every woman wants to return to her father’s home. Specially modern, young women like you. But I say, no harm done. Look how Ajay Sahib went and caught you at the station before any harm was done…’ Usha’s tone was sincere.
‘Father’s home?’
‘By the way, Ajay Sahib left early today and asked you not to keep dinner for him.’
As Lata looked up in surprise, her eyes finally met Usha’s. To her relief, she saw nothing but pity and sympathy in them. A wave of sadness engulfed her.
She escaped into the bathroom. Had she become such a pathetic object that even her own maid pitied her. A part of her watched her body as it was racked by silent sobs in front of the mirror.
***
So this was how it was going to be. Ajay had taken care that they never came face to face in the big house. He had started sleeping in the guest room and left early only to come back very late. She had lost the right to ask him where he went on Sundays, but a part of her still wanted to know.
Lata didn’t know if she should be grateful that he had taken her back or for the fact that he hadn’t confronted her about the incident. Yet, a part of her wished that he would, for she was freezing in her isolation. She couldn’t talk about the betrayal by Divendra to anyone, for that would be admitting that she had done something wrong. Yet, she had been prepared to give up her life of comfort as Dr Ajay Saxena’s wife for the few scraps of love that Divendra had thrown her way.
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