River & Desert

Part 2

Two Days Ago

"Have you considered the idea of meeting other men?" Shanti Sinha reminded her granddaughter that one negative experience should not discourage her in her pursuit of happiness.

Purvi resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her grandmother's disapproving words about her love life.

"I'm just not ready for a relationship, Dadi. Right now, I need to focus on my own priorities," Purvi explained, quickly grabbing her phone and pretending to be busy with work. Shanti swiftly took the phone from her unsteady grasp. "What has your work even brought you? Anything worthwhile?"

"Dadi..."

"If you had balanced your dedication to your personal life with your work, your marriage could have been happier and your soon-to-be-born child would have a chance at life."

Purvi fought back the sobs that threatened to burst out of her raw throat, biting down on her bloodied lips to hold them in. Her grandmother was met with a searing glare and tears pooling in the corners of her granddaughter's eyes. A deep well of fury and anguish surged through her, constricting her chest and turning her face a furious shade of red.

Despite the icy air from the blasting air-conditioner and the supposed safety of the opulent mansion, Purvi felt like she was being scorched from within, tossed about like a palm tree in a violent hurricane.

Shanti's rage continued, relentless towards her oldest grandchild. "You have no desire to remarry, and your brother has no interest in marriage whatsoever. As a result, the inheritance from your grandfather and father will be given to charity instead."

The mere thought of her younger brother sent her mind into a frenzy, torn between desperation and emptiness. He had always managed to escape unscathed from their grandmother's cruel words, leaving her alone to cater to the older woman's every need and want.

After their parents' bitter divorce, they were taken in by their paternal grandmother. Their mother was left to deal with the aftermath of an abusive marriage and eventually ended up in a mental health facility, while their father drank himself to death due to his alcoholism.

Purvi's marriage to Sanjay was a forced arrangement, pressured upon her by her grandmother. The pain from its bitter ending still claws at her heart, trapping her on an island of despair and drowning her in swirling waves of hopelessness. With no other options in sight, she must pass the burden onto her brother, feeling like a prisoner in her own life.

"How about I help you convince Adhrit to marry, Dadi?" she asked, hiding her tears behind the facade of a determined woman.

****

Vijay Singh's gaze pierced through Pushpa as he asked, "Do you plan to repay the amount before my eyes close for eternity, or will you wait until I am reborn?" Pushpa cowered under his glare, her hands clasped tightly together. She winced as his snide remark caused her face to flush with embarrassment. Passersby slowed down their pace, intrigued by the interaction between the two. Their amusement was like a thousand knives stabbing into Pushpa's heart.

"I'm seeking your understanding..."

"Pushpa, you know my understanding is the only reason you still have this house. I went against my usual lending practices to provide you with a larger loan when you mortgaged your home eight years ago for your husband's treatment. But now, you are neglecting both the interest and principal payments. What do you expect me to do?" he asked, frustrated and bewildered.

Tears welled up in her eyes and sweat dripped down her temples due to the scorching heat. Vijay sat at the entrance of her small home, leaving her exposed and vulnerable like prey surrounded by predators. She couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in her chest as she watched the crowd revel in her helplessness and make it a spectacle.

She fell to her knees, grasping Vijay's feet tightly. "Bhai sahab, we have nowhere else to turn. We have a young girl living with us. How can we survive on the streets with her in tow?" His eyebrow raised as he gazed down at her. "The niece, right? Mitali? I warned you, Pushpa, that she brings bad luck and death wherever she goes. After she came to live with you, your husband got cancer and her parents passed away in a tragic accident."

Mitali found her heart breaking into countless pieces after walking back from her job at the call-center. The moneylender's titles pierced her heart and tore into her self-esteem.

"My precious angel! The bringer of fortune and joy! My darling child!"

Her father placed a loving kiss on her temple and her mother hugged her toddler and husband, wearing a broad smile.

Her lips twisted into a pained grimace, her mind flooded with bittersweet memories of her parents - their smiling faces etched in her tormented mind. It was one of the last moments she had with them before they perished in the fiery building crash while she was at school.

Pushpa, her father's sister, and her husband Vimal had been her pillars of support during the heart-wrenching tragedy that shattered her life. But now, as she watched Pushpa plead on her knees before an apathetic crowd, the sight filled her with a deep-seated rage and sorrow for the kind woman reduced to such despair.

She walked towards Vijay and Pushpa, attempting to suppress her sobs and wipe away her tears. The woman who had fostered her held onto Vijay's legs, desperate for support in the turbulent sea of emotions she was drowning in. She knelt down next to Pushpa, catching her off guard by appearing out of nowhere.

"Mitali..."

"Uncle ji, please give us one more week. We will make sure to pay the interest that we owe, and we promise to gather the principal amount in a month's time. Please have mercy on us!" she pleaded, clasping her hands together as she bowed her head in submission.

Vijay smirked and nodded in agreement. "How could I say no to this poor girl? You have one week, my dear. If you cannot pay the interest, you will have no choice but to sell your house. Do you understand, my dear?" he asked with a fake smile on his lips.

Mitali's stoic nod of acknowledgment sent a shiver down her foster mother's spine. An unspoken determination glinted in her eyes, despite the lack of a clear path ahead. She would brave through the treacherous wilderness and daunting darkness if it meant securing a dignified life for her beloved family.

The weight of her immeasurable debt to her foster family weighed heavily on her conscience, threatening to suffocate her if she abandoned them in their time of need. But Mitali was willing to risk it all, driven by an unshakeable sense of loyalty and love for those who took her in as their own.

What do you about the unfortunate situations of our characters? Definitely not a fan of Shanti, but too many elders like her to hope it's just a part of fictional world.

Please VOTE and COMMENT!