Serendipity

20

"Mohan, water and tea," GK screamed, as soon as Anuj and Anupama stepped into the apartment. A shuffle of footsteps and the items were placed on the center table.

"Tell Madhav and Sheela, they're off for the day," GK instructed Mohan. "I want everyone out of this house in the next 15 minutes."

Anupama observed the sudden commotion as the three housekeepers quickly picked up their belongings and made a beeline for the front door. GK personally supervised their exit. He then proceeded to close all the doors and windows and disconnect the wifi before talking to the pair.

"What's going on GK?" Anuj asked perplexed by GK's actions.

"There must be something in the air, for I don't recognize you anymore Anuj Kapadia. You've turned dumb," GK muttered under his breath.

"I heard that."

GK gave him the look.

"Well then genius, what do you think I'm doing?"

When Anuj stood in front of him with a perplexed expression on his face, GK patted his head.

"Do you know this staff? Have you worked with them for a long while? Do you trust them? What if someone has been paid to bug this house?"

When Anuj continued to look perplexed, GK sighed.

"Your engagement is big news. There are enough people who will pay an arm and a leg for an exclusive."

Anuj stared at him in shock, realizing the truth in GK's words. Anupama, blissfully unaware of their predicament sipped on her tea.

Having satisfied himself, GK proceeded to address the pair with his concerns. He outlined his reasons for not agreeing with their foolish idea and gave them an ultimatum - either you get married for real, or not at all. And should the two of them choose to get married, they do it because you want to spend the rest of your lives with each other. No ifs, no buts.

"But GK the newspaper article...."

"Anuj, you're supposed to have one of the best PR teams in the world working for you. If they cannot handle this mishap, then it's high time you start looking for replacements."

"But kaka, why?" Anupama's question startled GK. He had expected Anuj to put up a fight, not Anupama.

He walked up to her and placed his hand on her head once again; "Because I don't want you to get hurt."

When Anupama looked at him quizzically, he sighed.

"Gopi. Gopi." Amba ran after his cycle screaming his name. Dressed in a cotton ankle-length skirt and blouse, her hair neatly braided on either side of her face, she smiled while biting a portion off the sugarcane she carried in her hands.

"What is it? Why are you running after my cycle?"

"When will you come and ask Dad for my hand in marriage?"

Gopi huffed. "Amba I'm barely 18 and you're 15. Finish your school. We'll talk about marriage then."

"But..."

"Bye..." Gopi sped away on his cycle laughing while Amba stood rooted to her spot, the scowl on her face evident.

That night, in a lonely forsaken spot in the village, the two met again.

As Amba threaded her hand through Gopi's hair, while he looked at the stars with her head on his lap, he asked: "What's the rush Amba?"

He didn't have to explain himself, they both knew what he was talking about.

"I'm afraid Baba will get me married to his friend's son."

Gopi sobered. But he was practical.

"I don't have anything to offer you right now. I don't even own a house. Where will we live, if we get married?

"Give me some time, Amba. I promise I will come and ask your Dad for your hand in marriage."

"When Gopi?"

"Soon. I promise."

The next week Gopi left for Ahmedabad. When he returned to his village two years later, eager to meet Amba and ask her family for her hand in marriage, he learnt she was no more.

Apparently, their secret trysts were not so secret after all. After Gopi left, Amba was pressured by her father to get married to his friend's son. When she resisted, the village turned against her, belittling and defaming her and her relationship with Gopi. She was called names. She was kept away. She was humiliated for having fallen in love. Her family was ostracized. When she couldn't take it anymore, she jumped into a well and ended her life.

"Anuj, you always asked me why I never got married. I didn't need to. I had Amba and her memories to keep me company in this lifetime."

Anuj knew what GK meant. Hadn't he lived his life so far in a similar way?

Turning to look at Anupama, he continued: "Beta, that day when I met you for the first time, I saw a lot of Amba in you, the same pride, the same determination, the same self-respect. But I also know that society can be cruel. What Anuj has proposed is nothing short of suicide for you. Two "failed" relationships will ruin you forever. Believe me, I know.

"I wasn't able to help Amba, but I'm not going to let history repeat itself with Anupama."

Anupama understood his concern and was touched by it. Surely he must have been her father in a previous lifetime. She took his hands in hers and asked him: "Anuj ji and I getting married make you happy?"

"Yes. I know my son. He will never overstep his boundaries with a woman. And his name will protect you in society."

"Why man's name so important for woman's dignity?"

GK sighed. "I wish I could say it isn't Anupama, nothing would give me more pleasure. But the sad thing is that it's true - not just in India but in all societies throughout the world. Things are changing, but that change won't be seen in your lifetime."

"So, if I say no to wedding with Anuj ji, what happens next?"

"Not much really, at this point in time. There are a few creative spins we can put to yesterday's news article but considering the conversations Anuj has already had with your landlord and ex-husband, I don't know how much of the damage we can cover."

"Isn't it unfair that I pay for another person's bad actions?"

"Isn't life always like that? We all pay for someone else's actions. I paid for the heartlessness of an entire village by living a loveless life, and Anuj, well, we all pay for the mistakes we don't make - at least the good people, the kind ones, the loving and caring ones. Didn't you? Didn't you pay for being kind, caring, and considerate to your in-laws? Didn't you pay for trusting your ex-husband blindly?"

"Means we should stop being nice, kind, and caring?"

"No Anupama, an eye for an eye would make the whole world blind. We don't have to stop being nice, but we don't have to take things lying down as well. Our niceness, our kindness should be our strength, not our weakness."

It was then that Anupama understood her first lesson in life. And with that understanding, she felt a huge burden lift off her shoulders.

She walked up to GK and hugged him. She didn't remember much of her father, but she had definitely found one in GK.