Naukadubi: The Boatwreck

Chapter 5

"Sushila... we've to go home now."
Ramesh's voice was soft, pain-striken, as he saw the young bride nod her head slowly and as Ramesh tried to get up, she held his hand at once and fell on his feet.

"What are you doing?" Ramesh had pulled her up gently, holding her soft tender arms.

"Don't leave me alone... Please..." She was sobbing.

"I won't." Ramesh pulled her closer, slowly, making her hide in his chest again.

The morning looked different, the river was studded with the white sails of fishing boats. Hailing one of them, Ramesh hired a large pinnace with the help of the fishermen and, having engaged the police to enquire after his missing relatives, set off home with his new bride.

"Don't worry... I'm there with you." He had whispered into her ears.

As soon as the boat arrived at Ramesh’s village, he was informed that the police had recovered the bodies of his father, mother-in-law and several relatives and friends. There was no more hope of any survivors other than a few of the boatmen.

Ramesh’s aged grandmother began to cry loudly on seeing Ramesh return with his wife. There was weeping in the homes of the neighbours who had accompanied the groom to the wedding. No conch shells were blown, no ululation was heard, no one welcomed the bride, no one even spared a glance for her, except him.
She was his responsibility, his wife, and mother nature had united them in this union, and although at times Ramesh would still think of his sprouting feelings for Hemnalini, but a glimpse of his new bride's face would make his heart smile with a strange contentment.

He had seen her shedding tears in seclusion, and everytime, he had pulled her into an embrace, hushing the same words of comfort.
"Don't worry... I'm there for you."

Ramesh had decided to go away with his wife after the last rites for all their relatives had been completed, but he found it impossible to leave till the family estate had been disposed of. The grieving women of the family had appealed to him to be allowed to make a permanent pilgrimage to Varanasi – he would have to respond to their requests as well, and all these weren't easy!

Yet, when he did get some respite from his responsibilities, Ramesh did not ignore the business of love. Although his wife was not as young as it had been said she was – the village women condemned her for being too old – this young man with a BA degree had not come across instructions on love in any of his textbooks. He had always considered love both impossible and unreasonable in his own life. Still, even though he had not read of love, he had secretly felt the exquisite emotion and surrendered to the young woman. He had seen the luminous goddess of his home in her. And so his wife had bloomed before his inner eye – a young wife, a youthful lover, and a mature mother – all at once. Just as the artist or the poet imagines their creation in a perfectly completed form, nurturing it in their hearts with a love no one else can see, Ramesh had established his future lover and goddess in all her glory in his soul in the form of his ordinary girl.

She was soft spoken, and everytime their eyes met, Ramesh felt a raise in his heartbeat. She had dark beautiful eyes, her fair cheeks had red tint on them and her lips were always painted in an exquisite smile.

Ramesh was never well versed in the techniques of love. He fumbled with it's expression, and instead he would tease her now and then, making her blush.
He would appear from nowhere and pull down the saree from her head, unsheathing her head, he would tug at her bun and make her hair cascade down her body. At times, he would steal a half eaten dry mango pickle from her mouth and put it in his
And his new bride would always blush!

At night, he would pull her even closer, ensheathing her soft beauty with his arms, and their breaths would get rugged. At times, he would spoon her from behind, his face buried in her shoulder, his hands feeling the smoothness of her skin, until she would start to quiver.

"Are you scared Sushila?" He would ask her lovingly.
"I'm scared too."

She would turn to face him.
"Why are you scared?" Her lips would part a little, in a soft murmur.

"Same reason as you are..."

They won't speak any further as their eyes would convey the rest. Ramesh's lips would be on her forehead, and she would clasp his arms firmly.

"Please don't leave me... Never..." A drop of tear would fall from her eyes, dripping on his bare chest.

"Never!"
He would shower her forehead with a few more kisses.