Fear & Love

Forty Nine

Gita didn't know how to react. To her, Anand was not a criminal even though his act was a crime. .

It's funny how humans decide to turn a blind eye to things when it concerns their own person.

She was shook by the information. Her husband could burn an entire warehouse was not something she thought, especially when he was just a teenager. Where did he harbour so much hate?

"Why did your father respect her despite her eloping with that man? Daddu told me all about the humiliation you all had to face." Gita asked Anand.

Anand's head snapped towards Gita. When did Daddu talked to her? As far as he knew, Gita talked to his father once or twice a month to inquire about his well being. Daddu is always busy to be called.

"Daddu told you this? When?" Anand asked.

"He had called me the morning when I was going to recieve the award. He told me to beware of the woman I was going to receive it from. He also told me the entire story." Gita told him truthfully. After hearing about her eloping and leaving the family from Daddu, Gita felt only anger for Nandini.

Anand touched his forehead. He should have known. There was no way his wife would behave coldly with anyone, let alone a family member and his mother. He shoud have known there was someone behind her behaviour to instigate her. He asked her to elaborate on the 'entire story' told by Daddu.

"Gitanjali, he manipulated you." Anand knew his grandfather was cunning but he had no idea he would influence Gitanjali against his mother.

That day, Anand's father dragged him home and told him the truth. The truth of their marriage.

"My parent's marriage was arranged by their parents, purely for business profit. Unlike the usual arranged marriage, there was no courting period, no time to accept each other or decline the proposal. They had to marry each other." Anand paused, not knowing how to explain Gita his unusual family.

"My father married my mother right after he came back from London. My mother was adamant from the beginning to not wanting to stay in the marriage." Anand chuckled thinking how his mother hated his grandfather's guts.

"But, I think, she found out that my father is different than my grandfather. He is a nice person and so, they thought of giving this marriage a chance." Gita nodded in understanding. It was indeed true. Her father in law was different than Anand's grandfather. He was caring and kind. He had no air of arrogance.

Gita's confusion was visible to Anand. Anand signed her to speak it. "If they didn't love each other, how did they..." Gita was hesitant to speak further.

Anand chuckled, "Isha and I are our parents kids." He understood her hesitation. "Tell me, how many people have kids because they love each other? Very less, Gitanjali. They do it to fulfill the purpose of marriage - reproduction."

Gita gave him a look that said she was not happy with his statement.

"What? Am I lying?" He was not! Gita knew far too many who had kids together but were not in love.

Anand continued his story, "Plus, their aim of the marriage was also the same - to give heirs."

"My parents tried but I think they realised that they were not in love with each other nor they would ever be. So, they resorted to being cordial with each other and eventually grew to be friends."

Anand's father had told him how Nandini was his only friend in a palace where his own people would turn against him if he ever did what his heart would say.

Nandini understood him perfectly. Both their families wanted this marriage, not them. They had noone who would listen to their refusal to this wedding.

Nandini had every intention to hate her husband in the beginning of the marriage. She was angry to marry someone she never loved. But, kindness wins over all. In the kind nature of her husband, she actually found a friend whom she thought she could accept as her husband.