Second Innings

Chapter 6

It was a pleasant, cloudy morning after the heavy rains last night. Tapasya inhaled the tangy scent of petrichor sitting in her citrus orchard while sipping her coffee. She had grilled a few cheese sandwiches for breakfast. With Jogiya Raga playing in the backdrop, she was enjoying the early morning breeze. After the incessant rains, she had decided to relish her breakfast in solitude amidst the tangy fragrance of the citrus trees.

Sitting on the chair, she was lost in her own thoughts missing the carefree life she had, when she was a spinster once upon a time. Her phone rang and a smile appeared on her lips instantly. It was Maithili, her sister, calling her.

After her divorce, her parents chose to cut all their contacts with her. Gathering the broken pieces of her life, she shifted to the queen of hills. All this time, her younger sister Maithili stood like a rock, supporting her, just like Mayank.

A wave of joy ran down her body upon hearing the cheerful voice of her sister. They exchanged pleasantries talking about their lives when Maithili decided to share the important news of her life.

"Taps, I am getting engaged to Mohit", Maithili announced over the phone. Tapasya could imagine her sister jumping in joy. She knew Maithili had always admired Mohit, the son of their father's business associate, another diamond merchant of the country. However, Tapasya was worried about this relationship too, after all, Maithili was another pawn in her father's game of power.

When Maithili heard a silence from another end, she sighed. "Taps, don't worry, Mohit and I have been talking over the phone".

Tapasya sobbed realizing it was just her who had to act like a fool when she had got the news of getting married to her childhood crush. Maithili was in a fix. She did not want to rub salt over her sister's tender wounds.

"I wish you could come, Tapasya", Maithili muttered. Her cheerful voice had turned gloomy.

"No one wants me there", Tapasya cried. Disconnecting the phone in the fit of rage, she switched the device off. It was difficult for Maithili too. She did not mean to hurt her elder sister, the one who had been there to pull out from all the mess she created as a child. However, she was helpless. Maithili had tried hard to mend Tapasya's estranged relationship with her parents but all her attempts were futile before her father's mountain-sized ego.

Ramesh Goyal, the leading diamond merchant of the country wanted an easy entry into politics which was why, he had fixed the marriage of his eldest daughter with the only heir of the Singhania family, the political dynasty that had maintained their seats in the parliament since independence. When the marriage didn't work out, Mr. Goyal's political career came to a halt too. Also, the divorce brought destruction of the social image of the families forever. Mr. Goyal had not forgiven his daughter, Tapasya since then.

With tears in her eyes, Tapasya remembered her traumatic pain.

It had been two months to her wedding with her childhood crush, a handsome monster who had been destructing her self-confidence each day. She had went to pay a customary visit to her maternal house, wanting to see her parents. She had been delighted to meet Maithili, her younger sister and Dhairya, her younger brother. She had felt home hugging her mother.

When Maithili had teased her with her husband's name, Tapasya had turned pale. After lot many contemplations, she had decided to confide in her mother. Sitting behind the closed doors, Tapasya had told her mother, "Ma, I need to talk to you".

"What happened, Gudiya? Are you happy at your in-laws?" Her mother had questioned her, with concerns.

Tapasya had no power to handle it anymore. The dam of tears had broken and she had cried her heart out. "Ma, my husband...", she had wept.