Blessed: The Abandoned Wife

Meet-a-friend

Soumya Krishnan was a typical Tamilian who had been brought up in the north and spoke good Hindi with perhaps a smattering of her ancestral language. She knew enough of Tamil to enjoy movies and converse with her cousins as needed. Her father was a retired civil servant who had spent most of his working life in the Hindi belt. He was known for his integrity and acumen, a go-getter on the right side of law and morality. And that was why even if they lacked the wealth that many at even lower levels had amassed illegally, she was chosen to marry Darsh. That she was in love with the model Nick Grewal had made that 'arranged marriage' her dream marriage.

Shubhi called to check ahead of time if Soumya would be in the boutique when she went to pick the pieces selected by her mom and sister. Hearing the affirmative she felt a bit of relief, happy to see her friend after a day that had turned her world upside down. She could not share with her family that she ran into Daivik Rawal after six years today! Her mother would throw a fit and Shuchi would be very angry. There was no point in disturbing the festive mood. The boutique was in an older part of the town. A sprawling mansion that had been converted into a shopper's haven for any Indian wedding. Anything and everything needed from lehengas to sarees to lachas to beautiful blouses with strategic cuts were all available under one long multi-pronged roof. Embroidery and embellishment options from the length and breadth of this culturally diverse country were available. The connected sections layout provided the privacy of viewing rooms that many of the elite buyers craved.

Shubhi knew that Soumya would be in the second last room on the right-hand section, in the middle of all the finished and semi-finished material, guiding all the artisans regarding the designs. The bigger room in front served as the office for the boutique. She had visited that room whenever she spent time with her uncle on the accounts. She was not in the mood for any official work today and reached the back room and met her friend. Soumya immediately took her to her design room where all the selection was packed. This was a smaller room filled with finished and semi-finished pieces allowing only space for the designer's large desk and two chairs.

Shubhi: Phew! This is a lot of stuff Somi! It seems Mom and Shuchi have shopped for our entire joint family!

Soumya: (smiling mischievously) I think they are taking that blessing of you being next in line for marriage seriously!

Shubhi: Ohh don't ask, my mom is practically preparing for my marriage!

Soumya: (smiling at her friend) It has given her happiness and hope. Shuchi will be married by the end of the month. And you, perhaps in the next six months... All we need is the right groom to turn up.

Shubhi: (deciding to finally share about the shock of the day) The wrong groom has turned up.

Soumya: What? Wrong groom? Which one?

Shubhi: Mr. Daivik Rawal is back in India. I met him today. (Shubhi sighed as she finally let out the secret).

Soumya: (shocked) You met him! What did he say? What happened?

Shubhi: I met him, and he asked who the father of Dyuti is!

Soumya: (hand on mouth) He asked who the father of Dyuti is! I do not think you would ever want to see him again.

Shubhi: Yes, I slapped him!

Soumya: (still in shock) What!

Shubhi: Yes, initially I thought I would talk to him for Dyuti's sake, she deserves a father's love as well. But now, given his accusations, I have told him to stay away from me and my daughter.

Soumya: Can he not see that Dyuti is his daughter, she and Veni look like the cousin sisters that they are!

Shubhi: He has not met Dyuti in person yet. I did not know but this VinRa foundation that helped with Dyuti's surgery is named after their deceased sister Vinita Rawal. She had a hole in the heart in the same location as Dyuti. Medical advancements of the past decade have meant that my daughter has survived while Vinita Rawal died at a young age.