The Foster child

Chapter -10.

Dharani and Maya went back to their destinations. It's been a week since Dharani went to Bangalore. She was slowly adjusting herself with the new environment. Her roommate is a lovely girl named Meena. She is from Coimbatore. Just like Dharani, she is very studious and smart. Her father is a farmer and her mother works as a cook for a family. She is the only child and her family is on cloud 9 when she secured a job in a software company.

Days rolled by and Dharani was in regular touch with Maya and Kasturi.
But things were not good with Kasturi.

She missed Dharani a lot and her silence and zoning out frequently gives us the reason.
Prithvi  joining the duty this week is not helping her out. 

The day before Prithvi’s journey,

Prithvi was packing his luggage when Kasturi  came to him with a box of snacks and pickles.

Prithvi:
“ Why do you take the trouble to prepare all this ma. You should have taken a rest. Don't trouble yourself. I am not a foodie and we are trained to eat even the root vegetables and leaves uncooked sometimes.”

Kasturi :
“ I know that you eat grass there. At least eat properly when I make something. It's a mother inside  me who made this. I can't see my child starving for home made food”.

Prithvi :
“ You could have called me to help you. Even Dharani was not here. Why did you strain yourself”.

Kasturi:
“ Till now, I have Dharani as my support. But I  can't bind her here forever. I thought I could keep her with me forever but reality gave me a bitter picture. Your father is stubborn with that match and even spoke to Dharani. Poor girl, in order not to disappoint her grandpa, she said she would consider the match and would meet that guy. Only God knows what was written in her fate”.

Prithvi :
“ You seem to be  disinterested in the proposal. Why?. Do you have someone in mind for Dharani or what ?”

Kasturi:
“ Yes. I thought of getting her married to you. But your father didn't let that happen. If  you are married to her, she need not go anywhere. She stays with me and I will not be worried about her.”

Prithvi :
“ Amma. Are you in your senses?. How can I marry my niece?. Did you  ever consider our relationship before having that thought “.

Kasturi:
“ Why?. What's wrong in marrying your niece. This is still practiced in our culture. Leave that culture, you both are not related by blood. So, I don't see any problem in it. 
Prithvi I know that you want to stay single and want to dedicate your life to our nation. But, you need to have someone to take care of you after you attain a certain age. You stayed  alone till now and thanks to your profession, many parents will not be willing to give their daughter considering your instability to stay at a place due to transfer or the unforeseen accidents. 
That left me with the only option  Dharani, if you are transferred somewhere with harsh living conditions, she can stay with us. You will stay responsible for your life after being married. 
You may think that I am speaking nonsense but if you  try to understand my words, you will get my real meaning”.

Vikram :
“ Are you done with your rubbish? I said not to talk about this scrap to the kids. Here I am trying to build a good life for our kids but you try to spoil it by feeding nonsense to them. 

Come let's go to our room. He needs to get up early to catch the flight. Remember he was expected to report to duty tomorrow. Stop bothering him”.

Prithvi :
“ It's ok dad. Amma is  just venting her sorrow. She missed Dharani and I can understand. 
Amma, don't worry about your granddaughter. She will be in safe hands. I trust my dad. He will never make any hasty decision which considers Dharani.
Go have a rest. It's already late”.