Bairi Sanam: The hate of a lover

Chapter VI: Naye sarkaar

Ketaki

Returning home, I dashed into my room trying not to cry in front of everyone. I was still holding his kurta in my hand that filled me with rage. I threw it against the wall, and it landed on the ground. Moving towards it, I crushed it under my foot.

No matter how much anger I took out on his shirt, it didn't change the fact that chacha ji has promised the land to him. My anger changed into sorrow remembering that and I sat on the ground bursting into silent cries. Chacha ji came in and seeing me in this state, he sat next to me. Putting my head on his shoulder, I cried more.

"You shouldn't have talked to chhote sarkaar like that," he said while caressing my hair. "But it's not your fault either, you didn't know who he was. And how would you have known? You didn't even live in this village before he left for the city."

"How can you sell this land chacha ji? You know it belongs to my father," I complained in between my cries. It was the last thing left of him and I had religiously taken care of his farmland. I have worked tirelessly to turn this barren piece of land into a fertile farm that can produce all sorts of crops now. It is not merely land, but a piece of my heart.

"I can't say no to him bachi. All of this belongs to him anyways. We are merely farmers, but his father holds all the power," he explained, and I washed off my tears lifting my head up from his shoulder.

"That Rajwant has never done justice to us. How can I expect anything different from his son? He is just like him, arrogant and inconsiderate" I said, remembering my painful encounter with the sarpanch of the village several years back.

"Chhote sarkaar is not like him. He has unknowingly helped many villagers, including me, many times even though he was very young at the time. That is one of the reasons why I can't say no to him. We owe a lot to him," he said, and I frowned not ready to believe his words. My eyes fell on his kurta lying on the floor and I suddenly thought of something. Getting up, I picked his shirt and ran outside.

"Slow down Ketaki, where are you going in such a rush?" Chacha ji yelled from behind.

"I'll be back soon," I replied without looking back.

Tejasvin

I went straight into my room after reaching home. Taking off the piece of cloth that old lady gave me, I folded it and put it in my closet. I went to shower right away as I could still see some mud that had hardened on my skin now. Turning on the shower, I rubbed my arms and neck where the soil was stuck. I let out a sigh remembering that woman who completely lacked respect and manners and ruined all my clothes.

As I reached downstairs, I saw that dad has returned back and was leisurely sitting on the sofa in the living room. I went and sat on the couch opposite to him.

"How did you find your village stroll? Has anything changed since you've last been here?" He questioned.

"Nothing has changed dad. Everything is still the same. Same fields, same streets, same aura, same peopl—" I was about to say that when my mind drifted back to the unfamiliar lady I met some time ago. "Actually dad, I saw this woman today working in Hari kaka's fields. Do you know who she is? I haven't seen her in the village before?"

As I was speaking, I noticed that he began taking shallow breaths and was having difficulty breathing. He placed his hand on his chest trying to catch his breath, which seemed of no use. I immediately got up and went towards him and he held my hand tightly in urgency.

"Smriti," I yelled. "Smriti, come here fast."

Surbhi aunty and Smriti came running to us hearing my tensed voice. Aunty sat next to him, holding his hand while Smriti went to the kitchen to grab some water for him. He took deep breaths couple times pressing his hand against his chest, which appeared to be helping in alleviating the pain. Smriti handed him the glass of water with his medication and he drank it slowly. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers sighing in relief when he calmed down a little more and came back to his normal state.

"Dad what is all this? Since when?" I questioned.

"It is all because of the stress he is taking all these days," Surbhi aunty began speaking and my eyes moved to her. "Being the sarpanch, he has forgotten how to take care of himself. He's been diagnosed with angina, and it may worsen and lead to a heart attack if he keeps on stressing like this." She caressed his arm and looked tensed as she said that.

"Dad you will retire now. You are not going to be the sarpanch anymore," I declared in a serious tone looking straight into his eyes. I wasn't going to let all this stress affect his health anymore.

"I cannot. Who's going to look after the village?" He spoke breaking the eye contact and removing aunty's hand from his arm. He got up to leave but stopped on his tracks when I said, "I will."

He turned around and thinned his eyebrows looking at me. "What? No. You can't be serious Tejas. You've spent all these years studying law in the city just for you to become the Sarpanch of the village one day. I won't let this this happen."

"What's so wrong about it dad? I've spent my childhood here and I know this village very well. These people matter to me just as much they matter to you. And being your son, it is ultimately my duty to share the burden of your responsibilities," I said in all seriousness as I knew he wouldn't agree so easily.

"He is right Raj, let him take over," aunty interrupted, and I felt supported in my argument.   

"You both have lost your mind, he can't stay here," he said and stormed towards his room.

Aunty neared me and patting my arm said, "Don't worry, he's just concerned about your future, but I completely support your decision. Make me proud son. Become the leader they all deserve."

I nodded and she smiled weakly in return. I went towards the garden in front of the house and began pondering over today's series of events. It was already evening and slight wind that was blowing kept the temperature down. Looking at dad's condition today I realised how important it is for the village to have its own healthcare. If something were to happen, there was no accessible hospital or clinic for these people.

I was strolling with my hands behind my back thinking about all this when I spotted someone standing on the other side of the metallic gates of the house. When I failed to make out who it was from a distance, I neared the gates.

"You?"