Bairi Sanam: The hate of a lover

Chapter XIII: Sabak

Tejasvin

Being the sarpanch, I receive every news from around the entire village. Who bought a new land, who moved away, and who got married, almost everything.

"Sarkaar, Bhanu's daughter in law just gave birth to a boy," Govardhan kaka informed me as I was walking towards the panchayat early in the morning.

"Hmm. I'll go visit her," I told him. I had invited a doctor over from the city to discuss about opening a clinic here earlier, so I thought to take her with me as well. It would also be a good chance for me to introduce them to healthcare and see how they react to it.

The concept of home birth wasn't new to me. In fact, people living in the cities preferred home births nowadays. I knew how skilled women here can be in childbirth and it always amazed me.

I began walking towards her house and bought some sweets on my way.

"How much kaka?" I asked the halwai who had packed several kinds of sweets for me.

(Confectioner)

"How can I take money from you sarkaar?" He said adjoining his hands.

I put my hand inside the pocket of my kurta to get my wallet and taking few bills out, I placed it on his hand.

"Like this," I said and gave him more money than it actually was.

The doctor and I soon reached Bhanu kaka's house and when I knocked on the door, a familiar face opened it.

I swear she'll ruin my mood again.

I ignored her and walked inside to keep my mood intact but how is it possible to not have any argument wherever she is present. She bashed my idea of getting Tulsi checked by the doctor making me irritated. Ignoring her again, I took the baby in my arms and found out that she named him, making me dislike the name instantaneously. 

I was told to feed the newborn honey as a part of the ritual. I could smell the smoke coming from her direction when Tulsi praised me. Even my pinky finger was huge for his little mouth, so I tried not to insert it in his mouth entirely. I placed only the tip of the finger near his soft lips, and he began sucking on it. After I gave him away, I noticed that my hands were covered with honey. It felt sticky so I began licking it off my fingers when I felt a pair of eyes on me. Lifting my gaze up, I saw her staring at me with parted lips.

Looks like someone's hungry.

"Want some?" I asked while smirking and feeling embarrassed she looked away. She informed me that Tulsi needs to feed her newborn, so I left.

Ketaki

Collecting my clothes from the house, Subhadra, Reva, and I strolled towards the Kumudini river for our morning bath. It was an eventful day and I already felt exhausted. On top of all, I had to face him that early in the morning. Shunning away all those embarrassing thoughts, I decided to enjoy the morning filled with sounds of cuckoo birds. Reaching the riverbank, we hung our clothes on the tree branches like always and dipped into the coldness of the water.

"Did you hear Ketaki, sarkaar slapped Chetan because he was saying disrespectful things about you?" Subhadra spoke while splashing some water on herself. 

"I heard that too," Reva spoke from behind me and instead of making me feel better, it infuriated me.

"Why is everyone only talking about him?" I said in an angry tone. "Can you both stop praising him?"

"We were just trying to make you feel better but it seems like you don't appreciate our efforts," Subhadra said getting mad at me.

"She yelled at me too yesterday," Reva added making an angry face at me. "Let's go Subhadra, she doesn't need us anymore."

Getting upset with me, they both came out of the water while I kept calling them from behind but they paid no heed.

"Arey Subhadra, Reva, listen. I'm sorry," I shouted but quickly changing into their new clothes, they left. "Who's going to tie my blouse now? Reva, Subhad—" I yelled at them while I was still inside the river, and they left without looking back. I palmed my face regretting my words and tone.

"Ughhhh. It is all your fault," I screamed on top of my lungs remembering the man responsible for all the miseries of my life thus far. "Dare you come in front of me again. I swear I'll cut you into several pieces," my voice echoed in the woods.

I felt movement of water behind me, so I turned around to catch Reva playing with me again but to my surprise it wasn't her. He emerged out of the water, making me startled. I lost my balance in the water seeing him in front of me suddenly, but he held my wrist and pulled me into him. Curling his arm around my bare waist under the water, he kept me upright. My hands landed on his shoulders with his sudden action and my breathing heightened. My chest heaved up and down against his hard one and he kept looking at me with his piercing gaze.

"Sounds like you were remembering me hmm?" He said raising his one eyebrow.

Water was dripping from his hair and landing on his shoulder. His body was completely wet, and the droplets were smoothly sliding down his neck. The eagle locket had few water droplets on it, making it appear more appealing. He pulled me more into him using the arm that was around my waist and lightly squeezed the side of my waist.

"Ahhh sahib," a cry escaped my lips, and he gritted his teeth in anger.

"I asked you something. What were you saying earlier huh?" He questioned nipping my waist slightly more this time under the water.

"Sahib nothi—ahh."

"That you'll cut me into pieces, correct?" He said bringing his face near mine and I moved my head back. My hold on his shoulders tightened as he kept nearing my face slowly. My stomach twisted staring into his sharp eyes that were red with rage.

"Sahib please," I pleaded not knowing why and for what.

I heard a shrill in the sky that made him look up and he pushed me away with a jerk, causing the water to splash around us. An eagle came and sat on his shoulder who looked as intimidating as its owner.

"She wants to cut me into pieces Jabaaz," he said, his eyes not leaving my face even for a moment. "Should we teach her a lesson?" The eagle shrilled in response flapping his huge wings. I moved back in the water and gulped looking at the evil smirk that was dancing on his lips. Before I could decipher anything, he flew towards me, and I hid my face between my hands in fear. I stayed like that for a moment waiting for him to attack me but when I didn't feel his claws on me, I uncovered my face slowly. My eyes moved to the sky where he was flying above our heads.

Looking at my flushed face, he broke into a sinister laugh. I fisted my hands in anger and threw a punch in the water making it splash. Feeling defeated, I swam towards the edge of the water and came out of it. Looking at my dripping wet clothes, I realised that I now have to change and pulled the clothes off the tree branch. I turned around to see him looking at me, but he soon turned his back towards me in water understanding the situation. I hid behind the huge tree trunk and quickly getting out of the wet skirt, I put a new one on. When I held the pink piece of cloth against my chest, I realised that I needed someone to tie the ends for me. I peeped from behind the tree and saw him still in water with his back towards me.

I did not want to ask for his help, so I tried to tie it myself. I tried to twist my arms behind my back, but the cloth slipped off, touching the ground. I quickly picked it up and wrapped it around me again.

I gulped realising that I now have to ask him for help. Gathering some strength, I came out from behind the tree and standing at the edge of the river, I called him.

"Sahib"