Forbidden Desire, Ritesh Prasad [chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT] 📗

it seriously.” I repeated my sentence.

 

“What will happen even if I slap you or accept your apology? Will that change everything?” This time she spoke and that in a very straight tone.

 

“If you slap me… you will feel better but if you accept my apology we both might feel better. Do as you wish to.” I said looking straight into her eyes.

 

“Your sorry is not going to change anything…as simple commit a heinous act and come forward and say sorry.” She taunted.

 

“Aunty I haven’t done anything wrong… I really love her and you know very well I am not that type of guy; I have been with your family for so many years now. Still if you have a single doubt on my character…please go ahead and slap me hard.” I said countering her allegations.

 

“You have always praised me for my good behavior and said that my wife would really lucky to have me. Now if all things that you said about me were true and you if trust me than I want that lucky girl in my life to be Sakshi …yes Sakshi your daughter Aunty.” I said with confidence.

 

“Rohit…from the very first day I liked your behavior and I have no doubt about your character. But there are many things you won’t understand. It’s about reputation of my family. What will the whole society and my relatives would say when they come to know about this relationship. Sakshi is 5 years younger than you, she is just in college and above that you belong to a different caste”. She countered looking straight into my face.

 

“She is younger than me, that’s a good thing. I am mature enough to take care of her both financially and emotionally. What do you want?? That your daughter should fall in love with some college going boy and elope with him… will that make you happy?” I said and smiled looking at her to change the tense environment. And as guessed it worked, she was about to smile but somehow controlled her emotion from being exposed and bang came her question again.

 

“But Rohit, you are not from our caste? How can we marry our daughter to you??”

 

“Caste hmmmm!!!!! So caste is the thing that is bothering you so much. Okay if you have permission then shall I get up first, my knees are aching badly.” I said and sat beside her.

 

The tension in the environment vanished by this time and I saw Sanjeev changing his position quietly from standing near the door to the chair next to Aunty.

 

“Why are you standing Sakshi?” I looked at her and said, she quickly came and sat by the side of her mother.” These all were indications that now everything was working in my favor.

I came a little closer to Aunty and continued, “Caste…I know is a big social issue that actually is not an issue but psychologically it affects Mom and Dad so badly that it actually tends to become a mental issue.” I said all these in a single breathe.

 

“Whhhaaaatttt????” All three said in chorus not understanding a single word of my sentence.

 

“Yes I mean it…Caste is not a problem but a mentality issue of the old generation. I don’t think my sweet Aunty is that old?” I said cajoling her.

 

“But Rohit Beta…” She wanted to continue but I interrupted her and said, “Aunty please let me finish, it’s not over yet. Okay I admit your caste thing… but does marrying in same caste gives you the assurance that your daughter will be happy. All Moms in the world wants their daughter to be happily married…. You are not an exception….right???” I countered her on which she remained silent. Everyone present there was looking at my face with amuse.

I continue further, “So what if you find a boy of your caste and married your daughter to him and later find that he is not able to keep her happy. You can’t do anything…right? Except regretting your decision.”

“You have an added advantage in my case… you know everything thing about me and my family background and I have been with your family for the so many years.”

First of all I assure you that I will keep your daughter very happy to extent possible that is in my hand. And even if I fail where I am running I am just 30 minutes distance you can bash me or put me in jail anytime if dare I hurt you daughter ever.” Everyone laughed, I felt at much ease now. I understood the verdict is going to be on my favor.

 

I further added “Hey Sanjeev I give you the authority and Kaushik as well to help her to bash me if such time ever comes. Do you want this in writing Mom???” I intentionally used the word “Mom” instead of Aunty to conclude I am going to be her Son-in law.

 

“Beta you are really impossible. Okay okay even if I agree what about your family…what if they don’t?” She forward one more question to me.

 

“That will never happen… I have just spent three years of my life with you and if I can convince you then I have spend 26 years of life with my Mom. So be rest assured, I can convince her as well and I know she can’t say “No” to me ever.”

 

Aunty remained quiet for a while and sometimes silence means acceptance. I just winked Sakshi to hug her. She understood and did the same.

 

I followed and hugged her too and said a big “Thank you Mom”. I knew you will accept me. I did so even before she had yes.

 

And finally she said, “Okay Okay….but no marriage before she completes her studies.”

 

“Ohh sure Mom… even we don’t have any such plans till next year.” I was about to get up but was interrupted by her another question.

 

“Tell me one thing honestly…. Since how long are these things going between you two?” Sakshi who was still hugging her mother from back, raised her face from her Mom’s shoulder and gave a perplexed look to me.

 

Even I was taken aback by her such question, I felt a bit hesitant and started scratching me back head. Somehow after a small pause I replied, “Ahhhhhh Mom…to be honest its almost 3 years… we will complete our third anniversary coming 6th January 2009.”

 

“Three Years????” and I didn’t have a single hint. You are very shrewd, I must say. Aunty replied with dazzling eyes.

“Yes Aunty I also just came to know about this last year. Even I didn’t have any hint for the last two years.” Sanjeev said looking at her.

 

“See…. how clever Son-in- law you have found without making any effort to even leave this room. You know otherwise it so hard to find good grooms these days.” Sakshi concluded hugging her Mom tight from the back.

 

“Ahahahha ….Now you stop buttering me. I have understood what you both wanted to mean. Go and make tea for everyone.” She said releasing Sakshi’s hands from her neck.

 

“Aunty where is Kaushik?” I asked in a straight tone while getting up from the bed.

 

“I don’t know beta but he was very upset. As soon as I opened the door after hearing the doorbell he pushed Sakshi from then and there towards me. I got confused what had happened. He straight went to the next room without uttering a word and I followed him and there he narrated me the whole incident about both of you. He looked very disturbed and left home thereafter in anguish.” Aunty replied in sad tone.

 

“Yeah….I can understand how he must be feeling now.” I added to her statement.

 

“After Uncle’s death he has been a great support for us….i thank him for that though Sakshi is his cousin sister but he loves him more like his own sister. I am worried about him as well .What will be his reaction?”

 

“Don’t worry Mom I will handle that... I know him very well, he is my childhood friend. I can completely understand his anger any brother would do the same thing in such situation. He just needs time to accept things. I request you all; don’t say anything about me to him. I will deal with him personally when the right time comes.” I said with assurance, soon Sakshi entered the room with tray in her hand. We had tea and snacks together and after a while I left with Sanjeev to my place.

 

While opening the lock of my flat I asked Sanjeev, “Did you met with Kaushik before he left?”

 

“No, he had left house well before I entered Aunty’s flat.” He replied as we got in.

 

“Okay…please do let me know if he shares anything about today’s incident with you.” I said putting the keys on the table.

 

“Oh sure…not to worry I will try my best to make him understand.” He said while relaxing on the chair.

 

“Ohh no, you don’t need to do anything .I will handle the situation on my own. This is really sensitive issue; if you say anything in my favour there are chances it may sour the relation between you two.”

 

“Okay as you say so…” He replied.

 

“Would like to have tea?” I said while entering the kitchen

 

“Yes sure.” He answered and followed me there. Within minutes tea was ready and I poured it in two cups handed him one and we entered to the bedroom and continued with our conversation.

 

“I can understand how he would be feeling now. I am his childhood friend and he in the wildest dream would have not expected that I can have affair with his cousin sister.”

 

“If Kaushik comes and says anything regarding this. You just quietly listen what he has to say and try to be as neutral as possible without taking my side.”

 

“Rest I will handle on my own…got my point?” I said and lighted a cigarette and took a sip from my cup.

 

“Yeah that’s true, he must be feeling bad. You two are friends since childhood.” He added to point.

 

“But don’t worry I will make him understand that it’s just not a fling and I’m really serious about marrying Sakshi. … I am confident he will accept our relation whole heartedly, it’s just matter of time.” I said releasing cigarette smoke in the air.

 

“I wish and pray it happens exactly the same way.” He added further.

 

It was more than a week Kaushik had not talked to me, I tried to call him several times but he always disconnected my call. But yes he shared with Sanjeev his agony regarding our relationship. Sanjeev tried his best to make him understand but unfortunately he couldn’t. Further I came to know from Sakshi that he was speaking to them but only limited and when necessary. She said, “Mom tried to convince him on few occasion but he neither object nor said anything in acceptance.” But she also said “I think he will agree someday, he never says anything to me regarding my relationship with you.” I also decided not to bother him anymore with my phone calls and would rather wait till the day he comes to me on his own. I am sure the day would come soon.

 

Winter was soon to arrive and I always wait for this as it is the same month for Sakshi’s Birthday 22nd December. Past two years we couldn’t do much but this time I wanted to make this grand. There was other reason too as I was leaving my current organization and would be joining a new firm with a decent salary hike. For the past few months it was terrible in my old office. Things drastically changed when the new accounts manager joined our Organization. I was already having tiff with my HR manager now there was one more beast that joined to make my life hell. So when the torture crossed its limit I finally decided to quit. So we had two reasons to celebrate one my job in new company and the other Sakshi’s birthday. We finally decided to celebrate both