Stories  
Geetli – 4
A Long Story by Kusum Choppra  

The blood shot into the thin bald head and the black-rimmed glasses could not hide the eyes. Ravi caught his breadth audibly; then he blurted out " six years ago? Why was I never told of this? How could you just send them away? Who are you to do that ? "

A dozen replies chased each other on my eager lips, but Dada quelled them with a look. Drawing himself to his considerable height, his voice took on an unspeakable dignity as he declared:

" What interest could you have in my stepsister, when your own daughter had just been born ? Besides, at that advanced age, another daughter is not happy news for our parents to celebrate over much.  Since my father is no more, the duty of providing for all my younger brothers and sisters devolves on me and I shall always do it as I see best. We decided that, given the circumstances,... " as he said that, despair wrenched his face and I put my hand over my mouth at the pain of his loss, Oh Unkind Fate !!

" ... given the circumstances, it was best for the whole family that Baby grow up abroad. Laajjo will never return to India, at least not until Baby is married -- there. "

It was out in the open. I held my breadth, waiting to see if Ravi would dare to acknowledge Baby and to challenge Dada.

Even my old saut realized that there was something going on here. she had heard Ravi boast of how he had my stepmother around his little finger during Prema's nuptials. For once, she kept quiet and listened carefully, her eyes flying from one face to another. At last she caught my eye. Perhaps the hint of triumph gave her the clue she was looking for, the look she gave Ravi was triumphantly malicious.
' Ah ha, you're caught in your own stew for once, you rogue ', it said wordlessly.
But Ravi had collapsed. Knowing him, I wondered how much from the weight of the knowledge of a widely known by-blow, the total loss of his prestige in his sasural and how much from the awareness that he was one against three, no quarter to be expected for the moment.

From me, never more. it was the end. The sharpened knives were in and there was a whole lifetime in which to turn them. I flung off the mask of the Meek Little Woman. " How does it concern you anyway ?"

The Ravi of old turned on me in a flash, but was taken aback by the blaze in my eyes.

" I, " a distinct emphasis on the I, " saw Baby the day Thakurda died ". nothing more needed to be said.

Dada was dangerously icy " Look Jiga, " that was the first time he called Ravi that,  " Don't tempt me to take that pot shot into you and take Geetli home permanently.

I have come to tell you that I am not Thakurda jo beti ke suhaag ke khatir itna bada vishwasghat pi gaya. As far as I am concerned, you have murdered my father. If I ever hear from anywhere that Geetli has been troubled in any fashion, that will be the last straw. Don't worry, if I can look after your illegitimate daughter, I can take care of my widowed sister and her legitimate daughter as well.

Henceforth you will only be tolerated because you are Geetli's suhag. "

The dangerous look in his eyes warned me not to speak. He stalked out.

Prema

It had been a let-down. Ravi's cousin, Ved was handsome, more than Ravi, but ..... He had nowhere near his sophistication , nor his loud, open charm. He smiled quietly at Ravi's naughty jokes but did not contribute. Anyway, the marriage was set.

Ravi had organized it and told Thakurda "Hamara wahan kafi aana jaana hai. Raj karegi Prema ...." it was really very disappointing.
At the nuptials, Ravi hardly looked at me, or even at Geetli in the full glow of early pregnancy. He had come with his strategy for winning hearts well mapped out.

Ravi headed straight for Laajjo. Lord alone knows what he said to her, from the day he arrived, he was literally tied to her pallu. The two were all over the house, forever billing and cooing; the sisters flushed under the pointed looks of the aunts, but could do little since they were careful to do so only when Thakurda was out of the house. Who would dare to tell him ?

The only time Ravi was not with Laajjo was when either Thakurda or Dada were at home. Something strange was happening to Dada too. All of a sudden, he's forgotten how to smile. It can't be the prospect of losing me -- more probably Laajjo.

Geetli's triumphant announcement "Thakurda Nana banega" had been blighted by the Ravi-Laajjo flirtation.

Geetli and I had caught them red-handed. Geetli started " everyone is talking about you...." but was stopped by a tirade of ridicule from a saucy-eyed Laajjo,
" She's anxious, not about her husband, or her mother, but about the equanimity about those old crones. Ravi, tell her that I'm saving Prema from being ravished and I'm saving her too; she's in that delicate condition and can't oblige you." then a parting shot " Why be jealous when you can't give the man what he wants ? And don't go crying to your father; leave him at least in peace."

Who was this hussy ? Where was the beautiful stepmother who won over our whole large family and twisted Thakurda around her fingers?

The full extent of Ravi's treachery was much much deeper. How deep I only discovered too late.

My new home was a beautifully, spacious, old-world haveli, well maintained and beautifully appointed, with both considerable expense and exquisite taste. It was very Britishly elegant, compared to the rather casual splendor I was used to at home at Thakurda's. Laajjo was no great shakes as a lady of the manor.

Ravi's presence changed swiftly from the reassurance of familiarity to a shocking trauma of humiliation which will continue to send shivers of shame down my spine to the last of my days.

The drinking and partying for the baraat members had continued late into the night. I fell asleep on the bed and was awakened by a fumbling hand inside my sari. Fortunately I had been warned and did not panic. But it was uncomfortable, so I decided to keep my eyes closed. As the tears seeped out from the corners of my eyes, I heard a hoarse " Open them, bitch, and don't make a noise ". My eyes flew open, widening in shock.

Ravi was leering wickedly over me " Hi sweetheart; did you think I'd let you get away just like that, to this lump ?" He gestured sideways with his jaw and I turned my head to take in the sight of my brand new husband, drunk as a sod, passed out on the bed.

Ravi clamped a hand over my mouth. My sari was thrown over my head and I felt a searing pain in my loins. I squirmed to shrug off the invasion, to no avail. It lasted an eternity. Abruptly the pumping stopped.

Both the sari and the hand withdrew and I opened my mouth to take in huge gulps of air. Ravi was grinning down at me foolishly. "Bahut mazaa aya. kal milenge " I must have passed out, as he started to saunter out of the room.

– continued

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