Non-erotic The Scarface I Hated by Trambak

[Ramesh_Rocky]

He spoke animatedly about his workshop. His description of the difficult times, failures and finally success. It seemed like a story right out of a novel. His love and dedication for his workers and staff made me feel a wee bit jealous. But, I could sense his sincerity. He could not speak about his mother much. The pain in him was palpable. I could feel his intense sorrow for his mother. He genuinely felt that he had failed her.

His momentary lack of caution and imprudence continued to be a relentless source of self-mortification. In the last five years, he never allowed himself to forget his indiscretion, even once. His penance was interminable and his conscience unyielding in perennial repentance. He could neither absolve nor forget. With his mother being unforgiving his indictment was complete. Worse, he suffered this profound pain in silence and in isolation.

He had tried to rectify himself. He worked like a maniac and deprived himself socially and monetarily. He effaced himself to be non-identifiable to social scrutiny. He was ruthlessly striving to disown his own entity to some unfathomable depths. Forever shrouded in self-guilt, his confidence towards redemption was destroyed.

Only one question remained unanswered, the circumstances that made him say yes to our marriage. I did not force him to reveal.

There was a knock on the door. Imran was in deep sleep. For a moment, I hesitated but went ahead and opened the door. It was Sumitra. Her face lined with deep anxiety as if not had a wink of sleep after I made her leave the house. She looked at me searching for an answer. I did not want to prolong her agony. I nodded and smiled. The dam broke. She rushed in like a woman possessed, hugged me and started crying. She kissed my face many times. I let her unburden all her grief, apprehension and finally her happiness. The relief on her face said it all. I, for one, was happy and proud of my new family who was standing by me; ecstatic in my joy and miserable in my sorrow.

After what seemed an eternity, Sumitra stepped back looking shamefaced for her unusual expression of affection. By now two more people had converged at the door. First Suresh, who was probably lurking at a distance, looking completely bewildered. The other person was Imran who looked the most embarrassed of all. No one knew what to do. I tried to recover the situation and said, "How come you two are here. I thought you will enjoy some time with each other away from us." Both were uncomfortable and sheepish. I nudged Imran to take Suresh in and I held Sumitra by her hand and led her in.

In a short time, the awkwardness vanished and there was a great merriment. We spoke till early morning. Though Sumitra suggested that it was time for Suresh to go home but I vetoed the idea. Sumitra looked radiant. Suresh, as usual, looked discomfited. I had never seen Imran so jovial. He enjoyed the most. In five years, for the first time, this house was witness to such happiness. We were all in high spirits. But my eyes did not fail me. I saw Imran, often looking at his mother's picture, though for a short instant.

I cornered Sumitra in the kitchen on the pretext of making tea and asked her about her abrupt return. She looked at me awkwardly and finally said, "Bhaavi, I was almost dead with anxiety. I could not even imagine a situation that would hurt Imran and any pain to you was also not acceptable. But I did not know what would happen. In the afternoon, I decided that if something had to happen, good or bad, it would have happened by now. So, I asked Suresh to come with me. He was terrified by the prospects but I insisted.

Sorry Bhaavi (elder brother's wife), I just could not control myself."

I patted her cheek and said, "I would have been very annoyed, had you not come today. Your Imran is a big crooked man. Very naughty." The glow on Sumitra's face told it all. Her happiness was complete. Lifelong, I longed for love and from Sumitra, it came unannounced. I felt numb with gratitude.

Late in the night, it was time to call it a day. Suresh slept on the sofa. I was tired and so was Imran. In a short while, Imran was deep in sleep. I looked at him. There was a deep satisfaction on his face. He was in a dreamless sleep. I could sense his happiness and touched the locks of hair on his forehead. He instantly caught my hand and pulled me to him. This scheming man had completely fooled me! But what could I do? I let him have his way. Sumitra and Suresh were just a partition away and I was a little concerned. But they too must have been in deep sleep so the calamity of them waking up was averted.