Rain - A new Short Story

The incessant rain washed out a cricket match, rendered people homeless and caused countless hardships to everyone. But amidst all these distress, there was a couple who were thrilled to see the raindrops. Her outstretched soft hands accumulated water from the pouring rain and threw it at the creature standing next to her. That creature holding the umbrella for the both of them was excited by this Water splashing game and did the honor of splashing back the water caught with his rough hands. A smiling Sandy, looked into his eyes with a deluge of love in her own eyes in the form of tears and said, “I would want to die this moment!”

Aravind put his arms around her and squeezed her shoulder, a squeeze that conveyed his ability to protect her, to be with her, to love her and most of all how much he cared for her, “I cannot live without you! Never could I imagine a day without holding you in my arms!”

Sandy wiped the tears and wrapped her hands around his waist. “We should marry soon”, she exclaimed. “And we shouldn’t stop with one kid. Two should make life interesting. After that,” She paused and said “We should adopt a child. You’re ready for adoption, isn’t?”

“Of course, why would I say no!”

Sandy has a dream. Well, a plurality to the noun would be good. Yes, she has dreams but they change intermittently. Some grownups never wish to grow, thinking that childhood gives them the right to remain stupid. Sandy was no different from that bunch that never grew in their head. Even if they did, they never wanted to show it outside. She always had an innocent face and in her own words a child’s heart. But they never realize that children are the most abused in this world. Now, keeping aside her innocuous mentality, it’s wise to plunge into her world of dreams. It ranges from becoming a pilot to becoming a writer one day, going up the corporate ladder to becoming an educational activist the next day, becoming an entrepreneur to becoming a musician the day after that. The latest addition to that illustrious list is adoption. None of the other dreams got any importance from her and the latest addition will be no different. The good thing about a dream is it never bothers about conversion rate (how many dreams came to fruition).

They would’ve walked a few feet when she turned to him with a concerned look on her face, “Will your mother like me? She might think that I’m no match for you!”

“Why would she think like that! She’ll like you. Never worry about that.”

This is the answer for which Aravind has to lie from the bottom of his heart. Of course his mother will never like Sandy. Even if his mother likes, his sister will ensure that the validity of the above statement is protected. But Aravind knows very well that liking and accepting are two different things. Only concern will be his sister belittling his choice of women. He mentally pictured his sister showing a grotesque face with those magical words, “So, this is the girl huh! I expected something better!” But these worries can be parked for a different day. He didn’t want to waste this glorious day thinking about things that are outside his circle of influence.

“My parents will definitely like you. I’m not sure about my father but my mother will!” said she suddenly with a bright face. “She’ll adore you”, she continued “And if they ask whether you believe in god, please say yes and don’t open your mouth about Marx, Engels etc. They neither understand communism nor approve atheism.”

He nodded with a stern face.

And the conversation continued for few more feet with the downpour not showing any sign of slowing down like Sandy’s rhetoric. She exclaimed, “I’ve a plan” and outlined the plan for taking forward their marriage related discussion.

Finally before bidding good bye, she kissed him on the cheek and said “Tell this to your parents and bring them to my house!”

……

The round table discussion resembled a G-8 summit but the participants weren’t discussing the trivial matters like world economy plunging into chaos, recent terrorist attacks in Peshawar or the tragic death of Phil Hughes. They were into more serious things like marriage, love and a combination of both that youngsters love to explore but the elders dread in this part of the world.

“So, what do you say?” said Aravind breaking the silence that had engulfed all of them, right from the moment he started talking about Sandy.

His parents were too shocked to open their mouth. So his lovely sister paraphrased it for the benefit of all the four of them.

“You’re in love with a girl named Sandy, originally named Sandhya, 6 months younger to you, a class mate of yours in college, someone you never knew existed then but fell head over heels with her these past 6 months.” She looked around for an acknowledgement but received none.

“Now you’re ready to marry her and you want Ma & Pa to meet her parents, talk about your marriage” she paused, “But”, again a pause, “she’ll act as if she doesn’t know anything about this relationship? Did I get that part correct?”

“Yes” responded Aravind with clenched teeth.

The facial reactions of both his parents were absolutely stoical. He was unable to comprehend what exactly was going on inside them. Perhaps he should’ve thought something better than this idiotic plan. He knew very well that his parents will never heed to this, which he guessed will result in some embarrassing moments for all of them. But this seemed the most plausible way to show to Sandy’s parents that their child did not fall in love with a guy but a guy who likes her wants to marry her. This seemed like a good plan then since it involved Sandy keeping her mouth shut. But not anymore when he thought the ordeal his parents have to go through.

“Since I know you well enough, I’m sure you’re not capable of such dumb ideas. Was this her idea?” said his sister without any hint of mockery in her voice.

“Yes”. This affirmative reply embarrassed him. He shouldn’t have said that this dumb plan was hers. After all he must defend her!

“I don’t see this happening without embarrassment for all of us” - This was his sister to their parents.

The time had come for the tacit parents to express their opinion and put a formal full stop to the affair. Both his’ and his sister’s eyes were on their parents expecting their verdict.

It was his father who said it first. It was a surprise to everyone, “No Problem!” he smiled, “We’ll meet them and talk”.

…….

Sandy never expected this process to go smooth. One of the reasons, in fact the only reason, is her father – He simply didn’t trust her. Now everything was happening how she wanted it to happen. She was sitting in front of Aravind’s parents with butterflies circling her stomach. She was waiting for Aravind’s father to open the conversation. And he did.

“What kind of a parent are you?”

Now this was not in the script. What is he talking?

“Perhaps, you should’ve brought her up in a better way!”

That was the moment when she experienced a bomb blast within her. All she could hear was the static keen sound and not the sound of words flowing from Aravind’s dad. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her parents. Her hands began the nervous shake at that moment. She didn’t want to believe that the time for nervousness was over and things have gone to an incorrigible level.

Did Aravind know everything? Is that why he didn’t accompany them? No, never! He wouldn’t have allowed them to talk like this. But was he stupid to allow them here alone to talk? Didn’t he think of this possibility? What sort of a child is he, if he cannot anticipate his parents’?

Ah! She questions his anticipatory skills! Could she have done it perfectly? If so, knowing her parents, she shouldn’t have got into this relationship in the first place. The truth is she didn’t know how her parents would react to it just like Aravind wouldn’t have expected this tirade from his father. But what she had was an apprehension towards her father, which pushed her towards this stupid plan. Had she opened it, it could’ve ended with a slap. But now that day was well and truly over. What remains to be seen is how much damage it is going to cause!

What’s next for her? The smooth sailing days are over and she could sense a new winter settling on their relationship. This cold was developing inside her too. Perhaps she should wait till she explains everything to Aravind! But will it help? No way. He might suggest eloping. But her dumbstruck parents shouldn’t suffer more. The apprehension for her father was slowly getting replaced by melancholy. Did she notice the tears in his eyes? What else should he go through for her? This is enough!

To stop the thoughts and the irritation it was causing, she slapped herself hard enough that forced everyone to look at her.

With eyes full of tears, not from love, but out of sympathy for herself, her family and the guy whom she loved, the guy who might or might not get to know what happened here, she looked at Aravind’s parents and said “That’s the way you entered the house”, with her index finger pointing the door, “and Please never come…..!”

Her voice trailed off. None disturbed her for a while, not her father, definitely not her mother, surprisingly not even her mobile phone. She was desperate for someone to wake her from this limbo and thunder obliged first followed by heavy showers. She looked at the rain and all the unforgettable nostalgia associated with the rain. She felt like strangling it for creating some beautiful memories for her through a relationship and for reminding her, the destruction of that same relationship.