Shruthi reminded Sanjana again that her marriage should not be postponed for too long. “Marriage at this age? Why are you just joking? Think about what people will think.” Shruthi had discussed this issue with her friend many times before this. Today she said again, “Think about yourself a little, you idiot! You have spent 45 years alone like this. When your loneliness, worries, and hardships are haunting you, will the people for whom you have sacrificed your life for all these years come to question you? People will think what you think… What kind of people are you… Why do you need the help of these bad people who laugh at you when you are struggling, who play around with you, and who die of stomach ache when you get up? Even if you don’t get married, you are just a subject for their gossip talk, that’s all!” “Why are you so angry? Your BP has been increased unjustly. It has been so many years, let whatever happens happen.” When she finished speaking, Shrut...
The rays of sunlight streaming through the window had given a golden coating to the pale yellow curtains. My gaze moved from there to the pale blue sofa set in the drawing room, the teapot shining from the glass top, the beautiful showpieces arranged on the shelf, and then settled on my daughter Sumitra sitting opposite. Trying hard not to look at the picture of the young man with Sumitra in the photo frame placed on the table, I looked away. . I sat down, trying not to see my husband Ashok, who was sitting next to me, trying to suppress his anger. But the emotions that were running through my mind must have been visible on my face.What she told us about herself to us who had come to see our daughter who was working in the city, was shocking. I could not understand what she said next. The lenses of my glasses fogged up. But I could not take them off and wipe them. My sweet daughter, a few years ago, used to walk holding my finger, she used to walk around behind her father and...