What's her mistake ? - 21

“My husband was from a Thakur Family in the North. He was forced to marry a girl by his parents and grandparents. He married her, but he did not get any heirs. So, they were forcing him to marry another girl to continue their lineage since his wife did not get any children” Dammu continued her narration.

My God! This lady’s story has too many twists and turns! Now in which new entanglement she is caught?

“I came to know about it since after about 15 days of my husband’s death, 3 people visited my house. I was alone in the house. 2 men and a woman. There was an old man, a young man who was just looking like my husband and an old woman. The old man and the old woman were my husband’s parents. Nammu, somehow I could never refer them as my in laws because the marriage was never known to the outside world. The younger man who was just looking like my husband, was my husband’s brother, very much younger to him, almost of my age. It seems the family had two sons. First one was my husband....”

Dammu continued her narration. It seems that Dammu’s ‘husband’ was considered a traitor since he deserted the family and especially his wife. They were searching for him to kill him. That is the reason he ran away from home and found safe house in down South and settled as neighbour. Unfortunately Dammu was smitten by him and submitted herself to him completely.

“The old man was very rude. The old woman was not at all friendly. But the younger brother of my husband was very pally. I was wondering why...”

Nammu Aunty stood up and said, “Sorry Dammu! Two things... your story is too much for me to digest in one day. Secondly I am feeling very giddy. Did you undergo the same problem earlier?”

Dammu became very much concerned. She dialed her driver to come fast and we took Nammu Aunty to the hospital.

The problem of Nammu Aunty had become worse than we expected. She had become very tired. We were made to wait outside while she was admitted to the Intensive care unit.

“Dammu, how come the problem has become so severe suddenly?” I asked while we were sitting on the chairs which were placed outside the ICU.

“Young man! The strength of the patient is one thing. The second is the severity of the problem. The third is .....” she sighed and said, “the patient’s destiny”

I just nodded. I have seen Nammu Aunty from a long time. She has shared whatever food she had kept for eating. I had shamelessly eaten because I could not contain my hunger. Also because I loved the way Nammu Aunty used to feed me. Her affectionate words were what I was craving for.

The treatment made Nammu Aunty very weak. She was so weak that Dammu requested the doctor to keep her in the hospital for some more days.

The treatment was very costly. If Nammu Aunty had not got the support of Dammu, she could not have survived this long.

May be Nammu Aunty has done some help to other people during her better days health-wise and money-wise. Now, she is getting help from someone who was a stranger to her till recently. May be, this is the way God helps who are good in their heart and deeds.

This time the doctor had suggested Nammu Aunty to take some injections every day. Each injection costing very high. Dammu did not flinch. She spent the money like water. She ensured that a doctor came home and gave the injection every day.

Nammu Aunty was looking more fragile than earlier. The speech had a slur now.

She was on her bed in her room. Dammu was sitting on the bed holding Nammu Aunty’s weak hand.

Nammu Aunty whispered something and Dammu bent her head to catch her words.

Then she sat straight and smiled, “You want to know what happened next?... Ok, listen. The old couple, I mean my husband’s parents had come to know that I had married him. As my husband was dead, their custom was that I should marry the younger son to get them an heir”

I was surprised to hear such a custom.

“I told them that it was not possible. They were not accepting my denial. So, I had to let the cat out of the bag that I was pregnant. I thought they would be shocked. Funnily they did not get shocked. Instead, the old couple exchanged such a look that sent a chill up my spine”