Santha rang up, once again. After the ringing was heard four times, she received a message. It was Sunday. “Where did she go so early? When I spoke last night, she didn’t say that she was planning to go somewhere,” wondering that way, Santha started out in her car for doing a little shopping. She stopped her car in front of Devi’s house. The garage door was open. Sathyam’s car wasn’t around. But Devi’s car was there. She knocked on the door. No response. Getting a little suspicious, she opened the door with the spare keys given to her for keeping safely. If alarm went off? She was worried for a while. Fortunately, the alarm didn’t go off. 

“Devi!” Santha called out loud. Devi did not answer. Santha walked towards the master bed room. The door was kept ajar. She knocked on the door. Still no response. Taking a little liberty, she walked in. Devi lay there in the bed, rolled like number three.

“Aren’t you well, Devi?” Devi did not move. Santha tried to shake Devi a little. Wiping her eyes, Devi turned towards Santha. The eyes were swollen. The hair was disheveled. 

“You aren’t well? Don’t seem to have had a shower even! Have you had coffee?” asked Santha, placing her hand on Devi’s forehead. Devi sat up in the bed.

“What is this? What has happened today?” Santha asked anxiously.

“Don’t know, Santha. Everything seems confusing. If I think seriously, I may go mad,” Devi almost cried.

“But, actually what is the matter?” Santha tried to soothe her, sitting beside Devi in the bed.

“Has your husband picked up a row with you?”

“Even if he did, is it anything new for me? I am feeling sick with life, Santha! We arrived in this country, building magnificent mansions of imagination! We hoped that our children would scale dizzy heights. Never imagined, our lives would be so meaningless,” Devi heaved a deep sigh.

“It has never been so, why are you speaking like this today? Why don’t you tell me in detail what has happened today?” Santha appealed. 

“Don’t know, Santha! Don’t know when I will have peace of mind in life! Mother passed away when I was just a kid. Didn’t know maternal affection. Dad married step mother and got himself immersed in his family problems. Aunty was nice to be alright, but tell me how could she love me as much as she loved her own children?”

Santha pondred, why was Devi talking about the past today.

“It was OK. I dreamed that I would get married and lead a happy life. But, you know, my husband – my maternal cousin! – is terribly bad tempered. Forget about love, I have spent years in mortal fear of him! When our Meara was born, my in-laws came over. Problems of adjustment with them. Frequent rows! Couldn’t find time even to spend a loving time with my kid!”

Santha kept listening without stopping the flow of Devi’s account.

“After Kalyan’s birth, we were reasonably happy. But that good time did not last long. By the time Meera turned twelve, restrictions laid down by father and Meera’s insistence on personal space and resulting bitter quarrels between them! I was getting caught in the crossfire!” Devi wiped her tears.

“Tell me, why all that now? What do you lack now? Your daughter is a reputed doctor! How many awards has she won!  Securing residency in Surgery at Yale University, do you think it is a child’s play? How many can get such opportunities?” Santha said, encouragingly.

“I am not denying that, Santha! But my husband is full furious that such an educated girl, such a beautiful girl, married a white. Though I was uncomfortable at first, I got adjusted as time passed. But he is still upset.”

“Look, Devi. Let him look around a little. How many among us are going in for marriages from our own traditional families? How many boys and girls remain unmarried, long past the marriageable ages? Meera chose a handsome and good doctor. How deferential is he towards both of you! How much respect! Your son-in-law is without a single blemish,” Santha expressed her honest opinion.

“And. it is already over a year since. When they came for the festival, you were quite happy and close to one another. Why should you rake up the past now?” said Santha. But Devi remained silent. Santha could sense that some agony was rankling Devi.

“Our son… our Kalyan! He is worried that Kalyan may slip out of our hands.  I don’t know what I can do!” Devi was deeply worried. 

“What do you mean?” Santha queried.

“When Kalyan telephoned in the morning, my husband picked up a row. Words heaped over one another and there was a huge battle. He disconnected, shouting. My husband walked out, fuming furiously” said Devi, with a lump in her throat.

Just at that time, sensing that Sathyam had arrived, Santha got up hurriedly.

“I am going for shopping. Why don’t you also come along?” Santha implored.

“I am not in proper mood. Not today,” said Devi and walked behind Santha.

Sathyam was sitting in front of the TV. Didn’t appear to notice Santha’s presence. Turned his looks away. After Santha left, Devi slipped into the kitchen, avoiding her husband’s sight.

“Times of destruction! What are these stupid acts crazy behaviors? This country is like this only! We came rushing expecting to accomplish great deeds! And the guys here are making us swallow our own shit!” Sathyam was fuming all over, like Rudra.

Without even looking at him, Devi was trying to wash the coffee cups. A shiver went down her spine. She was almost feverish.

‘What is the use of blaming these fellows? It must be in the genes! Isn’t there your maternal uncle Subrahmanyam? Even in those days I used to feel disgusted with his ways! Dandy behavior! Used to run around without marriage, like a vagrant! How can one expect to escape genetic influences? It is my blunder that I tied the wedding knot in your neck, as ordered by mother. All my fate!” 

Not feeling sure to what terrible disaster any response from her would lead, Devi slowly walked into the bed room. Sathyam was still ranting. That was always his way. That was his behavior whenever things did not turn out the way he wanted. After a little while, not knowing what he could do, he opened the fridge, took out a coke and walked down into the basement. 

All of a sudden, the whole house turned lifeless. A silence that could be broken by even the flutter of a fly. But in the hearts of the couple volcanoes were about to erupt. Devi looked forward to someone to whom she could communicate her agony and obtain some solace. But her husband was no person of that kind. He would not listen. What was more, he would throw the entire blame on her. If she wished to console him with soothing words, his ego would stand in the way. He would not allow Devi to come near him, psychologically! That was his weakness! “Pity, I should have gone for shopping with Santha,” regretted Devi. Devi on the first floor and Sathyam in the basement were agonized by harrowed hearts. 

* * * * * *

A week rolled by. Kalyan informed that he would come along with his friend Saturday afternoon. “There is no relationship between me and him. If you want, all of you drown in the Ganges,” said Sathyam and drove away in his car. Sitting alone in the sofa, Devi was watching the show, “Guess Who is Coming to Dinner,” on the TV. Her mind was terribly agonized. “What are these relationships? What are these sentiments?” She laughed to herself. Opening the door, Kalyan walked in.

“How are you, mom?” Kalyan hugged his mother. Devi gave out a pale smile. Kalyan introduced the person who walked behind him. Devi did not feel like raising her head and looking at the person. She wanted to flee the whole scene.

“Mom, this is Drew. Drew, this is Mom.” She was unwilling to shake the person’s hand just as an orthodox person would feel about holding the hand of an untouchable. Andrew sat down beside Devi. He looked like the incarnation of all virtue, like the marble statue of the Buddha!

“Very nice to meet you, Mrs K. Just a little gift for you.” He handed over a package wrapped in newspaper cartoons. Slowly, she opened the packing and looked. In the framed portrait there was Mother Theresa and a leprosy patient beside her. The Mother was smiling, placing a hand on the patient’s shoulder. The toothless smile was of that old man. Devi hated another human, but the Mother? She loved all those who were despised by all! That was why she was the Mother of all! Will it possible for Devi to behave like this, in this life? Displaying an affection, absent in her mind, Devi said, “Thank you” and looked straight into Andrew’s eyes. His face was pure, and shone with unpolluted tranquility like the full moon. And that moment looked like the first shower of rain tenderly drizzling over the body parched during scorching summer. Not knowing it herself, she took the hands of Andrew and held them affectionately.