Chapter 65: Chapter 65
Mala tried everything she could in her power to stop their marriage. She begged. She made promises she couldn't keep. She even made some threats. Her mother wouldn't listen to her prattle. She was set on her decision. Mala was going to marry Raj whether Mala liked it or not!
They were married a few months later, fulfilling the wishes of their parents, but completely disappointing Mala. The first few days were hectic for the newlywed couple with numerous customs to follow at Raj's ancestral house. When all that was over, Raj took his bride to his small home located in a quiet area of the town, away from all the excitement she craved.
The furniture in Raj's house was sparse. He had only one table and two chairs, a bed, a cabinet and a television and little else. Mala was disappointed. How could anyone live with so little?
Raj handed over his credit card to Mala and told her to buy whatever she liked. It was their house now. He wanted her to feel like she belonged.
At first, Mala took it without interest, but she quickly found out how much fun shopping could be. She ordered everything she had dreamt of for a house: fine rugs, ornate lamps, a beautiful couch made with hand carved wood. Sometimes, she thought she had overspent, but why not? If she couldn't have her dream marriage, at least she could have her dream home. She hired help to do the cleaning and cooking for her.
Soon, she realized that her small house couldn't accommodate any more. She finally stopped spending money on furniture when, one day, Raj tripped while squeezing his way through the limited space between the bookcase and end table and got a spasm in his foot. He limped the entire day with warm bandage tied over it and remained mostly confined to the bed.
Something changed in Mala, seeing Raj hurt like that. His pain made her want to cry. Without even thinking about it, she tended to him with the utmost care. She wrapped his bandage carefully, she brought his meals to him on the couch, where he could rest his foot. She never had to think about it, it was just an instinctive response. It is what you are supposed to do when someone you love is hurt: you take care of them.
Love. Mala couldn't believe it, but she was falling in love with Raj. She loved hearing the door open when he got home from work. She loved spending the weekends wandering aimlessly through the city, just happy to be with him. She loved feeling his arms wrapped around her as she slept. But most importantly, she loved Raj.
A year later, their son Ankur was born. Sneha, their daughter, was born two years later. With two small kids to take care of Mala became extremely busy. She never knew where the hours went, only that she needed more of them. She didn't even have time to miss her old city life.
Mala noticed that Ankur was hyperactive. At home, he could never sit still and just play with his toys or watch TV like a normal child. Although he had said a few words, his attention was short. He could never focus. He never interacted with kids his age. He used to sit alone when there were parties at home or at friend's place. Initially Raj and Mala thought that he was just a difficult child, but with each passing day, they believed this less. They had to take him to a paediatrician.
"He's autistic. Classic autism," said the doctor. Those words reverberated in Raj's ears. Mala was shocked and refused to agree with the doctor. How could he say such things?
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