As the lid fell into place above the suitcase, she let out a long suffering sigh. Her life's chapters in Birla House where coming to a close today. The months here seemed like years to her now. Years of being duped and being treated as second class. Simply because she was dark skinned.
Even centuries cannot dampen certain concepts Suhani mused to herself.
A shadow falling on her caught her attention. A very familiar shadow.
She turned to face her husband of a few months. She had to tie up all loose ends before walking out of this mad house.
"You are going somewhere?" Yuvraj Birla asked his wife.
"I think we can avoid beating around the bush Yuvraj. The size of my bag sure is telling enough" Suhani shot straight to her point "I am moving out of Birla House and your life permanently"
She watched as her husband's eyes widened. This wasn't a scenario he wanted to face. When Yuvraj began to speak she raised her hand to stop him "First here me out. Both you and I very well know that our marriage - if it can be called that- is a sham. One which my father and your mother together forced on us"
"My mother?" Yuvraj said in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Yes your mother too. Don't get me wrong, I still respect her. But back before my marriage she had pretended to forget Soumya's name. She had used her illness as an excuse to get us married. She thought that was good for you and it was wrong on her part. You had a say in your life. I am sorry that my father and your mother forced you into this" Suhani stopped for a while.
"I guess they were looking out for us" Yuvraj echoed her thoughts.
"I guess they were but that does not make their actions. By forcing you to marry me my father has made it look like I can't get a husband because I am dark skinned and in no world is that fair to any daughter"
"You shouldn't blame him alone you know. I could have said no" Yuvraj admitted.
"Yes you could have. But my father did use your moment of need to get his will done. So I cannot forget that easily. In time I will reconcile with him. Right now it's difficult for me"
Yuvraj wondered how she was going to adjust in the same house with her father but he had more pressing matters on his mind to ask.
"Listen if this decision to leave is because of what happened today then don't. You know how Dadi is. Her notions are pretty weird" he said.
"You don't share those notions?" Suhani raised her brows.
"WHAT?! Off course I don't. I don't believe in having to do shudhi pooja and all. It's bloody stupid!" Yuvraj looked at her as if she was deranged.
"I wasn't referring to the pooja" Suhani stated simply and watched as comprehension dawned on Yuvraj. She saw him pale. She knew that somewhere in his mind he too considered colour of skin important.
She sighed again.
"Please don't leave. We can work a way out. Soumya will be out for good very soon" Yuvraj pleaded.
"Why do you want me to stay back Yuvraj?" Suhani questioned "And don't give me because you are my wife' statement"
Yuvraj gazed at her for long. She knew he didn't have a proper reply. Even though he no longer loved Soumya and he was friendly towards her, they couldn't continue their marriage based on that. She had feelings for him while he clearly was confused about her. Love cannot be forced and she refused to be stuck in a love less marriage.
"Yuvraj friendship alone cannot sustain a marriage. Our marriage began on a wrong note. Right now you are struggling to give me an answer because you didn't choose me out of free will and free will is important" Suhani explained "So this is best for both of us Yuvraj. We get to live our lives the way we want"
"You don't deserve this. Not from me, not from Soumya or Dadi or Mom" Yuvraj said, his shoulders sagging a bit in defeat. "You should not have defended Soumya today. She does not deserve your kindness"
"What I did today is what I would have done for any person. In our society women are put through many pointless rituals and I don't support any of it. If Soumya needs to be purified because she was married before, then so do you Yuvraj. You both have to be purified if purification is a criteria to have a successful marriage" Suhani said, with a final derisive roll of her eyes.
"My leaving from here has no connection with that Yuvraj. This has been on my mind for long. I want to start my life over again and you deserve to have the same"
She turned around and picked up her suitcase and bag. She was only taking that which she brought with her. Anything that was given to her by the Birla's was being left behind. Both materials and memories.
"At least let me help you with those" Yuvraj pointed at her bags.
Suhani gazed for long at him before nodding. Bracing herself for the final taunts she walked out of the room she one shared with Yuvraj.
In the hall way she was confronted by the Birla family , her well wishers and tormentors alike. Their reactions were just as she had expected. She looked at her once best friend Soumya smiling gleefully. Once again her heart clenched. Her betrayal still stung worse than all other truths.
"So you finally have understood your place girl" Dadi said with a triumphant smile.
"I have known my place for long Dadi and it certainly isn't that of an unpaid maid. My skin colour might repel you but outside this house there is a world which values my inner self. A world with it's senses in the right place" Suhani answered.
She saw her mother in law Pratima, hurrying towards her "Suhani beta please don't leave . This is your"
"Maa please, this was never my house. You brought me here the wrong way and my father send me here the wrong way. I was never truly a part of the Birla family" Suhani interrupted her "I am thankful for all the love and respect you and my brother in laws have given me. I will always remember you but please don't try to stop me. I have explained to Yuvraj why I am leaving and he agrees with me. Please let me live my life"
Pratima could not stop her tears. Suhani engulfed her in a hug before turning around and smiling at each of her brother in laws. The rest she ignored. Yuvraj accompanied her mutely as she walked out of the house.
"Shall I drop you home?" Yuvraj asked.
"I am not going to my house Yuvraj" Suhani replied.
"Then where?" Yuvraj's forhead creased.
"I have got a job and a place to live. I waited for these many days in this house because I wanted time to arrange all these. Thanks for the offer, I will catch a taxi" Suhani replied
"I can still drop you" Yuvraj insisted.
"No Yuvraj, I don't want you to. Our paths go separate from outside the gates. Goodbye Yuvraj"
With that Suhani walked away from the man who had been forced to marry her and the house in which she had never belonged.
Index
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