“Thik hai. Jis tau se meri shaadi krwa rhe the…wo 68 saal ke the.”

(It’s fine. The man I was being married to…he was 68.)

Rudra clenched his fists remembering it all.

“Dono cheezon mai bhut farak hai. Whatever was happening in your village was fucked up.”

(Both things are very different.)

She gave him a confused look and he translated. She nodded in agreement and he sighed.

“Ye sab chhodiye. Ye bataiye ki aap padhna chahti hain?”

(Leave all this. Tell me whether you want to study?)

“Padhai? Iss umar mai?”

(Study? In this age?)

She asked in a little surprise. He nodded and said.

“Haan! Abhi toh young hai aap. Kuch kr skti hai apne liye. Agar mann ho toh.”

(Yes! You are young. You can do something for yourself. If you want.)

She thought for a moment and then spoke.

“Mujhe lagta hai ki mujhe angrezi seekhni chahiye. Yaha toh sab bolte honge na. Aur kab tak logo se matlab puchhti rahungi. Phir aapko bhi sharam aayegi mujhe kahi le jaane mai.”

(I think I should learn English. Everyone must speak it here. Till when will I keep asking you for meanings. You will also feel ashamed to take me with you.)

Rudra smiled softly and held her chin making her look into his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and heat crept up her cheeks which she was sure he had noticed.

“Koi aur kuch kahega isliye mat seekhiye. Aapka mann hai toh seekhiye. Koi aur kya sochta hai usse farak nhi padta. Aur mai apni patni ki wajah se kabhi sharminda nhi ho skta. Mai jaanta hu meri patni mere liye garv aur guroor banegi, sharmindgi nhi. Hmm?”

(Don’t learn because people will comment. Learn if you want to. What other people think doesn’t matter. I can never be ashamed because of my wife. I know my wife will be my pride and glory, not a shame.)

Color bloomed on her face and she lowered her lashes. 

“Agar padhna ka mann ho ya kuch kaam krna ho apne liye toh mujhe bta dijiyega. Aaram se soch lijiye.”

(If you want to study or do something, let me know. Think carfully.)

She nodded and he went back to his room to complete some work. Aadya too went to her room and started arranging her almirah. She thought about it. About what he said.

The next day, when he went to work, she was left alone all day. That was when she realised that she needed something to do. Back home, she had her mother to spend the day with. But here, she needed some work.

And so, when Rudra came back home that evening, she talked to him.

“Ji wo…maine faisla kr lia.”

(Umm…I have decided.)

Rudra looked at her confused as he removed his shoes. She looked nervous. He observed how she fidgeted with her fingers when she wanted to ask something but was nervous or hesitant to.

“Kaisa faisla?”

(What decision?)

“Aapne…aapne puchha tha na kal. Ki padhna hai ya nhi. Mai angrezi seekhna chahti hu. Apne liye. Ki aage jaake koi kaam kru toh faayde mai aaye.”

(You…you asked yesterday. Whether I want to study. I want to learn English. For myself. So that if I work in future, it could help me.)

He smiled and nodded.

“Achha socha hai. Mai kal se hi aapke liye classes dhundta hu. Waise kaam kya krna chahti hai aap? Kyunki job milna toh mushkil hai bina degree ke. Matlab job ke liye school aur college dono chahiye hote hai.”

(You thought well. I will look for classes from tomorrow. What work do you want to do? Because getting a job is difficult without a decree. I mean for a job you require school and college.)

Aadya nodded in understanding.

“Par aap apna kuch kr skti hain. Koi shauk ho. Usse apna kaam bana skti hain.”

(You can do something of your own. Some hobby. You can turn it into your work.)

Aadya bit her lip in contemplation. Interests? Did she even have any interests? She just knew cooking and household work because that was what she had been doing since she was 6. But she did love cooking and feeding people.

“Shauk toh aise koi nhi hai mere. Khaana banana aata hai aur pasand bhi hai banana.”

(I don’t have such hobby. I know how to make food and I also like to do it.)

“Hmm. Mai dekhta hu kya ho skta hai. Aap tension mat lijiye.”

(I will see what could be done. You don’t worry.)

She nodded and Rudra went to freshen up. Aadya reheated the food and served it till he arrived.

Rudra smiled seeing his favourite, Baingan ka Bharta.

“Mujhe bhut pasand hai ye. Thank you. Umm…matlab shukriya.”

(I really like it a lot… Umm…I mean thank you.)

Aadya smiled and asked.

“Aur kya kya pasand hai aapko? Mai wahi bana diya krungi. Sochna nhi padega roz roz.”

(What else do you like? I will make that only. I won’t have to think daily.)

He chuckled. She sounded like his mother when she asked his father about what to cook.

“Mai sab khaa leta hu. Par baingan ka bharta mera favorite hai. Sabse pasandida.”

(I eat everything. But aubergine curry is my favourite. Most favourite.)

She nodded and they started having their food.

“Achha yaad aaya. Maine apne maa papa ko bataya hamare baare mai. Wo kal aa rhe hai ghar. Aapko koi problem toh nhi hai na?”

(I remember. I told my parents about us. They are coming home tomorrow. Do you have any problem in that?)

“Nhi nhi! Kaisi baatein kr rhe hai aap? Kab tak aayege wo? Kya bana du? Aap rahenga kya ghar pr jab wo aayenge? Aap saath kyu nhi rehte waise?”

(No no! What are you talking about? By what time will they arrive? What should I make? Will you be at home when they’ll come? Why do you not stay togther?)

He laughed when she asked so many questions in one go and she blushed with embarrassment.

“Din tak aayenege wo lunch pr. Mai ghar pr hi rahunga aur kuch banane ki zarurat nhi hai. Bahar se mangwa lenge ya phir kahi bahar jaake khaa lenge. Aur saath isliye nhi rehte kyunki wo Gaziabad rehte hai. Mujhe dur padta hai station se toh mai yaha rehta hu.”

(They will come in the noon over lunch. I will be at home and no need to make anything. We will order or go out somewhere. And we don’t live together because they live in Gaziabad. It is far from the station so I stay here.)

She nodded in understanding and he smiled. She was cute. 

Aadya was really nervous. She was running around the house making sure everything was perfect while Rudra sat observing and admiring her. 

“Pakka kuch nhi banau? Thoda sa naashta bana leti hu. Achha nhi lagta.”

(Are you sure I should not make anything? I should make something. It doesn’t look good.)

She said and he got up. He held her hand and made her sit.

“Baitho aur saans lo! Itna ghabra kyu rhi ho? Sab thik hoga.”

(Sit and take a breath! Why are you so nervous? Everything will be fine.)

She nodded and lowered her head. He saw her fidgeting with her fingers. He remembered something and tried to distract her.

“Arre mai batana bhul gaya tha. Meri baat hui thi aapki classes ke liye. Yaha paas mai hi rehti hai ek didi. School teacher reh chuki hai. Ab tuition padati hai bachho ko. Wo le lengi aapki English ki classes.”

(I forgot to tell you. I talked about your classes. A lady lives nearby. She was a teacher once. Now she takes tuitions. She will take your English classes.)

She looked at him and bit her lip.

“Mujhe baaki bacho ke saath padhna padega? Wo mazak banayenge.”

(I will have to study with other kids? They will make fun.)

“Didi aapko weekends pr alag se padha dengi. Koi mazak nhi banayega.”

(She will take your classes separately. No one will make fun.)

She smiled in gratitude but before she could say anything else, the doorbell rang and Aadya sprang up.

She corrected her pallu and took it over her head, covering her face. Rudra sighed and shook his head knowing that she wouldn't listen to him and understanding that it had been instilled in her since childhood.

He went to open the door and Aadya waited with bated breath.

“Saamne se hatt toh! Kaha hai meri bahurani?”

(Get away from the way! Where is my daughter-in-law?)

Aadya heard an excited female voice and from her veil saw a woman of around her mother’s age come rushing towards her.

“Arre? Ye ghungat kyu kra hua hai? Mujhe dekhne toh do tumhe!”

(Why do you have this veil? Let me see you!)

Saying that her mother took off Aadya veil and grinned wide. Aadya observed how her smile resembled Rudra’s. Rudra looked a lot like his father but he had his mother’s smile. Charming and contagious.