Re-encumbrance

Disclaimer: All the Characters and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance of the characters to an actual person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

10^th January, 2013 07.00 hours

“Do you really want to do this Priya?” asked Malathi while she handed over the cup of the freshly brewed filter coffee. Priya without a hesitation just nodded her head with a simple smile. Malathi’s face read that she quite didn’t appreciate Priya’s stance for once. It was almost a year since this has been hovering around and Malathi wanted Priya to change her mind but Priya was adamant. Malathi, though unhappy had no other choice than to allow Priya to take the call. She left back to the kitchen to prepare the morning breakfast.

22^nd August, 2011 6.30 hours

Malathi, who is 58, was so happy this morning while she was welcoming the guests who were assembling in for the marriage of Priya. Nithya her first daughter got married two years back. Since then Malathi was looking for a groom for Priya but couldn’t find a right one. It took so long for her to search someone who she felt that would deserve to have Priya. Priya had left the pain of hunting her groom to Nithya and Malathi. Nithya delivered a baby girl just before a year and she got busy with the new born and couldn’t pay much attention in the groom hunt. Malathi however managed to find Karthick. He works as a journalist and lives with his mom. His thoughts were entirely fresh and were in mostly contradiction with his mother’s. He loved his mother a lot though he disagreed with many of her views. She was an orthodox lady with so many speculations of her own. Malathi after finding Karthick did manage to make Priya and him meet quite a few times before their marriage and she observed a striking chemistry between them. When Karthick and Priya fell on their knees to take her blessing, her cheeks were drenched with the tears which escaped her eyes. She embraced them in joy.

10^th January, 2013 10.40 hours

The judge who was at the hearing was quite old.  After verifying the papers submitted by the prosecutors, the judge had a few words with Priya and Karthick.  After a while the judge read out “The court respects the views of the petitioner Mrs. Priya and Mr. Karthick. As per section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, mutual divorce is being granted to the petitioners as they have lived apart for a year and still the couple had jointly mentioned about their inability to continue the marital relationship. Both the parties had voluntarily agreed to dissolve the marriage”.

11^th September, 2011 21.30 hours

Priya was leaning her head on Karthick’s chest as they both were discussing their daily routine. Karthick and Priya were perfectly made for each other as they both had an amazing attraction. Priya knew that she couldn’t have asked for better. Priya was telling Karthick about her childhood stories, how she used to miss her father as he had passed while she was 3 and the efforts that were put by Malathi to bring her and her sister up. Getting them both married was no easy task for a single woman. Karthick listened her carefully. While she was keeping on compiling the stories he suddenly interrupted. Without attending to his interruption she went on gupshupping. He put his finger on her lips pulling her a little closer, Karthick said her “Why don’t we bring your mother to stay with us?. She is getting old now and there is no one to take care of her. I think it would be better we if have her with us”. Priya was awestruck; she said “Karthick, I was just about to ask that to you and bingo! You propose the same thing to me. You are magical!”, said Priya before landing her lips on his.

17^th September, 2011 18.30 hours

Holding each other’s hands and mesmerized by the beauty of the sea,  Karthick and Priya were sitting at the beach looking at the waves that were trying to extend its horizons. “Priya, my mother is averse to the decision of bring your mother to stay with us” said Karthick. Priya looking at him replied “I know it Karthick, was listening to your conversation with her yesterday”.  Karthick in a very frustrated note said “I just couldn’t understand the logic of my mother’s argument. Doesn’t your mother have the right to stay with you as my mother’s right to stay with her son?”. They both discussed for about an hour and Priya kept Karthick’s anger in cool. She knew to control him.

Suddenly Karthick turned to Priya and said, “Priya, if you appreciate my views then I would like to suggest one thing”. What was the response of Priya’s expression with her eyebrow raised.  She knew what he would be telling her and just prayed that he doesn’t propose what she was guessing.

“Why don’t we apply for a legal divorce so that you can stay with your mother during the days when she most needs you and I can take care of my mother”

“What nonsense Karthick”, yelled Priya.

“Listen Priya, it’s not fair from your part to leave your mother like this and my mother will definitely not allow us to bring her to stay with us.  So why not, you stay with her during her old age?. Also what will happen if we take divorce?, both of our parents will be unhappy. Today they are happy but still they have a feel that they are insecure. My mother is worried more that you will take away me from her and your mother has no one to attend her at this old age. So what if, we both stay with them,  parted from each other till their last days and we can come together and re-marry later. Especially, your mother offered a lifelong encumbrance to you; it’s now time for you to repay that as well. I am sure that I’ll miss you and your love, but it’s not necessary that we need to show love only by staying together. Love will always exist even at one’s absence as well”.

Priya was stunned. She just embraced him. She wept a while before they mutually agreed to part legally. The only agreement between them was that the reason will always remain between them.