Ramu was surprised to see his wife at the door. She had gone to her parents home just a week ago and had been supposed to stay there a week more. Her going home was always a prickly affair between them. He was so attached to her, and was so used to having her around that he could not envisage her not being around when he came home from work. Even after five years of marriage, they had not been able to have a child and though he did commiserate with Savithri (his wife) about it, in some corner of his heart he was happy also. He was not sure if he could share her, her affections and time with anyone else, even if the person in question happened to be their own child.
Although her parents lived in the next village, less than five miles away, this was only the second time that Savithri had gone to her parents. The only time before that had been when she had gone for a few days soon after their marriage for the customary visit. Ramu was an orphan, who had spent his childhood in the village orphanage after his alcoholic father drank himself to death when Ramu was just four years old. He did not remember his mother at all, how would he when she had died while giving birth to him? This was another reason Ramu did not want a child. He was paranoid about history repeating itself and him losing Savithri in a similar manner. He could already see shades of his father's fondness of Bacchus in his own nature. He was not a regular drinker. Savithri would not let him have more than a couple of drinks even on the occasions that she allowed him to- she also knew about his father's alcoholism.
One of the reason's he had agreed to let Savithri go to her parents was because he secretly wanted to drink to his heart's content while she was away. Since the day she had she had gone to her parents, he would come home from the fields and start drinking after getting the dinner ready. He would reminisce about his lonely childhood in the village's orphanage but sooner or later his thoughts would turn to Savithri- her impish smile, her twinkling eyes and her childlike innocence. He could almost imagine hearing the tinkling noise that her 'payal' made when she walked around the house. He was glad she had come back early, he had found out in the last week that no liquor could take him as high as could the mere sight of her. Last night he had drank so much that there was a blackout in his memory. He did not remember anything past a certain time. All he knew was that a fellow villager had found him sleeping on the side of the road that led to Savithri's village and had brought him home. He had even lost his mothers only picture that he wore in a locket around his neck. Probably some ruffian had taken it off him while he lay on the road- dead drunk.
Since the moment she came back, Savithri had been running around the home like a tornado. He felt tired just watching her! She had been mad at him when she had seen so many empty bottles of liquor but he had mollified her somehow. It also helped that she had seen the surprise, the joy and the relief in his eyes when he'd opened the door for her. Now, much later, the cleaning of the house done, chores and dinner finished, they lay next to each other and all that Ramu could do was look at her. She blushed like a new bride under his intense scrutiny but didn't move away or stop him.
At length she asked him if he had locked the main door. Savithri had had the habit of sleepwalking since her childhood and every night Ramu locked the door and hid the door, just in case. He replied with a nod and asked her why she had come back early. Savithri, in all her innocence started telling him about the happenings of the last night. She told him that she was dreaming last night, and in her dream she reached the deserted church almost midway between Ramu's and her village. In the pitch dark, moonless night, she had seen a man sitting outside the church. Though she herself did not know why or how, before she knew it, she was in the arms of the man and soon they were making love in the courtyard of the church. Ramu felt a stab of envy shoot through his heart. Just the thought was enough to make him want to kill the man who'd defiled his sweet, innocent Savithri, even though it had been just a dream. Her next sentence brought his world crashing down around his feet. She told him that she woke up after making love to the man in her dream and found that it had not been a dream. She had, in fact, been sleepwalking and what she thought was a dream had actually happened.
Ramu felt as though his heart had been torn out of his body, skewered with a pitchfork and thrown on white hot embers while he watched- alive, horrified and helpless. He wanted to run out, block his ears to the words coming from Savithri's mouth but found himself taking a perverse pleasure in his own predicament. Savithri's next words jolted him even more. She told him that upon waking up, she found that the man sleeping next to her in the church yard was him! Him? Ramu?! He could not believe his ears. Him?! He asked her if she was sure. Yes, replied Savithri with a shy smile. She took out the locket with his mother's picture from her blouse and handed it to him. Upon waking up and finding Ramu next to her, she had known that she would not be able to resist telling Ramu what had happened and she had also anticipated his reaction. That is why she had taken his locket- to prove that she had been with him last night.
Both slept very soundly that night. Ramu secure in the knowledge that his world, that had nearly been annihilated, was safe and that his life- his wife lay in his arms. In his sleep, he drew her closer, afraid more than ever of letting her go. Savithri also slept well, she knew she was back with the man she loved more than her life. She also knew that with her back, Ramu would not drink as much. In fact, she mused in her sleep, she had to make sure Ramu left alcohol all together. Had Ramu been able to read her thoughts, he would have been petrified!
Although her parents lived in the next village, less than five miles away, this was only the second time that Savithri had gone to her parents. The only time before that had been when she had gone for a few days soon after their marriage for the customary visit. Ramu was an orphan, who had spent his childhood in the village orphanage after his alcoholic father drank himself to death when Ramu was just four years old. He did not remember his mother at all, how would he when she had died while giving birth to him? This was another reason Ramu did not want a child. He was paranoid about history repeating itself and him losing Savithri in a similar manner. He could already see shades of his father's fondness of Bacchus in his own nature. He was not a regular drinker. Savithri would not let him have more than a couple of drinks even on the occasions that she allowed him to- she also knew about his father's alcoholism.
One of the reason's he had agreed to let Savithri go to her parents was because he secretly wanted to drink to his heart's content while she was away. Since the day she had she had gone to her parents, he would come home from the fields and start drinking after getting the dinner ready. He would reminisce about his lonely childhood in the village's orphanage but sooner or later his thoughts would turn to Savithri- her impish smile, her twinkling eyes and her childlike innocence. He could almost imagine hearing the tinkling noise that her 'payal' made when she walked around the house. He was glad she had come back early, he had found out in the last week that no liquor could take him as high as could the mere sight of her. Last night he had drank so much that there was a blackout in his memory. He did not remember anything past a certain time. All he knew was that a fellow villager had found him sleeping on the side of the road that led to Savithri's village and had brought him home. He had even lost his mothers only picture that he wore in a locket around his neck. Probably some ruffian had taken it off him while he lay on the road- dead drunk.
Since the moment she came back, Savithri had been running around the home like a tornado. He felt tired just watching her! She had been mad at him when she had seen so many empty bottles of liquor but he had mollified her somehow. It also helped that she had seen the surprise, the joy and the relief in his eyes when he'd opened the door for her. Now, much later, the cleaning of the house done, chores and dinner finished, they lay next to each other and all that Ramu could do was look at her. She blushed like a new bride under his intense scrutiny but didn't move away or stop him.
At length she asked him if he had locked the main door. Savithri had had the habit of sleepwalking since her childhood and every night Ramu locked the door and hid the door, just in case. He replied with a nod and asked her why she had come back early. Savithri, in all her innocence started telling him about the happenings of the last night. She told him that she was dreaming last night, and in her dream she reached the deserted church almost midway between Ramu's and her village. In the pitch dark, moonless night, she had seen a man sitting outside the church. Though she herself did not know why or how, before she knew it, she was in the arms of the man and soon they were making love in the courtyard of the church. Ramu felt a stab of envy shoot through his heart. Just the thought was enough to make him want to kill the man who'd defiled his sweet, innocent Savithri, even though it had been just a dream. Her next sentence brought his world crashing down around his feet. She told him that she woke up after making love to the man in her dream and found that it had not been a dream. She had, in fact, been sleepwalking and what she thought was a dream had actually happened.
Ramu felt as though his heart had been torn out of his body, skewered with a pitchfork and thrown on white hot embers while he watched- alive, horrified and helpless. He wanted to run out, block his ears to the words coming from Savithri's mouth but found himself taking a perverse pleasure in his own predicament. Savithri's next words jolted him even more. She told him that upon waking up, she found that the man sleeping next to her in the church yard was him! Him? Ramu?! He could not believe his ears. Him?! He asked her if she was sure. Yes, replied Savithri with a shy smile. She took out the locket with his mother's picture from her blouse and handed it to him. Upon waking up and finding Ramu next to her, she had known that she would not be able to resist telling Ramu what had happened and she had also anticipated his reaction. That is why she had taken his locket- to prove that she had been with him last night.
Both slept very soundly that night. Ramu secure in the knowledge that his world, that had nearly been annihilated, was safe and that his life- his wife lay in his arms. In his sleep, he drew her closer, afraid more than ever of letting her go. Savithri also slept well, she knew she was back with the man she loved more than her life. She also knew that with her back, Ramu would not drink as much. In fact, she mused in her sleep, she had to make sure Ramu left alcohol all together. Had Ramu been able to read her thoughts, he would have been petrified!
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