Part 94-- Scoop of Life--Point of no return

April 2nd 2011 Saturday
Saket

10:02 AM

Sudha was poring over a list, her hands trembled, she lay it down on the messy overloaded study desk by the living rom window. The house seemed really small now, everything seemed small in comparison. She had never been the one to be angry or dissatisfied with what she got in life. She was practical and real.... she wasnt overjoyed when she learned her groom was Sushil Tripathi, one of the iconic UP Brahmin families, prospering in the brass industry, she wasnt in despair when she learned, everything had fallen apart and all she would receive was a curio shelf of brass ware........... she plugged away, joining DU as a part time Lecturer, slowly rising to HOD........

She was not prone to drastic emotional swings as her husband, her husband was.... quite erratic, enough for both of them actually
She was the pillar of strength, an academic, a mature reasonable adult, not swayed by silly emotions

Ritwik was like his Dad, in and out of love, alternating between happy and grieving on a daily basis.
Radhika was highly strung too, but she didnt grieve much, she didnt mope, she tried to be happy every which way............. as long as she got her way!!!

They had informed the Kapoors that the TRipathis would bring a group of between 40-50 people. Mriudla was disappointed, she was expecting atleast 200. "Weve covered the front yard" "And we have booked the Golf Links Club" she said, joyous

Sudha could not believe there was such genuine happiness in Mridula's voice. She wondered if she was happy this would put an end to her son's "wild ways". Or will it?
She had stayed up almost all nite last nite, airing her fears, asking Sushil " Aagar usne shaadi ke 3 mahine baad idhar udhar affair karne shuru kar diya to?" "Its just not the middle class way Sushil" " HOW can parents approve of us behavior?" "Aapke boss ki wife ko sab pata hai, kaise alow karti hain?"
"We only read in newspapers about rich military kids mowing down people on sidewalk at midnite, high on drugs, or an industrialist's son bringing a mistress to a party weeks after he is married" "Hamare ghar mein aise kisi se sambhandh?"

Sushil had swallowed uncomfortably..... while the "perks" associated with a Radhika-Raghav alliance was immensely tempting to him, his core values chastized him mocking him for using his daughter.......... his wife was not helping either.
"Achha ladka hai Raghav, Su" "Aaj tak koi baat padhi ya suni hamne?" Chhota hai, kitne saal ka hai? 26? I mean kitne girlfriends rahe honge uske? "4 ya 5?"
"But saari ladkiyon ke saath woh ..........." Sudha was disgusted
Sushil: Yeh HUM soch rahe hain"
Sudha: Nahi! Krishanji ne khud kaha!.
"Mujhe Radhika ko sochkar bahut dar lagta hai Sushil" her voice had become squeaky as she tried to fight tears
Sushil was shocked, he had not seen her shed tears........ infact he couldnt recall when the last time was :-(
"Agar woh laut aayi to hum kya karen? Ghar par sab is shaadi ko 6 mahine ka samay de rahe hain, bus" she openly cried..............
Sushil hugged her, as she sobbed
"I cannot see Radhika in pain, why couldnt you have been more forceful? Why couldnt you have joined hands with me, given me strength? we could have dissuaded her"
"Bus tum is baat se dar rahi ho, ki woh shaadi ke baad hame chhodkar chali jaayegi" Sushil declared cockily
"Nahi! Is baat se dar rahi hoon ki woh shaadi karke laut aayegi"