Many-Splendoured Love/Division of Duties: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "{{SetTitle}} {{Heading| Division of Duties | }} {{Poem2Open}} That night it was just about ten thirty. It was still early to go to bed. Kaushik.bhai and Chetana.bahen were...")
 
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Both the parents quietly accepted it. If and when the phone call came, they did not reprimand the son any more, nor did they take a long time talking. That night the phone was from Sooraj. Kaushik started saying, “Ohho, How are you, Son? and Surakhi? She is well? Wait, Mammi will say hello ----”
Both the parents quietly accepted it. If and when the phone call came, they did not reprimand the son any more, nor did they take a long time talking. That night the phone was from Sooraj. Kaushik started saying, “Ohho, How are you, Son? and Surakhi? She is well? Wait, Mammi will say hello ----”


“ No, no, Pappaji, we have to give you both good news. Surakhi is expecting.”
“No, no, Pappaji, we have to give you both good news. Surakhi is expecting.”
“ Oh very good, Dear. Congratulations. To you both. Just a moment, here is Mammi to wish ----”
“Oh very good, Dear. Congratulations. To you both. Just a moment, here is Mammi to wish ----”
“ Wait a minute, Pappaji, let me talk to you about something important first”, Sooraj said in a hurry.
“Wait a minute, Pappaji, let me talk to you about something important first”, Sooraj said in a hurry.
“ O K, tell me, Son.”
“O K, tell me, Son.”
“ The thing is that Surakhi is all alone here. She would not be able to handle everything by herself -- ”.
“ The thing is that Surakhi is all alone here. She would not be able to handle everything by herself -- ”.
“ Yes, true. Your lives there are such ----”.
“Yes, true. Your lives there are such ----”.
“ Pappa, listen to me first.”
“Pappa, listen to me first.”


Sooraj must be looking at the clock, Kaushik.bhai thought sadly.
Sooraj must be looking at the clock, Kaushik.bhai thought sadly.
“ Here we will need somebody - first for delivery, and then to raise the child.  So Mammi will have to get here. Only she.”
“Here we will need somebody - first for delivery, and then to raise the child.  So Mammi will have to get here. Only she.”
“ What are you saying, Sooraj? Then who will take care of home here?”
“What are you saying, Sooraj? Then who will take care of home here?”
“ Arre, Where do you people have complications like here? Over there, for you, there are plenty of people around. You can easily find someone to help. And you have Revabai there any way, right?
“Arre, Where do you people have complications like here? Over there, for you, there are plenty of people around. You can easily find someone to help. And you have Revabai there any way, right?
“See, Pappa, Can’t afford to talk any more now”, Sooraj started to say while winding up. “ See, with a friend of ours I am sending a letter. In it I am writing when Mammi is to come here etc. OK then, Bye.”
“See, Pappa, Can’t afford to talk any more now”, Sooraj started to say while winding up. “ See, with a friend of ours I am sending a letter. In it I am writing when Mammi is to come here etc. OK then, Bye.”
At that hour of the night, Kaushik did not want to upset Chetana. He said, “Sooraj is going to call again. Then you talk to him to your satisfaction.”
At that hour of the night, Kaushik did not want to upset Chetana. He said, “Sooraj is going to call again. Then you talk to him to your satisfaction.”
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“Cheti”, Kaushik said, using the name of endearment for her, “ Do you know what Sooraj said? He said that ‘Surakhi or I - we will never be able to manage without Mammi.’
“Cheti”, Kaushik said, using the name of endearment for her, “ Do you know what Sooraj said? He said that ‘Surakhi or I - we will never be able to manage without Mammi.’
Kaushik did not want to tell Chetana the words and the tone that Sooraj had used. Making his own modifications, he said, “Look, Sooraj has made a request to us - ”
Kaushik did not want to tell Chetana the words and the tone that Sooraj had used. Making his own modifications, he said, “Look, Sooraj has made a request to us - ”
“ What request?”
“What request?”
“ - that they will need your help a great deal. They have asked you to go there, with great insistence.”
“- that they will need your help a great deal. They have asked you to go there, with great insistence.”
“ Yes, so we will surely go. Such a good occasion in our son’s life. Naturally we have to go.”
“Yes, so we will surely go. Such a good occasion in our son’s life. Naturally we have to go.”
Chetana had not understood that only she had been asked to go.
Chetana had not understood that only she had been asked to go.


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She called Kaushik.bhai from Shubha’s house and told him that Sooraj has arranged for the ticket, and that “next year he will surely have both of us over together.”
She called Kaushik.bhai from Shubha’s house and told him that Sooraj has arranged for the ticket, and that “next year he will surely have both of us over together.”


Chetana.bahen was returning to India with the same bag she had come with. Shubha had come by and had told Sooraj and Surakhi, very politely, “In this case, with the little baby and all, there is no need for you to take the trouble. I will take Didi to the airport. My Zumu will also enjoy a long ride in the car.”  
Chetana bahen was returning to India with the same bag she had come with. Shubha had come by and had told Sooraj and Surakhi, very politely, “In this case, with the little baby and all, there is no need for you to take the trouble. I will take Didi to the airport. My Zumu will also enjoy a long ride in the car.”  
Sooraj and Surakhi had given a fake smile in response.
Sooraj and Surakhi had given a fake smile in response.