“Today being sapthami,” said Lalitha, “it would make an auspicious beginning.”
As Yadamma reappeared with the broom, Lalitha took leave to leave the field wide open for the maidservant.
“I also work at Taraamma’s house, she too is beautiful, but you are better,” Yadamma volunteered information. “She works in a star hotel and her husband in some private company; they have a boy and a girl. They live in a well-furnished house in the 7th lane. Like many she does not dump work on the maidservants to make hunchbacks out of them.”
Before Yadamma swept the house clean, Roopa realized that had a chatterbox for company, however, living as she was in an unenthusiastic mode, even the novelty of the city life failed to lift Roopa’s quality of life.
“I am getting sick,” Roopa complained to Sathyam one night, “sitting all day at home and doing nothing.”
“I believe,” he said in jest, “bookworms worm their way through life.”
“Good reading helps us visualize the failings of others with a feeling heart,” she said a little stung. “But reading alone wouldn’t make life.”
“I’ve seen a lending library nearby,” he said in smile. “It may keep you going till our offspring arrives.”
“I’ll find out, any way,” she said, and thought, “How come, I’m not craving to conceive?”
“I only hope,” he said as he took her into his arms, “your fictional characters won’t block your favors to this character.”
“You won’t find me,” she said dryly, “wanting in my duty.”
“I want your love,” he said persuasively, “though I value your commitment.”
“Isn’t being wife,” she said evasively, “a measure of woman’s love?”
“Yes,” he said resignedly, “wifely love.”
“Maybe,” she said in spite of herself, “marriage provides opportunities to love and be loved.”
“As the saying goes,” he said meekly, “once an opportunity is lost, it is lost forever. I hope it won’t be the case with us.”
“Let’s see,” she said resignedly, “what opportunities come our way.”
“I’m all for grabbing what’s on hand,” he said taking her into his arms, “while awaiting the future doles of fortune.”
It is the characteristic of the life’s curve that while hopes soar with its ascent, dreams nosedive in its descent.
~~~~~~
The next day, when Roopa went down the steps, Lalitha, at the gate, invited her for a chit-chat. Promising to join her in time, Roopa went in search of the lending library that Sathyam said he had seen in the locality, but as she returned with ‘Good Earth’, not finding Lalitha at the gate, she felt, ‘after all the book might have something better to reveal than the good lady’s gossip.’ However, on second thoughts, she felt that Lalitha might take it amiss, were she to fail to peep in as promised.