Chapter 13

                                    

                                          
'Janu? You okay?'

'Yea. I am fine Ani. I cant say the same for everybody else. What about you?'

'Yea yea I am fine. Its not such a bad reaction.'

'Yea I noticed.'

'When are you getting discharged?'

'In 2 days.'

'Okay. Come home first. And then we will see.'

'Hmm and Ani? I really want to thank you for....for... everything.'

'Hey! No thanks and all. It doesnt matter Janu.'

Anirudh realized that something in him changed when she said smiled and said thanks. His spirits were lifted or something as strange. 

After 2 days

'Jananiiii! Welcome back.'

'Thanks akka. Where is Ani?'

'What the hell? You just came back home and you are already looking for Ani? Whats wrong?'

'Huh? Huh? Nothing, nothing.'

'Hmmm? Okay okay. He is in his studio. You go take rest.'

'Okay. Can I get some food before that?'

'Sure. But no spicy stuff, kay?'

'WHAT? AKKA! I am not a cancer patient to not have spicy stuff.'

'Okay okay. But there are some food restrictions. Some doctor told. And many others our mothers told.'

'Oh god! I hate my life.'

'Already?'

'Yea everything is that fast.'

'Hmmm? I know what you mean by that!'

'Yea yea. Get me food first. Good food.'

In the evening, after Anirudh comes back, the family sit together to have dinner. Janani doesnt eat much and goes to sleep early. After Janani leaves,

'Amma, what are we going to do about Janani's baby once my marriage is over?'

'Thats what even I was thinking Vaishu. Ani, you planned anything?'

'Akka? What do you mean by what to do with baby? I think normally, babies are delivered? You dont do anything with it. And once it is born, you bring it up by giving it food, milk, water, etc. Right?'

'That not what I meant.. Wait.. WHAT?'

'What WHAT?'

'She is going to HAVE the baby?' lakshmi amma asked.

'Of course she is. What did you think?'

'But Ani, there is no father for the baby.'

'So?'

'I thought we are going to abort it!'

'WHAT? Amma! How can you even think of such a thing? The God we pray to everyday, will he let us alone if we kill an innocent being for no mistake of his/hers? Forget God, will your own conscience leave you alone? Then, what exactly is the difference between you and a murderer. If you ask me, I will tell that you are worse. Atleast a murderer killes a man who can atleast put up some kind of a fight. You are proposing to kill a being that is not even formed yet. That is worse than a sin.'

'But Ani.. Bringing up the child with no father.. What will the society say?'

'Oh my God! Since when did you care what the society did or said? One section of the society will support your decision, another section will question your conscience for killing a child and yet another dumber section will sit and critisize Janu, as if her repenting for her fault will cure our problems. Which are you going to opt for? Stop worrying about the society, Amma!'

'Ani is right, Lakshmi. Why do we have to kill an innocent being for the fault of my daughter? The child will be kept alive, no matter what. Father or fatherless, child should not be killed.'

'Thank you, Aunt. By the way, how did you know about Dave's death?'

'Janu told me. Thats all. I was shocked but she told me he died of an accident and not suicide.'

'Hmmm.. I have a feeling he might be alive. Call it intuition. But I find something fishy here. Let Vaishu's marriage get over and me and Janu will go to USA to find more. And please dont tell Janu about this. She is already pretty stressed. We dont want her worrying more. Its bad for the baby.'

'Ani.. What will we do if we do confirm that Dave is dead?'

'We'll see aunt. We'll see.'

'Ani? Will you marry her?'

'WHAT? Aunt... No.. No.. She.... I..... We are not like that. She has no feelings for me. At least not that kind.'

'Do you have for her?'

'No....no... Aunt... I... Dont. I.... Dont.'

Vaishu, Lakshmi amma and Savithri saw the pain and hurt and his eyes. And noticed the same in his voice. They realized he was hiding something from them. 

Lakshmi amma began to wonder what Ani was trying to tell her that day. About something that happened in Mumbai. What was it? 

Anirudh never hid anything from his mother. What was this new thing of hiding things? She sensed something amiss. What was it?