You are not that BAD
1867 Words
Loli wanted to introduce her friend Sonu to Aanandhi. So she waited for Sonu’s arrival.
Aanandhi: Loli, let’s go to our class.
Loli: Wait, I will introduce you to an interesting character.
Aanandhi: Who is that?
Loli: My friend Sonu.
Aanandhi: Your friend also joined here?
Loli: Yes. She got admission on a scholarship.
That’s when they heard…”Sister in Law”. Aanandhi turned around to see NK as it was not hard for her to recognize his voice.
Students looked at Aanandhi amazed. Why not? Who could expect that Mrs.ASR would be this simple? Loli understood that, being a senior, he was giving a kind of warning to students that Aanandhi was his “Sister in Law”. It might be ASR’s instruction to NK. NK came with a group of guys.
NK: Hi Sister in Law, welcome to our college.
Aanandhi: Thank you Nanne.
NK: Guys, she is Mrs.ASR, my Sister-in-law.
Guys (with joining hands): Namaste Sister in Law.
Loli was stunned to see their respect for Aanandhi.
Aanandhi: Namaste. She smiled at them.
NK: Don’t forget NK is here for you. Call me if you need.
Aanandhi nodded ok.
Aanandhi (looking at NK): I didn’t see you at home in the morning?
NK: I didn’t even get down from my bed at that time. (He Laughed.) All the best sisters-in-law.
He was about to leave, but Loli blocked his way.
Loli: I’m also here.
NK: Excuse me. I’m a senior here. You should respect me. He teased.
Loli punched his stomach.
Loli: Is this respect enough?
Aanandhi chuckled along with NK’s friends.
NK: I will never expect your respect ever.
Saying he ran away from there with his friends.
Loli saw her friend Sonu coming barefoot.
Loli( sighing): Where are your slippers?
Sonu: I threw it at a guy who teased me.
Loli: Did you start your job on the first day itself?
Sonu: What can I do if they started their job on the first day itself?
Loli: Aanandhi, didn’t I say an interesting character? She is the one, Sonu. (looking at Sonu) Sonu, this is Aanandhi. I told you
know, Mrs. ASR.
Sonu: Hi Aanandhi.
She extended her hand. Aanandhi clutched her hand to shake.
Aanandhi ( looking at her feet): Did you really hit someone with your slippers?
Loli(chuckled): she often does this.
Aanandhi( bewildered): Often?
Loli: Yeah.
Aanandhi: What if they hit you back?
Loli: She is a boxer. State Gold medalist.
Aanandhi: Ohhh. She gulped.
Sonu: Tell me if anyone misbehaves with you. I will take care of them.
She said circling Aanandhi’s shoulder.
Aanandhi ( nodding OK): Did you throw both of your slippers?
Sonu(Laughing): No. I threw another one in the dust bin as there was no use for it.
Aanandhi (in mind): As Arshad said, I should learn to be brave from Sonu I suppose.
Loli: Let’s go.
They stepped inside their classroom. Aanandhi touched the entrance, bending down before entering inside. Students looked at her
with weird expressions. Aanandhi felt something in her stomach, seeing miniskirts and low cut tops. That was the first time she had seen such dresses. She tried to close her eyes with her palms but Lolita clutched her hand from doing that.
Loli(smiling): If you started closing your eyes for this reason, then you can’t open your eyes ever. Relax.
Aanandhi: Won’t they feel shy?
Sonu ( chuckling): Of course they feel. That’s why they are wearing at least this much.
Aanandhi dropped her jaw while Loli laughed.
Sonu: Get used to it, Aanandhi. This is common here.
Aanandhi nodded her head in the affirmative.
After a while, their classes got started. Aanandhi felt like she was sitting in between aliens. She couldn’t understand anything as the lecture was completely in English. Professors taught in English… Students asked questions in English…
All she could do was note down everything which was written on the board. Her courage almost drained at the end of the day.
She came out feeling scared. Mohan was waiting for her to get to RM. She got inside the car thinking about what Arshad advised her that day morning. She could learn something new from everyone, but how could she learn English? From whom could she learn?
RM
Aanandhi was helping Naina and Mythili with cooking, thinking about her college, Loli, Sonu, small dressed girls and also about the alien language English.
Raut's gathered in Dining. Arshad didn’t arrive yet. He got stuck in a conference.
Grandma: Aanandhi Daughter, you too take your seat.
Aanandhi: No Grandma, I will eat with Arshad.
She said gulping, looking at her favourite aloo-puri.
Mythili: Aanandhi, Chinni will be late today as he has a foreign client meeting.
Aanandhi: It’s OK Mythili. I can wait until he comes.
Kunal: Aanandhi, please don’t make him embarrassed. He will start coming home leaving his work behind if you pressurize him like
this.
Grandma: It will be good if Chinni does so.
Nirupama: Exactly. Let Arshad come earlier, at least now onwards.
Aanandhi: No brother in law, he doesn’t need to come earlier for me. Let him come complete his work. I can wait.
Mythili: Please try to understand Aanandhi. Don’t be adamant.
Aanandhi was silent. How could she eat before Arshad eats? didn’t her Mommy advise her not to do so?
Mythili: what are you thinking? Come on eat.
Aanandhi: No. Mommy advised me that I should wait for Arshad.
Mythili: I will talk to Mahima Aunty. Now come and eat.
Aanandhi: Please, Mythili, don’t compel me.
Grandma: Arrey Mythili, why are you forcing her? Let Chinni handle her.
Mythili nodded yes and started having dinner. Raut's finished dinner and sat in the living room chitchatting while Aanandhi went to
her room to go through her lessons. They saw Arshad hurrying inside RM. He came to them.
Arshad: Sis, Did Aanandhi have Dinner?
Mythili(amazed): Do you know she will be waiting for you?
Arshad: Yeah, that’s why I came to finish my client meeting.
Mythili: Ask her not to do this, Chinni. She didn’t listen to us no matter how hard we tried.
Arshad: It’s ok Sis.
Mythili: It’s not OK Chinni. I know you won’t be punctual. Why will she wait for you?
Arshad: I will try to come earlier. Or else I will inform her if I come late.
Mythili: Are you sure?
Arshad: Yeah, She doesn’t know about my job and business Sis. She will understand in a few days.
Mythili: But she obeys your orders. Make her understand.
Arshad: No need Sis. It feels good that someone is waiting for me. He smiled.
Mythili: But you never wanted me to be waiting for you? she pouted.
Arshad: It’s because there is a poor soul called Brother-in-law who is also there for my Sis. I didn’t want to get his curse at all.
Mythili hit his shoulder and Arshad laughed.
Grandma: Go and get fresh Chinni. Aanandhi must be hungry.
Arshad nodded yes and rushed towards his room. He stopped at the entrance after hearing his wife’s blabbering.
Aanandhi: God, you shouldn’t have allowed them to enter India.
Arshad was confused. Whom was she talking about?
Aanandhi (looking up): If you stopped British people from entering India, then the English Language had not come to
India. I would be happy studying in Hindi. (she said sadly) Or else I should have taken birth in England.
Do you know, even a vegetable seller talks in English there? (Arshad couldn’t hold his laugh hearing her demand.) I can’t understand my subjects as I studied in Hindi medium.
So this was her problem in college? Let’s handle it. He stood there thinking for a while and entered. Aanandhi saw him coming and smiled.
Arshad: Hi, how was your day?
Aanandhi ( sighing): You are right, Arshad. Mumbai is completely different from Patna. English is everything here. I feel like the alphabet is dancing on my head.
Arshad(chuckled): Yah, everyone talks in English here.
Aanandhi: Not just talk, they laugh in English, walk-in English, even cough in English. She said, pouting.
Arshad (Laughing): Do you want to learn English?
Aanandhi (feeling sad): Can I?
Arshad: Why not? Do you know, I also studied in Hindi medium school? See now, how do I talk in English?
Aanandhi (excitedly): Really? How?
Arshad: Because I attended a spoken English class. You also join if you want to improve your English.
Aanandhi: Thank you god, no no thank you so much Arshad.
She sat on the bed smilingly thanking god with joining hands.
Arshad: Why didn’t you have dinner?
Aanandhi: I’m waiting for you.
Arshad: As your Mommy advised?
Aanandhi: Not only because of that.
Arshad: Then?
Aanandhi: You are my husband, that’s why.
Arshad: but I don’t think all wives do this for their husbands. He said, folding his hands.
Aanandhi: It’s because I’m Aanandhi Kumari Solanki Sinha Raut.
Arshad adored her when she uttered her name. He went to the washroom to get fresh without taking his eyes from her.
…..
After having dinner, Arshad went back to their room while Aanandhi started cleaning the dining table. Arshad took Aanandhi’s notebook from her bag and went through it once. He opened his laptop and surfed her lesson’s Hindi terms. Now he was ready.
Aanandhi went to the washroom to get changed. She came wearing her night suit.
Arshad: Aanandhi, what about your subjects? Is it easy to understand?
Aanandhi: I told you to know, everything is in English here. Then how could I understand? She pouted.
Arshad: Give me your book. I will explain it to you in Hindi.
Aanandhi: Will you really do that?
Arshad nodded yes.
Aanandhi removed her book from her bag and gave it to him.
Arshad pretended like he had read it for the first time. He started explaining it in Hindi by using a simple method. He could see relief in Aanandhi’s face. She looked damn happy.
Arshad: Any doubts?
Aanandhi: I wish you would be my professor because none of my professors speak Hindi.
Arshad: Don’t worry. I will teach you every day.
Aanandhi: Are you sure?
Arshad: Yah.
Aanandhi: Thank you so much Arshad.
Arshad: Welcome. Now go to sleep.
Aanandhi went to bed and sat on it. Arshad was supposed to lean on the recliner. Aanandhi called him.
Aanandhi(hesitatingly):Arshad…
Arshad: Yah…
Aanandhi: You have to sleep in bed from now onwards.
Arshad got stuck for a second.
Arshad: Why…. suddenly?
He wanted to know from her mouth what made her take this decision.
Aanandhi: Because you are not that BAD. She said innocently.
Arshad (swallowing the chuckle): Ohhh really?
Aanandhi: Haa. You seem to be good.
Arshad(smilingly): Thank you for your compliment.
Aanandhi: Will you?
Arshad nodded yes. He joined her on the bed, delighted, as he didn’t expect this progress soon. And no need to say that he didn’t get asleep soon either.
There was no hesitation or suspiciousness in Aanandhi’s gesture like she had on their first night. She slept within seconds. Wasn’t it a
reward for Arshad? Arshad slowly held her palm and closed his eyes peacefully as he reached the first step to the next level of their marriage.
- Writer
