The Invincible Moonsheen

Part – 51

(Telugu Original “Venutiragani Vennela” by Dr K.Geeta)

English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar

(The previous story briefed)

Samira, who is four months pregnant, comes to America to meet Udayini, her mother’s friend who runs “Sahaya”—an organization that helps women. Samira expresses her desire to get a divorce and explains the circumstances that led to this decision. Udayini asks Samira to listen to “Tanmayi’s” story before making up her mind.
Tanmayi and Sekhar meet at a relative’s wedding and get married with their elders’ blessings. Right after the wedding, Sekhar’s true colors come to light. A baby boy is born in the first year. Despite facing hardships with Sekhar, Tanmayi completes her M.A. at the university and registers for a Ph.D. After fighting with Sekhar for many days, Tanmayi finally separates from him. She gets a job as a lecturer near Hyderabad. Her childhood friend, Prabhu, unexpectedly crosses paths with her again and proposes marriage. Tanmayi requests a year’s time, setting a condition that they should not meet in the interim.

***

Seeing her parents, Tanmayi finally regained her courage. The boy also jumped around happily. Even though it had been only a week since her surgery, Tanmayi started getting up on her own to do small chores.

“Be careful, Amma. You must not sit on the floor or lift any heavy weights at all,” Jyothi warned her.

“How do I let Prabhu know that they have arrived? If I want to step out and call Prabhu’s office, I don’t feel like I have enough strength to walk outside yet,” Tanmayi thought to herself.

In the morning, as Thaiba was leaving for college, Tanmayi secretly called her and handed her a folded piece of paper. “Give this letter to Siddhartha Sir,” she whispered.
As she turned around, she bumped into her mother. “It’s nothing… just a leave letter for the college,” she said, slightly fumbling.

“But I didn’t ask you anything,” Jyothi replied.

It was actually a request letter to Siddhartha, asking him to call Prabhu and inform him about her parents’ arrival. On one hand, Tanmayi was anxious about what to tell her parents if Prabhu showed up; on the other hand, she felt a sudden wave of dread and restlessness about what would happen if he didn’t.

Seeing his daughter looking so unsettled and drenched in sweat, Bhanumurthy asked affectionately, “What happened, Amma?” Hearing her father’s loving voice, Tanmayi burst into tears.
“Oh dear, oh dear! You had your surgery not even ten days ago. Should you be crying like this?” her mother said in a panic.

What could she say? Even if she told them, would they appreciate or even accept the deep bond of affection that had grown between her and Prabhu? Lacking the courage to speak, she wiped her tears and stood there, staring at the floor.

“Eat something quietly and get some sleep, Amma. Don’t fill your head with unnecessary thoughts. Your mother and I will stay right here with you until you recover,” Bhanumurthy said reassuringly.

Tanmayi nodded silently in agreement.

Her heart felt incredibly heavy. Until recently, she was the one who had placed restrictions on Prabhu. But now, living without seeing him felt almost impossible. She pulled Tilak’s book Amrutam Kurisina Ratri from the bookshelf and placed it under her head.

“In all the days I have lived, in all the webs I have spun,
I do not remember where I met you, but…
There is no time in my life where you do not exist.
There is no other path to separate you from my way.
My sleeping chamber,
Without you, is nothing but absolute emptiness.”
As Tilak’s poetry flowed like a torrent from her eyes, Tanmayi closed them weakly. She had no idea how long she slept.

“Dear, how are you?” Hearing Devi’s voice outside the threshold, Tanmayi startled awake.

Devi and her elder brother had indeed materialized there. Seeing her father setting up chairs in the courtyard while Devi and her brother exchanged pleasantries and showered affection on her little boy, Tanmayi instantly developed a pounding headache. Unwilling to open her eyes, she turned over and lay down, her heart groaning in silent agony.

Her body and mind were already in ruins. Why this nuisance from them now? Why did they even come here?

“They’ve managed to haunt us here too,” Jyothi grumbled, making a racket while putting tea on the stove. Hearing the noise, Tanmayi slowly sat up.
Bhanumurthy was conversing with them warmly.

“We heard about the surgery, Annayya. I arrived at my elder brother’s place in Hyderabad just the day before yesterday. But with all his busy office schedule, I could only make it here today,” Devi’s words drifted in from outside.

“Look at her sudden overflowing love for you,” Jyothi remarked sarcastically to Tanmayi.

Tanmayi silently went to the bathroom, washed her face, and came back.

“Whatever we say, we are still family. How long can we go on without facing each other?” Devi’s brother was saying.
Bhanumurthy silently sipped his tea without replying.

Seeing Tanmayi come out, her uncle stood up, gestured toward the porch, and said, “Come here, Amma, sit in the chair.”

With a painted smile on her face, Devi asked, “Dear, how is your health now?” Annoyed by the artificial warmth, Tanmayi merely nodded blankly.

“What can I say, Vadina? Someone’s evil eye fell on them, and a beautiful family shattered. We didn’t even have the good fortune of seeing our grandson regularly,” Devi sniffled, dabbing her nose.
Jyothi looked at Tanmayi quizzically, as if asking, “Why on earth are they here?”

Tanmayi returned the same questioning look.

An evil eye shattered the family? Does this woman not know any of the realities? Does she not know that her own son willfully trampled over their marriage?
Even after everything that happened, compared to the loss she and her son endured, what was the pain of Shekhar or these people? This woman’s only grief was not being able to see her grandson. But what about her own pain? What about her son’s?

With a storm raging in her mind but lacking the energy to voice it, Tanmayi prepared to get up and leave.

Right then, her uncle addressed Bhanumurthy. “I brought my sister here because I couldn’t bear to see her suffer. Bavagaru (brother-in-law)! Everyone has finally realized your daughter’s true worth. The woman Shekhar married after leaving your daughter is a living nightmare. She doesn’t let anyone step foot in the house. Besides, he suffered heavy losses in business and is completely ruined. On top of that, he now has two daughters. You must somehow convince your daughter and save that family,” he said, speaking hesitantly.

Before Bhanumurthy could say anything, Devi sniffled again. “Annayya! Even if we aren’t born of the same womb, I am still your sister. We are all deeply depressed that our grandson has been kept away from us. Let’s put all that aside—you tell me. My son is ready to take your daughter back and look after her again. What do you say?”

Tanmayi felt a sudden surge of rage, as if her surgical stitches were being violently ripped open. She felt like slapping them both across their faces and throwing them out by their collars. Bhanumurthy listened with a sorrowful expression. Unable to witness the pain on her father’s face, Tanmayi got up abruptly, but a sharp, sudden pain shot through her, forcing her to sink back down.

Instantly sensing her daughter’s distress, Jyothi stepped in. “I fold my hands in front of you. My child is still tender from her surgery like an open wound. Please do not torture her anymore. Come inside, Amma,” she said, offering her hand for support.

The moment they stepped into the room, Tanmayi leaned on her mother’s shoulder and let out all her heavy grief.

“Don’t cry, Amma! Be strong. Today, because you are well-settled in a job, they want you. Shameless creatures! Now that that useless fellow needs a wife who can earn and feed him, they’ve come searching for you,” Jyothi spoke loudly, making sure her words carried outside.

Just then, the prayer call from the nearby mosque drifted in.

“I don’t know if they heard my words or not. Let me go check. You lie down. Don’t come out. Your father and I will handle them,” Jyothi said and walked out.

Tanmayi had no desire to even know what her parents were discussing. She closed her eyes in sheer exhaustion. Her son, who was playing somewhere outside, came running in and snuggled next to her. Tanmayi pulled him close and showered him with kisses through her tears.

As if understanding his mother’s pain, the little boy wiped her tears and said, “Amma! Grandma brought me a chocolate. I told her I didn’t want it.”
Tanmayi held him tight against her chest.

Tanmayi could not sleep that night. Between the raging storm in her mind, the unvented anger, and perhaps her body taking its toll on her, her stitches throbbed with pain.

To forget everything Shekhar had done—no, to forgive him—and start a life with him as if nothing had happened… was that even remotely possible? He had committed mistake after mistake. Sunk deep into vices, he had burned every vow they made before the sacred fire. While still married to her, he had quietly married another girl without a word and staged a massive drama to get rid of her. He had even stripped her of her wedding jewelry. And now, under the pretext of “taking her back,” he wanted to start plundering her life all over again.

And they used the child as an excuse. Tanmayi felt her head splitting. She couldn’t understand why her father had listened to their talk so calmly that morning. Does no one understand that she, too, has a heart? Even if no one else valued it, she did. She knew who she was. She was no longer a dependent. She was an empowered, self-reliant woman capable of deciding what she wanted for her own life. Disturbances like these would keep happening. The faster she could pull herself out of them, the better it would be for her.

Wiping her tears, she washed her face, came out, and sat on the concrete bench in the moonlit courtyard. She must never, under any circumstances, drag her peaceful life back into that muddy swamp. She shouldn’t even entertain the thought. Right now, her only concern should be how quickly she could physically recover. Since her parents were with her, she didn’t have to worry about her son or the household chores for now. But sitting idle at home was robbing her of her peace of mind. She had to convince her mother and slowly head back to college within a week. It might be difficult to stand and teach for long periods, but she could teach while sitting down. She had to be brave. She had to face everything with courage.

Looking up at the night sky, she whispered to herself, “My silent friend! Won’t you give me the strength to face these hardships?”

The next morning, Sunday, Tanmayi was surprised to see Prabhu walking through the gate.

What was this? Didn’t she send word through Siddhartha asking him not to come?

As soon as he walked in, he handed some grapes and bananas to Jyothi and greeted her.

Recognizing him, Jyothi said, “Ah… how are your parents doing, son? I saw you long ago during your student days. You used to live in a rented house in the neighborhood beyond our street, didn’t you?”

Bhanumurthy merely nodded his head without returning the greeting. Watching Prabhu sit in the courtyard, Tanmayi’s heart leaped with joy on one hand, but she was gripped by fear of what her parents might say on the other. She noticed her parents observing how familiarly her son went and sat on Prabhu’s lap.

Slowly walking outside, Tanmayi met his eyes. “How is your health?” Prabhu asked, his voice thick with tenderness.

Tanmayi nodded silently. In truth, she wanted to cling to him and cry her heart out. Despite telling herself to be strong all night, seeing Prabhu brought back a wave of vulnerability.

She wanted to hold him and plead, “My friend! Save me quickly from all the miseries of this world.”

As if reading her mind, Prabhu looked at her with deep sorrow. Unable to bear it any longer, Tanmayi went back inside. Her mother started making tea in the kitchen. Standing there, leaning against the wall, Tanmayi was startled when her father suddenly rushed in behind her.

Grabbing her throat in a sudden fit of rage, his face contorted, he demanded, “Who is he? Why does he keep coming here?”

Tanmayi was stunned by this sudden violence.

Jyothi let out a sharp scream. “Stop it! Are you going to kill the child? Let’s ask him first!”

Bhanumurthy instantly snapped out of his rage and let go, but his nails had already left marks on her neck. Tears welled up in Tanmayi’s eyes. Was this the same father who had raised her with so much love and affection since childhood? For the first time, she felt a wave of disgust toward him. She stared at her father with red, piercing eyes.

“Dear, won’t you even let us live in peace?” her mother suddenly chimed in, siding with her father.

Jyothi shut the door so their voices wouldn’t carry outside and walked over to Prabhu, who was sitting in the courtyard.

Prabhu, who seemed to have heard everything, was already standing up. Walking toward them, he shook his head and said, “My parents wanted me to return home urgently, so I am leaving for my hometown. I came by just to let you know. Forgive me if I have caused you any unnecessary trouble. I will come again,” he said, and walked out of the gate.

Tanmayi slumped onto the concrete bench, staring blankly in the direction he had gone. Whatever her father’s reason was for grabbing her throat, he could never be the same father to her again. Never.

No matter what her mother said about Prabhu afterward, Tanmayi maintained a stony silence. Both her parents were resentful that Prabhu had left without speaking to them.

“You saw, didn’t you? Before your father could even ask him what the matter was, he fled.”

“But then, we can’t blame him entirely. He wouldn’t keep coming unless you gave him leeway.”

“What a misfortune this is. We will have to keep weeping over you for as long as we live.”

“Heavens! If anyone in the neighborhood finds out that a local boy is hanging around our girl like this, what will become of our reputation?”

Her mother ranted on and on before finally falling silent. Tanmayi did not speak to her father until the day they left. For as long as they stayed, she felt like a prisoner in her own home. She could not tolerate the fact that even though they were her parents, they still treated her like a child to be disciplined. Yet, she chose to remain silent without talking back. Shekhar had abandoned her and was living his life happily. What was wrong with her trying to put her own life back together? Why were they blaming Prabhu for coming to see her?

Before her marriage, they had raised her under strict rules and fear in that village. Did they still want her to remain under their thumb? Or did they simply not want her to rebuild her life? Did they fear she would make another mistake? Did they want her to remain alone for the rest of her life? Or did they want her to reconcile with Shekhar? Or did they want to find a suitable match for her themselves? If that were true, why hadn’t they looked at a single alliance for her all this time? Was it because they didn’t approve of Prabhu’s family, his community, or his circumstances?
Wrestling with these baffling questions, Tanmayi struggled to find any answers.

The moment she stepped into the college on her first day back, everyone, including the Principal, greeted her warmly.

Within a few minutes, Thaiba came in and handed her a letter. Seeing Prabhu’s handwriting, a rush of joy surged through Tanmayi.

She opened it eagerly.

“My dearest Tanu,
I cannot tell you how painful it is for me to have to go away from you when you haven’t even fully recovered yet. I had to return home urgently this week because of some pressing matters.
Knowing that your parents are with you gives me some peace of mind, yet the worry of how you are doing constantly haunts me.

I did not want to burden you with the reason behind my sudden return home, especially given your current delicate situation. But then, who else do I have to share everything with but you?
Without my knowledge, my family has fixed an alliance for me and called to say that the engagement is tomorrow. I had no choice but to come and tell them about us. But now that I am here, I find myself lacking the courage. On one hand, it is clear that your parents do not approve of us. On the other hand, my family will never agree to this. And so, I have finally come to a decision…”
Tanmayi could not read any further.

Her heart pounded violently, her face broke into a sweat, and with trembling hands, she collapsed onto the table. A crushing grief gripped her heart. She felt her surroundings spinning.
Standing by the door, Thaiba rushed inside, crying out, “Oh my god… Madam! Madam!”

*****

(Continued next month)