Unseen future of a Girl : Short Story

Sudha was a bit contented today, two pot full of water was the reason for her smile, "Ahh! this will be sufficient for Baba, Imli and me". Her lonely eyes were not in sync with her subtle smile, she was missing Deepa who used to accompany her walk.

Clanging anklets from afar made Sudha’s father aware of his daughter return from the most important chore of the day. "You look so pale", Bhimsen quickly helped to place the pots down and wiped the sweat off his daughter’s forehead. 

“Baba, I am not tired”, Sudha assured her father who started looking aged than his after Sudha’s mother passed away a year back. Sudha easily convinced her father by hiding her swollen ankle behind her salwar that had dried dirt on it after walking 3 miles. 

“You can pamper me like your mother used to do it but soon when you get scholarship for graduation to nearby city, I will do all work single-handedly that too swiftly even taking care of Imli”. Bhimsen got up from the coir cot, started filling grass in basket for 2-month old Imli, their goat a member who will be his company when Sudha leaves. 

Sudha was meticulous and had a dream to study law, for this Bhimsen rubbed off all marriage proposals of her daughter knowing her studies can bring change in the district Bhiwani and most importantly make farmers understand the laws which are beneficial to them also about the terms on which farmers can save land against heavy loan. This could also help most of them to not forcefully leave their native place. 

Months passed, Sudha’s effort paved way her seat to Law college in Panipat which was of 3 hours journey from her place. She moved to city, in shade of her relatives to which Bhimsen trusted through thick and thin. 

Sudha was now staying with maternal aunt’s family. The living area was compact but relatives open arms never made her stumble for space. Helping her aunt in the daily chores was her favourite task after she returned from college. Her aunt often asked her to fetch water from common tap that was divided among 14 houses. Standing hours for her turn in evening she would fetch four pots at a time remembering her days in the village. 

Sudha rarely travelled to home town to save on the expenses. On call with her father she regularly enquired about his well-being and Imli, while she would brilliantly hide the problems faced by her, be it seniors ragging in college, her difficulties in commute and also her swollen ankle, like she did when she was in Bhiwani. 

..........

Three years passed, she graduated with not only degree, but also confidence to understand all civil laws. When she reached her home, she saw grown-up Imli wandering in the front yard and her father Bhimsen lying on the cot, which was unusual for him at this hour of the day. 

Though she was not wearing lawyer’s black coat Bhimsen imagined her in that and beamed with happiness but he could not reach to bless Sudha so signaled her brave daughter to come nearby. 

Sudha was surprised to know that her father Bhimsen had left farming six months back, sold the land to save money for Sudha’s marriage and his Paraplegia medicines. 

Sudha was perplexed holding Baba hand in one with a promise to marry and degree in another, hiding her swollen ankle behind salwar again. Her constant swollen ankle had new volatile life with landlord as her husband. 

"Things will surely change", Sudha thought caressing her swollen ankle.

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This blogpost is a part of #StoryTellersBloghop where we are hosting fellow bloggers in the #FictionWritersExclusive bloghop along with our co-host Ujjwal Mishra who blogs at www.mywordsmywisdom.com You can read the first two weeks stories here 

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