“How will I give the
letter to her?” This thought has been compelling me to have many sleepless
nights.
It’s 4:30 am now. Aruna
is sleeping peacefully on my shoulder. Her earring is pinning me a bit, but I
don’t have enough courage to ask her to move. May be, she would hug me more
tightly then, removing her earring. It’s been almost 10 years of our marriage
now.
I could feel some
roughness in her fingers while she kept them on my chest. Why they will not be
rough? Since morning 5 am till 11 pm, her hands and feet are continuously on the move,
doing soft and rough, all tasks. I will have to do a hats off, how this lady
manages everything so nicely without me. Doing all household chores, cooking, waking up
children, feeding them, sending them school, then going to school by riding her
bike, doing all her official tasks, shopping for home, teaching the children
and serving her parents-in-law etc……it’s really commendable! …..My mom is also old
enough to help her in cooking or other works.
…I will have to agree
and confess that I am a top government officer now only because of
her. She was the only one who brought the application form to fill up for State
Civil Services and pushed me hard to study, do perseverance, even after 5 yrs of our married life. Her hot tea in the
middle of the nights used to make me refresh during those days.
And, I got selected. Aruna
was extremely happy. Initially, we were upset while my first posting was a bit
far away from home, in Nagaon. It’s almost 300 km from Sivsagar. Aruna could not leave Sivsagar because of her teaching job, children's school and my old parents. So, I used to travel by
morning 5 am bus on every Monday and come back on Friday evening 4 pm bus. Gradually,
many faces became familiar in the bus, who were regular travelers like me. Mamta
was one among them. She works in Nagaon court. She had to bear the pain of
staying far away from her family because of her husband’s local business. She
is just 3 years younger to me, a matured personality, with beautiful smile. I still
remember the day, she for the first time lean on my shoulder to drain out all her
mental pain.
With rolling of time, Mamta and I became close and closer day by day. We took our rented houses near to each other. If
there is any Assam bandh, we used to invite each other for lunch and dinner. It’s
been almost 5 years now, we are travelling together, staying nearby. Without knowing, we were
entangling each other emotionally…and somehow, someway a bit physically too.
Mamta has a daughter, who is 5 years old and she is quite adjusted with her
grandparents.
I got a Transfer
letter, last month to Dhemaji. Dhemaji is in the other corner of the state.
Mamta was continuously crying, confessing that it’s not possible for her to live
without me. Now, we had planned to get her transfer to Dhemaji too, and we were
successful with some good amount of bribe.
Yesterday, we both came
to Sivsagar. But, this time, in a different mode, different motive, different
plan. Each one of us have one letter in hand.
Generally, once, I
reach home, it’s like festivity welcomes me. Aruna becomes restless…she cooks my
favourite food, drapes herself with beautiful cloth, sits with me to tell her
whole week’s stories, probably expects me to talk to her for the whole night
too. My 8 yrs. daughter produces a long list of her requirements, and my little
son tries to impress me with his naughty thoughts so that I buy some cars for
him, next day. My parents also have their own share of stories about relatives,
neighbours…etc.
I am restless…...since
I entered the house. I have been looking for an opportunity to hand over the
letter to her since then…..
It’s 5:30 am now.
But, Aruna is still sleeping peacefully. Her face is looking innocent, blissful……probably
she is thinking that she is lying in the safest place in the world. I am wondering what Mamta doing right now, is
she too sleeping on her husband’s shoulder…..!!!
