Destiny

17. Loosing Hope

There was no way she could call Anand from the village, so she decided to write
to him instead and wait for his reply.

Dear Anand, she wrote
By now you must have heard the 'news' about me. But I want to tell you the truth.
The past two months have been the most terrifying of my life. It started with a live coal falling on my foot on Lakshmi puja. A few days after the wound healed, I noticed a small white patch there and since I did not know what to do about it, I consulted Dr Rao at the skin clinic in the city. He confirmed that it was leukoderma. I am taking the treatment prescribed by Dr Rao. Please do not think that I hid this matter from your mother. I didn't tell anyone about my condition because I was scared and apprehensive. But your mother thinks that I have had the patch since before our marriage. She is convinced that I hid it from you and tricked you into marrying me. But you know that is not true. I never even dreamt that you would want someone like me; I was always aware of the differences between us before you erased them.

Anand, you know I did not have the patch when we got married. Please tell your mother that I have not deceived you. I am staying with my father in the village. But how long can I stay here as an additional burden on my father?
Please make arrangements for me to join you as soon as possible. My thoughts are always with you.
I shall be waiting eagerly for your response.
Always yours,
Anu

🍃🍃

Life in the village was very hard for Anupama. Sarita was an uneducated and old-fashioned woman who believed that white patches brought bad luck and were contagious. So, she treated Anupama with disdain and although Anupama tried her best to explain the nature of her ailment to Sarita, she failed to convince her.

Days passed and there was no reply from Anand. At night, Anupama would sit by her window and gaze at the stars, wondering about Anand's reaction to her letter.

He must have been upset; she realized that it would take some time for him to come to terms with what had happened. But Anupama was confident that he would reply to her soon.

The Postman told Anupama, 'You don't need to ask me every day. I know you are waiting for your husband's letter. The day I get it, I will bring it to you.'

By now, everyone in the village knew that Anupama had a white patch because of which her in-laws had sent her back, and that her husband had not written to her. There were many rumours about it. Malicious stories, which had not even a semblance of truth, spread through the village, and Anupama could not help hearing the whispered gossip. The villagers asked Sarita all sorts of questions about her.

'How come Anupama is here? It is not the festive season. . .' Or, 'Is Anupama in the family way that she has come home?' Or, 'We have not seen anyone from her in-laws' family come to your place.'
Sarita would struggle with her lies. 'Oh, she has just come here for a change. She's going to England to join her husband in a few months.'

Through all this, hidden from everyone, the white patch on Anupama's foot kept spreading. The more it spread, the lower Anupama's spirits sank.

The medicines that she was taking regularly did not have any effect on the patch. Months passed, and still there was no news from Anand. At first Anupama had thought that the letter had got lost and Anand had not received it. So she wrote a few more letters, but still there was no reply.

At last, the postman came by the house to deliver a letter for Anupama. She ran to the door, ecstatic, Anand had not forgotten her! He was going to honour the vows he had made at the time of their wedding.

But when she saw the ordinary inland letter, Anupama's hopes plummeted. It was from Sumithra. Bravely swallowing her tears, she went inside and opened the letter.