“You two had
been in relationship since the college days? What the hell has happened to
youths of today? They want to marry when they can’t even feed their mouth. How are
you going to feed your children Tashi? Will you be proud to tell your children
that you don’t even have a job? Answer me first and prove me that I am wrong?”
His face blushed with the fire of anger. As all mothers do, Tashi’s mother was
helpless. She looked at my face whenever the intonation of father’s voice rose
higher.
“Ap, calm down!
Our son is going to get job sooner. He can try for other jobs as well. No one
becomes what they want. It takes time”, mother was trying to calm him down.
“You are the who
had spoilt our boy! You show lot of unnecessary sympathies. Don’t tell me about
marriage. It is too early to talk about the marriage. You talk about other
jobs? What can he qualify for? Caretaker of Rukubji? Girl, will you be happy to
marry a caretaker? Neighbours will soon begin to blame. They will say that
Tashi has graduated from Paro to become a caretaker of primary school”, the
father kept his stand as I could not speak anything. I kept looking at Tashi.
My eyes were getting filled with tears.
“I have talked
with my relatives in Thimphu to look for further studies. They have already
decided Tashi’s college. It will be somewhere at the southern part of India. As
a father, I look for his matter. I have planned to send Tashi to India next
month. Therefore, he cannot marry anyone. Let’s not make this issue a big one.
Let’s get it solved today. Until Tashi finds his own stomach, he will have to
find it himself”, the father commanded like a Judge in a courtroom.
Tashi to India?
How long do I have to wait for him? Two years? Three years? The questions rose
behind my head. I could not listen to the discussion for more. The father not
only spoiled our marriage but also the taste of Suja. The poor cup held
half-filled suja that was losing its heat as the talk prolonged. I stood up
quickly and dashed through same door towards my school. I unfolded my neatly
folded sleeve and began to wipe my tears. When I realized, I was already crying
with my voice out. I didn’t care whether my cries were heard by neighbours in
the area.
“Lekyuen!
Lekyuen! Wait! Wait!”, somewhere in the distance, I heard Tashi’s voice. His
footsteps were following me from behind. I didn’t know how I ran so fast that
day. I was already at the small football ground of the school. With tears
falling like rain from the sky, I turned on my mobile screen. It was six
thirty-five in the evening. I threw the mobile on the ground and threw my knees
on the grasses. I continued crying as my heart was shattered like those glasses
of a window.
“It’s okay
Lekyuen! It’s okay! This is not the end. We have long way to go. We can prove
him wrong. We can marry and we can have a family. All we need is little time”.
Tashi helped me and my poor mobile from the ground. He wiped my tears and
hugged me into his warm arms. I could not stop crying.
In my broken
voices, “What do you mean? You need a little time? How many years until you get
a job? Three? Five? If I have known all these, I would not even think of coming
to this poor place. I have left my mom there at Bajo to come here with you”.
“Lekyuen please!
Calm down. Both of us know that we love each other. I can wait as well as you.
Can’t you?”
“I am sick of
this love. It eats me from inside. How can I stay here alone when you are gone?
I don’t want to stay here. I want to go back”.
“I have never
expected this to happen. I accept that it is all my fault. I have failed to
live up to his expectations. I am so disappointed in myself.” He was crying as
well.
After consoling
each other, we said goodbye to that day. He went back to his home and I came
back to my terrible room for another terrible night.
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