(4)... Papa's Last Summer
After some time silence reigned. My brother and sister-in-law waited hopefully for me to speak. By this time there was no doubt to me where my sympathies lay. I was happy that Papa was alive, and had probably gained a new lease on life by this turn of fortune. I was mentally congratulating them for their courage. And I was very satisfied that I would not have to worry any more about Papa’s health and well being. They would take better care of each other in their old age than their children ever could.
It was, therefore, with an air of amused interest that I asked, “So what is the problem now? After all, you wanted him to protect your social standing, and he has gone out to manage his life on his own. Stop worrying. He is old enough to decide for himself...”
An outraged scream from Rama cut me short. “Hai! just listen to her! Arre, our family’s name has been ground to dust, and she says stop worrying.”
For once Rahul let her have the floor uninterrupted because he was too indignant to say anything. Rama went on, “Our friends have stopped visiting us. The children are taunted by their friends in school. Even the servants laugh at the whole thing... I feel ashamed to go out... all the time someone is pointing out at the house and...”
I didn’t pay any attention to her after the first sentence. She finished the monologue with a sarcastic remark about like father like daughter, and stamped her way inside to ventilate herself on an ill fated servant.
Rahul roused himself from his stupor to say acrimoniously, “It is a scandal, Maya. You have to be on our side and help us out...” thus, alienating me further.
He explained that he wanted me to talk some sense into Papa and persuade him to return home. Then they could shift somewhere else and help him get over the episode. “It is not as if they are going to get married”, he said belligerently.
I pointed out that there were a lot of couples staying together perfectly happily. Rahul all but spluttered, “It is outrageous... at his age!”
Even if he did get married, you would still say ‘at his age!’, so quit being so righteous”, I said acidly.
“Don’t tell me you approve of what he has done!” Rahul said with a genuine surprise.
I poured myself a cup of lukewarm tea, and became indifferent to the tension in the atmosphere and the venom Rahul was spitting out.
“This is too much,” Rahul said, pouring himself a drink, perhaps meaning to convey that it was driving him to drink.
At lunch the children supplied a lot of lurid details. “Dadaji has run away with a woman, Auntie,” Arti said. They were both excited about the event. They told me that he had waved at them when they were returning from the school. “Auntie,” Arun said soberly, reminding me strongly of Rahul, “Dadaji is badmash.” Somehow this nauseated me more than any other thing had done so far. Neither Rahul nor Rama said a word to check the invectives flowing from their children. Rama, in fact encouraged them by digging for more juicy details, such as what “she” was wearing, and which way they went., etc.
When the children retreated from the room, Rama said with a sense of finality, “Maya, you can go and rest now. In the evening you have to meet your father and tell him that his behavior is causing more damage to the children than any immature man like him can imagine.”
Rahul was apparently delighted that the issue was closed so successfully and favorably. So I would go and have a talk with Papa, as Rama had so confidently planned for me.
“But the children are having a jolly good time, Rama,” I couldn’t help saying, “They are already in the game, spying on their Dadaji.”
Rama threw a plate across the room in fury. “How dare you say that?” she spat.
Rahul quelled Rama by leading her out of the room. He returned and sat down heavily and put his head on his hands. The classic picture of despair.
“You shouldn’t have said that to Rama. You don’t realize the terrible pressure she has on her these days...” his voice trailed off in an inaudible tremor. Even so, I wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
Rahul raised his head and there were tears in his eyes. He got up and took both my hands in his. It was for the first time in years that he had displayed any affection for me. It repelled me because I felt that this was inspired by self-pity and because I was the last hope in the matter.
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