Diamonds Aren’t Forever

Social Short Story – Diamonds Aren’t Forever

Social Short Story – Diamonds Aren’t Forever

He patted his pocket absent mindedly every now and then. Just feeling the little box close to his heart filled him with happiness.  And each time he did, a small smile crossed his face.  Another six hours  more and he would be there.  It was past midnight, but he couldn’t sleep. Six months of waking up to an empty pillow had taught him lessons that 30 years of existence hadn’t.  He walked over to the door of the train and stood there, breathing in the cool night air. The remorse , regret and guilt that had burdened his heart all these months would finally be put to rest. He was going to be a new man and start a new life.

Torn between his mother’s greed and  wife’s poverty, he had chosen to support the wrong side. He married Yamuna out of love, but the wedding had taken place only after all the conditions laid down by his mother were met.  All , but one. Yamuna’s father had decked her in bridal finery and showered her with gold beyond what his modest means could buy, but he was not able to give her the promised diamond earrings. The diamond earrings that were part of the tradition in Arun’s family, something that every bride brought to her marital home as part of her dowry.

His mother’s taunts about the earrings had started from day one and had become worse as the days passed. And when Yamuna’s father, burdened by the wedding debts , was not able to give the earrings as promised even after three months it was the silent bride who had to bear the harsh words of her mother-in-law.

Arun was the only son, the pampered one, the prince of the family, but one who was controlled by his overbearing mother. He consoled Yamuna in the privacy of their bedroom, but wasn’t able to open his mouth in front of his mother.

And as the days went by and the promised earrings did not arrive, the taunts grew more and more cruel. And one day, a small issue during a family gathering grew out of proportion and feeling ashamed that she had a daughter-in-law who had not followed the family tradition of bringing diamond earrings as dowry, Arun’s mother threw Yamuna out of the house.

‘ You’ve shamed me enough, you daughter of a beggar’, she had screamed’ Come back into this house only if you can bring those earrings. I want Lakshmi in this house, not Moodevi’.

And Arun had just stood there, helpless against his mother and other relatives, watching his wife leave the house weeping.

That was six months ago. Six months of regret and remorse later, he had suddenly realised that his wife was more important than a pair of earrings. He still could not bring himself to stand up against his mother, so he had taken a loan and bought the earrings himself. He would go to Yamuna, beg her forgiveness, give her the earrings and ask her father to bring her back to his house. No one would know and his family would be happy and complete again.

**

He stood at the train door till the eastern sky grew light. The new day had dawned and his new life was about to begin. He washed his face and walked back to his seat.

Suddenly the train came to a halt. It was in the middle of nowhere. Tirupur station was almost half an hour away, he thought, why was the train stopping now.

A crowd rushed past and he could hear the sound of an ambulance wailing.

Sudden fear gripped his heart. It was almost telepathic. He knew.

**

Times of India:

7-8-2012

Coimbatore:

A woman committed suicide by throwing herself in front of the train early yesterday morning. The incident happened as the train was approaching Tirupur railway station. The deceased was identified as Yamuna, aged 26 a resident of Tirupur. It is alleged that she took this extreme step due to depression after she was sent back from her marital house six months ago due to dowry harassment by her husband’s family. Her husband Arun and his mother Shanthi have been taken into custody following a complaint by Yamuna’s father.

Arun sat in the police station and patted his shirt pocket. The earring box was still there. He would throw it at his mother’s face, he decided, and demand that she gave him back his wife. And he would spend the rest of his days in jail, paying for his sins.

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