was shocked, but looked back at her calmly. “Roshni, why are you doing this? I know we have stress in our relationship, and I am responsible for it. All I’m asking is for some time to sort things out. Can I ask for some understanding and patience, please? You’ve been handling everything so maturely and so professionally, so why not now? Please!” he pleaded.
Roshni was aware Deepak was agitated and angry, and anything she said aggravated him. She decided to be quiet. She went into the room and packed all that was bought; she left the kurtas for Deepak to pack.
Deepak was right. She handled other things very maturely, then why not now…with this relationship.
~ ~ ~
They returned to Mumbai the next day. Deepak updated Sashank regarding the wonderful darshan and the hotel stay, and thanked Sashank for making such good arrangements for them.
After their arrival, Roshni and Deepak distributed the gifts to everybody, and they thanked them for being so thoughtful. Deepak looked at Roshni and thanked her with gestures, and she acknowledged him.
It was 6 p.m., and Akash was ready to leave for a satsangh. Roshni stopped him and started a conversation. She looked at Deepak and hinted at him. Deepak remembered the request Roshni had regarding spending time with family, and he directly requested Akash to stay and spend time with everybody at home since he was in India for only a few more days.
He also asked his brothers at the dinner table to spend time together as a family while he was still here. Sashank and Akash smiled and agreed. Kaki noticed this from the kitchen; she was glad that Sashank and Akash agreed. Over the next couple of days, all the brothers spent time together. Deepak promptly saw the impact this had on him and his brothers, and he thanked Roshni at an opportune time for bringing this to his attention. It was December 26 th , and Deepak had to return to the US.
Chapter 7
Deepak Returns to the US after the Wedding
December 26 th
Deepak’s flight was late at night; he called his friend Vivek that morning to confirm he was coming to the airport to pick him up. Since Vivek was not available, Deepak left a message for him to call back. He looked at all his clothes and parcels lying on the bed. He had made an attempt to pack the previous day but was not successful. He decided to have chai first, always a refreshing beverage, then pack.
Roshni was in the kitchen, and she offered chai to Deepak. Sashank was at the dining table, reading the newspaper and enjoying the bright sunlight. He noticed Deepak and asked if he had finished packing. Deepak answered in the negative, saying that he was not able to accommodate everything so he would have to repack.
Sashank suggested asking for Roshni’s help. Roshni overheard this conversation from the kitchen, and she was not very thrilled, but agreed to help. Roshni opened the bedroom door and was flabbergasted to see all the items spread all over the bed and floor. Deepak is definitely not good at packing, she thought.
Roshni sorted out things to pack. Deepak had to attend to a couple of telephone calls and moved to the balcony. In the meantime, Roshni managed to pack everything. Deepak returned to the room and was surprised – no more mess. He was awed once again; her efficiency was remarkable.
“Thank you, Roshni, this was a great help. Thank you.” He smiled. He weighed the suitcases, and they were within weight constraints. “Perfect, excellent job, Roshni. Thank you!” He smiled at her again.
Roshni took this opportunity and brought out an envelope. “Deepak, this is for you.”
Deepak wondered, And what is in this envelope?
Roshni handed over the envelope and mentioned she had the power of attorney.
Deepak looked at Roshni and the envelope. “What is this for?” It did not occur to him at that time that the power of attorney was made to help him with Roshni’s immigration.
“For our divorce!”
It felt like somebody dropped a huge rock on