Could Malati's Story be Different?

Malati was from an affluent family, and her parents ran a well-known restaurant in their locality. They left home early in the morning and got back late at night. Malati had a younger sister, Anita. 

Every day she walked to school. One day she met a young man on the street, and he began talking to her. There was an impact of the young man's words, on naive Malati, and soon they became friends, and before she knew it, she was in love with Anil. He walked her to school. 

But one day, Malati's dad saw them together, and he was furious. His face was hard as stone, and she walked into the house; his voice thundered, "MALATI!" It startled Malati. Her father grabbed her by her shoulders as he asked, " who is that boy who walked you home?" Malati began to stutter. "D-D-Dad—" But her dad cut her short and slapped her so hard that Malati fell to the ground. Malati's dad told her, "from this day on, you will not go out of the house." and he stormed out of the house. Malati froze, for she had never seen her dad so angry and never before had he raised his hand on her. 

His words were ringing in her ears, and she thought to herself, "if Dad does not let me get out of the house, how will I meet Anil again!" Malati's tender heart found her separation from Anil unbearable. She remembered Anil telling her, "one day, I will marry you and treat you like a queen. She quickly went to her room, grabbed a bag, packed her essentials and left home. 

Yes, Malati eloped with Anil, and her parents were heartbroken. They desperately tried to bring her back, but Malati stubbornly refused. Finally, they had to give up, and Malati cut all connections with her family to marry Anil.

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The first few days were delightful for Malati, but Anil began to show his true colours. He was a lazy man and never liked to work, and he spent most of his time loitering with his friends and would come home drunk. In his drunken stupor, he began to abuse Malati physically and verbally. One morning when Anil was sober, Malati decided to talk to him. She was serving him breakfast and thought the time was right to speak to him. Mustering courage to do so, she softly called out to him, saying, "Anil?" He turned to look at her as he angrily asked her, "WHAT!" She trembled in fear. "Anil," she said, "we were so good together. But now you have changed. Why do you drink and abuse me!" and she began to cry. 

Anil walked over to her and glared at her. "look here, woman, you should be grateful that I took you into my home and married you. This is the first time, and if you know what is good for you should be the last—" "—But why Anil—" before she could say anything more, Anil slapped her repeatedly as he continued to abuse her verbally. And then Anil said something that shattered Malati. 

He grabbed her violently as he said, "I never loved you. I befriended you only because I knew your dad was rich. I thought by marrying you, I would never have to work for a living. But you had to spoil it all for me—"

Malati interrupted him"—but what did I do?" she asked. "Why did you have to leave your house, what was the need to elope, and when your dad tried to talk you into coming back, why were you so stubborn?" He continued to look at her angrily. "could you not go back. I would have followed you, and we could live in luxury." 

Malati did not know what to think. "what a fool I have been," she thought to herself. But that day, she decided never to return to her dad's house. She looked Anil in the eye as she said, " Anil, you told me that you would treat me like a queen if I married you, and I believed you; unfortunately, you lied. We could work and be rich like my dad, but you don't want to work. But enough is enough. From now on, I will not take any nonsense from you, and if you dare hurt me either with your words or your hands, I will take legal action against you." Anil stormed towards her in anger, saying, "oh is it—" "—Don't you dare" she said, " I will not spare you. I will stay here at your house; I will not go back to my dad. I will earn my living, and if you want to become rich, you better do the same." Anil raised his hands, but he couldn't hit Malati, for the look in her eyes stopped him.

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Malati fought back; using her education she got a job and took care of her needs. But Anil did not change his ways, he continued to drink, but he was no more abusive. A month after the incident, Malati realized she was pregnant, and she was overjoyed as she felt she now had a reason to live. Malati gave birth to a healthy baby boy, she named him Mahesh, and when Mahesh was three years old, Anil passed away.

Malati single-handedly raised her son, and he grew up to be a handsome young man, and Malati ensured that he got the best education. 

Malati got back from a busy day from work, and Mahesh opened the door for her; he seemed excited. Malati read her son well, "yes, Mahesh, what is it that you are so excited about. I know you can't wait to tell me and believe me, I can't wait to hear it," she said. "Mom, I have got the appointment letter, and I was waiting for you to get back home before mailing them my response." Malati could not contain her joy; she hugged her son as she congratulated him. "But," said Mahesh. Malati frowned at her son, " but what son?" Mahesh looked at her, "Mom, the posting is in the US." Everything came to a standstill in the room; Malati was too shaken to say anything; she sat down on the chair closest to her. Mahesh spoke up, " It's alright, Mom, I will tell them I am not interested in the job." 

Malati looked at her son; she knew that he had managed to get his dream job. She took a deep breath as she said, "Son, don't do that. Go mail them, tell them you accept." Mahesh hugged his mom as he kept repeating, "thank you, Mom." "But Mahesh, I don't want you to be alone there." Malati said. "—Mom you have worked so hard all your life, let me start working and I will take you to the US." 

Malati smiled at her son as she said, "but that is not what I am thinking." Mahesh looked confused, "I was talking about Asha. I think this is the right time for me to ask her parents for her hand in marriage," She looked at her son again, love shining from her eyes as she said, "what do you think?" Mahesh blushed as he nodded. 

Before Mahesh left for the US, he married his childhood sweetheart Asha. Malati had promised her parents that Mahesh would take Asha to the US within a few months, and Mahesh did not put his mother to shame. They soon became parents, and Mahesh one day called his mother and said, "Mom, I have a surprise for you, please don't say no." Even before Malati could say a word, he gushed, saying, "Mom, please resign from your job; you are coming to the US. I have got all your papers ready, and soon you will be with us. Please pack up you will stay with us.

Malati was so happy to hear that she would be with her son his family again. She couldn't wait to see her grandchild and hold him in her arms. She did all she had to do and got ready to go to the US. She was to leave for the US to join her son and his family in just two days. She was packing her bags when the phone rang. She rushed to answer the phone thinking it was her son—but it was not so. She would never again see her son or his family, for the caller told her they had been in a horrible accident, and they all died on the spot.

My Thoughts

Yes, Malati was too quick to leave her dad's home to be with the man she loved. But was her dad right in venting his frustrations on his child? I can't help but think, what would Malati's story be if her dad had sat her down and spoken to her? Neither can I stop wondering if Malati's life would have been different if she had patiently waited for her dad's anger to cool down and then spoken to him.