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The Decision - Madhumita Gupta Madhumita Gupta is from Alwar in Rajasthan, India. She has been an English teacher in Dhulesia Public School (Rajkot, Gujarat), Gyan Vihar Senior Sec. School (Jaipur, Rajasthan), Arts College Alwar (as lecturer), Alwar Public School (Alwar, Rajasthan). she and her husband are presently running Aditya English Institute in Alwar. She has been an All India Radio announcer. She has been writing for Hindustan Times, Times of India and Filmfare. She currently writes for Femina.

Monday came at last, and with it, the letter. Suchitra tore it open.

She had been asked to meet at 5 o’clock that evening.

The letter fell off her trembling hands.

Dare she go?

What would he say?

Normally, thankfully, he left her alone, showing no more than a perfunctory interest in how she spent her time.

Among their hoards of ‘friends’ they were known as the ultimate in happily married couples. And they really were. As comfortable with each other as one is in a worn pair of old sneakers or jeans or the washed-out –of-recognition nightie. They owed that much to the ten years of togetherness and the faith their respective and respected parents had shown in the alliance.

But there were things- intangible differences- nothing that interfered with the harmony in their life, but nagged, nonetheless, at times. Like the time when she wanted a ground floor flat because of the garden and he preferred the first floor, “Nothing” he said, “ can beat sipping a steaming morning cuppa in your balcony, one feels like a king!”

So there she was today, waving, smiling at him through the jungle of her potted plants as he slid behind his first love- the steering wheel of his battered off white ‘Fiat’. He had got her the sleek new Zen but nothing and nobody could persuade him to give up his old car.

She burnt the toast and spilled the coffee, muttered a mild curse as she wiped up the mess.

“ Should I? I wish Supriya were here…” she thought, missing Supriya- her friend, philosopher, guide and favorite punching bag since school, like never before. They were S-square, soul mates but now separated by miles and oceans.

Though a bundle of nerves, she finally decided to go. It would definitely shock him but enough was enough. Ten years, after all was a long time.

“ He will understand, I hope...” Suchitra reassured herself as she eased the car into the drive of the imposing building. They seemed to be waiting for her and quickly she was ushered inside.

An hour later she drove back, her mind in a whirl about how to broach this to him and get him to see her point of view. She knew, none better, how he could dig in his heels and refuse to listen to anybody. And the decision had to be taken almost immediately.

“Penny for your thoughts!” he said, propping up against a pillow, “Something wrong?”

“ Sanjay,” she began hesitantly, “ I can’t live like this anymore. I know you don’t feel the lacuna as strongly as me... Can we…?”, she stopped.

He pulled out a sheaf of papers from under his pillow, “ Isn’t this what you want?” his voice was tender, “ It was unforgivably insensitive of me to disagree to adoption, knowing that you adored kids… I followed you today, I already love that cherubic moppet...”

Smiling through her tears she hugged him. Insensitive? Her Sanjay? Never!

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