We Found Love

Part 01

Episode 03 – Nayanika

” Nayanika…. wake up child, it’s 7:30 already, wake up dear, wake up” She heard her father’s voice. Well, she was wide awake even before he started calling out to her. Nayanika was the only daughter of Rajesh, a government engineer and Shalini, a homemaker. Though her mother was a graduate in commerce, she never got an opportunity to fulfill her dream of becoming a lecturer in the university. She was married off two years after completing her degree. Nayanika’s grandfather had four daughters and her mother was the eldest. He couldn’t afford to wait for all of them to find job , so Shalini was forced to marry early.

It had been 22 years since her marriage to Rajesh. They seemed to be a satisfied couple to the society, content with their married life. But nobody except their daughter– Nayanika, knew about the struggles and mental abuse that her mother faced. Rajesh was a man with no real love or concern for his wife and daughter. The fourteen year age gap between the couple made it difficult for them to go together. Rajesh never considered his wife as equal to him, he looked down upon her as someone who is to be groomed and kept under control. He always thought women should serve and take care of the family and not do any kind of men’s business. “That’s none of your worries, just do your work”. According to him these were the loving words that a man is supposed to say to his wife. He was born in a poor family in a small village in the hinterlands of Oak Forest. The poverty in his childhood led him to migrate to Dawn City at a very young age. He did odd jobs to survive, completed engineering and was successful in getting a government job. The lack of money in his childhood and youth turned him into a greedy monster and an egoistic man who opened his mouth everytime only to boast about himself as being self made.

All his life, he ran behind ways to make money, invest it and double it. His friends had later forced him to marry saying that “there should atleast be an heir to your property, if not what is this all for?” He too felt that they were right and thus had married young Shalini. He wanted a son and Nayanika’s birth was a disappointment to him. Nevertheless Nayanika was a bright child who was intelligent and good at academics. She had a passion for reading books and writing literary pieces. Her mother was always supportive of her skills. She saw big dreams and hope in her daughter’s eyes. She always knew that her daughter would do great someday. She wanted her daughter to live her life the way she wanted. Rajesh having identified his daughter’s academic achievement , urged her to study engineering and become an engineer like him. But Nayanika’s field of interest was literature and she was eager to pursue a career in that. After a lot of tears, fights, anger and frustration Nayanika had managed to finish her degree in literature with a first class. Even when she told that her first fiction work was being published, she was met with her father’s indignation, ” You can’t make money just by writing books. Is that even a sophisticated profession?” It was quite surprising that he had let her travel solo to Hope City for that literature conference, because here at home, she always had to answer his persistent questions, where? why? with whom? what’s the need? only to be denied from going at the end.

Nayanika’s English professor was so impressed with her fiction work that he had edited it himself and sent it to a publication house. The owner of the publication was also touched by her work. He had called and said that he was publishing it for free. All her friends too had been encouraging to her– they helped her publicize the book and now it was quite popular and sold in good numbers. Anagha was Nayanika’s best friend who insisted that she send the book for literature conference. Her paper presentation on the book went well and she was appreciated by many eminent senior writers. She was thrilled at the small success that her maiden attempt received. She dreamt of telling more stories and entertaining people all over the world someday.

Nayanika got up from the bed, streched around, exercised for half an hour, brushed her teeth, took bath, got ready and came downstairs. She was naturally a good looking girl– she had those large almond eyes, a straight nose, an oval face and symmetric teeth. She looked like an enchantress everytime she laughed. Her father feared her beauty. He couldn’t imagine his daughter falling in love with some random boy who God forbid be below his status. That is why he was annoyed whenever he saw her dress best and look pretty.

” What is all this decoration for?” he asked in his usual irksome voice, as Nayanika came to the dining table. “My friends are having a small celebration for the success of my book dad, so…. I am going there today” she said hesistatingly. ” As if it’s been awarded a booker prize, you have to celebrate it…” replied Rajesh with a scorn on his face. “Let the child have her breakfast peacefully, why do you have to mock her everytime?” said Shalini lying out the breakfast on the table. ” Your over affection has already spoiled her, what else is left?” retorted Rajesh. Mother and daughter looked at each other and sighed. Rajesh finished his breakfast quickly and left for the office. Nayanika was still eating, her mother sat beside her. She looked at her adorable daughter and asked dotingly “Who are all coming to the celebration dear, where have you all planned to do it?” ” I think all my friends will be there mom, Anagha has planned it I suppose, she asked me to come to the Dream Land restaurant” replied Nayanika merrily gulping down her last bite of food. ” Take care, be safe and enjoy” her mother said as she saw her daughter, grab her bag and hurry towards the door. Nayanika stopped for a second ran back to her mother kissed her and said ” Sure mom I will “

She booked a cab and reached the restaurant at 10:30. As she guessed everything was arranged by her bestie Anagha and all her close friends were present. It was not much of a big celebration but there was real happiness in everybody’s face they all raised a toast to the success of her book, Nayanika even cut a cake that was shaped like her book. They all danced for a while and then sat down for lunch. “Yo, Nayanika, my parents read your book too. They were like– it’s such a matured style of writing for such a young age, they liked it very much, by the way, what did your dad say?” asked Naresh. He was Nayanika’s classmate and bestfriend. Naresh was actually infatuated towards Nayanika but she had politely refused his affection and had promised to be just friends. She knew her father’s wrath. ” He still feels it’s useless” replied Nayanika with a sad smile. “Wish your dad was more understanding and friendly” chipped in Anagha. “Ya, I hope too” said Nayanika. Just then her phone started ringing, it was her mother. She wondered why would her mother call now cause she had already told where she was going. She picked the call, and heard her mother’s tensed voice, ” Nayanika… your dad, your dad….” She rushed out of the restaurant.

To be continued…