Sisters and from the same Mother!

Sisters! And from the same mother!

I really find this strange that i have yet to meet sisters who are similar. In fact, quite the opposite. If one is shy, the other aggressive, if one is studious, the other, can’t wait to escape. In fact sometimes in appearances too they look so different, with people hard- pressed to think of them as sisters, and will peer closely to find some resembling forehead or nose, even if one built like tom and the other jerry. 

And in my opinion, this is ripe ground for conflicts, unmet expectations and endless non- existing yet hanging-on relationships. 

The easy camaraderie of friends, why does it not exist in sisters?

With all this diatribe in my head, i entered my elder sister’s house in Kolkatta.

‘Hi Shivi!!’ exclaimed Mahi, hugging me warmly, ‘ Aaja, come come’!

I had planned a two day trip, solo, clubbing some official work and a sunday. I really didnt expect for anything to go wrong and hopefully this time we would cement the fissures. 

In fact, in the past our brief stays in each others’ homes had always lead to minor disasters, with one of us doing or saying something totally unnecessary, followed by months of ‘moun vrath’, then tentative starts and finally a speaking relationship. It had happened in so many vicious cycles that, one could now be flippant about hurting the other. Damn tiring, though, all if it.

Mahi helped me with my luggage and after settling down with a cup of chai in our hands, we got down to catching up on various fronts. Things that bring comfort to share when you know the other is not threatened or jealous of your happiness or success.

‘Shivi, everything is fine, except the weight issue, whats happening? I remember in 2011, after you had joined that lady aerobics teacher, how slim you looked. Sab kyun wapas aagayaa? In fact even more than before yaar.’ Mahi said casually. 

Wow! Hmmm, this issue is such a prickly subject for me. Specially off late, since Mahi often mentions it. I have abruptly ended our conversations when she starts talking about diets or exercise, several times, but she won’t take the hint.

I think this is so personal that no one should give advice unless asked. Specially to someone battling a weight issue for decades. Very insensitive and stupid. This is why we don’t get along.

Anyway, not one to be easily depressed, I ignored her completely and pretended to notice an important message from office on my phone.

‘Hey sorry, just a sec, i need to reply this.. you know,

work emergency!’

In fact, it was a double edged remark, cause one of Mahi’s sore issues was that she had never been able to have a fulfilling career. I knew that. Inlaws, who fell frequently ill, husband who kept shifting jobs and cities, and now when all those problems were sorted, years of repetitive domestic work had taken their toll on her ‘start up’ energy.

I saw her glum look, and felt bad. After sending a message, to the imaginary problem at work, i said.

‘Yes , Mahi, in fact you will be very happy to know, i joined a gym last week. And already lost a kilo!’

Mahi, no longer interested in the topic, suggested we go look at the latest collections at Biswa Bangla, a fabulous handicraft store, and  lunch at Flurry’s. She had already planned how we would spend our one sunday together.

To say that i really was not interested in browsing handcrafts, however interestingly designed, might create more unease. 

‘Mahi, thanks so much, i had a lovely time’ i told Mahi as we returned home, tired, after our walk up and down the crowded Park street. 

‘Welcome dear, i had so much wanted to enjoy all this with you!

Returning from work, the next day, i picked a bunch of fresh tuberose flowers for Mahi. 

Mahi was waiting for me, with the some deadly delicious sandesh and samosas. Her husband had been travelling and so once again it was just us, and tonight Mahi decided to open some red wine that she had thoughtfully saved for us.

‘This is good’. 

‘Yes, i know’, said Mahi, after a pause,’Mom’s favourite one’.

‘What nonsense? Mom never liked booze, what are you saying, it was Dad who had us all worried with his constituitionals’, I muttered.

‘Shivi, you forget, after Dad’s passing, Mom spent several winters in Kolkatta, to escape dilli ki sardi. She and i enjoyed many an evening together. You should have come, then.’

Ignoring the last contentious remark, I asked, ‘So was she different after a drink like most non-drinkers?’

‘Yes, more chatty and fun. Except for one night.’

‘What happened’.

‘No, nothing, forget it’.

‘Come on, she is dead and gone and no one will know’. I said.

‘We had seen the last episode of Neena Gupta’s serial ‘Saans’ together.’

‘Oh that serial in which Neena’s husband leaves her for a younger  woman? Wasn’t that  shown  in the nineties?’

‘Yes, same, it was a re-run but neither of us had seen it. In the last episode, Neena decides to marry another man even though her penitent divorced husband had asked to return back home. Mom was not expecting this to happen. It saddened her and when i probed, she said she had been in Neena Gupta’s shoes. Dad had done the same to her.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Dad had an affair’.

‘I cant believe it. Which year was that?’

‘1975/76. You were five, I was seven. ‘

‘And who was it?’

‘A single lady from Dad’s cards group, she was very pretty, slim,  and had partnered with Dad on many bridge competitions. Dad didn’t leave the house, like in the serial, but used to spend all evenings with that woman. When Mom discovered it, he said he had no intention to stop. She had no where to go or the means to take care of two girl children, so she had to swallow the crap.’

‘What about the other woman?’

‘She hung around for some years, then probably realised Dad had no intention of leaving Mom, maybe he was too scared of society’.

‘He probably stayed back for the same reason’, i ranted, ‘that he couldnt maintain two households with his idiotic job! All love stories end due to monetary reasons! Ha’

‘You are right, its what Mom also said’ said Mahi, signing.

‘But how did she survive? A loveless marriage for so many decades?’ I asked, more to myself.

‘Shivani, the marriage may have been, but her life wasn’t loveless’, Mahi uttered softly.’Ma had a friend, from school remember, Uncle Chikka?’

‘You mean, she had an affair too?’ I was distraught, trying hard to re-arrange our parents’ marriage in my head. 

‘Not perhaps a steamy one, but a slow, dance, of sharing and caring, of a friendship that had no demands but understood love’.

‘I remember him, he had a daughter our age, his wife, she was nice too. He loved books, used to bring some for mom often. But i never realized it was any more than that’. 

‘ I still cant believe, for so many years she never let it out, even in the end, when she breath her last’, i said, still amazed at what all my mother had to undergo just because she had no financial independence and how blind i had been to absence of any love in my parents’ relationship.

Mahi signed. ‘ Perhaps telling it to me was enough to let out the steam or perhaps she was unhappy that she couldn’t throw Dad out like in the serial and begin life again.’

‘Shivi,’ Mahi continued, in an urgent tone,’that is why i keep telling you to loose weight, you are married to someone who attracts female attention with his looks and charm, plus you have busy working life, so its all the more important for you to maintain yourself.’

‘Mahi! Wow! What a connection! Why do you do this, everytime you find some way to create friction. Do you think Kunal is only attracted to my figure? And even if something like that happened, i would certainly do exactly as Neena Gupta did and throw the poor guy out’.

‘ Sorry yaar! Really! But this always worries me. Thats why i keep bringing it up’.

‘Dont worry sis!! Not on my watch, its not happening!’ I smiled. ‘And stop being an over- protective older sis all the time!’. 

Sisters may think diametrically opposite but they do have each other’s well- being in their heart. 

With that thought in my mind, we bid each other goodbye the next morning, when i asked her- ‘Last night’s story about mom, was it true?’ 

Mahi looked flustered,’ Of course Shivi! You think i can make that much up, you idiot?’, she said shrilly.

Well, we did it again, managed to annoy the other somehow! Damn sisters!