Topic 2: Roopkund
Nov. 6th, 2021 08:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drippedonpaperBut who was the father?
Binita was worried often lately. And how had it come to this? She really had never thought this would happen. She had heard it could, but never thought she was that kind of girl.
She did love Harsith. When they married, she knew she could never, ever even look at another man. And she had not, for years. Not even once. Until two months ago, that was.
Rodas was her husband's cousin. He needed a place to live and when Harsith mentioned he would be living with them for awhile, Binita thought nothing of it. She had not met Rodas, but assumed he would be older. Maybe balding.
And the funny part is Rodas wasn't ... especially handsome. Not the type an artist would copy when creating a new idol of a god.
She wasn't even sure how it happened. It was never a conscious choice. Just one day of being swept up in a stupid moment. She had been feeling so invisible, making Rodas' bed in the guest room. He startled her, coming in to get something. She was surprised when he kissed her and then .... And then.
Binita felt so guilty she was especially sweet to Harsith that night. So surely he was the father. Or maybe no one would know? If only something would happen to solve her problems! She would think of a solution on this journey. She and Harsith had joined the group on a pilgrimage to the Nada Devi shrine.
Hopefully Rodas might move out while they were gone? She really didn't think she could ever see Rodas with her baby. What if he tried to act like the kid was his? "Please solve this!" she silently whispered to Brahma.
`````````````````````````````
Harsith watched Binita as she walked beside him. How could he tell her he had lost his job? They had a baby on the way. He never thought it would come to this. He wanted to give her a great life, maybe even hire a village girl to help for a month or two after the baby was born, and now this.
She looked so tired. Binita had been so quiet recently. Was she worried about the baby or did she somehow sense he was holding back this bad news? Harsith wanted to tell her, he really did. Waiting made it worse. But what if she left him? The shame of losing his job, of not being the man she needed kept him silent. Surely Harsith would get a new job soon. Then the news could be a job switch instead of a job loss.
"Help me, Brahma," he prayed in his heart. "Help me not have to tell her about my job."
`````````````````````````````````````````````
Thunder boomed, lightning sizzled. "Run, Binita!" Harsith yelled.
Harsith desperately looked for shelter. All 23 of them on this pilgrimage were now running and screaming. What a horrible time for a storm! They were walking by a lake, the storm whipping the water into furious waves.
The rain lashed their clothes. Suddenly Harsith heard a thud. What was that? Binita's hand slipped from his as she fell.
"Binita! Wake up!" he screamed, thunder drowning out his words.
She had been hit by a huge hailstone. Blood dripped from her head, quickly washed by the pounding rain.
"Binita! Help me drag her!" he yelled, looking widely for his companions, but the rain was so thick he couldn't see anyone at all.
The hail stones kept falling. Soon Harsith also lay still and silent.
Prayers were answered. News never had to be shared.
Remember, what you beg for may not actually be what you want.
Binita was worried often lately. And how had it come to this? She really had never thought this would happen. She had heard it could, but never thought she was that kind of girl.
She did love Harsith. When they married, she knew she could never, ever even look at another man. And she had not, for years. Not even once. Until two months ago, that was.
Rodas was her husband's cousin. He needed a place to live and when Harsith mentioned he would be living with them for awhile, Binita thought nothing of it. She had not met Rodas, but assumed he would be older. Maybe balding.
And the funny part is Rodas wasn't ... especially handsome. Not the type an artist would copy when creating a new idol of a god.
She wasn't even sure how it happened. It was never a conscious choice. Just one day of being swept up in a stupid moment. She had been feeling so invisible, making Rodas' bed in the guest room. He startled her, coming in to get something. She was surprised when he kissed her and then .... And then.
Binita felt so guilty she was especially sweet to Harsith that night. So surely he was the father. Or maybe no one would know? If only something would happen to solve her problems! She would think of a solution on this journey. She and Harsith had joined the group on a pilgrimage to the Nada Devi shrine.
Hopefully Rodas might move out while they were gone? She really didn't think she could ever see Rodas with her baby. What if he tried to act like the kid was his? "Please solve this!" she silently whispered to Brahma.
`````````````````````````````
Harsith watched Binita as she walked beside him. How could he tell her he had lost his job? They had a baby on the way. He never thought it would come to this. He wanted to give her a great life, maybe even hire a village girl to help for a month or two after the baby was born, and now this.
She looked so tired. Binita had been so quiet recently. Was she worried about the baby or did she somehow sense he was holding back this bad news? Harsith wanted to tell her, he really did. Waiting made it worse. But what if she left him? The shame of losing his job, of not being the man she needed kept him silent. Surely Harsith would get a new job soon. Then the news could be a job switch instead of a job loss.
"Help me, Brahma," he prayed in his heart. "Help me not have to tell her about my job."
`````````````````````````````````````````````
Thunder boomed, lightning sizzled. "Run, Binita!" Harsith yelled.
Harsith desperately looked for shelter. All 23 of them on this pilgrimage were now running and screaming. What a horrible time for a storm! They were walking by a lake, the storm whipping the water into furious waves.
The rain lashed their clothes. Suddenly Harsith heard a thud. What was that? Binita's hand slipped from his as she fell.
"Binita! Wake up!" he screamed, thunder drowning out his words.
She had been hit by a huge hailstone. Blood dripped from her head, quickly washed by the pounding rain.
"Binita! Help me drag her!" he yelled, looking widely for his companions, but the rain was so thick he couldn't see anyone at all.
The hail stones kept falling. Soon Harsith also lay still and silent.
Prayers were answered. News never had to be shared.
Remember, what you beg for may not actually be what you want.
