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By Raja Sharma

I could feel the eyes piercing through my back and shoulders but I remained still in front of the book-case. Something was forcing me to turn but I was not turning. I had searched hundreds of shelves and I had only been able to find two books, though they were not in my course of study. If Pooja saw me, she would be furious. I flipped the pages of a book and then kept it back. The staring eyes were increasing the strain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Oct 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465718006

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Image on Ripples

BY Raja Sharma

Copyright@2011Raja Sharma

Smashwords Edition

Chapter 1: Inevitable Bonds

Avinash, please phone me when you reach there, otherwise your mother will be worried, said his maternal uncle.

Yes, uncle, said Avinash, and the bus moved.

It was only because of his mother and uncle that he was going, though he did not want to go to Mount Abu. Perhaps, his first marriage was not enough to satisfy his mother and she was forcing him for second marriage.

Up to very last moment, his uncle was saying, Please don’t think that we are sending you for marriage. My friend Brigadier Sinha lives there; he has his garden there. You are going to spend your holidays with his family. He had seen you when you were merely a child. He has called you there. I will reach there next week.

Avinash knew that they had woven this web for his marriage.

When the bus started, the weather was quite pleasant but Avinash’s mind was filled with unpleasant memories. He remembered how he had been insulted. Now they were forcing him for second marriage.

His first marriage had been proved zero in the court and he was extremely disappointed. After that incident, he looked at every woman with suspicion. Women to him appeared to be deceitful and illusive. He was unable to understand what his mistake was!

How hard his widow mother had worked as a teacher to give him a good life! She had worked like a machine, day and night. After his college, he had been selected to National Defence Academy. Having become an Army Officer, when he had come back home, his mother was extremely proud of him. Many matches were suggested and he was shown the pictures of many beautiful girls, and his mother had chosen the best match for him. Alpana was the daughter of an I.A.S. officer. She was indescribably beautiful and she looked perfect for Avinash.

Avinash had talked to her one day but she suddenly got up and left. Avinash thought that she was feeling shy.

He had to apply for leave for his marriage. His mother was very anxious. He wanted to contact his mother through phone but he could not for one or the other reason.

On their first night, after their marriage, Avinash was feeling good because he expected that his wife would be waiting for him in their bedroom. He entered the room and sat on the bed. He was about to touch Alpana when she shouted, Don’t touch me. This is not a marriage, Avinash. Our marriage is a compromise!

What type of compromise? Avinash was shocked.

I don’t want to talk about it now, said she.

You should have told me before our marriage… Avinash spoke hesitantly.

I tried but no one listened to me, said Alpana.

And…now?

Now what! Nothing…I won’t live here, said Alpana resolutely, her beautiful face was now full of disgust.

Next day she went to her parents’ house and never returned. A lawyer’s notice reached Avinash. He was accused of being impotent and according to his wife he was not fit for marriage. Avinash was stunned, burning with disgust and insult. Though Alpana’s lawyer could not prove that Avinash was impotaent, he did not want to fight the case. He signed on the divorce paper.

After that disaster in his life, Avinash accepted field postings, for he wanted to remain away from his family and relatives. His mother often talked about his second marriage but he gave one or the other alibi.

Unfortunately, his mother fell sick and he was forced to get posted in Jodhpur. He started living with his mother in their house. She would keep on talking about his marriage. Finally, he said to his mother, Mother, I will be 35 next month. Is it the age for getting married?

Shut up, you are a young man and you must get married! said his mother.

His uncle and mother had been talking about Mount Abu for a few weeks. His mother’s emotional blackmail and his uncle’s love