8 Chapter 8

Stella was oldest of four siblings. Her mother Roxana had single-handedly raised all four of them. With three younger brothers to take care of, her needs were always overlooked. Her father Chris had left them for another much younger woman when Stella was fourteen. She was old enough to understand the constant quarrels her mother and father had and why he left.

Her father was a pharmacist and had a shop which wasn't doing too well but it somehow managed to pay the bills of the house. With four children to take care of, he and his wife rarely found time for each other and the only time they talked, it led to quarrels.

His wife taught at a local school and was drawing a meagre salary. The only solace was that her children's education there was free. It wasn't a famous school, but it was a good one in the locality. The standard of education was high. Stella performed well in school and mother received several compliments from her colleagues but her mother wasn't too interested, she was worried about her three younger sons.

Stella never wanted to go home after school and at times she stayed back at on some pretext or another. She wanted to avoid the ever so tense environment at home. She knew her father was seeing another woman and wanted to confront him about it but never had the courage to do so, she was afraid of him. He would often slap her mother hard across the face during those quarrels and would throw away the food served to him. Her mother either catered to his tantrums or she argued with him.

'Why can't my mother be soft to my father? Why can't she ever talk sweetly to him? Did she even love him? Why did they marry in the first place?' Stella had so many questions. She was fed up being shoved into a room along with her three younger brothers and have to listen to her parents fighting until the wee hours of morning. Her younger brothers would be frightened and often cuddle next to her and fall asleep. They looked up to her for emotional support but whom should she seek support from?

One day her father and mother were sitting quietly after having lunch when the doorbell rang. Her mother got up to open the door and to her utter surprise she saw the 'other woman' standing at the door. She was there to see Chris.

"How dare you come here?" demanded Stella's mom. "Do you want me to call the police?"

Before Roxana could continue any further, Chris came to the door and saw his ladylove. He silenced Roxana and told her not to utter a word or else he would slap her in front of everyone. Roxana felt tears brimming in her eyes and left. The children had entered the room where these three adults were standing; life was so complicated for them.

'Why can't things be simple? Why can't my father be like any other normal father?' Stella's head was reeling. She could see her mother crying in a corner and her brothers were standing behind her. She definitely understood the gravity of the situation and thought it was better to go back inside her room.

A few days later her father left them all to live with a woman who was much younger than her mother. Her mother was left alone to take care of her four children. While her brothers were oblivious to the fact, Stella knew it would be very difficult for her mother to take care of them all.

That day she decided never to marry a man who didn't have decent money to run his home because she thought it was the scarcity of money that constantly hounded her parents and took away the happiness from their lives.

Her father took whatever little income he brought home with him when he left. He moved to a new house and never saw them again. A few months later they heard he moved to another city and opened up a shop there.

Stella's mom was an emotional mess by the time Stella was eighteen. Stella wanted to get a job as soon as possible and completed her graduation requirements and somehow managed to find a job. She was tutoring kids in her colony to support her mom. When her brother, who was next to her in line became fifteen, he also started taking tuitions and together they supported her mom. Things were okay, if not difficult, but they managed.

While at her job, Stella completed her MBA from a local university. She was selected by a reputable Multi National Corporation in their HR department at a good pay scale. She supported her mother ever since and her younger brothers as well. Once her brother started his job, he asked Stella not to give any more money to mom. He told her he was earning well enough to look after all of them. "You've done a lot, Didi, I just want you to be relaxed now. I will take care of mom," he added with a smile. Stella was very happy for him and felt relieved…

All the hardships in her life had made Stella a tough and unforgiving woman. Her only aim in life was to settle down with someone who would cater to all her indulgences so that she didn't have to struggle like her mother did.

One day while at work she met Rohan through common friends. Rohan was a good looking boy, five feet, ten inches tall with an athletic figure. He was fun loving and good natured, but serious about his job. Every girl in the office raved about him and vied for his attention. She quickly realized that Rohan was only interested in flirting with the female staff but he was hard working and a promising young man who was the blue-eyed boy of the manager. She set her sights on him. This was the man for her!

Stella was a go-getter and was very clear on one thing; marrying someone who was well educated and earned enough so she could indulge her vagaries. She wanted to settle abroad after marriage and Rohan was one of the best matches she'd set her sights on. After doing a little background research on Rohan, she approached him.

She started out on a light note and slowly built the relationship up to the next level. She was around Rohan whenever she had time. Even though they both worked in different departments, she never let an opportunity go by to meet up with him and make an impact. At first Rohan took it lightly and started flirting with her but when he realized Stella was serious about their relationship, he also became serious.

She became friendlier with him and over time she started becoming a little more assertive. Rohan became addicted to that assertiveness and thought his life was going in a good direction when she would comment on his clothes and suggest he wear something else. She also pointed out that he munched too loud while eating and it seemed ill mannered.

After three months of meeting him every day and suggesting small changes in his living style, she had managed to fill an important place in his life. Rohan was so used to her that he started waiting for her before going to lunch every day. They would take lunch together, talk about random things and then go back to their cubicles. Quite often Rohan dropped Stella off at home.

Four months later, on a day when Rohan was dropping Stella off at home she mentioned that she loved him.

"I wanted to say something," she said demurely.

"What Stella? Everything okay?"

"Oh yes! Everything's okay… it's just that I… I love you."

Rohan was not ready for this and didn't say a word. His motorcycle screeched as it came to a quick stop and he looked back at her with a smile. A moment later they were off again and headed toward her home.

'Perhaps this was the right thing…I won't find a better girl, a girl who knew him very well. She was a great companion; well educated, well informed and she was definitely good looking, perhaps the best looking girl in the office,' he was thinking. For Rohan she was a steal and he smiled as he considered the possibilities.