The impish laughter (901 words)

Madhavan dabbled in a small way in the stock market. He did not have the kind of resources to invest big. He used to sit in a broking firm whenever he had time and make a couple of hundred buying and selling the stock the same day. Some days he would also lose. One day when he made a cheque for investing a slightly higher sum than usual on what he thought was a blue-chip stock that was expected to zoom, he felt he heard a wisp of laughter behind his back. When he turned round to see none, he decided not to invest. On the second day, the stock crashed when the fudging of accounts of the company became public and cases were filed against the management.

There was a long-standing court case on his paternal property that came up for final hearing. He had spent a considerable amount towards legal expenses as he was told his case was very strong. He left early morning for the district court in another town. It was when he bought the bus ticket he heard the same kind of mild laughter behind his back. The source could not be located in the noisy bus stand. There was a lump in his throat with a tinge of fear. He ignored it and continued his journey. He was shocked when the court decided the case against him with costs to be paid to the other party. The memory of the laughter came to his mind but being a rationalist, he chided himself for being superstitious.

He was already 28 and his aged mom pressured him to marry. He had a fairly good job in the government and there was no reason to put it off. When he expressed his willingness, his mother went into raptures. Soon she found a good match for him from the adjacent town. The bride Mallika was good-looking, more qualified, had a better job and was from a wealthy family. Both liked each other and agreed to marry.

There was a huge crowd of relatives and friends on the wedding day. The auspicious time for tying the knot had arrived and the priest started chanting the mantras in a loud voice. Madhavan with the mangal sutra in his hands neared Mallika, who was seated on her father’s lap as was customary, to tie the knots. The nadaswara vidwan (piper) started playing the instrument briskly accompanied by melam(drum) loudly.

As Madhavan with a beaming face bent down to tie the knot, amidst the smiling faces of relatives around him, the poor chap felt he distinctly heard this time an impish smile twice. His face immediately lost colour, started perspiring heavily and his limbs seemed to go limp in fear. Urged by the priest, he tied the thread hastily with three knots amid the claps and congratulations from the crowd. The smile had, however, faded from his face and he looked ashen as if struck by a ghost. The perplexed bride looked at him with concern. Someone brought a Pepsi to him.

That night when they were together in the bedroom, the young wife asked him “Can I ask you a question?”

When he nodded his head, Mallika asked “Why did your face turn pale suddenly and you started perspiring heavily when you tied the wedding knot? Your face was also grim with no trace of cheerfulness. Are you not happy with me?”

He smiled at her with some effort and said “Oh, it is nothing.”

When she prodded him further, he replied “I thought I heard a vicious laughter twice behind my back just as I bent to tie the knots. This has happened a couple of times earlier and the outcomes were not favourable. That put me off.”

“You are well educated and yet seem to be highly superstitious. I shudder to think how we can lead a happy life. I wish I had known more about you,” she said. His protests that he was a rationalist and never visited temples did not impress her.

After a year and a half, Madhavan rushed to a maternity clinic when he got a call from his father-in-law that Mallika was in labour pain. He was a trifle worried when the memory of the laughter at the time of marriage returned to him. As he entered the clinic, he was much relieved to see his father-in-law with a broad smile.

“I have no full details. One nurse said the delivery was successful through a Caesarean process and the patient is safe. We should know soon,” he said.

There was a long wait before he was ushered inside the room. Mallika greeted him with a mischievous grin and asked naughtily, “Did you have two smiles behind your back today as you came here? Turn behind and see.”

Confused at her words, he turned to see the nurse pushing in two baby cots with a baby boy and a baby girl. He looked at Mallika in bewilderment when she said,” Yes, a twin we have. The mysterious laughter two times turned out to be a clear indicator. I do not know whether you are a rationalist or not but I have turned a believer. Don’t put on a glum face as we should be happy at God’s blessing.”

It is learned that the couple are often seen these days at a nearby temple with the babies.