Blood Feud

by Brenda Donelan

  They walked nearly a mile to an Italian restaurant situated in a traditional Indian business district. “Really? We’re having Italian food?” Marlee asked.

  “Indians like all types of food, just like Americans,” he said, piquing Marlee’s interest the more they talked. “Most Indians do not have the means to try different foods, but those of us who do enjoy the variety of cuisines available to us.”

  Dax ordered lasagna, and Marlee, who was still afraid a cook might try to sneak goat or lamb into any meat dish, ordered pasta primavera. She chuckled as she glanced at the menu, noticing the restaurant offered several Indian dishes as well. This brought to mind the Chinese restaurants back home that offered hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken strips for the kids and adults that didn’t want to eat that specific cuisine but were roped into it. They ate warm bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar as they sipped on yet another Kingfisher beer.

  “Mmmm,” Marlee moaned as she grabbed another slice of bread. “This is delightful. I love Indian cuisine, but I also love Italian food.”

  Dax looked deep into her eyes. “Perhaps you will bring your boyfriend here?”

  “My boyfriend? Barry? Well, I don’t know that he’s actually my boyfriend. He sort of is, and he sort of isn’t,” Marlee said, stumbling over her words in an attempt to label a relationship that she wasn’t sure was anything other than a friendship.

  “But he came here to see you after only a few days. Someone who thinks of you only as a friend would not do that. The real question is, do you think of him as more than a friend?” Dax looked at her pointedly.

  “I don’t know the status of our relationship. Barry’s a good friend, and I really like him. We’ve known each other for over twenty years, although we really didn’t start talking regularly until a few months ago. I assume Riya told you he was here in Delhi?” Marlee shoved the bread into her mouth, hoping to bide time before she had to speak again.

  “I heard it from her and from two other people. What you do and what you say is observed and heard and then passed on. Here in India, we tend to live and work in the same neighborhoods where we grew up. The restaurant where you and your special friend had dinner with fellow faculty members the other night is the place of employment for many of my relatives.”

  Marlee raised her eyebrows and pointed to her face which was still chewing. He might think she was a pig, but at least she bought a little more time before she had to talk. She considered it a fair trade-off.

  “What I am hearing is that he wants a romantic relationship with you, but you are not as interested. Is this true?”

  Unsure of what to say next, Marlee swallowed a mouthful of bread. “I can’t tell you what Barry is thinking. As for me, I want to take things slow with him. We’ve known each other a long time, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship by jumping into a romantic relationship. There may be potential for something more than friendship, but I don’t want to rush it.”

  Dax stared at her for a full minute before answering. “To me, this sounds like a woman who has a man she wants to keep around her, but as a friend only. I do not believe you have serious feelings for him or else you would know by now. After twenty years, one will know if they love someone.”

  She blinked her eyes repeatedly, unsure of what to say next. Marlee had never thought of her connection to Barry in quite the way Dax had pointed out to her. Of course, she would know if she loved him or even had a crush on him after twenty years. She didn’t have those feelings toward Barry and probably never would. She realized that just like when they were in a college class together back in 1987, Marlee considered him a friend and nothing else. Why had she considered him a possible boyfriend now? Was it because of her brutal break-up with Hector Ramos that left her so vulnerable?

  “Okay, he might not be a forever boyfriend,” Marlee conceded, unwilling to get into the whole thing with a guy she barely knew but sort of lusted after.

  “So, you are content to spend time with this Barry for a year? Five or ten years? How long do you plan to waste your time and his if you know you do not love him?” Dax asked.

  “I don’t know that this is any of your business,” Marlee huffed, not sure of what to say in light of Dax’s spot-on logic.

  “Forgive me for being so forward, but yes, it is my business. Why? Because I intend to sweep you off your feet and make you forget about Barry and any other boyfriend you ever had!”

  It is little use to dig a well after the house has caught fire.

  Indian proverb

  Chapter 20

  “But, you don’t even know me!” Marlee sputtered. What the hell is this guy thinking? Is he some kind of nut?

  “I know enough about you to know I would like to spend the rest of my life with you. You are an American woman, and I know you will not be easily persuaded to marry me and move to India, but I will convince you before you are finished with your teaching assignment here in Delhi,” Dax said with an intensity she had not seen from him.

  “We barely know each other. You don’t know my opinions on anything, so you can’t know if we would be compatible!” Marlee always had trouble dating, but she’d had two marriage proposals in less than a week in India.

  “I think we will be compatible. I already talked with Swami, and he gave me your astrological numbers, so I know we are a match. Anything beyond that can be worked out in due time,” Dax said with confidence.

  “Okay, I like numerology too, but I wouldn’t base a marriage or any other life-altering decisions around birth dates and astrological signs. I know several people that have a birthday close to mine, and we are nothing alike. I’m an introvert, but my friend Randy is an extrovert. I’m grumpy much of the time, but my cousin Linda is always cheerful. She’s never in a bad mood. There’s no way you can suggest you and I are a match just based on our birthdates.”

  “That is where you are wrong, Marlee. We are all aligned to others. It is just a matter of finding out if my numbers match with yours, and they do. I felt an instant attraction to you, and I think you felt the same way. After we met, I talked to Swami and gave him my information. He then told me we are a match. You may not believe it, but that is the way we do marriages here.”

  “That may very well be the Indian way of marriage, but the American way is much different. It is based on shared interests and values, compatibility, and most of all, love. And even if we did have all of those things, I’m not willing to move to India. My life is back in the United States. I live in a small town in South Dakota and teach college. I love to travel, but never have I planned on moving to India. Besides all of that, I don’t love you,” Marlee said.

  Dax was unmoved by her protests. He picked up another slice of bread and pulled it through the olive oil. “The love will develop over time. We like each other, and we are compatible. I know India is new and different for you, but I think you will learn to love it here. I have already talked to Dean Reddy at the university about a full-time position for you.”

  “You what?” Marlee shrieked, causing the diners at nearby tables to stare at them. “Who do you think you are? You can’t just go around making decisions for me!”

  “I thought you would be more likely to marry me if you knew you could keep your position at Delhi University. I meant no harm by it. You are an independent woman with a career, and I know you would not be happy at home all day with nothing to do. That is why I contacted university on your behalf,” Dax said without an iota of contrition.

  Marlee’s head was swimming, and even though she could not deny her attraction to Dax, there was no possibility of giving up her life back home and moving to Delhi to be his wife. The food arrived at the table just as Marlee was ready to launch into a refusal to his marriage proposal and moving to India. Silence descended upon the table as they ate. Marlee didn’t even look in Dax’s direction for fear he might start talking again. She intended to hold out as long as she could before she had to speak to him.

  To her surprise, the meal conti
nued in silence. “Let us not speak of this again for a few months. You will be here in Delhi until May, and that is plenty of time for you to fall in love with me.” Dax paid for the meal, and they walked outside. Marlee was still dumbstruck, unable to comprehend marrying a man like Dax and moving to India.

  Although Dax seemed comfortable, Marlee felt an awkwardness between them as they made their way to Raj’s home. Dax was a very handsome man, and if he lived back in the states, she might consider a relationship with him. But, India? There was no way she would ever move to India for the remainder of her life. She loved the country and the people, but she could not envision herself as a resident of India. It was tough enough in America as a woman. She could not imagine how much worse things would be for her in India. And even though Dax seemed nice, would he turn out to be a husband who thought he controlled his wife? It was a chance Marlee wouldn’t take. The whole idea was wrong on so many levels, yet it was flattering to be asked to marry him and move to his country.

  As they walked from the bus stop to Raj’s house, Marlee had a thought. “How many other women have you asked to marry you?”

  “We will not speak of this matter for a few months. At least not until late March or April,” Dax said.

  “Wait a minute, Buster,” Marlee said, as she stopped walking and turned to face him. “Just because you don’t want to talk about it doesn’t mean I don’t want to talk about it. You do not speak for me, and you certainly don’t make decisions for me! I have just as much a right to talk about something as you do.”

  Dax bowed his head, although Marlee had trouble deciphering the meaning. “Forgive me if I overstepped. It is just that it would be best if you have time to think about my proposal. You will begin to see that we are a match and should be married.”

  “You’re acting like a parent who is much wiser than a child. I am not a child, and you are not my parent. Quit talking to me in a condescending manner. If something develops between us, that’s fine, but don’t assume I’m automatically going to marry you after a few months. One thing I can tell you for sure is that if you don’t start treating me as your equal, then I will never consider you a viable match.” Marlee couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. It sounded as though she was seriously considering Dax’s marriage proposal if only he would make a few changes.

  A smile crept across his face. “So, you are considering me as a match?”

  “Hell no!” Marlee shouted, even though her attraction to this man was increasing by the minute.

  Upon arriving at Raj’s family home, they were led inside by an unknown family member and asked to wait in an outside room. It was a full moon with a slight breeze, just enough to keep away the mosquitoes and other pests. Marlee and Dax sat side-by-side on a flowered couch which was low to the floor.

  Within minutes, Mommy-ji and Daddy-ji appeared. Mommy-ji was wearing a light-yellow sari, while Raj’s father wore a tan tunic and pant ensemble with a light-colored turban. Tea was served along with a variety of snacks including mixed nuts and sweets. A large photo of Raj was prominently displayed at the front of the room, surrounded by a garland of flowers.

  The chatter about the weather and the state of the country went on for several minutes before Marlee interrupted. “Again, I am so sorry about the death of your son. I only knew him for a short time but thought of him as a new friend in a new land,” Marlee said, realizing she sounded like a trite meme on Facebook. “I can’t help but wonder why he died?”

  Raj’s parents looked at each other before his father spoke. “Raj was severely attacked, and the doctors did not detect the extent of his injuries. Once he was released from hospital, we thought he would recover and return to life as usual. But then something happened. Hospital said it was most likely a spleen rupture or some other internal injury.”

  Taking a deep breath, Marlee asked, “What about poison?”

  Mommy-ji put her hands over her heart, and Raj’s father looked wildly about the room. “Poison? Why would you think Raj was poisoned? Who would want to poison him?”

  Marlee ignored the questions. “Why did you ask your eldest son if he poisoned Raj?”

  “Why do you ask us about these horrible things? We know nothing of poison!” Mommy-ji sobbed.

  “I think you suspected someone of poisoning Raj. You saw a glass in his room that you did not put there and then later it was gone. No one else was in the house at that time except for family members, so you knew someone within the home brought the glass to Raj’s room. What I’m wondering is why you asked his eldest brother, Ajay, about it? It seems that you suspect him more than anyone else in the family.” Marlee knew she was on thin ice, but she felt that heaping the accusations on Raj’s mother was the quickest way to find out their beliefs about the death of their youngest son.

  Mommy-ji looked at her husband, deciding what to say. Her eyes held a sadness that had just settled in as she came to terms with the loss of her son. Besides the sadness, Mommy-ji’s eyes had an intensity that looked much like hatred. “Raj and Ajay did not get along well. Although Ajay was the eldest child, he was jealous of Raj, even when they were children. Raj, as you know, was outgoing and had no trouble making friends, while Ajay was more difficult to like. People did not warm up to him as easily as they did Raj, and Ajay resented it.”

  Marlee wasn’t sure the best way to address it, so she just jumped in. “I understand that Raj had a fair number of enemies too.” She looked around the room, attempting to avoid the gaze of Raj’s parents. It was bad enough to say something critical about one’s child in America, but Marlee knew it would be received even less well here in India. Especially when the child was dead.

  “I am not naive. We knew Raj had flaws and was not always honest in his dealings with people. His dishonesty and manipulation added to the long list of reasons Ajay did not like Raj,” said Raj’s father.

  “I learned that Raj was in charge of the family finances and either mismanaged or stole, which put your whole family in a predicament,” Dax said, repeating what Marlee previously told him.

  “That is correct. When it was discovered, Ajay took over the finances, and we are slowly catching up. Raj swore he did not steal. He said it was his lack of knowledge of accounting, but we were suspicious. How could he mismanage the money to the point that we nearly had to sell the house to cover our debts? Raj was college-educated. He was a smart man, and none of us think it was because of poor accounting skills,” said Raj’s father.

  “Why would he have needed the money?” Marlee asked. “Was he a gambler?”

  Both parents shrugged their shoulders. “Raj had everything he needed. He had much more than most people in India,” said Mommy-ji. “To our knowledge, he never gambled. It is illegal in this country.”

  “On New Year’s Eve, Raj and I walked around Delhi and had a very nice time. Later that night, or next morning I should say, he called me, and I met him on the edge of campus. He had been beaten and said his two brothers did it. Then he said you,” Marlee gestured toward Raj’s father, “told him to leave or else his brothers would come back and kill him. He said it was because they found out he was a homosexual.”

  “What?” Raj’s father jumped to his feet. “That is not true. His brothers did not assault him, and I never told him they would kill him! And Raj was not a homosexual.”

  “Raj said Swami told the family he was a homosexual, and you were all quite upset with him,” Marlee said.

  “Swami never said any such thing! In fact, Swami said you and Raj were an astrological match, but Raj begged us not to tell you that because he changed his mind about wanting to marry you. He asked us to say that we could not allow the marriage because Swami said the two of you were incompatible. Raj did not want to hurt your feelings and tell you the truth,” said Mommy-ji.

  “So, Swami never said Raj was gay?” Marlee asked, trying to make sense of all the lies Raj told her. She wondered if she was getting the truth now or if lying was a family trait.

&nbs
p; “No, he did not. And we are not a homophobic family. Even though one of our nephews has a wife and children, we know he is a homosexual, and we accept him. We are traditional in many of our beliefs, but we accept people for who they are, not what we wish them to be,” said Raj’s father. “I do not know why Raj told you these things. As we said before, he could be deceitful.”

  “Then who assaulted Raj? It happened twice within a few hours.” Marlee slapped at a mosquito that had landed on her forearm.

  “We think it may have been someone from university. Maybe another graduate student who was angry or jealous,” said Mommy-ji. “I know it was not his brothers. Raj never came back home after he left to go out with you on New Year’s Eve.”

  “Yet, you say Ajay was jealous and angry with Raj. And you questioned Ajay about poisoning his brother. If you think he was capable of poisoning Raj, then why wouldn’t he assault him?” Marlee asked.

  Raj’s parents looked at each other again, trying to decide how much to reveal to Marlee and Dax. After releasing a heavy sigh, Mommy-ji said, “There are two reasons. First, Ajay could not stand the sight of blood. He has never been in a fight and fainted when he saw anyone bleeding. Second, Ajay tried to poison Raj before, and we thought he might have tried again.”

  Dependence on another is perpetual disappointment.

  Indian proverb

  Chapter 21

  “Ajay tried to poison Raj another time? Really?” Marlee was incredulous that Raj’s parents were acting so nonchalant about Ajay’s obvious hatred of his youngest brother. In her family, if people didn’t get along they just avoided each other. Of course, that was in the wide-open spaces of South Dakota. In Delhi, India, Raj’s family all lived together under one roof, making it impossible to avoid anyone for any length of time.