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Chapter dedicated to Icouldnotfind â¤ï¸
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*******
Riya's Pov
New or not?
After walking like a human cannibal for the past four days with all the itchy-witchy rashes these periods have given me down there, I was now seated leisurely in the washroom, pondering over a very very important decision to make.
My aunt flow has finally decided to show some mercy on me, thus is trying to bid adieu until next month.
Hence, I am now confused about the next and probably the last time this month I would have to change,
Now the dilemma is,
Should I use a new sanitary napkin or leave it without none?
But knowing aunt flow's nature, I know if I use a new one, she will bid me adieu in a swift thus wasting my one precious napkin.
But also, if I didn't use it, this evil aunt flow will come back at an even faster pace, ruining every piece of cloth I wear or sit upon.
So what to do now?
After a lot of thinking, analyzing, and probing, I finally came to a conclusion.
I'll use a new one, but, the one which is smaller in size. So that if the flow is a little more, it will suffice, and if the flow is zero, I'll also not feel much bad with the napkin being wasted.
Ha! Take that you cruel Ms. Aunt Flow! Challenging the over-intelligent brain of Riya Kansal.
"Riya yaar what are you doing since forty minutes in the washroom? Come fast na." My grumpy husband's irksome voice fell into my ears while I was making some important decisions and discussions with myself.
Planning and Plotting how to beat aunt flow's infamous usual tantrums.
"Coming coming. Stop being sadu in the morning." I frowned, even though he couldn't see me.
After doing the necessary tasks, I exited the washroom relaxed, and there stood the subject-matter of my early arrival from the washroom,
My sulking husband.
"You do remember na that I've to go to the office." He scowled,
"Yeah, but you still have one hour na. Don't worry, vaise bhi no matter how early you get up, at the end you would do all the things haphazardly." I mentioned in a duh tone, rolling my eyes, and added,
"And yeah, for everything I'll have to come to your rescue, because all you say is, Riyaa my watch, Riyaaa my handkerchief, Riyaa my lunch box, Riyaa my..." I mimicked him, but before I could list out other elements, he interjected,
"Bas kar yaaaar." He groaned, rubbing his face in exhaustion, "God! your mood swings are still at the peak." He sighed shaking his head, while I pouted in return.
"This Spontaneous-Spitfire has to fight every morning!" He mumbled annoyed and shaking his head he entered the washroom but not before passing me his teensy-weensy non-scary glare.
*******
"Arey that picture was soo beautiful. Even the background was on-point." I complimented my sister-in-law about her latest post on Instagram.
"Hainaa! Did you notice my hairstyle? I did something different this time." She asked excitedly,
"Acha? Wait let me check." Putting the phone on speaker mode, I checked her picture, but unfortunately, I could not decipher what difference she was talking about.
Noticing my confused silence, she responded, "Ohho bhabhi, look closely na, I left a few tendrils of my hair in front, like they are not behind my ears this time, usually I just tuck them behind my ear."
Acha?
"Oh, Yeaah!" I remarked as if recalling her usual hairstyle, even though my stupid brain still can't fathom what she was directing to, "You look very pretty here." I praised her genuinely, loving her look in a knee-length black polka dot dress.
"Yeah, Nupur clicked that picture. She clicks really good photos, she has a DSLR too!!" She gushed merrily,
Yeah obviously,
DSLR= Good Photos,
The person having DSLR= Good Photographer.
Typical Trait we Indians possess!
"Acha chalo bye now, I am yet to have dinner, and the dinner time is almost over in the mess." She said haphazardly and cut the call in a hurry, while I shook my head smiling at her always rushed self.
*******
"Papa?" My father-in-law, who was currently busy finding something in the refrigerator turned around with a jerk at my confused voice, his face contorted in horror
"What are you doing here? You want something?" I furrowed my eyebrows looking at the now-opened steel container filled with motichoor laddoos,
"Nothing beta, just vaise hi. What are you doing here?" He masked a nervous smile, and tried to dodge the topic,
"Uh, dinner time?" I reminded him of me preparing the dinner,
'Oh yeah yeah." He passed a constipated smile, while I gazed at him skeptically,
"You were going to eat the laddoos haina, that came yesterday?" I guessed, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him,
"No, no, not at all." He lied in an instant without even blinking his eyes,
Ignoring his white lie, I spoke "Papa you know na you aren't allowed to eat anything sweet? You already ate one laddoo yesterday, so no, no laddoo today." I ordered firmly, my lips set in a thin line.
These Kansal Men and their eternal love for sweets, Such sweet-tooth they have.
"And yes, remember what promise you made us yesterday after dinner?" I peered at him questionably, while he feigned oblivion,
"You said, Riya beta, take this mithai box away from me now, I've already eaten one, Bas ab no mithai and no sugar for the next ten days." I tried to remind him of his confident statement, while he looked back at me with sheer innocence.
The same look he gives everyone when he wants mithai, lots of mithai.
"Arey I was just going to eat a little beta." He tried to clarify, "Normally I always keep myself in control, but whenever these sweets come at home na, it gets difficult." He put forward, eyeing the sweet container dreamily,
Sighing helplessly, I expressed, "Acha, I'll bake you a cake tomorrow, that too sugar-free, you will like it pakka. But no mithai please."
His eyes lit up in sugary-sweet happiness, as he confirmed, "Pakka?"
"Pakka!" I chuckled at his excitement, "But only if you promise you won't eat this mithai." I made a deal, my tone bossy,
"Okay." He confirmed and spoke in a hushed whisper, "But don't tell your mumma okay? She'll kill me."
I giggled at his discrete attempt to look behind me, as if ensuring her absence,
"Okay. Our secret!" I blinked my eyes twice, while he patted my head affectionately, and picked up his salad tray,
"I am taking the salad outside okay, Have to show your mom that I've eaten this stuff." He sulked eyeing the salad, while I nodded my head grinning at his antics.
*******
Massaging the lotion over my hands, I exited the dressing room and a scowl marred my features in an instant as soon as my eyes fell on my husband seated on his office chair, still working with his sole attention on his first wife.
His laptop.
"How much more time?" Pouting, I came behind him and placed my chin over his head while my hands automatically found their place on his shoulders.
I can't understand these stupid codes, always stealing my husband from me.
"Just half an hour bas.." He spoke, distraction evident in tone,
"Noooo..." I whined intuitively wounding his neck from the front, and placed my forehead over his head in frustration.
"You said the same thing when I went to freshen up." I mumbled disappointed,
"Hmm.." He answered inattentively as if I am some buffoon speaking gibberish.
"It's already 11!" I remarked nudging him,
"Acha twenty minutes, pakka promise." He made a deal and gazed upward. Smiling tenderly, he palmed my hand in his, and kissed the back softly.
"Okay." I murmured defeated and turned around pouting,
Cruel-Workaholic husband, always stuck up with that husband-thief evil laptop.
Silently huffing and puffing, I arranged the white sheet and quilt together in a perfect alignment with each other and laid down with my back facing his side of the bed.
Covering myself from top to bottom, left and right, I tightly hugged my eternal, perfect and loyal partner.
My cuddle pillow.
Almost forty minutes later, the lights went off, and a sudden gush of air embraced me as soon as my husband raised the quilt and entered inside.
My body remained unmoved as I pretended to sleep when a few seconds later he spooned me with his one arm leisurely wounding my stomach, and his chin resting over my shoulder.
"I know you aren't asleep." He murmured in my ears and I could clearly feel a hint of his playful smile on my shoulder.
"I am asleep." I mumbled immediately with my eyes still closed.
Silently chuckling, he tightened his hold on me as he interlaced our fingers together and voiced teasingly, "If you are asleep, how are you talking then?"
Ohho! Such a poor actor you are Rii.
"Because I am a sleep talker!" A logical excuse spluttered out of my mouth in a haste.
"Is it? That's a new." He answered, still chuckling,
"Acha chal at least turn around na." He requested in his innocent husband tone, while I shook my head vehemently, still annoyed by him,
"No! Go sleep with your laptop, and turn it around as many times as you want. Huh." A big scowl highlighted my features as soon as the image of his first wife came in front of my eyes,
"Always working with that idiotic device, morning, afternoon, evening, night. No care for anyone, especially his wife." I complained frowning and pouting at the same time.
"Sorry." He spoke softly and intentionally rubbed his itchy-witchy beardy cheek on my cheek making me giggle gleefully amidst my annoyance.
"Acha acha, I am turning around. Don't tease me, you'll give me burns." I spoke, controlling my giggle,
Turning around, I tangled my body with his, as we both laid on our sides facing each other, with my leg thumped over his, and his hand resting on my lower back while mine found their way on his shoulder.
A peaceful silence embraced us for a few minutes, after which I whispered gently,
"Aditya?"
"Hanji." He murmured, gently stroking my back, making some unknown patterns.
Pressing his non-existent biceps, I backed a little to peer at him, and whispered in concern,
"You should not stress yourself so much with work, It's not good for your health. It was already 11.40 when you finished working, and in the morning you've to go to the office again."
Smiling lazily at me, he pressed me more into him so that now I was nuzzled into his neck.
Playing with my hair, he whispered, "I know.." He paused, as if thinking something,
"But I am grateful that at least I am getting work as of now, and hence I want to utilize this time in the best possible way I can. God knows, If I'll have enough work in the future or not." He ended, laughing lightly towards the end, but his wavering voice and slight sighs gave a perfect hint of his insecurities regarding his professional self.
"You'll have even more work than this in the future." I murmured, wetting my lips, as my heart kept sinking thinking about the insecurities he has locked up in his heart.
"You are quite optimistic about my future hmm." He remarked with a feeble smile.
Backing a little, I peered at him in a soft gaze, and whispered, "Mhm." I shook my head, "I am optimistic about my husband and the unadulterated hard work he puts in everything he does."
My favorite dimpled smile made its way on the corner of his lips, as he glanced at me in admiration. Touching our foreheads, he caressed my cheeks with his thumb mumured with our breaths mingling, and eyes closed,
"My optimistic wife." He remarked,
"My hardworking husband." I answered back, and rubbed my nose teasingly with his in gentle strokes, our eyes shutting automatically.
We chuckled together and beaming, we opened our eyes with a serene unnamed feeling enveloping us.
My mind went in haze and my heart plummeted when this oddly beautiful sensation flushed my insides as his gaze kept flickering time and again to my lips, with a permanent look of contemplation swirling his features.
After a few seconds of unending self-conflicts, he sighed briefly and shut his eyes hiding his face between the crook of my neck.
This blood-pumping organ of mine throbbed frantically and an inaudible sigh escaped my lips as he intimately rested his face on the exposed skin of my neck with his warm breath tickling me every now and then and his left cheek caressing mine in soft and slow motions.
I couldn't decipher what either of us desired at this moment but this intense proximity we were currently sharing felt,
Intimate yet so pious, frenzy yet so peaceful, alien yet so natural.
My hands found his hair in their own accord, gingerly stroking them in aimless strokes,
"Let's sleep now, it's already late." He mumbled half-heartedly after a few minutes and shifted a little so that I was able to gaze into his eyes that held a different emotion than his usual warmth and playfulness.
I nodded my head meekly as any coherent word remained stuck up in my throat.
He squeezed me in his arms one last time and kissed the side of my head for an unusually long time.
Loosening his hold on me so that we could sleep with ease, he turned to the other side after wishing a soft good night, while my gaze remained fixated on his back figuring out these newfound sensations which have started brewing within us each time we are in each other's close vicinity.
And not to mention, I was loving these sensations,
Very, Very Much.
******
Dinners,
Lunches,
Parties,
Invitations,
Information about the arrival of some relative.
These are some common words that every newlywed would listen to at least a hundred times in a month.
And, if you are an Indian, you would know that almost every newlywed couple is supposed to go for unlimited dinners and uncountable lunches they have been invited to, as a custom to welcome the new member in the family, and making the brand-new groom/bride acquaint to the relatives and extended family of either side of the matrimony.
Currently, we were at Aditya's massi's/ Purva's in-laws' place for our customary lunch. Everyone was seated in the living room chit-chatting and laughing, with some occasional rounds to the kitchen to bring some snacks and other stuff.
Though Purva was seated right beside me, still we couldn't laugh like madwomen, talk like maniacs, and eat like pigs considering our daughter-in-law's status and the presence of the elders around.
"Aachi, aachi!" Purva's brother-in-law's twenty-month-old daughter Nitara babbled innocently, addressing me as aachi instead of chachi.
I love her already.
She extended her arms sweetly, gesturing me to pick her up. Placing her on my lap with her both legs dangling on my side, she palmed my cheeks with his teeny-weeny hands and started rubbing her cheeks with mine.
Huh?
Everyone, including our family, and Purva's joint family laughed witnessing the scene in front of them though I couldn't decipher what this little angel was trying to do.
"Ruk, I'll tell what she's trying to do." Aditya peered at her with a playful smile, and took her in his arms, settling her on his lap now.
He mimicked the scene, gently rubbing his itchy-witchy beardy cheek with her soft ones, with a big-broad grin on his face.
This man and his inexplicable love for rubbing his cheeks with sweet-innocent women like me.
Nitara giggled unstoppably at his gesture, tears pooling out of her eyes due to all the laughing, and spoke in her babyish tone amidst her loud giggles,
"No, no! Chachu, no! Itchy, itchy, tickly, no Chachu!"
Acha, so I am 'Aachi' but he is 'Chachu'.
Not fair!
*******
People wonder why do all the newly married couples put on weight after a few weeks of their wedding.
The truth is, apart from the obvious reasons that people assume, we newly-married couples have to eat a lot of food, including but not limited to;
Paneer, and lots of Paneer; Kadhai Paneer, Paneer Makhani, Paneer Butter Masala, Shahi Paneer, Homestyle Paneer that is patented in every home with a no certain name (courtesy to the blend of several Paneer recipes).
Sweets, and a bucket full of sweets and dare you if you say no! Because now you would have to eat double of what the other person was offering earlier!
Uncountable varieties of snacks, from Indian to Chinese, Italian to Continental.
And fortunately, unfortunately, you can't say no to the relatives when they say,
'Bas ye last', or 'Eat one more, this one is a small chapati', or 'Just a little more sabzi,' or 'XYZ see your wife/ daughter-in-law is not eating anything,' or 'Arey, don't worry you'll not get fat,' or 'Abhi to dinner/dessert is also pending', or some emotional blackmails like 'Eat Eat beta, just one last, for us?'
Moreover, the icing on the cake is, you hardly get time to focus on your health or weight amidst this eating chaos. And just by chance, if you get some time, then the rate at which your exhausted self wants to rest, significantly outpass the rate at which you want to go for an exercise/walk.
"Nahi nahi bas massi, I'm full now." I looked at my plate in horror, when massi (Purva's mother-in-law) placed one more chapati in my plate.
"Khale khale, you haven't eaten anything yet." She remarked teasingly, slightly complaining at the end, while I gaped at her in astonishment.
Yes massi, just some spring rolls and manchurian, samosas, and noodles, Chai and a cold drink. Then a lot of paneer butter masala and methi-malai, Rajma and aloo-gobhi.
Basss, Nothing much.
Though when we arrived here, during the snacks time, massi asked me to take some more noodles, but this high-on manners newly-wed bride within me said no courteously even though my insides were loudly screaming to snatch those noodles from her hands and fill up my mouth with them to satiate the noodly-hunger within me.
I blindly hoped that massi would ask me at least a three times, and after politely refusing the first two times, I would say yes the third time.
But much to my disappointment, massi only asked me two times to which I politely responded with a no, and after nodding understandingly she turned to the other side, and I was left betrayed, mercilessly deprived of my extra noodles.
Huh, Enjoy now overly-mannered, highly shy, idiotically no-sayer woman!
My gaze fell on Purva who was standing right beside massi, passing a sly smirk in my direction,
"Yes yes, eat na Riya. It's just one chapati. You haven't eaten anything today." I passed a glare at her when she feigned innocence, and everyone chuckled knowing well her intentional teasings.
Lastly, I peered at my husband innocently, silently pleading him to help me out with this eating torture, while he shook his head playfully, thoroughly enjoying my state.
He leaned a little closer to my side, and whispered teasingly,
"Arey, it's good na, vaise bhi you have a lower than average diet at home, at least this way you are eating something."
Resisting my urge to scowl at him, I directed my troubled stare towards my plate and began eating slowly, silently praying for some miracle to happen.
Though, after my second morsel, my superhero husband came to my rescue and discreetly sneaked out my chapati from my plate to his.
Angling my neck sideways, I gazed at Aditya who was blatantly pretending to ignore me whilst eating my chapati and paneer with a soft-little smile playing on his lips.
I shook my head in amusement at his frisky antics with the same soft-little smile quirked up at the corner of my lips.
Paagal!
*********
All the elders were currently seated inside, having their elderly conversations while all the young clan was in the backyard except Purva and bhabhi who has to go to the market to run some important errands.
The singla family has quite a big front yard with an ancient tree in the middle. A swing rope was tightly tied around a tree limb, and a natural wooden plank was attached to it transforming it into a home-made tree swing.
Carefully taking a seat on the garden swing, my gaze swept over to my husband who was thoroughly engrossed in discussing something important with the other three brothers.
Not knowing what to do, I unlocked my phone and kept swiping left to right, right to left the application pages as if such swipes would make my time pass. Moreover, these are the times when you couldn't even decide which application to use, so you safely resort to opening calculator, alarm clock and calender to pass your time.
There are times when you feel lonely and left-out even when there are a lot of people around, and ironically at times, this feeling of being left-out feels far better than joining an alien conversation.
Maybe it's because the feeling of not fitting-in overpowers our senses, making us believe that our little interest in their conversation might disturb their rhythm to converse, or they might not welcome such intrusion.
There have been innumerable instances after my marriage when I've felt out of the place even when everyone has been so welcoming and congenial with me. Though I don't blame anyone for the way my heart feels, as it's all natural and normal.
Adjustments and acceptance are a long-run phenomenon, and I would be lying if I say it is easy to embrace them within a few days.
These never-ending arrangements and heartfelt acceptances are a constant struggle, a constant ambivalence, and a constant persuasion to welcome these newfound relationships and novel people around.
However, nothing is more beautiful than the magic of embracing this underrated yet most feared inevitable element into our lives.
After sitting idle for a few minutes, a tender smile found its way on my lips for no reason as I called out for my husband the same way Nitara would have called, "Chachu!"
Aditya stopped speaking midway and angled his neck sideways in a reflex towards my direction, his cheeks flaming a little, and a teeny-weeny blushy-mushy smile gracing his lips.
He raised both his eyebrows, as he peered at me in a questionable gaze.
Unheard, frisky whispers began from the other three men around with teasing smiles on their lips as soon as I signalled my husband with my eyes to come towards me.
He shook his head at whatever jaunty remarks they mouthed, with his dimpled-playful smile quirked up at the corner of his lips and started pacing in my direction.
"Hanji." He whispered eyeing me, and leaned against the tree from the side.
Feigning innocence, I pouted and held the ropes on either side of me and requested, suppressing this stupid little taitor smile of mine, "Uh, I can't take the swing on my own...." Gesturing him to come behind me, I asked softly, "Help me?"
His eyes swirled with amusement as his opalescent irised stared back at me with sheer intensity, his lips twisted in a gentle yet naughty smile.
Discreetly glaring at his brothers whose teasing gaze was fixated on us, he walked behind me after ensuring they were gone. Instead of taking hold of the ropes, he held the wooden plank from the sides and backed a little, and left the swing making it rise higher in the air.
With each delicate swing he gave, a soft inaudible giggle erupted in my throat making his already amused smile widen even more than before. His hands were torturously close to my rear, but still not touching me an inch of me.
However, every time I would sense him unintentionally coming closer to my intimates, this contagious presence of his would capture my senses with multifarious tantalizing sensations transforming me into a bothered mess within.
"Bas? Ke aur?" He whisper asked, painfully close to my ear after a few swings and I failed to fathom that my erratic heartbeats were the result of swinging high in the air or swinging high in his proximity.
"Bas." My voice came out in a hoarse whisper as I glanced sideways in his direction, our eyes intently looking back at each other.
"Tu paagal hai you know that?" He spoke with amusement laced in his tone.
Bobbing my head swiftly, I matched him, "Kabse. But less than you!"
Chuckling, he shook his head, and mumbled his favorite word for me,
"Paagal!"
*********
"Riya beta, don't forget that we have to arrange the bedsheet before they arrive," Mumma spoke, as I stood on the stool, and passed the crockery to her.
"Hanji." I replied, taking out the ceramic bowls and other ceramic stuff of the dinner set with hawk-like eyes, firm grip, and utmost carefulness.
Today, Papa's very close friend Mukesh and his wife were coming for lunch, and hence like every Indian household we are currently working on some important pre-guest arrival tasks, that exclusively includes, but are not limited to,
Taking out the crockery,
Choosing/ Picking out/ Purchasing the beverages, namkeen, biscuits and snacks to be served when the guests arrive,
Settling the living room, and bedsheet of the main bedroom,
Arranging and organizing any littery stuff in the home,
Picking out any wandering clothes that have been lying around in a messed-up form,
And the list goes endless!
******
"Namastey uncle, Namastey aunty." I bent down seeking the elders' blessings as soon as the guests arrived.
Reciprocating a polite smile, they entered the living room, followed by mumma and papa.
After offering water, I strutted towards the kitchen and began arranging for the necessary stuff, filling the serving bowls with the required eatables, and simultaneously placed the water-filled steel vessel on the stove for preparing tea.
"Hey!" Aditya's voice fell into my ears, as he stood by my side.
"Hey." I smiled softly, "You came from the office? Or do you have to go back to the office now?"
"Mhm." He shook his head, eating a spoonful of aloo bhujia, "Just came for an hour, will leave after that." I hummed at his response, adding tea leaves, some ginger, and cardamom to the boiling water.
"Go inside na. Sit with them." I peered at him, as he stood unmoved at his place.
"Chod, we'll go together. Also, I'll help you bring all this stuff to the living room." He answered casually, stuffing his mouth with another spoon of aloo bhujia making me glare at him.
"Such a foodie." I mumbled shaking my head, adding milk to the vessel.
The subtle-aromatic scent of freshly brewed tea hit my nostrils, as I extended a spoonful of the tea in front of his mouth after blowing it twice to cool it a little,
"How's it?" I asked as I slipped the spoon into his mouth.
"I guess the sugar is less?" He voiced frowning, more like asked, while I rolled my eyes at his response,
"Masterchef Aditya, The sugar is not less." I pressed the word 'less' suppressing my smile, "I haven't added any sugar yet."
He stuck his tongue out, smiling embarrassed at his super-active taste buds, while I added sugar in all the teacups except one which was for papa.
"Otherwise it was okay na?" I probed,
Sighing, he stretched, "Hanji."
"Stop worrying so much every time." He slapped the back of my head lightly, while I pouted in offense.
Smiling friskily, he kissed the side of my head, and picked up the snacks tray, and remarked, "Chal let's go inside before we get to hear some suggestive remarks."
"Chalo." I answered, picking up the tea tray.
******
There's always at least one overly-smart, super-overly confident relative in your family who knows well how to push your buttons by asking all the possible diplomatic questions in the most presumptuous way possible.
Aditya's uncle was one of them.
I was currently seated at the corner of the bed and as soon as I asked something from mumma, Uncle smiled quite conceitedly, and questioned straightforwardly, switching his eyes between me and mumma,
"So Riya beta," He started as I darted my eyes towards him,
"What are your thoughts on addressing Sonia bhabhi as your mumma? Like calling someone your mother suddenly, and treating an entirely new person at the same place as your mother. It wouldn't be the same as your mother, isn't it?"
Mind you woman, such questions are meant to offend you with the sole intention to elicit a fiery response from your side that would help these impertinent beings to make nonsensical judgments about the upbringing and the morals you hold.
An awkward silence prevailed in the living room, as I contemplated over his words and my prospective reply.
Smiling with utter politeness, I replied in the most respectful way possible,
"Uncle," I started, My hands instinctively reaching my arms, rubbing them,
"I have spent almost twenty-five years of my life in Hoshiarpur, calling my mother there as my mom. And I'll be spending the rest twenty-five years, or maybe more of my life here, at this place, addressing her as mumma." My eyes flickered to mumma in a soft stare as I continued,
"So when I know, this is the place I have to live in for a lifetime, with the same people I now call my family, so why do I constantly need to make a comparison between the mothers or the fathers or even the siblings I have." I wetted my lips in apprehension and spoke further,
"Uh, It's all about love and respect I believe? Like, If I talk about myself, I can't expect myself to become her daughter instantly until and unless I behave like one, and the same goes the other way around. So jab I've started caller her mumma, and she has been doing everything my mother would have done for me in the first place, then I don't think so there's any use of any comparisons between the way I feel about addressing them." I ended gulping a little, too unconscious about how he would take my reply.
The comparison of Mothers and Mother-in-Laws', a timeless yet spicy topic of discussion, and an age-old relation to be targeted the most.
Sure, you can't have the exact same relationship with the two people at the same time but blindly assuming that no matter what, you can't treat these two women with the same respect and admiration is downright unacceptable and illogical.
Silence prevailed in the room, as uncle and aunty peered at me, a look of offense marring the former's face. My hopeful gaze darted towards papa for getting an assurance that I haven't overstepped my boundaries, who blinked his eyes in return gently, somewhat lightening up my insides.
*********
It was lunchtime already, mumma and aunty were in the kitchen while papa was in the washroom. Aditya was currently having a conversation with uncle when I entered the room to call them outside for the lunch.
"Uh, Uncle, the lunch is set on the table." I informed, and glanced at Aditya, indicating the same.
Uncle nodded, and I felt him slightly observing my face. Before I could turn around to step outside, he commented,
"Beta you should do something about this. It's quite dark." He said touching his undereye area.
My heart sank swiftly at his words with a sudden sense of discomfort surrounding me. At his remark, my mind went blank, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to speak out anything coherent.
Smiling awkwardly in his direction, I replied, "I have tried everything, uncle, nothing really works."
"Arey beta these are just ways to avoid doing anything, try applying turmeric and curd on this area or you can apply potato juice too. I have heard that they work well to remove dark circles."
I rubbed my arms uneasily, too unconscious and unsettled by his comment. Before I could manage to say a word, Aditya got up from his seat and stood beside me,
"Ohho uncle..," He started, smiling lightly, though I could clearly feel the rigidity in his posture,
"You know, her eyes were the first thing that mom noticed about her and it was only after that she decided to consider her for me." His gaze flickered softly towards me, as he expressed tenderly with an almost invisible smile, "And they are beautiful." He paused for a second, and added,
"Moreover, Uh, these things really don't matter, at least not to us." He ended, smiling tightly at him.
"Chale?" He asked us, before even giving him a chance to reply, and patted the small of my back gently, while my inner-self kept ruminating that how many more times my appearance would be targeted by people, and how many more times I would be offered unsolicited pieces of advice about the physical features and appearance I possess.
*********
Aditya's Pov
An uncomfortable feeling swelled into my cores each time my gaze flickered to my wife sitting beside me, absentmindedly toying with her food.
She has been unusually silent after being hit on her biggest insecurity, and I could do nothing to assure her that for me, for us, and for her, nothing else matters except the positivity and confidence she holds.
It was time for me to leave for the office, while Riya walked along with me as mom and dad asked her to take some rest now.
She smiled at me weakly, a failed attempt to mask her sullen mood.
Sighing softly, I hugged her from the side, as no assuring words came out of my mouth that could lift her mood at this stance, "Take rest now, okay?"
"Hanji." She replied blinking her eyes, "When will you come back?"
"Normal time, or maybe an hour late. Because already I've been at home for the past two hours." I informed pressing my lips in a thin line, while she hummed in response.
"I'll go to the room then." She said and I nodded
She turned around in the direction of the stairs while unconsciously my gaze remained fixated on her.
Her steps halted before she could ascend the first step, as her eyes darted to the side of the stairs, towards the mirror in the lobby washbasin.
Her posture remained stiff, and she kept staring back at herself in the mirror as if assesing herself, and much to my dismay this was the moment when I realised,
The damage was done.
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Heyaaaa Dear Onesss!!!!
Did you like the chapter? Please comment kar dena yaar, it keeps your author motivated enough to write, because you all are the only reason I feel like writing for!!ð
Fun fact: The swing scene between Rii and Adi is a real life scene that I witnessed in my neighborhood a few months ago, just made some improvisations here and there. ðð
What similar turmeric taunts you have heard in your life?
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Until Next Time,
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