9. Caring

Meera was sitting on a chair in the kitchen doing nothing and only looking at her husband mesmerized. She looked at her husband's hair now tied tightly in a bun, eyes focused on the rice he was rinsing right now, sleeves folded up to his elbow clearly showing the veins popping, the black kurta was even accentuating his looks more. She remembered how she ended up on the chair.

FLASHBACK

Meera took the utensil to rinse some rice while Aashrit was just looking around the kitchen roaming around when Aashrit called her and she jumped in fear with udden interruption while she concentrated on the dish she was about to make. As she jumped, the utensil slipped from her hand and she covered her ears with her hands before any sound could come. She opened her eyes only to find Aashrit holding the utensil in his hand looking at her with some concern in his eyes. She looked at him scared of the fact that he would shout at her so she apologized to him first.

"I am sorry. I was..."

"Shhhh..... It's nothing to be sorry about." He said before she could apologize.

Meera didn't speak a word again but a whole conversation happened in her mind. She didn't know anything else to say apart from sorry. While also worried about the fact that she offended him with her actions.

"I can't trust you with cooking," Aashrit said in a monotone voice and left the kitchen.

His words pierced Meera's heart. She was scared thinking that she upset him on the 1t day of marriage only. She didn't know him much but she knew his age enough. Her feet walked after him to try to coax her and apologize for her mistake but before she could move, she saw him entering the kitchen with a chair in his hand.

He put the chair in the middle of the kitchen while Meera's eyes furrowed seeing his actions. She didn't know what to say to him.

"Baithiye....." he said

Meera looked at him with a questioned eye not understanding his words. If she would sit, then who is going to cook?

When Meera's feet didn't move, Aashrit stood in front of her and leaned down to her ear "Don't make me repeat myself Meera ji." He said and her heartbeat stopped on hearing her name from his mouth.

"Par......" She tried to utter but was shshed by Aaashrit.

"Shhhh...." He said while putting his finger on her lip making her take a step back.

Aashrit felt hurt by her actions and took his hand back and turned towards the fridge.

Meera kept standing there shocked at her actions. She suddenly got worried thinking she might have hurt him unknowingly. She didn't want to upset him or anybody in this house.

"Kun.........."

"Aashrit....... My name is Aashrit." He said coming back with an apple and knife in his hand.

He put the apple down on a plate "And I'd like my wife to call me by my name." He said cutting the apple.

Meera had no idea what to say anymore. She suddenly felt speechless. His name??? From her mouth?? No...... It sounded like a sin. She grew up in a closed environment where taking husband'sname was strictly denied. For a second she thought if he was testing her but the serious look on his face was saying otherwise.

PRESENT

And that's how she ended up on the chair with a plate of apple slices in her hand still thinking about Aashrit's words.

She came out of thoughts on hearing his voice.

"What am I supposed to do next?" He said out loud.

Meera stood up from the chair and went hurriedly to him. She looked at the pot on the gas and was shocked to see the boiling water in a pot.

She furrowed her brows and looked at him with a dissatisfied pout while Aashrit averted his eyes knowing well what type of looks she must be giving him.

"Ummmm we should boil the rice first..." he said with so much confidence but the second he looked at her baffled eyes, he regretted looking at her.

"Move." She said.

"But."

"If I make any mistake or hurt myself, I'll leave the kitchen without any question." She said without meeting his eyes knowing well she wouldn't be able to handle the intensity of his eyes.

Aashrit didn't have any point to argue so he silently stepped back from the kitchen duty. Meera started making Kheer silently while Aashrit stood there beside her noticing her every action. Although she was feeling conscious of having his attention she didn't have the courage to ask him to avert his eyes. She looked around to find dry fruits but was interrupted by Aashrit as he passed her everything she needed .

Aashrit took the piece of fruit from bowl and forwarded to her mouth. Although she was a bit awkward at first but his continuous attempt to make sure she was not empty stomach, warmed her heart.

Aashrit made sure that he is somehow helping her even if it means feeding her with his own hands.

Soon, the Kheer was ready and Rashmi entered at the same moment.

"It smells so good," Rashmi said entering the kitchen making Aashrit and Meera turn back to look at her.

Meera gave her a small smile while Aashrit just nodded.

"I will go and get ready," Aashrit said taking off the apron and leaving the kitchen.

Meera was confused about his behavior. One moment he is so caring and the other so cold. Rashmi noticed the expression on Meera's face and came beside her.

"He is just like that Meera. He was always silent but jolly for his family but something happened when he was 8 and since then he has never been the jolly child not even for his siblings to whom he used to love the most. No one in the family still knows about this but the change in his behavior was clear and since then he only focused on his study, his father's business, and the kingdom. I want to see the smile on his face but nothing seems to be in my hand. I hope you can change him." Rashmi told Meera and she got emotional while telling her.

"Mumma please...." Meera said putting her hand on Rashmi's shoulder.

Rashmi blinked her tears away and gave a small smile to Meera who was worried about seeing a distressed look on her face.

Rashmi held her hand and said to her "Come with me beta, I have something to give you."

Meera thinned her brows but still followed her and soon reached a room. They both entered the room to find it empty.

Meera stood there in the room while Rashmi went to the wardrobe. Meera looked around the room and noticed many frames of Rashmi and Ranvijay together and a smile formed on her face seeing the happy couple. The love was seen in their pictures. The smile on his face and the blush on hers were clearly telling the unexplainable emotions they shared. Suddenly the smile left her lips as she realized that she might never experience this in her life. Maybe she will always crave to experience this beautiful feeling in her life. Her thoughts came to an end when she heard the clicking of the door which made her turn back and she looked at her mother-in-law with a wooden box in her hand and her everlasting smile intact on her face.

Rashmi came in front of her and forwarded the box to her. Meera looked at the box and then at her with an unsure expression. Rashmi nudged the box a little more towards Meera which she held in her hand. The box was a little heavy for Meera but she still held it tightly.

"You have to wear this today Meera." Rahmi said "This is a saree coming from generations and now become a ritual for this Mahal. Every newlywed has to wear this saree for their first rasoi as it is chanted to bring good luck in the wife's fate." Rashmi explained the importance to Meera.

Meera opened the lid of the box and a maroon colored saree covered in a transparent polybag came into her sight while Rashmi continued "This is a Zari saree woven with gold and silver threads. It's embroidery is hand-woven and the little birds and butterflies embroidery on it express the free nature of the queen Ahila. These types of sarees were used to be produced in Kolkata only in the 18th century and the King of Aalha Mahal especially ordered it fr the Queen Ahila as a wedding gift which she wore on her first rasoi."

Meera looked at the saree with a delighted expression. She has never seen such a beautiful work on a saree before and that too years old saree.

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