My Nepenthe

Chapter 41

Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim readers.😇😇

Note: unedited... will correct later.

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Jhanvi was hurrying towards her son's room wondering why her daughter in law did not come downstairs.

Did they fight?

Did he even talk to her as promised?

She just reached the door when Gauri stepped out looking like an angry, broody hen. The latter looked so irritated and lost that she turned the other way to walk down the stairs not noticing Jhanvi who stood right beside the door.

Oh God, did her son mess up again?

"Gauri?" she called and got her attention.

"What happened Gauri, why didn't you come for breakfast yet? Is everything alright? Did Omkara talk to you? If he said anything wrong I apologize on his behalf beta, please forgive..."

"Maa ji, ..." her daughter in law started but she didn't let her talk.

"No, if you are angry then he must have definitely done something wrong. I assure you I will talk to him."

"No Maa ji," Gauri shook her head and held the former's shoulders in assurance.

"You don't need to worry. We talked it out and I forgave him already. It is not his fault that Svetlana is a sick woman.

Jhanvi heaved a sigh of relief that things are okay.

"Thank God," she said with a smile and caressed her cheek.

"Then why are you late?" she questioned.

"Ummm, vo... nothing actually. I overslept I guess...uhh... with the stressful events yesterday..." Jhanvi heard her daughter in law stammer and frowned.

Her watchful eyes assessed her carefully and widened in shock looking at an obvious bruise on her neck.

"What is this?" she asked at once touching the area when Gauri moved back in reflex and tried to cover it.

Damn!! the younger one cursed herself. In anger, she left the room without taking measures to hide the visible mark her husband so lovingly gave her the previous night.

How is she to explain it?

"Let me see Gauri, it looked..." Jhanvi started and stopped short seeing her daughter in law blush profusely.

It clicked in late but when it did, she stared at her dumbstruck, unable to believe her eyes.

"Ohh," she uttered loudly before she could stop herself.

Omkara's wife looked away in embarrassment and Jhanvi bit her lip not wanting to add on to the discomfort.

"Umm, if you cover it like that, you will attract more attention," Gauri heard her husband's mother say and wished she never came out of the room that day.

Can I disappear, please Shankar ji?

"Okay, don't turn more red. Come with me," said Jhanvi and dragged her along.

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Gauri leaned forwards to look at herself in the full length mirror in her mother in law's dressing room.

"Perfect," she smiled and Jhanvi joined her.

"This is a new piece that I bought a few days back. You can keep this, it will come in handy," the elder one said, handing over the concealer.