Meenakshi

PART 44

Meenakshi's POV

My husband got up after I removed the ropes. I immediately ran out of the room as I know the consequences of my actions wouldn't be very nice.

My mother in-law called me and said our neighbours wants to talk to me. As I went to talk to them, they talked about the thief incident which made me nervous. I was afraid that everyone would know the truth and tease us but my grandmother in-law said, "There was no thief. It was just a cat. You see! Old-age problems."

Everyone were happy and felt relieved with the news that there was no thief in the village. My husband went to the farm to help his father after greeting our neighbours.

I went into the kitchen to cook but Shailaja aunt followed me to the kitchen to chat with me and said, "When are you planning to shift to Hyderabad with your husband?" To which I said that I have no idea and she continued, "Don't stay here without your husband. It's not wise to trust men. What if he has an affair with another woman? You know one of my relative's son had an affair while he was married to his wife and had kids with her."

I was offended with the way she was talking and immediately said, "My husband is not like that. He can never do something like that. I trust him."

But Shailaja aunt again said, "It's good that you trust him but don't blindly trust him. Your husband is a young man. He is staying without you in a new city. What if he takes interest in new things and new people. Did you see any changes in his behaviour these days."

I know that Shailaja aunt doesn't have any ill intentions but what she said scared me. Does that mean my husband's change in attitude is not genuine?

In the afternoon, Sudha and Surya came back home. Sudha was excitedly telling us about her friend's wedding. But when my father in-law and husband came for having lunch, my father in-law said, "How did the wedding happen?" To which Surya said, "Good dad."

But my father in-law immediately slapped him and said, "You made a fool out of me. I said that you went to a friend's wedding to everyone in the village but everyone in the village knew that you went to resort. You shamelessly shared your photos for everyone to see but didn't inform me."

Seeing him shout like that Sudha said, "What's wrong if we went out somewhere? Do we need to inform everything to you? Didn't your elder son and daughter in-law go without informing?"

No one in our family ever talked back to my father in-law and seeing Sudha talk to him without any fear was something new.

My father in-law looked offended and said to Surya, "Ask your wife to stay in her limits. Doesn't she know how to respect her elders?"

Sudha looked more furious and said, "Don't teach me about my limits. You first stay in your limits. How dare you hit my husband? How did I forget! Hitting people is your old habit. You always use your hands to dominate everyone around you. But don't forget that he is a grown up man now. What if he hits you back?"

My father in-law didn't expect Sudha to talk like that and silently stood in the same place but my mother in-law said, "How dare you talk to my husband like this? I treated you like my own daughter and supported you in everything you did. But you don't even know how to respect relationships."

I thought Sudha wouldn't say anything back but she again said, "Don't act like you genuinely loved me. You always supported me because my parents gave dowry. Don't teach me about relationships now."

I felt bad for my mother in-law seeing her crying and went to her side but Sudha continued, "If you really know the value of relationships, you wouldn't have treated akka so poorly all these years and planned for brother inlaw's second marriage."

I felt uncomfortable listening to all these as I wanted to forget everything. Surya stopped Sudha from saying anything more and quickly took her to their room.

My father in-law silently left the room followed by my mother in-law and I went to my grandmother in-law's room with a plate of food. I woke her up for lunch and as she was eating I informed her about Surya and Sudha's arrival and she said, "Those brats came and didn't meet me yet. Go call them now."

I didn't know how their mood was so I said, "They just came home. They would meet you after getting ready."Everyone locked themselves in their rooms and my husband was nowhere to be seen.

In the evening, my children came home and insisted that we take their father to a hospital and I said, "Your father is fine now. Your father went to a hospital in the morning and it was cured with just one injection."

They looked satisfied and went to meet their uncle and aunt who were talking to my grandmother in-law.

Surya apologise to his father and mother for lying and disrespecting them but my father in-law looked very upset and didn't talk to him. But my mother in-law instantly forgave him. Even Sudha looked guilty but she didn't talk much.

Seeing Sudha so silent was very disturbing to me as she was the one who talks a lot in the family. Even when I tried to talk to her she only answered in one or two words.

When it's time for dinner, everyone gathered together to eat and my children said, "Amma you also sit and eat with us everyday like you did in maternal grandfather's house. Why do you always serve us food and later eat alone?"

Don't forget to vote, comment and follow.