Indian Wedding Tales

T E J A L : part I

The consistent tapping of pencil on the dinning table was almost matching my blood pressure. Almost. Because right now, the blood in my veins was pounding so hard, I feared my veins would burst open.

Who knew being the mother of two boys would make you a heart patient so early in your age.

"Who writes with a blunt pencil?"

"Go eat crayon, Shrey"

"Watch your mouth, I'm elder and start respecting me"

"You still stink when you poop"

"Shut up! You can't even spell poop"

"Whatever, mom gives me two ladoos. Booooooooo"

"That's because she wants you to become fat and not win the school race"

"Mommmmm"

"See, I made you cry. I made you cry"

"Mommmmmmmmmmm"

"I made Ansh cry. I made Ansh cry"

"STOP IT!" 

My head was throbbing beyond imagination and the scream that left my throat echoed in the rest of the house. All I could think about right now was that I needed the neighbor's, Bhartiji's fixer chai. 

But ignoring the urge of my heart, I set my serious eyes on the little imps in front of me. 

"You say one more word and I'm going to lock you on the third floor terrace"

My boys gulped before snapping their heads down and burying it inside their books.

The vegetables in front of me were no where close to being cut. The knife in my hand felt useless. Evening's dinner seemed a distant idea. 

I looked over to the other side of the living room. There like a statue of new clay, my mother in law sat at the edge of the sofa, gazing out the window. My heart broke at the sight. 

Even my kids' quarrel wasn't successful to pull her out of her daze. I couldn't blame her. No one could. Losing your life long partner so suddenly would leave anyone with a big hole in their heart, a void too large to overcome. 

My heart broke at the sight. 

I could see the dark bags under her eyes. Her gray hair thinning and shoulders slumping. The plate full of food in her room would go untouched and her body looked like it was ready to shut down any minute. 

"Mom, daadi didn't eat today also", My elder son, Shrey, spoke up as he watched me. 

"I know" I whispered. 

Ignoring the pain in my forehead, I got and marched to kitchen. Gathering the minimum of butter cookies and a small cup of milk, I made my way to the sofa. 

"Mummy, did you hear?" I started out exasperatedly. "Sumukhi didi didn't attend the Shah's diwali party this year. Everyone has been gushing about it since a year. That Parul aunty is saying they've cut all ties ever since Sumukhi didi's husband came drunk at the party last year."

Spinning a baseless conversation, I handed her the cup of milk and forced her to look at me as I twisted my face in disgust. "Sumukhi didi's mother and father were so upset, they couldn't show their faces only! Can you believe it? Sumukhi married the wrong guy and now her family is suffering second hand embarrassment."

My mother-in-law's face still hadn't changed as she pretended to listen to me with her hollow eyes. But I had managed to lift the cup up to her lips while narrating a spicy event. God bless Sumukhi, I used her to distract my mother and get her to eat something. 

Sorry Sumukhi. I thought I could bring our my drama hungry mother-in-law out from this lady's body. But apparently, she's lost in the past right now and standing before me is a much heartbreaking version of the once cheerful Garba queen. 

Once the cup was empty, I placed a cookie in her hand and returned the empty cup in the kitchen. 

My boys were still cribbing at the dinning table, completing their homeworks and busy sticking their tongue's out at their sibling. 

"Finish your homework fast, we have to prepare for your school activity tomorrow." I said to the duo and watched as my younger son, Hrishav nodded in excitement. 

"Mumma, we need glitter and colored paper too!" He jumped in his seat. 

Fantastic. Another round to the stationary and a delay in dinner preparation and then a delay in bedtime and then a delay in waking up and going to school. I look at the time. 8:45.

Preparing myself for all the pending work, I decide to swallow a pill for my headache. As I'm heading to the kitchen, Shrey grabs my hand. 

"Daddy will come to my singing show, right?" He asked expectantly. 

Shrey had prepared an entire year for his performance at the show. I knew how much it meant to him. 

But his father.....

How do I tell him his father has to pull longer shifts as he's buried in work. He get's home late, hardly speaks and drives back to work before the kids wake. How do I tell Rakesh?

Giving him a tight lipped smile and a nod, I walk away. 

I grab my purse and wear my sandals as I rush out the door to get the craft supplies. I'm intersected by Bhartiji at the lift and almost sigh.

"I crave your chai today too, Bhartiji"

"You've been craving it a lot I see" She remarks as she smiles fondly at me. 

"Managing everything single handedly makes you more prone to headaches" I reply while knocking my forehead. "Plus Rakesh comes late everyday and it's difficult to be there for the kids all by myself"

"Rakes comes home late?" Bhartiji frowns at me while twisting her key in the lock. 

"Yeah, he has a lot of workload these days"

"Are you sure, beta" Bhartiji asks me. "Because I see his car come into the society everyday at 8"

I feel like I misheard what she said.

"I'm sorry, what?"

She smiles sadly and I know I have another headache coming up. And this time, a big one. 

*************

Guess who's back? Old audience, if you're reading this, how have you been? I survived 2022. I'm planning to thrive now. ;)

How did you find this part? Please let me know your thoughts! Part 2 coming up soon.