For as long as Niharika could remember, she led a simple life overshadowed by her own misery. Despite belonging to a well-established family and being the youngest child, she was the neglected one, living her life as an outcast.
She never hoped or d...
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"Uh, Niharika, your brother called you for dinner," bhabhi said, standing.
I wiped my tears and looked in her direction, still unable to meet her eyes. She had witnessed my humiliation by my own father. What image had I created in her eyes?
"N..o.o, y-y-you go, bh..a.abhi. I'm n..not fe..e.eling hu...ngry," I said, avoiding eye contact and looking down.
"Please come; he's waiting for you. He knew you would say no, that's why he said he will not eat without you," bhabhi urged.
"Bh...a..abhi, ple..e..ase te..l..ll th..e.em n..n.ot to w..wait f..f.for me. Th..hey don't ne..e.ed to w..wait; they've a...l..lready d..o..one too m..u.uch for m..e," I said.
"Niharika, please, for me. I will not have anything too if you didn't," she said, sitting down.
I looked the other way, avoiding contact.
"I'll feel bad, and he too has to sleep hungry with us," bhabhi continued. I looked towards her, not understanding, but she placed my hand on her stomach, and I understood what she meant by 'too.'
"Ar...r.e you pre...g..n..nant?" I asked.
She nodded.
I smiled at her, placing kicky on the side.
She nodded again.
"Yes, and you are the first one I'm telling. Don't you think,I take you as a loser. No, you are a pure soul, an inspiration for him," she said, pointing towards her belly. I removed my hand, feeling undeserving of being an inspiration for someone.
"M..me? An in...nspira..tion? Ne..ever," I said.
"Yes, you are!" she insisted, though I knew she was lying.
"Your brother told me everything. He was crying and worried after the day Mr. Prithvi called him for you. I don't judge you; I know you did nothing wrong," bhabhi said.
"Wh...a..at di..d.d th..e..ey ca..a.ll?" I asked in shock.
"Yes, he was worried about you like a mad person," bhabhi confirmed.
'Why did he call? He was really worried for me. I thought I was just making things myself,'-- I smiled inside.
Why? I didn't know.
They continued, "What your bhai told me, I can only say you are lucky; your husband cares for you a lot," she said.
"Now, please, will you join us?" she asked.
I smiled and hugged her.
"Let's go," bhabhi said, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I nodded.
***
"Yes, it's just about an hour away. We could make it through, right? Or how many days is the election campaign going for?" Prithvi asked Amar on a call while driving his car back to Bangalore airport to catch his private jet.
