Seven Vows Part 1- Published

A Mother's advice

Sreedhar was sitting on the bed hugging the pillow with lights off. Maheswari switched on the lights. Sreedhar looked at her. Maheswari could see his eyes were red and she knew he had cried. She went and sat near him. Sreedhar left the pillow and put his head on his mother's lap snuggling towards her. Maheswari caressed his cheek where she had slapped him

" Maa I don't want to marry Naina. You give me any other punishment. But don't give me this life long punishment Maa. I have not done anything till date that will make you stand with bowed head in front of anyone. Believe me Maa I didn't insult Naina purposefully. She spoke very harshly about Sumanji. Listen to me Maa once. I even don't know why Sumanji is angry with me. Don't go by her words Maa. Listen to me once" he started crying again in her lap.

" Sreedhar beta don't your Maa know you. Why did you come running and spoke harshly to Papa. Look he is very hurt with lot of happenings. Shouldn't you trust your Maa a bit before jumping the gun. Shouldn't you be trusting your Sudhir Bhaiyya before speaking like this. Do you think your Maa will make your life a deal knowingly. Your life and happiness is very important to me beta. So is the peace of the family. Naina is not going to be your wife. What needs to be done your Sudhir Bhaiyya and Tilak Bhaiyya will do. When they need help just help and support them. Now get up, wash your face and come. You are no longer a kid to cry and throw tantrums, you are a 23 year old young man" . Sreedhar got up sheepishly as Maheswari patted his cheeks gently. He washed his face, came back and sat beside her.

" Now my boy is looking good. Coming to Suman. She is not angry with you beta. She is sad, desperate and worried. That girl cannot even express her proper emotions. What can I say about her. From her house her bidaai happened. But here, her Grihapravesh didn't happen. When she chose to stay here, she was not choosing life beta, she was choosing death. She thought she will get an easy escape from whatever torture she had undergone. Now when issues come up, she feels herself responsible for it. Thinking she is still not a family member and because of her, more than her, the family she chose is facing problems. I need to talk to her too. Tomorrow you both have to tell what exactly happened in the party to the family. So now keep your worries aside and sleep. Sreedhar lay on the bed and gave her a smile. Maheswari put the blanket on him, patted his cheeks and as she walked out switched off the lights and kept the door almost closed.

Suman got up startled as she heard the door open. Seeing Maheswari she got up and adjusted her pallu.

" Maa you here, this late" asked Suman

" How can Maa sleep when her children are lying awake and throwing tantrums like kids. You are not happy here Suman suddenly you want to go to your Maayka"

" Maa I am sorry. I don't know. But then if I was not there here a lot of problems wouldn't have happened. Now it is like everyday one problem or the another. One problem is not solved another comes. "

Maheswari made Suman sit on the bed and sat by her side. " Suman if you had gone to your Maayka does it make you Suman Rajput". Suman looked at her MIL and nodded " No"

" No right. Whether you stay here or whether you stay there you are Suman Varma. That's the truth. Your Kanyadan was done by your father and I did your Ghatbandhan with Murali. You walked the 7 rounds with him. He filled your maang and put mangalsutra in your neck. Your relation with this family was established irrevocably. You were no longer your parent's responsibility, but you were our responsibility in every sense. You are the bahu of this house. Make sure you understand it correctly. Beta if the relation is established, it is established for a reason. Though I have not gone to college like you, with what I have seen in life I know that much. You are telling trouble. Why are you forgetting because of your decision to stay back a young girl who is brutally killed might get justice, a woman who was the bahu of this house got her rightful place, a girl who was deprived of her father's love gets it and is happy. And a boy will get its rightful inheritance. Cant you see these happenings Suman which are connected to your decision of staying here"

Suman was silent. " It is not your anger Suman, it is your concern for Sreedhar that is making you speak like this. You are afraid something will go wrong with him, with this family. Instead of putting the façade of anger, address the concern Suman. Go through what happened today objectively and analyze for yourself whether Sreedhar did anything wrong. Did he do anything which I might not approve of if I hear the whole incident. And one more thing. It is not be taken for granted by anyone that they can call you " Chudayil". Put this also on your head clearly. If someone calls it, it is the insult of the bahu of Varma family and they will get appropriate reply for it. It was fate that made you a widow and I have not given any rights to anyone to insult you for something over which you had no control. Are you understanding me" Suman nodded. " Just nod is not enough Suman, start feeling yourself a part of this family. Yes problems will come. But if family stands together problems can be solved. For that everyone has to consider themselves part of the family. Am I clear " . Suman smiled. Maheswari got up, then her eyes fell on the Tedy in the table. She took it and saw " Thank you".

" Sreedhar gave that to me as a return gift for the Hanky I gave him" told Suman.

" You can give him hanky, he can give you toy and then fight like cat and mouse. Who are you fooling Suman. Yourself. Accept the concern you have for him, then your anger will be subdued, said Maheswari as she walked out. Suman looked at the Tedy. " I know you are sad, but then I was upset. Don't worry. I will keep you by my side only" she kept the Tedy in her arms and switched off the lights.

Maheswari sighed as she came down. She had calmed them down. But she knew what lay ahead was not easy. Till they can conclusively rule out the threat of Naina Rawat she cannot afford to relax.