Vaaste (short stories)

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The morning in Mahdi's house was a chaos. After having no sleep all night he didn't even get peace in the morning. As soon as he got up and dressed for the office he went down to the kitchen but not before taking a peek in his children's room where his wife was cozied up to her sons. It was nine in the morning, already too late for his wife to not to wake up usually she would be breathing down his neck to get up and eat.

He pondered whether to wake them up or not but after last night he came to a conclusion that it would be better for them to sleep for a little while.

He entered the kitchen and his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. "Aapi aap ye kya kar rahi hai?" He questioned, shocked to find his wife's peace sanctuary in a mess. There was flour everywhere where , on the counters, stove and cracked egg shells thrown on the floor, on the cutting board there was a mishmash of vegetables cut in a disordered way. Cherry on top his wife's favourite pan was now turning black.

He heart lurched out of his mouth when he heard the sound of a door being opened. He whipped his head to the side and saw a groggy Uyen making her way towards the kitchen. His widened eyes followed her form turning around and stopping at the threshold of the kitchen. She looked at him confused "aap kya kar rahe hai yaha?" She reached her hands out to fix his tie.

The short sweet moment was cut off when whatever was on the pan exploded and splattered around the room. Naiyah shrieked, dropping the spatula from her hand. Uyen jumped up in fright and looked to her side, at first she was shocked but then her face contorted into anger, red fury boiling in her. She fisted her hands, nails digging into her palms "ye kya behuda mazak hai Naiyah aapi?" She gritted out, her voice dripping with anger.

Naiyah looked like a deer caught in the headlights "w-woh qamar ko bhook lag rahi thi toh maine soncha kuch bana deti hu"she fumbled with her words.

"Api jab aapko pata hai ki aap cook nahi karsakti toh fir kyu try kiya"Mahdi asked. Naiyah frowned "toh kya mai mere bete ko bhuki rakhti? Tumhari bewi toh gurate marke soorahi thi"she taunted Uyen.

Mahdi bit his lip "Uyen ko isme na laye voh koi aapki naukrani nahi hai aapko paka ke dene. Cabinet mai bacho ka cereal hai voh leleti" he pointed at the top cabinet.

"Mere bete ko cereal nahi pasand usse egg aur pancakes pasand breakfast ke liye" she said with attitude. "Toh apne ghar jaa kar karle api ye sab" Uyen's calm but firm voice resounded around the room. Naiyah snapped her eyes at her "tum kya khena chati ho? Huh! Ye mere bhai ka ghar hai mai jo chahe karu tum apni had mai raho" she spat at her.

"Apni had mai AAP RAHIYE!" Uyen equally shouted at her. "Dusro ke ghar mai aake unhe satana achi baat nahi hoti hai. Aur ye mere shohar ka ghar hai, mera haq. Agr itna apne bhai se pyaar hai toh shaadi kyu ki? Baithi saari zindagi apne bhai ke saath aur mai meri life kisi aur ke saath izzat se rehti" she turned her gaze to glare at Mahdi.

Naiyah dramatically gasped putting her hands on her mouth "ye kaise gandi baath kar rahi ho tum! Suna Mahdi apni bewi ki zaban apne bado se kaise baath karte hai voh iske maa baap ne nahi sikaya. Kaise sikate voh khud unpard...gawar log jisne ek ameer ladke ko apne jaal mai phasaya aur ek handicap beti tangadi uske gale mai."

Sharp sound of skin hitting skin sounded and naiyah's face snapped to the side, face turning red from the force of the slap. "Ainda se apni ye gandi zaban se mere maa baap ke baare mai kuch kaha toh mujhse bura koi nahi hog" sleep was long gone from her mind, her eyes glossed over by tears.

"Uyen!" Mahdi shouted "maafi maango api se abhi" he glared at her. Uyen's heart crushed, beating painfully against her chest. She couldn't believe her husband's words. "Mai inse maafi nahi maangungi"she glared at him.