The Story of an Indian Wife

21

Meera was quickly kneading the dough as she was running late in making lunch, because she got stucked in bunch of household chores and her daughter is having fever thus want her mother to be near her.

"Bhabhisa,button of my shirt broke. Please sew it". Anuj came with shirt in his hand and a broken button.

" Devarsa, I will do it. First, let me make the lunch. It already late. Babasa will come home anytime soon. "

Nodding Anuj kept it on the side table and went. Over the years, all the family members have grow to be dependent on Meera for every small work.  Anuj being unmarried among all four brothers, acknowledgs Meera's work. He has seen that she always works hard for the family and never deny helping him.

Nandini's crying voice reached her ears. She so much wanted to go and console her daughter but she knew she needs to to make the lunch first. Her husband is beside her daughter, taking care of her.

"Bindni, what are you doing?" Meera jumped in her place as her mother in law shouted in a sharp voice. "You have not made the lunch yet??" Her loud voice made Aarti and kirti to come in the kitchen as well.

" I was making it but nandu.." Meera tried to make her understand but her mother in law didn't listened. " What nandu??? Look at the time, Don't you know Aarti Bindni is pregnant, she needs to have food on time."

" It's not a big deal Maasa, I am not hungry." Aarti tried to make her mother in law understand. She doesn't want Meera to get scolded from her mother in law for such silly reasons.

" you don't take her side Aarti Bindni. Your child should be healthy. She is of no use. She has now started soldering on her work. Kaamchor kahi ki" Her mother in law barked.

Meera's heart ached and she was embarrassed, she didn't delayed intentionally, circumstances got her late. She had tears in her eyes. " Now why are you standing like a statue?? If you have some shame left in you then go and make the lunch" She groaned, " hurry up".

" Hame Maaf...." Meera was going to apologize even if it was not her fault. But there entered Abhiraj with a crying Nandu in his arms. " What is happening here ?? Why are you shouting Maasa" Abhiraj seemed angry and frustrated. He was already losing patience that his daughter was crying and he can't do anything to make her feel better.

Aarti and kirti covered their head properly.  " look at your wife beta, she still didn't make lunch. Keshav's wife is pregnant. It is our responsibility to give her food on time. nowadays my health is not allowing me to do work and Aarti bindni cant work in pregnancy. How can your wife be so irresponsible like this?" Abhiraj mother's started speaking to her son in a sugar-coated tone. She tried to frame Meera like a culprit in front of him.

Meera looked down,making herself ready to face her husband's worth. Abhiraj looked at Meera with a softness in his eyes. " Meera, take her" He said forwarding nandu to her. Meera took her, cradling her in her arms to sushh the baby. " Take her to the room" Abhiraj said but Meera stilled confused whom to obey her husband or her mother in law.

" Meera, Go inside" Abhiraj repeated himself, compiling Meera to follow his command. Meera went with a crying Nandu to her room. "What were you saying Maasa?" Abhiraj turned his attention to his mother." I was saying she is becoming lazy...." His mother  thought she has shownMeera at fault in his eyes.

"Ahh....lazy, have you ever seen her saying no to any of the work, Maasa??" Abhiraj asked making his mother fumble on her words. "you said that Keshav's wife needs food on time because she is pregnant And I have no problem with it. But why is my wife the only one to do all the work in the house. " The intensity in his voice made the three ladies present there shiver. The angry Abhiraj was dangerous to mess with , now he looked angry beyond limits. He took a deep breathe but that didn't calm him.

" My wife wakes up first in the morning, before anyone in the family. she does all the chores by herself. she takes care of everyone in the family and looks after my children. All her day goes like this, from the past seven years it has been the same routine. she never had time to take rest and SHE NEVER COMPLAINS." Nobody dared stop him, even his mother was frightened.

"I agree that you are old to do work, Maasa. Keshav's wife is pregnant so she cant work and Prithvi's wife is young to do work. But that doesn't mean my wife will work like a maid in the house. And you are calling her useless. How can you not see her hard work, Maasa." Abhiraj hissed , as his nose flared & eyes red. "If the chores are becoming unmanageable for you then you could have told me. we would have kept more servant and maids in the house. THERE WAS NO NEED TO BURDEN HER LIKE THAT". Abhiraj's mother was shocked, her son never talk to her in this tone. " why did you mistreat her?"

she always used the distance between Meera and Abhiraj to insult Meera, and always filled his ears against Meera. But today Abhiraj's changed behaviour shaked her soul. " Why did you never stopped my wife from working in the ninth month of pregnancy , while she was carrying my kids in her womb? Don't  you cared about my children health??"

"Asa na hai beta...." His mother tried reasoning her actions,"Then what is it, Maasa?? you know today Nandini is having high fever. she is wanting Meera's presence but Meera had to leave her crying only to cook for the family. And you didn't even know about her health. cooking could have been by anyone right??"Abhiraj asked, and his mother gave a small nod.

" I expected better from you, Maasa"

Abhiraj entered in his room. Meera was keeping cold strips on Nandini's forehead who was now sobbing slowly. "Meera, how is Nandu?"

" I gave her medicine. she will sleep soon" Abhiraj nodded coming to the bed and layed with nandu in the mid. He was pained, seeing your child suffer is the biggest misfortune. He was experiencing it now. Every tear that come out of Nandu's eyes burned his soul.

Meera slowly patted her as she slept. Abhiraj's thought went deep as he stared at Meera, Meera is someone's daughter, and his family mistreated her,his mother used bad words for her.He can never imagine someone treating his daughter like that, he can kill them for saying a wrong word to his daughter.

How would have Meera's family tolerated when his mother insulted them and ask them to take her back?He felt he helped them by cancelling the dahej at that time. Now, he understood that seeing her in that condition her family must have regretted their decision of marrying her to him. BUT, they couldn't do anything maybe because his family is powerful and Meera's family was financially weak at that time.

He wondered how Meera tolerated his mother's bitterness. He was bewildered when his mother called Meera useless and said many other things. listening to the false accutions on Meera, Ahiraj couldn't control and blasted upon his mother and said all those things, rudely. He felt it was needed, it was high time that his wife gets the respect she deserves.

AND HE WILL FIGHT AGAIN IF HE HAD TO, FOR HER!!