Indian Wedding Tales

D A K S H : part III

"Priya, I forbid you from coming near Mom"

"Hey, don't be so harsh on her!" Tara said while blinked long yet again.

"I'm just taking precautions" I shrugged at my wife and adjusted her leg on the pillow. I've had far too much experience when it came to fractures. Even the slightest pressure could feel like you're being stabbed like a rock. If my daughter decides to jump in joy for the new episode of Peppa Pig, I'm afraid my poor wife will suffer unbearably.

"Who will help me with my homework the?" Priya asked in a small voice while standing at the door and looking up at her mom with sad eyes.

"If you won't do homework for one day, nothing will happen" I turned to face her.

"Did mummyji say the same to you when you were in school?" Tara narrowed her eyes at me. I ducked under her gaze and while I moved to adjust the pillow on her back.

"You know what Priya?" my wife continued. "Today dad will help you with you homework"

Without any control, I groaned out loud.

"Afraid of class three math, Daksh?" Tara said with a twinkle in her eyes. I resisted the urge to bury my face in my hands and turned to Priya.

"Go, get your books ready" I told Priya and watched her running back to her room. I turned to my wife to notice her watching me.

"What?" I raised both my hands up in the air. " I said I'll help her"

"Did you get the promotion?" She asked with an expectant look on her face. I lowered my eyes and sat at the edge of the bed.

"I don't care about that now"

Tara frowned at me and was about to probe me with more questions but I raised my finger.

"It's your time to sleep. I can already see you getting drowsy from all that medication"

"I'm not sleepy!" She protested and a moment later, she yawned.

"Clearly" I replied.

"What's three into nine?"

"Twenty seven"

"Okay, then write it here"

"But the question says six into nine" Priya pushed her notebook closer to me. I stifled a yawn and squinted my eyes at the tiny text. Indeed, the question was six into nine.

"Okay, yes, yes, write 45 there"

Priya furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"Papa you don't know Math like mumma" She said before scribbling '54' on the page. Oh damn, my mind isn't working right now, I thought as I watched my child hurry through her homework and not asking me another question.

After tucking her in bed and assuring her that mom is fine, just a bit delicate right now, Priya went to sleep. I padded back to my bedroom, flipping off all lights and climbed into my bed.

Tara had fallen asleep and her mouth was slightly ajar like it always was while she sleept. I smiled but immediately felt my heart deflate. I couldn't believe what I had put Tara through. There I was chasing clients to get a promotion and Tara was running behind me completing all my responsibilities.

I needed to be a better man for my wife.

I needed to be a better man for my daughter.

I needed to be a better man for myself and I was damn ready to start working towards it.

*****

I woke up at eight in the morning and reminded myself that I had to be the backbone my family would support on now.