First Wife, First Love.

18. Balancing Relations.

***Arya's POV.***

Life at Mehra's house is simple and slow. It has been two weeks since I got married and one week I'm in this house. Every day, I see a routine. A routine which moves like the day before. It is normal but also a little abnormal. It is unnecessary that everything should be different every day but it shouldn't be like the way it always is as well.

I wake up every morning before Vedant and look at his sweet face and our joined hands. Then, after getting ready, I go down and help make breakfast. After having breakfast with half the family, which does not include Mayra or sometimes Dadu, then I work on lunch and send tiffin to Vedant's office.

Then I spend the afternoon with Mom and Nani and after they have gone for a small nap, I spend my time with Mayra. Vedant comes home and we talk for a while then I send Mayra's dinner to her room and have dinner with others. Then we go to sleep.

I feel like we are paused in one place. Neither my relationship with Vedant is progressing nor I am putting any effort to make the family accept Mayra fully. It all feels stressful sometimes as I don't know where to start with and how would others react if I will start anything.

Balancing relations is not easy, I knew that. But I never thought I would be this clueless. Only one person in this house could help me. Only one person who understands and knows everything and who would give me the right guidance.

"Dadu, I want to talk with you." I say on Sunday afternoon when he comes back from his morning walk.

Mom and Dadi have gone to the temple and Mayra said she is going to her dance academy where she would be teaching Kathak. And Vedant has gone to the office for a small meeting and will be back before lunch. So it is the perfect time to talk with Dadu.

"Sure, dear. Come, we will have our talk in the gardens while we still can enjoy the sun. Vimi, bring tea and coffee for us there." Dadu says and we walk to the garden, "Say, dear what is it? Is it about Vedant going to the office today? Let him come home, I'll scold him. He should take you out for dinner dates. And not leave you alone to wander around in the house."

"That is not what this is, Dadu. I want to talk about Mayra." I say and all the fun leaves Dadu's eyes and he gets serious.

"What about it?" He asks.

"Nani told me the little she knew about you all. About what happened a long time ago. I don't know the whole story but I know that Mayra is... I mean there is no better way to say it but I heard that Vedant and Mayra share different mothers." I say.

"What about it?" Dadu asks again with a cold look in his eyes.

"I wanted to ask, is there no way that Dadi and Mom could accept Mayra?" I ask without getting nervous.

Dadu looks at me for two seconds then sighs in relief as if he was dreading something then says, "I am sorry, Aru. My protective instincts for Mayra get the better of me every time. I have been trying to dissuade the worst judgements against her my whole life and that has made me question everyone if they even look at her. I am sorry for behaving coldly with you."

"That's okay, Dadu." I say.

"No, it is not. I promised your Nanu that I would treat you like my daughter and nothing else. But Mayra is a very touchy subject for me. And about your question, I don't know. I have tried for almost twenty two years to convince them to accept her. Mayra was just three when I found out about her and also that she was sent to an orphanage when she had a family. My blood boils every time I remember the first time I saw her. Torn clothes, bruised body, empty eyes and obedient person. She would have jumped in a lake if someone had asked. She was treated worse." Dadu says and stops when Vimi comes with a tray.