My Life is a Soap Opera

32. Enough is enough.

I'm going through a writer's block. If anyone has any suggestions for a good rom-com please lemme know. I need to read🥲.

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Maintaining a nonchalant behaviour was tougher than I anticipated. My dad launched into one of his stories demanding Ritwik and Sayan's attention while my aunt tried to talk to me. I was used to acting completely normal with people I despised cause well, I despised most people. However, even that practice didn't make it any easier for me to react normally to my aunt and her questions that were clearly meant to be hurtful.

"Did you learn how to cook?"

"How do they allow you to wear all this?"

"Do you at least do the laundry?"

A few more questions later my mother had enough and interrupted her saying, "She's my daughter. She knows how to take care of herself and her family. If she had any problems at her in-laws, she'd tell us. Now, help me." She went to the kitchen. My aunt got up to follow her with a smug expression as if she knew something that I didn't.

I didn't understand what my aunt was trying to do. It wasn't like I didn't do anything when I stayed with my parents. Sure, I needed to be nagged about the chores but that didn't mean I didn't do them. I did them. It's just that I needed some motivation. Usually that motivation came in the form of my parents' screaming but I still knew how to get those things done. And my aunt was well aware of that. So, the taunt was straight up dumb but it did what it was supposed to, pissed me off.

Ritwik took my hand in his and brought our hands onto lap. He played with our hands distracting me from my anger. A few minutes later my mother brought a tray of chicken pakodas interrupting my dad's story of how he was the best employee his company ever had and how they all praised him before leaving.

After we finished eating, Ritwik nudged me. I had completely forgotten until then that we had bought gifts for my parents. The backpack was pretty spacious. "You give them." I mouthed.

He nodded and pulled out the two packets. The first packet contained a dark maroon panjabi and a white dhuti. I knew my dad didn't like the whole traditional clothing but Ritwik insisted that it would be better if we got him that. I would have disagreed but that asshole bribed me.

"Let me choose your parents' gift and you can choose what I wear on our next break."

Obviously, I agreed. I didn't have to break my head over gifts and I was getting a sexy almost-naked chef for the next time I needed time off to relax. Who in their right mind would say no to that? Not me for sure.

My dad did a pretty good job of hiding that he didn't like it. It would look good on him but that didn't mean he was going to wear it often. Just enough to appease my mom who looked like an anime character with her heart eyes.

But Ritwik wasn't loved by elders just because of his success. No, that man breathed elders' validation like it was oxygen. Right, after that outfit, he pulled out a box and handed it to my father.

"Eto kichur ki dorkar chilo? You could have just brought one thing." My dad shook his head but his eyes said everything as he stared at the silver Titan watch. For the first time, I watched my father's face light up as he opened a present.

Then, as if it wasn't enough, he went and touched my dad's feet. Again.

Bitch.

"Prothom Pujo toh. Bless us."

Fucking butter factory.

"Our aashirbad will always be there for you."

But my little parent-killer wasn't done. No, he was just getting started.