You, everytime and always

New-New

KAVYA'S POV
The morning of a new bride is a chaos. It's confusing honestly. I looked at his sleeping figure and paced across the room. What should I do? Should I call Nani? I bit my lip and sighed. Should I ask him? But he's sleeping so peacefully. I heard someone chanting the holy prayers as I went outside in the balcony to find Hridhaan's grandfather with incense sticks and a brass pot in his hand, wearing his Puja clothing. He poured water near the Tulsi plant joining his hands, bowing at the sunrise. He went inside not noticing me. I turned to go inside and found him looking like a lost baby. His face puffed up and his eyes half closed, "Kavya? Why are you awake? No. You're all dressed up. Have you already taken a bath?" I nodded as he looked at the clock, "It's 5:16. Did you even sleep last night?" I nervously sat at the edge of the bed, "Leave that aside. Does your Dadaji always wake up this early?" He nodded, "Yeah why?" "What does he eat?" He looked at me, "You're not bothering yourself with that. We have too many servants to deal with that." "But- I am the new bride of the house, I should b-" "Just get some rest. Except Dadaji, no one's waking up before 9." He snuggled into his blanket and closed his eyes. It left me weary, now what am I gonna do? I slowly went out of the room. I'll probably have to figure things out myself. I went downstairs hesitantly to find Dadaji reading the newspaper. He turned, "Good morning, bacche. What are you doing at this hour? You should get some sleep. The marriage rituals are tiresome." I smiled, "Good morning, Dadaji. I- thank you very much for your concern. I slept well. I- umm saw you in the backyard so....I was thinking if I could serve you breakfast?" I should touch his feet in the morning, right? I'm so dumb! Nani would've been mad if she was to know. I was about to bend when he spoke, "First, you don't need to worry about any household chores. Be relaxed. Second, a new bride has the highest blessings of gods and is a goddess herself. During this time till the Puja on Saturday, you should not touch anyone's feet. A goddess doesn't touch people's feet. You can pay respect later. Hmm?" I nodded. I turned to leave as he called out, "Now that you've woken up, do you want to see the garden?" I smiled, "Sure!" He happily got up and guided me to the garden. It was as if no one had ever paid attention to him and his interests. He grunted and pointed at a plant, "I got this Blue Vanda from Manipur. It's been healthy and strong for 8 years." I bent to look at it, "My Nanu had normal orchids, Blue Vandas were not one of them. He always said how he wanted them but no one ever sold it to him. But we had the Singaporean orchids. His friend had gotten it for him." "Yes, they don't sell these. It's hard to find them. I heard your grandfather owns a few sandalwood trees." "Yes, he'd bought them for cheap back in the days. It's paying off really well now."

HRIDHAAN'S POV
I stood at the balcony watching Dadaji getting impressed by this beautiful woman I got married to just hours ago. What was there that she couldn't do? Steal my heart. Impress my Dadaji. Ugh. I went down into the garden. "Yeah, this one needs only once a week of watering." She poured the water on the plant. Dadaji's gaze fell on me, "Ay, your wife's way better than you. She just spent the time equivalent to what you've spent with me in your entire life." I smiled, "So, I should have spent more time with you so that you'd have eaten my head with your plant collection? No thank you. I'm better off sleeping." He glared at me, "This rascal." Kavya chuckled as I continued, "You're making my wife water your garden already? Seriously? It hasn't even been a day since I got married." "Ahh, I forgot she's a new one. I felt as if she's been here for years. Leave it, bacche." "It's fine, Dadaji. I feel honoured honestly. I really wanted to do something." "No-no. Leave it, Riddhi will do it." My face hanged open, "Why would you call me that in front of her? You're embarrassing me!" Kavya laughed, "You're called Riddhi?" I made a pissed face. Come on! That's so embarrassing! I glared at Dadaji and took the water can from Kavya. Dadaji chuckled and patted my back, "Why are you getting mad? It's your nickname. Right? Riddhi?" I pouted and scrunched my face as Dadaji motioned Kavya to move closer, "Want to know how he got this name?" She looked at me and then at him, "Sure." He smiled, "When he was in his mother's womb, they'd refused any gender revealation and his mother was sure it was a girl so she told everyone that Riddhi would be the baby's name. After he was born, she changed Riddhi to Hridhaan. But we still call him that." She smiled widely, "What about Hritik? Does he have a nickname too?" I nodded, "Riti. Mom thought it was a girl again." We all laughed as Dadi came out, "If you all are done laughing and watering those plants, can we eat?" He growled lowly, "Ay, this crazy old woman." I laughed and followed them inside. The tension was crazy inside the house. I really didn't want Kavya to know all this but I can't hide it from her for that long. Dad was sitting at the dining table talking to my aunts. Our other relatives were in hotels. They didn't like getting into the drama. That's why I didn't hate them. Dadi placed the dishes as servants lined up to serve everything. Kavya seemed utterly nervous and confused as I went closer to her ear, "You don't need to think of doing anything, okay?" She hesitantly nodded. Mom, Dadi and Dadaji sat down as I looked at Hritik while he spoke, "Ma, sit beside me." She smiled, "I'm making Riddhi's favourite." I smiled, "You can't be making that here. You're kidding, right?" "I'm not. I started making 'gajar ka halwa' this morning." Kavya looked at Ma, "Then I'll help. We can eat together later." "Thanks for considering but I'd want you to enjoy your first breakfast here." I pushed the chair, "Sit." I turned, "Ma, you should join us too. Aunties can manage." Servant aunties could definitely manage but I knew why she was hesitant about joining us. I looked at Dadi, "Does anyone have anything to say?" No one spoke as Ma hesitantly sat on the chair beside Hritik. Kavya sat a few moments later. The dishes were served quietly. The room became way too silent. There were too many words in air but none were in the intensity to be heard. Anita Bua broke her silence, "I can't let my sister-in-law feel that disrespected. Hridhaan, Hritik, you're being absurd. Rama-" "I will not hear a word about Ma. You cannot say anything to her. Just eat." Bua turned towards Mom, "You see how you've raised him? How disrespectful!" "She hasn't raised me. Ma has raised me. I'm not being disrespectful, I'm asking you to stop humiliating Ma." I didn't want all this to happen right on the first day of my marriage. But I really can't help it. "Riddhi? Let's calm down. I'm almost done with my breakfast. I-" "You will not get up." Namita Bua frowned, "You consider her your mother over your real one? Is that how filial you are?" "I don't need to explain anything. You know it all." I looked at Kavya's plate as she looked at me with her deer-like eyes. "Are you done?" She nodded. We got up and went to our room. I sat on the couch in the balcony and looked at the view. Kavya stood by the railing as I looked at her. She was ethereally beautiful. She was dressed in a beautiful red saree that complimented her silhouette. Her wavy hair was open reaching her waist. Her neck was shining with the mangalsutra and her wrists were filled with the marriage bangles. Her lips were red and the faint blush made her look even more elegant. The slight kohl in her waterline and the red bindi made me wonder how I managed to marry this woman. She was just too beautiful. Red complimented her the most. I broke the silence, "It's just always like this. That's why I don't come here often. Dadaji is the only sensible one." "It's alright. Things like this happen." "No. I really didn't want you to witness all this." "Ma is a nice person. You....you really respect her, right?" Hearing her say 'Ma' made my heart melt. I got up and stood beside her, "She raised me. She did it all while my own mother just kept taking all her credits just because she gave birth to me." She nodded, "It's a little too coincidental but even my parents weren't there for me most of my life." My chest felt heavy, "How so?" "When I was 2, my parents found jobs in London. They weren't that financially stable so they decided to go there without me and then when they're capable, they'd take me too." She took a deep breath, "They visited me every three months. But, then I heard mom was pregnant with my sister. I was really happy. Mom gave birth and came with my sister to meet me. I asked her if I could finally come with them. But they said they were tight on finance because of Krisha and couldn't afford for me. They made me understand that they'd have to choose Krisha over me because she was younger. I understood and didn't bother them. They started visiting me once in 6 months. Then it became once a year. I gradually lost bonding with them. While Nani and Nanu created an unbreakable one. And it was when I was 10 that they asked me to come with them. But I had completely grown into my life. I loved being with my grandparents and my life with them. I refused. I didn't feel the connection with them." "Then?" "I went to London for my higher education and lived with them. But- it didn't feel right. I didn't feel like it was my home. My cousins felt closer than my own sister. I couldn't keep up. So, I shifted to the dorm. But, I still managed to be at least a little comfortable with my parents and sister. Not that we don't get along but I'm still not that open with them." "Hmm understandable. For you, it's your grandparents and for me, it's Ma." She nodded slowly and then slowly turned to look at me, "I think you should take a bath." "Ah yeah."
I came out of the bathroom to find her missing. Where did she go? I heard loud noises from downstairs as my face immediately turned gloomy. I went downstairs to see Kavya standing near the sofa while my aunts spoke loudly. I went closer and stood infront of Kavya, "What's going on? Why are you both screaming?" "She was trying to help that woman." I turned to look at Kavya and spoke low, "What happened?" "I-I wanted to help Ma and she dragged me here saying I shouldn't call her Ma nor should I help her cause...." "Cause?" "She's just a babysitter." My rage knew no limits as I turned to look at my aunts, "How dare you speak like that about Ma?" "Hridhaan, stop defending her." "How dare you call her a babysitter? Who are you to say that?" "Listen, you can't just consider just anyone as your mother." "She's not just anyone!" "Why are you so stubborn?" "Where were you when your brother and sister-in-law left us alone? If you didn't want all this to happen, you should've taken responsibility. I've literally met you like 30 times in my whole life. And you think you have the rights to choose for me? You will tell me who I should consider my mother and whom I shouldn't?" "Hridhaan!" "Know your limits. I was taught well BY MA that is why I always stayed silent." I continued, "She is my Ma. My mother from heart and no one gets to say anything. If you create any ruckus hereafter, you need not be a part of the further parts of my marriage."