Blessed: The Abandoned Wife

Making of a Match?

The lunch was not going well for Daivik at all. He finally saw Shubhi up close after a full fifteen minutes. She was wearing a simple sky-blue coloured saree with a nice golden border. As usual, she was dressed appropriately for a religious function without being over the top. Her jewellery was gold, modern and minimalist, as usual. He was not sure why he noticed it, especially comparing it to the wedding look where she had decked herself. He had a couple of designer friends and knew Shubhi would love their creations...and that is where his train of thought was tragically interrupted.

Lunch was being served and guests were busy chatting and eating. Uncle was an ex-army man and he had ensured everything was moving as per time. As Daivik hovered around the kitchen to stay close to Shubhi he was rudely surprised. The aunt kept on talking and it was all the more irritating that she was leaving no occasion to emphasize that both Shubhi and Pratham were like her family. Daivik had never really entered an Indian kitchen and did not know the pots and pans to even be useful. Frustrated, he gave up any attempts to poke holes in the conversation going on in the kitchen and started hovering in the verandah.

There was another female that he had seen in the boutique who was also helping his aunt and seemed quite friendly with Shubhi. He tried to think who she might be and where he might have seen her, but his brain still didn't register her. For some reason, she had to leave early with the nuisance of a prospective fiancée in tow. Pratham seemed more than happy to help the womenfolk to serve the guests. Daivik almost barged in to try and help, even if he felt like a fish out of water. He knew next to nothing about the kitchen or how to serve food to guests. He realized that he was far removed from the world that Shubhi and maybe even Pratham inhabited. When the guests started leaving, Aunt cajoled Shubhi, Pratham and Daivik to eat as well.

Shubhi sat at one end of the table and aunt promptly guided Pratham to sit next to her. Before a seething Daivik could do anything, the aunt settled herself next to Pratham forcing Daivik to watch the two 'lovebirds' from a distance. While eating Daivik was staring at Shubhi talking to Pratham at the other end of the table, even as Aunt and Pratham complimented Shubhi on her culinary skills. Daivik remembered that he had accidentally liked Shubhi's cooking back when they were married. She had made the best eggplant curry that he had ever eaten.

Flashback – He had missed her pehli rasoi due to his travels. She was a good cook, servants talked about it, but he himself did not know much about it. He started reminiscing about how she had cooked eggplant for the first time, and he had tasted it by mistake, loved it and complimented the family cook. And then Mishra ji rasoiya revealed that it was cooked by the bahurani. His mother had taunted him that he would start eating this vegetable if his wife cooked it. He told her that he did not know that she had made it. And after that, for whatever number of days they were in the house together, he made it a point to never eat anything cooked by her. It never crossed his mind that she might be hurt by this behavior.

Back to the present, he finds it very tough to stop this idiot, Pratham, from eating the food prepared by her, from staring at her, from smiling at her. Pratham was praising her cooking and talking about his niece. And then he asked after Dyuti's health, the volcano in Daivik's head was about to burst. The worst was that Shubhi was smiling back at that fellow and talking to him in detail about Dyuti's post-surgery recovery.

Pratham: (to Shubhi) Thank you for this delicious meal. You are a wonderful cook.

Shubhi: (smiling politely) You are very welcome. I'm glad you like it.

AUNT: (to Pratham) Isn't she lovely? She is very sweet and caring. She takes good care of her daughter, Dyuti, who is recovering from surgery.

Pratham: (nodding to aunt and turning to Shubhi) Yes, she is. How is Dyuti doing?