Book I - Husband, I Love You (Completed)

Part 49

"Whoa! Whao! Hang on there. Madhu didn't retaliate. She nicely nodded her head without defying to my words and walked down quietlty but you didn't stay silent. You are cornering me and giving me your God damn lecture."

"Whatever! Next time neither Madhu nor I will go easy on you if you even raised your voice to an octave." Radha said sternly.

Rishab looked down at his mother for few good seconds before saying "I better keep my wife away from you. You probably will corrupt her innocent mind." Radha knew he was joking so just gave him a playful slap on his arm.

"One minute, Mom" Rishab said when his phone buzzed in his pants pocket. He fished it out and attended the call while Radha moved to Sameer to have a quick chat with him.

"You can make him pee in his pants, aunty" Sameer said with a chuckle.

"I know. If my son is scared of anyone then it's me" Radha laughed imperiously. "But I know he loves me so much as I do"

"My mom and my wife never get along well and I get railroaded by them in the end. I envy yours and Madhu's bond. Oh and I also envy Rishab. He is free from the saas-bahu soap opera." he said laughing and Radha joined him laughing too.

"Are you guys laughing at me?" Rishab asked after attending his work related call and joining them back.

"No" both Radha and Sameer shook their heads. "Now, go, talk to your wife and don't forget to apologize to her."

"I will, mom. Thank you. I love you" Rishab leaned down and kissed her cheek before sauntering to his room.

--0--

Madhu was sitting on the bed, her knees propped up to her chest and her hands wrapped around them as she watched her babies making incoherent communication to each other, lying on the bed.

Madhu heard soft knock at the door and she knew it wasn't her husband because he wouldn't knock to enter their bedroom. 

"Come in" she expected her mother in law to walk in but to her surprise it was her father.

"Papa? You want something?" She asked standing up from the bed.

"I just came to see my grandbabies" he said with a hesitant smile.

"Sure" she said and moved aside letting him to sit beside her babies on the bed.

"They are so adorable. Your daughter reminds me of you when you were a baby but you were little more chubby and healthy" he reminisced the best day of his life, the day he held his daughter for the first time in his arms.

"She is healthy, papa..." Madhu said offensively "... Just little thin" she smiled weakly. Malik nodded his head.

Madhu fidgeted with her fingers as she patiently waited for him to say something.

"Madhu, I am sorry" he said in a meek tone finally breaking the silence but still having his head hung down and looking at his grandbabies.

"Papa?" Madhu asked in confusion. He never said sorry to her then why now? She wondered. When he lifted his head up a lone tear rolled down his cheek shocking Madhu.

"Papa" Madhu sat beside him and hugged him awkwardly. She couldn't remember when was the last time she hugged her father. It felt weird in a good way. "Papa, please don't cry. Whatever is the reason for your apology and tears... just forget it"

"No, Madhu... I can't forget what I did to you. I didn't protect you. I failed you, Madhu." He took Madhu's hand in both his hands and held it closer to his forehead. "Because of my mistake you are suffering all your life..."