चेहरा है जैसे झील में हँसता हुआ कँवल
चेहरा है जैसे झील में हँसता हुआ कँवल
या जिंदगी के साज़ पे छेड़ी हुई गज़ल
जाने बहार तुम किसी शायर का ख़्वाब हो
चौदहवीं का चाँद हो या अफताब हो
जो भी हो तुम खुद की कसम लाजवाब हो
चौदहवीं का चाँद हो
Author's POV.
She took a quick bath and changed her clothes into fresh saree. After worshipping, she moved towards the kitchen to prepare food.
As she finished the breakfast, she went to her mother-in-law who was sitting in the Aangan. She touched her feet and her mother-in-law blessed her as always.
"Mayke walon ne kya kya bheja sasural walon ke liye?".
Surekha asked.
"Ji, maa ji, humne nahi dekha, inhe pata hai, inhone hi samaan rakhwaya hai."
She replied timidly.
"Nashta Kiya tha dono bhaiyo ne?".
She shook her head.
"It's your responsibility to look after them. I stay sick. You'll have to fulfill their needs now."
She nodded, respectfully.
"Should I serve you food, maa ji?".
Surekha nodded.
Priya served her food and after she finished eating, Priya sat beside her feet, pressing her legs while her mother-in-law rested.
After she found Surekha sleeping, she moved to the kitchen again to prepare lunch.
This was her job now.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Serving and caring for her mother-in-law.
Taking care of the house, cleaning it.
And at night, taking care of her husband, which was the most peaceful time of her day.
***
It was late evening when Abhigyan returned along with Abhisar.
They washed their feet and sat in the Aangan along with Surekha.
Abhisar spoke,
"Bahut bhook lagi hai bhabhi, khana laga dijiye."
Priya nodded and went to the kitchen to heat the food.
She served the food to her brother-in-law and her husband.
They were eating when Surekha asked,
"Kya kya bhejwaya Bahu ke mayke Wale ne?".
Abhigyan gulped his food and replied in a curt tone,
"Kapre bhejwaye hai sabhi ke liye, fal bhejwaye hai do bori."
Surekha chuckled,
"Ghar ki badi Bahu ke mayke se bas itna samaan?"
Abhigyan looked at Priya for once, whose face was hidden partially by veil, still he understood that she must be feeling awkward listening to this conversation.
He replied to his mother,
"Aur bhejwa rahe the, humne mana kar diya. Hume Kami thodi hai kisi bhi cheez ki."
His mother, without wanting, just nodded her head and spoke,
"Haan, bas ek waarish mil jaye iss Ghar ko."
He stayed silent, focussing on his food.
After they finished eating their food, they washed their hands.
While Abhisar moved to his room, Abhigyan just murmured to Priya,
"Aap jaiye kamre me, hum kuch der maa ke paas baithte hai."
She nodded.
Moving to the kitchen, she first cleaned the utensils and checked all the locks of the house, which took her enough time. She used the bathroom.
When she returned back and was about to take out her clothes from the cupboard, Abhigyan entered in.
He closed the door behind him and asked her in a low voice,
"Aapne khana nahi khaya?".
She shook her head and replied,
"Sham ko naashta Kiya tha, maa ji ke saath, bhook nahi tha hume."
He nodded.
Coming inside, he pulled off his kurta from the body and kept it on the chair.
He rested his body on the bed, placing his hands below his head and staring at Priya.
She felt timid infront of him to change and started walking outside, but stopped when she heard his deep voice,
"Kahan Jaa Rahi hai?".
She gulped and replied,
"To change my saree."
In the same deep voice he spoke,
"Yahin kamre me badal lijiye, humne toh dekha hi hai aapko."
She shook her head.
"Don't be shy," he replied.
When he saw her still in the same place, he stood up from the bed and moved near her.
Taking the clothes from her hands, he pushed her towards the bed.
She landed on the mattress, on the edge of the bed.
He stood just infront of her, placing the clothes beside her.
Slowly, he leaned forward and took out her jewels one by one, while looking into her eyes.
"Aapko pata hai aaj khet me kya hua...".
She nodded.
"Aaj...," he kept on narrating her, distracting her mind and took out her clothes one by one.
She didn't even realise when she was naked infront of him.
When he finished, he spoke all of a sudden,
"Aapse khubsurat aurat humne Aaj Tak nahi dekhi."
His words caught her attention and she looked down, realising she was naked, completely.
She tried to hide her lower nakedness by her palm but she failed as Abhigyan, without a warning, picked her up in his arms in bridal style.
He placed her gently in the middle of the bed. Opening his trouser's and boxer's knot, he slipped them down his legs, exposing his bare self to his wife.
He moved inside the blanket, with her and took her in his arms, wrapping his hands around her body.
He whispered in her ear,
"Koi baat nahi, sharmaiye mat, hum toh pati hai na aapke."
She nodded.
"Ab se raat me dusri saree badalne ki zarurat nahi hai. Samjhi? Hume aise hi chaiye humari biwi har raat. Bina kapro ke. Humari baahon me."
She gulped and nodded her head.
After few minutes, he held her thigh, and spread them wide, which ultimately widened her legs.
He moved his palm towards her inner thighs, massaging it gently.
But his hands never reached upward towards her core. He kept on massaging her thighs, very gently, very lovingly.
He whispered in her ear,
"So jaiye babu, thakk gayi hongi aap."
She inhaled deeply and called his name,
"Abhi."
He nodded, "Haan baccha."
"Aap kal bhi poore din Ghar nahi aaenge?".
He turned his body towards her, locking their gaze and caressing her cheek.
Pushing her hair strands aside, he replied,
"Aap janti hai na betu humara kaam kaisa hai. Aapke Bhai bhi toh sarpanch hai, aapne dekha hoga na."
She nodded. Even her brother used to stay away from home, major times.
"Aur toh aur, Humare khud ke hi khet itne hai ki Hume sab pe dekh rekh karna parta hai. Abhisar ko hum utna pareshan nahi karna chahte."
She nodded.
He kissed on her forehead and finished,
"Par hum waada karte hai, humari poori raat sirf aapke naam hogi. Humesha, sirf aur sirf aapki."
She cupped his cheeks and all of a sudden, she leaned forward and pecked on his right cheek.
He was taken aback by her gesture.
He hugged her tightly, within a second and she hugged her back.
Feeling each other's warmth, they didn't realise when they slept in each other's embrace.
***
A week passed by.
Waking up, Priya took a quick bath after washing clothes and finishing her business.
She worshipped in her home temple and then, shifted back to her room.
She sat down beside Abhigyan's head on the bed and caressed his head lightly.
"Ji, uth jaiye."
He moved, only to place his head on her lap.
In the process, the blanket slipped exposing his bare ass to her.
She looked away from there and running her fingers into his hairs, muttered,
"Uth jaiye, dekhiye humne naha kar Puja bhi kar liya."
He encircled his hands around her waist and nuzzled his head into her belly.
He placed a soft kiss there.
Five minutes passed, he remained still in the same position.
Then, he rubbed his eyes slowly, sitting up on the bed.
Uncovering himself, he stood up from the bed.
She saw how his wood was moving along with his steps. Wrapping a cotton towel around his torso, he walked out and Priya gulped.
Standing up, she moved towards the cupboard and took out clothes for him.
By the time, he was bathing, she finished preparing breakfast for everyone.
She was serving breakfast to Surekha when Abhigyan and Abhisar joined them.
She served the food to them too.
Abhisar spoke,
"Maa ko dikhaane sheher kab le Jaa rahe hai, bhaiya?".
Abhigyan raised his head up. He had almost forgotten about it.
After a pause he replied,
"Ravivar hai parso, tabhi niklenge."
"Ji, aur Ghar par kaun rahega?".
He looked up, at Priya and she felt anxious.
He replied with a straight face,
"Tum ruk jaana inke saath."
Abhisar nodded.
For once, he just looked into her eyes through the veil and spoke,
"Aapko koi pareshani nahi hogi, kuch chahiye ho toh Abhisar se keh dijiyega."
She gulped and nodded, without her choice.
But Surekha interrupted,
"Ghar ki badi Bahu hai, akele sambhal legi, itni toh jimmedari uthaani paregi isse, tumhe pallu se toh baandh kar nahi rakh sakti har waqt."
She felt bad, listening to her mother-in-law's words and Abhigyan fisted his left hand tightly too.
"Jao, din ke khane ki taiyaari Karo Jaa kar, har baat sunne ki zaroorat nahi," Surekha ordered Priya and she immediately turned on her heels to leave from there.
Abhigyan somehow managed to swallow his anger. He didn't liked anyone talking to his wife like that, still the one who was talking to his wife in that way was his own mother, against whom, he had no power to speak up.
***