The second my eyes land on the crowd gathered inside the lounge, I mentally label myself an idiot. Manik was right, I am a fool and handling Devils isn't my cup of tea.
A few ladies is not what I would call the crowd of women gathered inside. No, a mob is what such a great number of people is called. Furthermore, none of them are casually dressed. Not even close. All of them are show-offing elegant, expensive jewels, complemented by the best pieces of clothing one could find in any branded store.
Why in the world did I allow myself to get fooled by Nyonika's lies? Now I understand Sateesh's worry. An army is needed to prepare food and drinks for such a great number of people at such a short notice.
"Ah, there she is." Nyonika announces from inside the lounge, her eyes landing on me. "Manik's wife. Uh huh, new maid is a better suited title for her." A volley of laughter erupts from the women, as they rest their eyes on me, their orbs clouded with judgement.
I look down at my clothes, feeling uncomfortable in my own skin for the first time. I'm wearing a casual, green colored kurti, which reaches till my knees. Underneath this, I chose to wear my everyday black tights, because according to Nyonika, tonight was supposed to be casual. Little did I know that her casual meant award function worthy attire.
"Come on in, Nandini," Nyonika waves me over. "I'm just joking. Don't take my words to heart." She smiles at me, but instead of feeling reassured, a cold feeling seeps into the very soles of my feet.
I want to go home. Back to my house, where I am not tricked or ridiculed. A safe haven in which I don't need to fear for my safety and juggle two Devils, as if one wasn't hard enough to deal with.
"I-I'll get the drinks," I say, pointing towards the kitchen with my thumb. Whatever can keep me out of that shark tank, in which those ladies are ready to devour me whole, I will do it.
"See, I told you she's so subservient." Nyonika's voice carries out from the lounge, as I turn around and make my way towards the kitchen. "It's like having your own personal maid, twenty-four-seven, without having to pay for it. No questions asked, and all the work done."
My feet stop, my fists clenching at my sides. I shut my eyes, inhaling a deep breath. I need to remain calm. Insulting Manik's mother in front of all these guests isn't an option. She may be a horrid lady, but she's still my elder and I simply cannot disrespect her like how I wish I could. Like how she deserves to be insulted.
"I guess that's why Manik chose her," my mother-in-law continues. "Boys nowadays just want a wife who will clean up after them, and not ask any questions or have any demands."
"Indeed," a woman agrees. "I believe that's why our girls are still sitting at home, enjoying their lives."
"Oh, let them. Being single ain't a crime," Nyonika says. "Keep them under your wings until you can because once they're married, it'll be all work, work, work. Just look at poor Nandini."
Pain spreads through my palms, as my nails pierce the flesh. I can't bear this anymore. Moving out of earshot will be the best thing to do right now, before I lose whatever little cool I have left and do something I'll regret later on.
"Sateesh," I say, entering the kitchen and shutting the door behind me. "You were right to look worried. There is a mob of women in our house tonight and the dinner that you've made won't suffice at all."
"Yes, Ma'am, that's exactly what I was trying to tell you." Sateesh says, worry still clouding his features. An emotion that is a hundred percent justified.
"Okay, please go out and tell Babu to bring about ten cold drink bottles." I tap my fingers against the breakfast counter, the gears in my brain working on overdrive. "And I'll order some food." Sateesh nods vigorously, jogging out of the backdoor.
Aiyappa, why am I even helping Nyonika? I can't think of one good reason as to why I should help maintain her reputation, when she clearly has no regards for mine. Maybe I should just let tonight go down the drain and end as a perfect disaster. That would surely teach Nyonika a well needed and long overdue lesson.
Sighing, I shake my head at my own uselessly foolish thoughts. Whatever the case may be, I need to ensure that tonight goes well, because I have a feeling that if even a second of it goes haywire, Nyonika will somehow find another reason to insult me.
Manik, why aren't you here? No! I don't need him to help me out. I can handle Nyonika and these other she-Devils just fine.
*****
Never in my life have I ever been mocked this much. So much so that I am starting to feel sick in my own skin. Doubts about whether I'm truly doing it wrong are surfacing in my head. This feeling is pathetic. I feel disgusting second guessing myself, but what to do? When a bunch of women are constantly rubbing their words into your ears, then there's little that your self-esteem can do to hold its own.
"I'm glad I didn't say yes to Manik." Sonia - a girl my age - says, as she flicks her golden, curled up locks over her shoulder. "I didn't know he was such a stingy soul, who wouldn't take me shopping." Her eyes flick across my attire, as she bursts out laughing. The other girls - who are all xerox copies of their judgmental mothers - follow her lead, their cackling laughter piercing through my eardrums.
My grip around the tray in my hand tightens. If I don't move away from this circle quick enough, this wooden piece will surely snap in two at any given second.
"Excuse me." I say, giving them a tight smile, as I turn around and head towards the lounge door.
Aiyappa, could you please, somehow, make this night end faster? It's already twelve and nobody seems to want to exit. Just as I place the tray back in the kitchen, and step out, the front door lock clicks open. Manik steps in, his jacket tossed over his shoulder, a bag of takeaway food gripped in the other hand.
"Oh thank God, you're back." The words are out of my mouth before I can even understand what I've said. Manik turns around, his gaze cutting across towards the lounge. The second his eyes take in the not-so-welcomed guests, his eyebrows furrow up, anger flashing through his black orbs.
"Ah, fuck Nyonika." He hisses, dropping his jacket and bag of food onto the console table beside the front door. "I told you, you won't be able to handle her. Time and again you've proved your goddamn foolishness."
"How in the world is this my fault?!" I exclaim, jabbing myself in the chest with my index finger. "She's your mother, who clearly thinks she owns the place."
Manik's enclosed fist comes up to his lips, as I watch him try his level best to keep his temper in check.
"This is your house, not hers." He argues, his tone accusatory. "For fuck's sake, Angel, you could've stopped this."
"My house? My house?" I repeat, marching towards Manik. "Not once have you made me feel welcomed in here. You've made it very clear from the start that I have no rights whatsoever as your wife. You're never ready to listen to what I have to say and yet, you have the audacity to say this is my house."
Days of pent up anger and frustration have all built up to tonight. I can't keep my emotions in anymore. All night I've been dealing with Nyonika and her lot of pathetic friends and their daughters, and now Manik. No. He will not get away with insulting me tonight.
"How dare you - " My words are interrupted by my own yelp, as my feet trip on the rug, causing me to land on the floor near Manik's feet.
"Are you okay?" He asks, concerned, as he reaches down to grip me by the arms.
"Aw, would you look at that?" Nyonika's utterly irritating voice fills my ears once more. "She even touches his feet when he returns. I told you she's as subservient as could be."
"I didn't think women could be so pathetic in the twenty-first century," a woman says. "Soak the sight in, girls, because I doubt we'll see such a woman in our lives again."
"It's like a lame Indian drama with a weakling daughter-in-law," another woman says.
Aiyappa, why in the world are these women testing my patience when it's all worn out? Everything is telling me to leave this house, return to my own, and never look back. Not even one sign is telling me to stay here, and try to reconcile with Manik. Aiyappa, if you give me even one sign - a minor one at the least - I could quite possibly reconsider my decision and stay. Thereby, putting more efforts into the withered relationship Manik and I now share.
"Actually," Manik says, helping me up by gripping my forearms. "I'm sure tonight you've all been suffering through various misunderstandings, half of which must be purposely imposed." He turns me around to face the crowd, his arm brushing against mine. I follow his line of sight to find him staring at Nyonika pointedly. "And just like all of those, this situation," he jerks his chin towards me, "Is also being wrongly read."
Where is he going with this conversation?
"You see, the thing is that Nandini and I were playing around. Occasionally we do this thing in which she and I touch each other's feet," Manik continues. "You know, the normal husband-wife games." He pauses. "Oh wait, I forgot that none of you hold such a relationship with your husbands." Manik portrays obvious mock realization, as he nods his head gravely.
Then without any warning, he bends down, and touches my toes with his left hand's fingers. That one simplistic touch sends sparks rushing through my body, beginning from the nerves of my toes and ending with the ones in my cheeks, as I feel them warm up.
An involuntary gasp escapes my lips, as Manik leaves his fingers resting on my skin for a second too long.
"Manik, what the hell are you up to?" Nyonika asks through gritted teeth, as she joins us at our side. The man in question straightens himself up. "You're embarrassing me."
"Oh, but this is not even an ounce of the embarrassment that Nandini had to undergo, I'm sure." Manik says, clasping his hands together. "In fact, it's just the beginning."
"You will stop this right now." Nyonika hisses, trying her best to keep her cool, even though I can see her control slipping.
"Get your bloodsucking leeches out of my house," Manik orders, nodding his head towards the front door. "And while you're at it, kick yourself out along with them." Saying this, he walks past both of us and straight towards the stairs.