41~ The Roses
My jaw dropped as I saw Adrija yelling in the living room on Yash who was only smirking. Now what did the idiot do? Couldn't they wait for a while? Akriti and I were just about to kiss! They have sworn to make my love life a hell!
"You should have had some shame, saying all this in your best friend's wedding? I don't know why I married you!", she yelled while I exchanged a confused look with Aadhya who was herself shocked. But what happened?
"Ab kya pachtaye ho jab chidiya chug hai Dana. Anyways, you married me so it's your fault", Yash coolly said making me more confused.
"What happened kids?", my mother asked, rubbing her eyes. Looks like they disturbed everyone in the house.
"Ask him, mister has drunk so much that he doesn't even know what bullshit he is speaking", Adrija shouted pointing at her good for nothing husband and I shook my head. Drunken Yash is equal to trouble. I don't know from where he got the habit of drinking, it was certainly after he left for Mumbai.
"What did he say?", mom curiously asked.
"H-how should I tell you badi maa, he spoke nonsense.
I am dragging him home, bye bye. Good night.
Thankyou for having us here", Adrija uttered and dragged Yash by his collar.
Mom confusingly looked at the two and then looking at me said, "Both are insane.
I just want to beat Hriday like that, it will be so much fun"
Both I and Akriti shared a bewildered look and I asked, "Why?"
Mom giggled as if she was planning something sinister and said, "To give lessons to Akriti".
My heart nearly popped out of my chest and I looked at both of the ladies who appeared to be witches at the moment.
I gulped and glanced at Akriti who was grinning at my mother and then I averted my gaze to my mom who smirked at me.
"Mom, no need to give me lessons, I will take care of him myself", Akriti said and I finally took a long breath. My mother chuckled and said, "As you wish". She started moving back to her room when she turned back and said, "But if you need any help, I always have ideas".
I glared at my mom and then nervously dragged Akriti to my room.
I am sure she wouldn't do anything sinister like the other ladies do.
But she did trick me today! Shaking off the bad thoughts, I nervous looked at my wife who had a pout on her face as she tried to open the heavy blanket. She looks so innocent but she isn't.
"What do you think happened?", Akriti asked as I opened the blanket, helping her . I shrugged and said, "Don't know but they did spoil our moment". And mom gave me a threat, I wanted to add but I didn't.
She threw a pillow at me and said, "Don't remind me, I am feeling shy now". I heartily laughed and climbed on the bed, covering myself with the blanket. It's better to distract her or else I will get beaten.
"We didn't even do anything, I am sure we have a lot of things to try", I teased and saw her getting flustered. Her cute cheeks turned into my favourite shade of red as she said, "Adhyay! Don't act so shameless. Now sleep".
I laughed and pulled her wrist so that she was laying as well.
Her head crashed onto my chest and her beautiful hair hid her shy face from me.
With a chuckle, I brushed her hair tendril and adjusted my hand so that I was securing her waist. She looked up with a blush coating her cheeks and I smiled.
"You are beautiful", I whispered and kissed her forehead. She sighed and wrapped her arms around me as I covered her with the blanket as well. I switched off the lights and for the last time today kissed her forehead. She smiled and bit and kissed my cheek saying, "I love you".
"I love you more wifey", I said and closed my eyes, seeking tranquillity in her presence. Everything just turned perfect after she entered back into my life. Her presence is all I need to be calm.
????
"Akriti! What are you doing? It's been an hour!", I yelled knocking on the bathroom door for the fifth time this morning. I don't know what she is doing in the bathroom for so long! She was in the bathroom when I was asleep and she is in the bathroom when I have been up for an hour.
"Wait na!", she yelled back and I sighed.
"Akriti, it's an emergency!", I finally shouted even though it was nothing like that. I already freshened up in the guest room's bathroom. The door opened in a second revealing my wife who was awkwardly wrapped in a silk saree. I cocked my eyebrows and then looked at her from top to bottom.
She casted an embarrassed look at me as I tried very hard to stifle my laughter seeing her. I am sure that saree is not worn the way she is wearing it. The drape was unequal and it looked like she was wearing a bag instead of a saree.
"Don't laugh!", she scolded but that was it, I laughed very hard. Even though I shouldn't think this, my wife was actually looking hilarious.
"Adhyay, please", she whined, making me stop. I intently looked at her and said, "But what is this?"
"I can't wear it, it keeps on slipping and I can't just drape it . This is so stupid!", she grumbled looking at herself in the mirror. I stood there thinking what to do. She frowned as she tried to wear the saree properly.
"But you wore a saree yesterday too", I stated and she yelled, "Of course I didn't wear it myself. The beautician helped me!"
I nodded trying to find a solution for her problem. If she doesn't know how to wear a saree, she can wear something else. It isn't a ritual to wear a saree right? And I don't think anyone asked her to wear a saree.
"So wear something else", I simply suggested but she glared at me and grumbled, "I want to wear it".
"Should I call mom?", I asked but she pouted. I rolled my eyes at her unusual behaviour and said, "Then what?"
"I don't know".
Wetting my chapped lips, I nervously asked, "Should I help you?"
Her ears started turning red and she nervously said, "N-no, I will do it".
"I am seeing what you are doing. You don't want to take help from mom so take help from me", I boringly stated and she nodded with an embarrassed look.
I know what she is thinking, she is scared that my mom will get a bad impression of her because she doesn't know how to wear a saree but the truth is that my mother would jump around in happiness because my wife doesn't know how to wear a saree.
Akriti is difficult to understand, at some moment she acts like a tigress but the other moment, she blushes and gets nervous.
"Let me take help from YouTube", I said and unlocked my mobile phone while she stood there still embarrassed. I started a tutorial and kept the phone on the table. I crouched and followed the instructions carefully.
"Hey! The pin will prick me!", she shouted as I tried to pin the end of her saree with her blouse. She tried to move away but I didn't let her.
"Adhyay it will prick me!" She yelled again but I rolled my eyes, concentrating on the work in my hand instead. I took a breath of relief when I completed tucking her saree and turned her to see if everything was alright.
But it was worse! She was looking like a raccoon and it was my fault.
"ADHYAY! What did you do!", she yelled as she looked in the mirror and I closed my eyes. I never comprehended that wrapping a saree would be so difficult but my mother wears it every now and then? How does she do it?
"Calm down, we will try again", I said but she scowled at me as I started to unpin her saree.
"Saree hai ya panauti", I mumbled as I repeated the process that the woman in the tutorial said. Akriti smacked my head and gritted, "Leave it, I will wear something else".
I pulled the end of her saree and pleaded, "One last chance". She nodded and this time we both did it together. After six failed attempts we were able to wrap it properly around Akriti and it was worth it.
She looked in the mirror with a satisfied smile and said, "Even though wearing it is difficult, it makes me look pretty".
"Well, you look pretty in whatever you wear", I complimented.
"Don't lie, you are saying just for the sake of it", she taunted and applied moisturiser on her face. I shook my head but didn't say a thing. She then wore her red bangles and completed her look by wearing the nuptial chain.
"Adhyay, there is one more problem", she said facing me. I hummed, asking her to continue further.
"I don't know how to cook", she whispered.
"It's fine, it's not like we follow all the traditions", I simply stated, getting reminded of Adrija.
She can't cook anything without getting the kitchen blown up, and that is the reason why Yash cooks that is equally nasty.
Visit their home and they will feed you burnt breads without even a properly cooked vegetable curry. I dunno how they survive.
"Still!", she whined. I held her shoulders and said, "Don't worry Akriti".
She nodded and I smiled at her, she worries more than it is required. She should sit back for a while and enjoy her life, this much stress won't get her anywhere, it would just increase risk for diseases.
I intertwined our hands and descended down.
She was trying hard to manage herself in the saree but she wasn't able to.
That is why I said to wear something that makes her feel confident, all these rituals don't matter.
And they are for us, we have the independence to alter them, it is not like we strictly follow everything that our ancestors did.
"Hey, why are you nervous? We aren't giving a competitive exam", I teasingly whispered in her ear as I drawed a chair for her at the dining table.
"You don't know how it feels, you have a big family and I have none. This is making me nervous, I don't want to upset anyone", she said, her lips wobbling as if she would cry any second from now.
I rubbed my thumb over her hand and comforted, "Akriti, no one is judging you. Everyone likes you the way you are".
"You won't understand", she said and left my hand. I scrunched my eyebrows and decided to leave the topic. She will become comfortable in a day or two. I know adjusting in new places takes time but she is worrying unnecessarily.
"Good morning bhabhi", Hrishit sang and drew his favourite chair which coincidentally Hrishika wanted too.
"No good morning for me?", I asked, a bit offended that he didn't wish me. He chuckled and said, "No, you are not a king. Why should I greet you?"
"But I am the eldest", I said frustrated that my own brother is making fun of me in front of my wife. What will she think of me? That my own siblings mock me?
"And I am the middle child, does it help?", he answered back and sat, plopping a biscuit in his idiotic mouth which utters things that are useless.
"And now he will call mummy, because ye mummy ka raja beta hai", he added, mocking me further. I forcefully smiled but internally I wanted to beat the shit out of Hrishit who is nothing but a piece of shit.
"Bhabhi, you should not have married him", he said when he saw that I was paying no heed to his words. It was just because of Akriti, I didn't want to spoil my image or else I would have thrown this little scumbag out of the house.
"Why?", she asked with a humorous tone. She might be thinking how wild my family is with no manners at all.
"Because he is already married", Hrishit normally said and my eyes widened. How come I married someone when I don't know myself.
"You mean I am his second wife?", Akriti asked but her voice was full of astonishment and it seemed as if she was trying hard to not laugh.
"What else? He is married bhabhi, married", he said and laughed like a maniac while my grip on the fork tightened. Is he gone nuts or what?
"To whom?", Akriti asked.
"To his work bhabhi, he won't give you any time. And he shouts unnecessarily, he has no sense of humour and he is the biggest idiot I have ever met in my life", Hrishit said.
"Yes bhabhi, he eats, goes to work and then sleeps like a log", Hrishika added coming out of her room.
Is there any way for me to get rid of these three idiots who are unfortunately my siblings.
It's better that Adrija isn't here or else she would have made more fun of me.
These three don't have any manners, no shame and they don't even feel guilty after mocking their elder brother. I am the eldest for god's sake!
"I will see what to do and I am certainly capable of changing him, ain't I Adhyay?", Akriti asked, the last statement reminding me of the scene that happened yesterday. If I don't comply with what she says, I will suffer like my dad or chhote papa or Yash.
I gulped and stuttered, "Of course, yes, yes". With a nervous laugh I tried to hide that I was scared of my wife. Both of my siblings looked like their biggest plan failed but they had a mischievous smile on their ugly faces which made me wonder about their next move.
"Wow bhabhi, you scared him", Hrishit commented and I glared at my good for nothing brother who just wants to see me unhappy.
Why are younger siblings so irritating and stupid?
We, the elder siblings, do their homeworks, carry their bags, take care of them in school and they do this? Such a nice way to show gratitude.
"I didn't scare him", Akriti stated as a matter of fact and munched on the apple which also irritated me.
"She ate the apple!" Hrishika shrieked as if Akriti murdered someone. I closed my eyes waiting for their drama to unfold in a few seconds. They are just embarrassing me in front of Akriti.
"She ate the apple!" Hrishit repeated.
"Now keep the doctor away, keep bhai away", Hrishika said as if she has revealed something unique to the whole world.
"Keep the doctor away but not my husband!", Akriti exclaimed with the same hysterics, playing with them. But I was irritated. Last night, we were almost going to kiss but this Adrija spoiled it and now the twins. Already Akriti is tensed and then I am not getting some moments with her!
"Good morning kids", my dad greeted, acquiring the head seat. I mumbled back a small good morning and returned to eating the finely sliced fruits.
"Akriti, were you comfortable?", mom asked with concern, a laced voice and Akriti nodded. Mom smiled and dragged my wife away to talk God knows what. In another fifteen minutes, the househelp presented the breakfast and Aadhya came with a tray full of halwa.
She smiled gracefully at me and then kept a bowl in front of me. I looked at her questioning if she had made it. She nodded and raised her eyebrows asking me to taste it.
I took a spoon and ate a bit of it. To my surprise it was delicious and even better than what my mother cooks. The taste was blending so well in my mouth and then I gulped all of it quickly.
"It was delicious", I appreciated her which made her smile. The rest of the family members ate the halwa made by her and everyone just appreciated her.
"Akriti, sit and eat beta", my mother softly said when she noticed that Akriti wasn't eating anything. She nodded and drew a chair to sit beside me but mom said, "Not there, on his left. A wife should sit on her husband's left, near to his heart".
I felt her getting nervous as the chair on my left was acquired by Hrishit who grinned cheekily at me.
"Dextrocardia hua to?", dad silently mumbled much to mom's dissent. She glared at him and roared, "Your son doesn't have dextrocardia!"
"You said every wife should sit on her husband's left but what if her husband has dextrocardia", my dad asserted, focusing on every wife.
"Dr. Hriday Bansal! No need to apply your practice here. Why are you so irritating? And why do you need to say the opposite of what I say?", my mother yelled, giving us an entertaining show to watch. I saw Akriti giggle as Hrishit exchanged his seat with her.
"Ab kuch bolun bhi nahi? What is this? Adhyay, look, your mother is following an arbitrary rule!" Dad exclaimed, making me roll my eyes.
"Will you stop fighting over silly things?" I sarcastically asked but they both shook their heads. I often think that my parents are small five year olds who keep on fighting and arguing on the stupidest things.
The rest of the breakfast went in complete silence because no one had anything to say or share. Even the twins were silent which meant that they were plotting something against me and their silent giggles proved it.
Ignoring everything, I stood up when I had done my breakfast and announced, "I have work".
My mother opened her mouth and looked at my dad who said, "Work? Today? But you just got married!"
"Yeah, but I have appointments", I said, scratching my neck. My mother opened her mouth to say something when Akriti said, "That's fine, I am going to my mother's till her surgery."
My parents nodded and my mother signalled me to drop Akriti at her mother's apartment. I held Akriti's hand and guided her to the entrance when she shrieked, "Can I meet Andy and Cutie? How have they been? I almost forgot about them!"
I chuckled at her horror struck face and nodded. I took her to the garden where my rabbits were kept and pointed at them. Well, they are not alone this time, they have eight kids who are just like them.
"Oh my god! Adhyay look! There are so many cute baby rabbits. But how? Two months back they were just two and now they are, 5 no no 8"
"10 including Andy and Cutie", I said with an amused expression as I looked at her surprised face. She took one of the baby rabbits in her hands and said, "It's so small, but what will we do with so many rabbits?"
"Set them free, I did the same last time", I said, getting reminded of my small trio with my siblings.
"Last time? How many kids did they have?", she asked, surprised by the revelation and I chuckled. She doesn't know!
"Rabbits are not like humans Akriti, they don't get tired easily", I said with a tint of amusement. She frowned and asked, "What do you mean by they don't get tired easily".
I smirked and said, "Think Akriti, you are not that innocent".
She gasped and whispered, "You mean during sexual intercourse?"
I nodded and she looked at the rabbits with a bewildered look as if she couldn't believe the fact. I chuckled and said, "It's natural for them"
"I know but I didn't know rabbits are so active", she whispered again.
"Anyway, these roses are so beautiful", she said, touching one of my dear rose shrubs which was flowering really well.
All due to my hard work. It has been a long time since I did any of my hobbies, the stress took a toll on me but now everything is returning back to normal so I might restart gardening again.
"Can I pluck one of them?" She sweetly asked.
"Gulaab kya dil hi lelo, khushi khushi de dunga", I said with a smile.