Ch12 Old Wounds, New Beginnings #3
I stepped in. Rudraksh was seated behind his desk, eyes fixed on the laptop screen, his brows drawn together in intense focus. His sleeves were rolled up, veins visible along his forearms, and the morning light from the window traced golden lines over his sharp face.
I placed the cup on his desk gently.
“Your coffee,” I said quietly.
He glanced at me briefly, his expression softening for a moment.
“Thank you,” he murmured.
I turned to leave when his voice stopped me again firm but calm.
“Wait. The jeweler dropped off a few mangalsutras. They’re on that couch pick one for Maa Gauri’s idol.”
I nodded, walked to the couch, and opened the velvet boxes laid out neatly on the table. Gold chains glimmered under the soft light. After a few moments of careful thought, I lifted one, a simple yet elegant gold design with black beads that shone like moonlit pearls. Holding it up, I said,
“This one. It’ll look beautiful on Maa Gauri.”
Rudraksh stood and came closer, his presence commanding as always.
“Alright,” he said, glancing at the chain. “We’ll go with this one.”
He checked his watch and continued, “I’m going myself to bring Maa Gauri’s idol. I’ll leave in a few minutes. Is everything else ready?”
I nodded.
“Yes, everything’s prepared.”
“Good,” he replied. “Vyom’s coming over for a quick discussion. Once that’s done, I’ll head out.”
As he said that, I turned to leave, but just then Vyom walked in, smiling warmly.
“Good morning, Bhabhi,” he greeted.
I returned the smile. “Good morning, Devar ji.”
Vyom handed Rudraksh a file. “Here’s the document you asked for, Bhai.”
They both got busy discussing business matters, so I quietly excused myself and went downstairs. Halfway down, I realized I hadn’t asked Vyom if he wanted coffee. I quickly sent a servant to check, but he returned moments later, saying Vyom had declined.
Just then, Dadi Maa came down the stairs, she smiled at me.
“Wah, Rivanya beta, you’ve done all the preparations already?”
I nodded, smiling softly.
“Yes, Dadi Maa. Everything’s ready. Now we’re just waiting for Maa Gauri’s idol. Rudraksh will be bringing it himself in a while.”
As soon as Dadi Maa nodded with a warm smile, she sat down gracefully on the couch in the hall.
I smiled and said softly, “Dadi Maa, should I make you some tea?”
She chuckled and waved her hand. “Arey nahi, beta. Today you’re fasting, right? Then I’m fasting too. In fact, every married woman in this house is keeping a fast for her husband today.”
I blinked and nodded, a little embarrassed. “Oh, right! I completely forgot everyone else must be fasting too.”
Just then, Rudraksh’s father and both his uncles entered, deep in discussion about something. They greeted Dadi Maa and took seats beside her.
Dadi Maa looked at them curiously. “You three have been out since morning where were you?”
Papa smiled slightly. “Maa, we went to see a piece of land for our new hospital project.”
Dadi Maa nodded approvingly. “Acha, that’s good.”
I quietly excused myself and went back to the kitchen. I prepared Papa’s sugarless coffee, Bade Chachu’s masala tea, and Chhote Chachu’s green tea all just the way they liked. Placing everything carefully on a tray, I carried it out to the hall and set it before them.
Papa took his coffee, smiled, and said, “Thank you, beta.”
But after the first sip, his expression changed. He froze mid-sip.
Concerned, I asked, “What happened, Papa? Did I make it wrong?”
He shook his head softly, his eyes distant. “No, beta… it’s perfect. It’s just that… anything made by your hands reminds me of someone. This coffee tastes exactly the way I like it.”
I smiled teasingly. “Who does it remind you of, Papa?”
At that, he fell silent. He didn’t say a word just placed a gentle hand on my head and quietly walked to his room.
I turned to Dadi Maa, puzzled. “Did I say something wrong, Dadi Maa?”
She sighed deeply, her eyes reflecting years of buried pain. “No, beta. You didn’t say anything wrong. It’s just… you touched an old wound that never really healed.”
I frowned slightly. “Old wound? What do you mean, Dadi Maa?”
She took a deep breath, her voice heavy with memories.
“Your cooking reminds us all of my elder bahu, Rudraksh’s mother Sikha. She too cooked with the same devotion, the same love in her hands. Pratap… he only ever ate food made by her. And now, after so many years, tasting food that feels like hers again it’s bound to reopen the pain he’s kept buried.
You see, Pratap truly loved Sikha. People used to speak of their love as if it were something divine…”
She paused, lost in thought, and then continued softly, “You know, even their marriage wasn’t out of love at first. It was arranged against their wishes — they used to argue all the time. But as they say, matches are made by the gods. Their hate turned into love before anyone even realized it.
That’s why, Rivanya beta, I have the same hope for you and Rudraksh. Even if your marriage began against your will, I believe Maa Gauri will bless you both with the same kind of love one day.”
Her words pierced through me like a whisper of fate.
I smiled faintly, but my heart was in turmoil. If only Dadi Maa knew the truth…
Rudraksh and I we could never have that kind of love. He didn’t even like me. To him, I was just… the replaced bride.
Yet as I stood there lost in thought, a memory flickered that first day after our wedding. When he had tasted my cooking during the pehli rasoi, I had seen a strange shimmer in his eyes… moisture he quickly hid.
Maybe not love but somewhere, my food had reminded him of his mother too.
And perhaps, just perhaps, that was a start.