Lust Or Love ?

Part - 18

Amongst the chirpy chats and laughter Parvati sat there smiling silently at her mother's friends. She liked accompanying her mother to tea parties. She was the odd one out, the only young guest in the group of wise ladies, but she liked spending some time with her mother. Least she could do for her mother was to give her time and make her mother feel loved for bringing her to this world, giving her love and care, and raising her all alone by herself.   

"Parvati dear, you are married now, you should be enjoying your life with your husband rather than getting bored with the old ladies," an grey haired and sophisticatedly dressed friend of Narayani said. 

"Aunty, I'm not bored." Parvati smiled. "I'm married, that doesn't mean I should not spend time with my mother."

"Narayani, you are very lucky to have a lovely daughter like Parvati, she's an absolute sweetheart unlike today's generation who don't think about anything other than their own lives and happiness," another friend of Narayani commented. 

Narayani looked at her daughter affectionately. Indeed she always felt lucky to be blessed with a daughter like Parvati because most of her friends' children have almost abandoned her friends. Though her friends were rich and had their own means of huge earnings they felt lonely. Love and company of loved ones, especially in the later stage of life, mattered most compared to worldly riches. 

"But Suyash must be feeling alone at home," someone in the group said.

"Don't worry about him, aunty, he's busy with another wife…"

Narayani's friends' expressions turned confused and then they bursted into laughter as Parvati completed her sentence with a giggle, "...his business."

"Stop giving a bad name to my son-in-law, Parvati," Narayani said smilingly. "Wasn't it you who complained about Suyash's lack of interest in business and him being always behind you?"

Parvati lowered her blushing face. "Mother…" 

"Really?" Everyone was amazed.

"Yeah, my son-in-law is a true gentleman and crazy about my daughter. He has eyes only for her."

Parvati was embarrassed, she wished that she could shrink and sneak behind the lumbar pillow to hide from the teasing gazes fixed on her. She felt glad when her phone rang and hurried out of the living room. 

"Did you talk to him?" Pallavi asked, when Parvati picked her call. 

"No, I'm at my mother's friend's tea party," Parvati replied and sat down on the garden bench.

"Okay, convince him when you reach home. My career now depends on him," Pallavi said. "And, I have called to ask you to bring him tomorrow to my studio for rehearsals."

"Rehearsals?"

"Yeah, I have to check whether the dress fits him or not and make him practice ramp walk. He can't just come on the stage suddenly and expect to become the showstopper. I want everything to be perfect." 

Parvati sighed. "Okay." 

She had a very difficult task of convincing her husband for the show. 

Later Parvati and Narayani went back  home. In the night Suyash arrived home just before the dinner time and after the lovely meal ParYash were in their bedroom. While Parvati stood in front of her mirror removing her accessories Suyash was lying on the bed. She informed him about the conversations that took place in the party.

Suyash chuckled. "Mom is right. You are important to me more than my work or anything else in my life."

Parvati smiled.