"Aur phir Nandini, kesi hai? Tu toh bahar nikalti hi nahi," one of the village lady in her forties said as two of them approached Nandini when she stepped out, wanting to catch Mahir who was playing since afternoon with his newfound friends.
"Jee woh bas kaam aur Mahir ko sambhalne mai hi nikal jaata hai saara din. Waqt hi nahi milta," Nandini replied softly, smiling while her eyes looked around for her son.
"Acha. Mujhe toh bas tujhe mubarak karna tha jab suna tu pait se hai. Kitna waqt hogaya vese?" The lady enquired curiously, eyeing Nandini's stomach, where her one hand rested.
"Jee teen mahine hogaye," Nandini replied, her eyes finally landing on Mahir and she shouted, "Mahir! Ghar vaapis aao abhi."
"Bash mumma panch minute," Mahir shouted back, his loud laughter filling as he ran when a boy his age tried chasing him, both of them disappearing from her view.
"Sarkar toh nahi hai na yaha abhi," the other lady asked and before Nandini could reply, the other one answered, "Haan. Maine dekha tha unhe jaate. Anjana bhi saath thi."
"Acha woh hai Anjana? Woh toh bohot sundar hai," the other lady said, thinking Nandini didn't knew that they were about to be engaged. Nandini was saved from listening to their chatter as Mahir came back running, drenched in sweat. Bidding her farewell, she moved inside.
"Chalo room mai. Kitne mitti aur paseena aa rakha hai. Thoda paseena sukhau. Phir Mumma aapko nehlati hai thodi der mai," Nandini said and he nodded before running to their room. As she walked to close the front door, she froze as she heard the ladies talking, "Sarkar ne pata nahi Anjana ki jagah isse kyu shaadi ki. Woh dono kitna jachte hai saath mai. Iski toh itna kadh bhi nahi hai aur kitni choti lagti hai."
"Arey kya hi ja raha hai, Didi. Ab humare gharwale hi dekh lo. Woh toh phir bhi Sarkar hai. Isse dil bhar gaya, toh dhund lenge koi aur. Ab toh vese bhi zyada der nahi teekegi, pait se jo hai. Upar se pehli biwi ka bacha bhi hai. Inme hi ulaj jayegi unki zaroorate toh kaha puri hogi isse?" The ladies continued, their voices fading as they walked away. Nandini felt her eyes watering at their words, her insecurities intensified as she locked the front door and immediately wiped them while walking to the room.
While she was giving Mahir a bath, he enquired, "Mumma Papa kab aayenge?"
"Woh kuch dino mai aajayenge," Nandini replied. Manik had been gone for the past four days. She further asked, "Kyu? Aapko unki yaad aa ri hai?"
"Nahi. Unke saath ek aunty thi na, unhone kaha tha woh mere liye dher saare khilone bhejenge," Mahir replied innocently and Nandini nodded, swallowing the emotions that were threatening to break through.
Bathing him, she made him wear the clothes before he ran away while she walked down to the kitchen, preparing dinner for everyone. The rest of the night passed away in a blur as she served everyone dinner and hot milk, skipping her own meal. After that, she made Mahir sleep before laying down for the night. Her mind whirled around in various directions, every conversation more hurtful than the last until she fell asleep.
••••
3 days later
While Nandini was busy working in the kitchen, preparing lunch, she heard voices outside. Correcting the pallu of her saree, she went outside with glasses of water as she heard her mother in law calling her out. She kept her eyes down as she greeted her husband and one of his friends who accompanied him back and was younger than Manik, Anubhav, before serving them water.
Decked in yellow saree, her slightly bulged stomach securely hidden away from evil eyes with the pallu, her head veiled, she looked beautiful to Manik. As she walked back to the kitchen to prepare tea, his friend, who had been eyeing Nandini, along with Manik, all this time asked, "Ye ladki kaun hai, Manik Bhai?" Not giving him chance to reply, he continued, "Bohot pyaari and syaani lag rahi thi dekhne mein toh." Letting out a laugh, he said, "Iski shaadi nahi hui toh meri baat hi karva doh. Meri maa bhi khush ho jayegi ki itni susheel ladki dhundi maine aur mai bhi."
YOU ARE READING
Insatiable Desires
General FictionA story set in 1960s where an eighteen year old is wedded off to the Sarpanch of the village who is fifteen years her senior. 🔞 Contains mature content and domestic abuse. Reader's discretion is warned.
