Eternally Yours

Chapter 5

Nandini rubbed the towel in her wet hair as she walked out the washroom, freshly showered. Aarav was asleep as she threw the towel on the chair and rushed downstairs to prepare breakfast for Manik before he left for work.

"Manik, parantha bana du? Subah aloo ki sabzi banai thi uske saath," Nandini enquired as he was busy going through the newspaper in the living room. He hummed in response and she moved to the kitchen. Placing the pan on the stove, she spread a spoonful of ghee on it, heating it up before taking out the dough from the fridge. While she prepared a flat bread for him, she simultaneously took some of the sabzi in a bowl and heated it in the oven. Taking out another pan, she placed it on the stove to prepare tea. While the water boiled, as she was about to move over to turn over the flat bread on the pan, she winced as her left arm rubbed against the hot pan.

(Manik, shall I prepare parantha?)

Her mouth blew air on the burn, not paying much attention she didn't want anything burning off and prepared the rest of the breakfast. By the time she was serving breakfast to Manik, she was drenched in sweat. She sat beside him while he had his breakfast quietly, sighing in relief as the fan cooled her down.

"Manik, bijli ka bill bhar diya tha aapne? Kal last date hai," Nandini reminded him while she was pouring tea for both of them in cups.

(Manik did you pay electricity bill. Tomorrow is last day.)

"Aaj shaam ko bhar dunga," Manik said. Nandini nodded before saying, "Maa ki dwai bhi khatam ho rakhi hai bp ki. Aur Aarav ko doctor ke bhi leke jaana hai. Uski vaccination lagvani hai dusri."

(I'll fill it in evening. **Even Maa's medicines are about to finish. We even have to take Aarav for his second vaccination.)

"Dwai ke liye raat ko yaad dila dena," Manik grumbled, almost swallowing the tea and wanting to get away before she reminded him of any other work. "Vaccination ke liye thode din tak time milega toh chal lenge."

(Call me at night for medicines. **Vaccination will have to wait for a few more days.)

"Aap ka roz ka ho rakha hai. Chaar din se yahi bol re ho," Nandini said, making him snap in irritation, "Toh khud le ja na. Saara din ghar pe karti kya hai? Das minute ka kaam hai."

(*You have been doing this everyday. You have been saying this for the past four days. **So, take him yourself. What do you even do whole day? It will just take 10 minutes.)

"Haan haan main toh kuch nahi karti. Nashta toh aapki Maa ne karvaya na abhi," Nandini gritted out as she got up, collecting the used utensils.

(Right. I don't do anything. Your mother served you breakfast, no?!)

"Ab ye kaam karne ka bhi sunao gi. Sahi hai," Manik said, annoyed as he walked and sat on the sofa, wearing his shoes while Nandini walked out to the kitchen, not wanting to fight early in the morning. However, she couldn't control the anger as she dropped the utensils in the sink, all of them clanking together loudly.

(Now, you'll even boast about doing this work?)

Picking up the lunch box, she walked back, holding it towards him as he finished tying laces of his shoes. When he got up, he looked at the box and sarcastically said, "Rehn do ye bhi. Joh dil se nahi hota kaam usse chod dena chahiye."

(Leave it. The work which isn't done from heart should be left aside.)

"Manik, kyu subah subah ladai kar re hai aur dono ka mood kharab kar re hai? Maine kya sunaya? Dil se na kar ri hoti toh bhuke pait bhej deti aapko," Nandini snapped back, glaring at him. Rolling his eyes, Manik took the tiffin from her and walked out of the house without a word, while she raked her fingers through her hair in frustration. If she didn't remind him of the bill and medicines, he would have raged at her and now, when she did, he again got frustrated! What was she supposed to do? Nandini sighed, knowing that her morning had successfully been turned into a mess.