To Be Loved

Why?

"I don't even know that she likes chocolates. Why did you lie?" I asked Vaishu as soon as we are standing outside my home near the gate.

" Well shit Sherlock it's not really that hard. And I just wanted to make her feel like she is home."

"I am sure mom would not let her feel otherwise."

"Dumbass." She muttered.

"I heard that."

"You are supposed to!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well don't you know? That no matter how much support the family can give, the woman feels at home only when her husband makes her feel noticed and cared for? Come on, we have been friends since forever! You can't be this dumb! Don't tell anyone that you are my best friend, you would be spooling my name."

" Oh shut up. But what if she doesn't like chocolates."

"She does. Her brother told me once when we were dating."

"Oh so now you remember your conversations with him?"

"Ofcourse I do! He was my first you know. We girls cherish what our firsts say and do, and pay attention to what they mention."

I fell silent as she kept on blabbering about stuff. I looked back inside home and my insides started to churn a little still not able to cope up with the fact that now there is a woman sitting inside having a chain round her neck wearing it as my name and that she is my responsibility now, my wife. The place belonged to someone else and not the person sitting inside.

Khushi. My Khushi who is dead. She should have been inside talking to my mother and playing with my niece and nephew. She should have been the one I would come home to everytime I go out. She should have been the one wearing my name around her neck and labelling herself as my wife.

" don't have that look on your face. What are you even thinking about?"

"Khu-"

"Khush is a closed chapter-"

"Shut up!" I said closing my eyes.

"Shitting me up won't change the tru-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" I screamed and Vaishu took a step back. She looked at me and sighed, got on her scotty and gave me a nasty look as she started her vehicle. Just then I heard anklets sound and turned to see her, standing near the main entrance looking at me and then at Vaishu.

I immediately looked down not wanting to look at her right now. I feel like a goddamn hypocrite looking at her and suddenly her form from the afternoon flashing infront of my eyes. It's like my brain is playing a cruel trick with me. I just shouted on Vaishu for talking like that about Khushi and then suddenly this woman came out of nowhere as it was all her plan to create havoc.

I heard Vaishu leave and walked inside, just as I was nearing her she turned her back at me and left inside making a small smile to appear on my lips.  I shook my head and walked inside following the lady who is hell bent on making me accept my narcissistic tendencies.

" I heard you shout at Vaishu. All good?" My mother asked as soon as I entered inside.

"I sent Maha to check up on you guys immediately." She said and I averted my gaze from my mother towards Mahalakshmi who immediately looked down.

"Everything is cool." I stated still looking at Mahalakshmi.

"Okay. I know I don't need to pry on tell you both kids what's need to be done. By the way go with Mahalakshmi tomorrow for her appointment with the gynaecologist." I looked at Mahalakshmi who looked to side ways, anywhere but me.

"Fine." I replied.

"Uh, Aunty I can go by myself."

I looked at her and raised my eyebrows and even my mother turned and looked at her.

"'No definitely no! Varun will come with you. Won't you Varun?"

"Definitely maa, I would." I said and looked at her and she looked back at me with a little frown. Like she didn't like the fact that I am accompanying her. Good, you should not have said yes to me then. Now you gotta bare this.

I thought and saw her lips twitch down, with I assume anger? I am surprised this side exists in her. She was all meek and shy all the day and she is suddenly opening her claws and that too, at me?

"You see, Varun himself wants to accompany you. Let him also know how to take care of you. How would he able to help you if he doesn't know what you need?"

"Yes mom, I would go with her and ask the gynec directly about everything."

"Good, now take her inside your room so that you both can have some rest."

I looked at Mahalakshmi who gave my mother a longing look as she left and looked at me.

"Let's go." I said going towards my room.

She followed and looked at me as we entered inside.

" You can just drop me there and can take care of your works, I will tell aunty that you accompanied me. No need to bother yourself for me."

I looked at her, she is looking at the ground and I sighed.

" who said I was coming so that my mom wont be hurt and more importantly who said that you are bothering me?" I asked her and saw her fidgeting with her stole again.

" You don't need to feel like that. If I ever feel bothered by something you do I will let you know about that." I said and sat on the bed.

" But ." She mumbled something and I was not able hear what she was saying.

"Can you please speak clearly? I could not hear you?" I said.

"But it's not your baby so why are you doing this? Why is your family so nice ? Why are we pretending everything is fine when it's not?" She said and I can hear the despair in her voice, the angst and looked at her and she just shook her head and left the room. Leaving me alone.