TERE AA JANE SE

Ch 11 Her suffer !

"Ahil's daddy...! Ahil's daddy...!" she exclaimed, anxiously calling Mr. Agraj. After a couple of calls, he came out. "Shalini, what happened now?"

As he inquired, he noticed the injuries on Ahil's forehead and hand, causing him to worry. "Ahil , did you drive without a driver again today?"

"No, Dad, it was just a minor accident... I mean, someone needed help, and I got injured while assisting."

He was narrating the entire incident to his dad while his mom quickly fetched the first aid kit and started dressing his wounds. In her anger, she scolded him, "You've taken the responsibility of the whole world on your shoulders. Instead of always helping others, when will you find a life partner for yourself? I've told you countless times to get married, but will you fulfil my wish only after I'm gone?"

Hearing the mention of dying, Ahil gently placed his hand on his mother's mouth and said, "No, Mom, never! I've already told you I don't want to get married, and I'll say the same today. Besides, Di is already married, isn't she? You've seen her children, haven't you? That's enough, Mom!"

That was enough for Ahil's mom to storm off in anger. After she left, Ahil's dad chuckled and said, "You've really angered your mom."

"So, what's new, Dad? She's always angry, and I always manage to pacify her," Ahil said nonchalantly, giving his dad a youthful grin, and then he headed straight to his room.

___________

Hiya's mother took out her old clothes for her to wear. As soon as Hiya took them in her hands, she quickly went to change.

Meanwhile, Hiya's mother, in the joy of her daughter's return, had prepared potato-cauliflower curry, puris, raita, and a sweet dish of kheer for her. Being an excellent cook, she had swiftly prepared all these items. Her happiness at her daughter's return was so overwhelming that she couldn't contain her joy.

On the other side, Hiya lay on her bed, gazing at the ceiling, when her mother quickly came in with a plate of food for her.

After many days, she ate a meal prepared by her mother's hands. While eating, tears started flowing from her eyes all of a sudden.

Her mother wiped them away and said, "No, my dear, don't cry anymore. The tears you shed have all gone; now you're with your mom and dad. Completely safe and sound."

Her mother may not have known the full story, but she sensed that Hiya didn't want to return to her husband ever again. She refrained from asking her daughter any questions, not wanting to see her in more distress. Though what had happened was a dark phase in Hiya's life, now her beloved daughter was with her.

After a while, having eaten, Hiya laid her head on her mother's lap and drifted into a peaceful sleep. For the first time in months, she experienced a sense of tranquillity, evident on her serene face.

____

The next day, Hiya's brother had initially planned to ask her to leave the house, but upon his wife's insistence, he allowed her to stay. Sneha, his wife, was quite cunning. She believed that by keeping Hiya at home, she could make her do all the household chores like a maid without having to pay her. They agreed to keep Hiya for their own benefit.

Hiya's initial relief at being allowed to stay with her family was short-lived. Instead of the support and compassion she expected, she found herself subjected to constant household chores, often late into the night. Her family, exploiting her vulnerability, provided minimal sustenance, reducing meals to mere scraps.

As if this weren't enough, a few months after her parents' tragic demise, Hiya's situation worsened. Rather than offering solace or assistance, her family relegated her to the role of a domestic servant. With limited clothing and virtually no personal belongings, Hiya's life became a stark contrast to the warmth and security she initially sought. Her hopes for a supportive family shattered, leaving her in a precarious and challenging situation. They made her a maid permanently making her do all chores and she was left with only two pairs of clothing.

Her sister-in-law made her work tirelessly day and night, and even in providing meagre meals, she didn't hesitate to be stingy with salt and spices.

Hiya found herself trapped in a life that was neither fulfilling in her husband's home nor in her parents' house. While her mother was alive, she experienced a few months of respite, but now her circumstances had deteriorated beyond imagination. She endured it with the thought that perhaps it was the consequence of her past actions.

Throughout the day, she toiled with an empty stomach, and at night, when she wearily retired to her bed, she cried over her fate. She prayed to a higher power that no one should endure a fate like hers.

The pain she endured was something no girl should ever experience.

_____________

6 months passed

Hiya's world, once vibrant with possibility, now appeared drained of vitality as she navigated the monotony of servitude under her brother's roof. Each day seemed like a repetitive cycle, a grayscale existence devoid of personal agency.

For half a year, Hiya had been engulfed in the shadows of her brother and sister-in-law's dominance. Her aspirations faded into the background, replaced by the constant demands that defined her waking hours. The world outside her familial confines became distant, a mere echo of what life used to be.

In this subdued reality, Hiya's spirit waned, leaving behind a residue of despondency. It was as if the color palette of her existence had been stripped down to grayscale, with no promise of vibrancy on the horizon.

Amidst this mundane backdrop, a serendipitous interruption stirred the air. The doorbell's chime shattered the silence that had become hiya's companion. Curiosity overcoming her, she abandoned her routine, hastening to answer the door.

The sight that greeted her eyes was unexpected