Kavita's Submission [COMPLETED]

Chapter 14

Kavita's POV

"Mujhe maaf kardijiye, bhabhi. Meri wajah se aapko bohot takleef ho rahi hai," Smriti says to me.

I give her a slight smile. I know she feels bad because of all the taunts maaji has showering on me ever since I went out with Anirudhji.

She even tries to intervene sometimes, asking maaji to let it go, but maaji does not let go. She keeps calling me characterless and what not.

"Aapko mafi maangne ki jarurat nahi hai, Smritiji. Jo hona tha hogaya hai. Sab kuch waqt ke saath thik ho jayega," I tell Smritiji, even though I myself do not know when everything will get better.

'Par sab kuch jaldi thik karna hoga mujhe. Sabko manana hoga taaki woh mujhe kuch der ke liye apni maayike jaane de. Bas ek baar maa se mil loon, toh tassalli ho jayegi.'

"Smriti, yahaan kya kar rahi hai beti? Kya teri bhabhi tujhse iss halat mein bhi kaam karne ko keh rahi hai?" Maaji says, walking to the kitchen.

"Arrey nahi, maa. Bhabhi toh mujhe kabhi kuch karne nahi deti. Sab kaam khud hi kar leti hain. Main toh sirf yahaan unse baatein karne aayi thi," Smritiji replies.

I am thankful that she is here in this house right now. With her being here, there is at least one person in the house who talks properly with me.

Well, it is not only her. There is Anirudhji too.

He has been trying to talk with me since the day after we returned from the market, but I have been actively avoiding him.

With everyone already taunting me and calling me names, I do not want to make it worse for myself and for him by again talking with him.

It's better that we do not talk at all.

"Kitni tarafdari karegi apni bhabhi ki?" Maaji's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "Chal maan liya woh tujhe kuch kaam nahi karne deti, lekin woh khud bhi kahan dhang se kaam karti hai. Bas galtiyan karna aata hai. Pata nahi, mere baa diss ghar ka kya hoga. Ek hi beta tha aur uska bhi iske saath biha kar diya. Bohot badi bhool hogayi ladki chunne mein."

Her words prick my heart, and I try my best not to let the tears show.

I want to request her to let bygones be bygones and stop taunting me. Or at least scold or taunt me only when I make any other mistake.

But I do not say anything. Because me saying even a word in this house counts as me arguing with them and disrespecting them.

And I cannot afford to make anyone angrier with me right now. Not when I want to pacify them so they could at least let me visit my mother.

"Aise chup kyun khadi hai? Kya ab bola bhi nahi jaata tujhse? Mujhe akad dika rahi hai?"

Pausing to stir the vegetable in the pan, I look at maaji. "Aisi baat nahi hai, maaji. Aap Smritiji se baat kar rahi thi. Isliye maine kuch nahi kaha."

She glares at me. "Chup kar aur khana banana mein dhyan de. Main Smriti ko lekar kamre mein jaa rahi hoon. Uske liye dudh le aana aur pair malish karne ke liye tel bhi le aana. Thodi der uski malish karde aur phir aake rasoi bana lena. Samjhi?"

"Ji, maaji. Samajh gayi," I reply, and maaji walks out of the kitchen, telling Smritiji to get quiet when she says she does not need a foot massage.

~~~~~

As I serve food to everyone, I hoped desperately that Sameerji would eat it this time instead of saying it's tasteless as he has been doing for the last two weeks.

I want him to at least eat properly so he would not be hungry and angry tonight.

Hopefully then, I will be able to talk with him and request him to let me go and meet my mother.