Rab Rakha

Chapter 24

It had been more than a week, except for Madhu's brother and his family everybody had begun to leave. Sheena and Gurjot would have stayed if it was not for them to set up their home in Bangalore.

"Call karegi na mujhe roz? Meri toh dono betiyan ghar se nikal gayi, itna soona lag raha hai ab." Anju said, as she had a conversation with Madhu and Shehnaaz over a video call.

"Karungi Aunty." Shehnaaz replied while dusting the living area that they had occupied.

"Bhabhi, apni medicines lete hain na time se?" Anju asked her.

"Hanji." Madhu nodded. Her husband's demise had her blood pressure fluctuated.

"Sana baccha, Mummy ka khayal rakhna. Job dhundni chalu ki tune?" Anju asked further.

Since Anju was like her guardian, this question coming from her didn't bother Shehnaaz but the fact that her uncle's family could also listen to this, bothered her. She stilled at her place, gave herself a second and then answered.

"Dekhti hu Aunty, mere ko thoda break chahiye abhi kaam se. Mummy ke sath rehna chahti hu." She nodded.

"Mann na aise time me kuch karna nahi chahega beta, lekin time toh kisi ke liye nahi rukta na? Samay ke sath aage badhna padta hai. Teri job se Mummy ka kya lena dena, Madhu tere sath hi rahengi na." Anju tried to explain her point.

When Shehnaaz didn't respond, Madhu gestured to her to take a seat next to her and took a hold of her daughter's hand.

"Soch iss bare me." She also suggested.

"Hanji. Chalo aunty, mere ko khana banana hai. Rakhti hu." Shehnaaz smiled assuring Anju that she'd think about it.

"Ha, dhyan rakhna." Anju replied, hanging up.

Shehnaaz then made her way into the kitchen, since her uncle's family was staying back, her workload had increased. She couldn't ask the guests to back her up in the household chores because they were better at accompanying her mother, console her and keep her talking. She'd get up early in the morning, prepare tea and breakfast for everybody, clean the dining table soon after and take a break to wash up herself before preparing lunch. Similar were the scenarios around dinner time.

"Madad kardu?" Madhu asked today. Her daughter smiled, finally her mother was getting up and walking around to look after their house.

"Nahi, bas baitho table pe. Roti lati hu sek ke." Shehnaaz replied, setting up the dinner table.

"Tune naukri kyu chhodi?" Her uncle, Rajesh, asked.

"Papa ke treatment ke time bohot leaves li thi. Chhuti milti nahi, manager pareshan karta." She replied, serving him chapatis.

"Beta, tune ghar bhi toh chalana hai." He pointed out.

"Samajhti hu Mama. Dusri jagah dekhungi, yahi kahi Chandigarh me." She replied, wanting to stay with her mother from now on.

"Aisa hai toh, mere chacha ke bete se baat kar sakti hu mai tere liye." Her aunt, Lata, spoke.

"Dentist hai mera bhai, uske clinic me receptionist chahiye unko." She added, it had Shehnaaz still in her place in surprise.

"Meri beti graphic designer hai. Delhi me 50 hazar kamati thi mahine ka." Madhu interjected, offended that they didn't know how qualified her daughter was.

"Hain?! Didi mujhe nahi pata tha. Sana, tujhe itni achi naukri nahi chhodni thi." Lata apologetically replied, focusing on her meal and the topic was dropped as the dinner proceeded in silence.

"Sabke sath kyu nahi khati?" Madhu asked her daughter later in the night as they were preparing their bed.

"Phir sab job wagera ke bare me puchne lagte." Shehnaaz rolled her eyes, it made her mother smile. However, she hardly ate.