Nawal - Missing Moments

9. Period Pains and Gains - Part 1

I have been wanting to write this one for quite some time. 

9. Period Pains and Gains

It had been more than a week that Natasha had returned to the Makhwana house after everything was revealed to her and as it was in this house, a lot of things had already happened. Also as was the norm in this house, almost all of them were due to, caused by or blamed on Natasha. Weather she was aware of it or not, her presence was a noticeable factor in everything that happened in this house.

The past week was tumultuous. First, the Bhoomi Pooja which was called off due to Dolly being present there while on her periods who was, again, brought there by Natasha. Amrish was humiliated and had to do a penance in front of the whole Sadar Bazar. Natasha was called out and punished to serve the whole family single handedly like a servant. Then, the snake attack on Natasha and Dolly.

Dhawal had been and was trying his level best to gain back her trust and maintain the peace and harmony in his home as well. It was a hard balance to crack but he was managing somehow. He knew Natasha's and his family's views were poles apart but he tried to find a middle path always. He had tried to reason with her about coming to Pooja on those days of the month. Truth be told, he couldn't see the logic behind this rule himself but as he had never been affected by it, he had never paid much attention to it as well. In fact, he had never even noticed if his Bhabhi's were ever absent or not during auspicious times. The way Mots had been about to unleash his wrath on her on this matter, had made him afraid of his reaction. Mots had been furious. He had tried his level best to protect her, even splashing red chilly in his eyes to prevent her from being treated like a servant. He knew they were angry at her because of the way she had screamed at everyone and left but the way they were treating her felt a little mean to him....Makhwanas had also done her wrong. And apart from him, no one had even acknowledged their mistake. But he couldn't really say anything to Mots and Maa...

Dhawal's efforts were paying off little by little. Natasha could see his demeanour had changed since she had returned. He was starting to take a stand...in his own way and letting her know that he was trying to understand her point of view. She couldn't make herself fall out of love with him and she still wasn't ready to give him another chance but her resolve was breaking bit by bit with his attempts to heal their relationship.

The way Dolly had been treated on her periods had astonished Natasha. She didn't know these types of rules were still being followed here. She decided to ask Hetal Bhabhi about this since she was here in Makhwana house since the beginning.

"Bhabhi...aap free ho? Kuch baat karni hai aapse.." She knocked and entered Amrish and Hetal's room.

"Han aa na...isme puchne ki kya baat hai. Beth yaha....bata kya hua?" replied Hetal

"Hetal Bhabhi....uss din Dolly ke sath jo hua....mene socha hi nahi tha ke ye baat itni zyada badh jaegi. Humare Pandya Niwas me ko iss bare me kabhi kuch issue hota hi nahi tha. Yaha par hamesha se aise hi chalte aa raha hai kya?"

Hetal sighed, getting up, she opened the cupboard and showed Natasha the last row. "Ye dekh...alag se mattress and sheets hai. Jab main nayi nayi shadi karke ai thi...tab yaha aisa hi chalta tha. I had to sleep on the floor. Phir dheere dheere Maa ne iss sabke bare me bolna chod diya. Bas pooja ke time hume bahar rehna hota tha.

Natasha's eyed widened. Sleeping on the floor! Ye to pata nahi konsi century me chal raha tha ye ghar.

"To kya Amrish Bhai dusre room me ja ke nahi sote the kya? Aap aaram se so jate yaha"

Hetal gave her a knowing look. "Tujhe to pata hain na..." She trailed off. Natasha understood. Hetal Bhabhi ne kya kya saha hai iss ghar me ab pata chal raha hai.