Mr. And Mrs. Bhalla

14

"What happened? Why are you so sad?" Noticing my mood, she would have guessed it. I kept on kneading the dough for the bhature. As I know, the moment I look at her, I will burst out.

"It's nothing."

"Did he do something?"

Surprisingly, I looked at her. My eyes were already welled up. She kept on looking at me with concerning eyes, just like amma used to do. I know, this is his and my matter, but I really wanted to talk to someone and blash it out. I wanna know whatever I am feeling, whether it is legit or not?

"He scolded me very badly and said that I am useless and irresponsible. He even accused me of taking dadi and dadaji as a burden." I complained about him to maa like a toddler.

"Aree mera bacha!" Maa hugged me, and I started crying more.

"He didn't actually mean that. He might have said those things in anger. Don't you know that he has anger issues?"

We broke the hug, and she wiped my tears by her palms.

"But that doesn't mean that he will say and do anything in anger. Don't worry, I will talk to him. How can he scold my daughter? Come, now stop crying." She said and brought a glass of water for me.

"He wasn't exactly at fault. I agree that I made a mistake, but how can he say such things to me? He made me feel like an outsider today." While hiccuping, I started drinking water. I was already feeling dizzy, and because of crying, I had a severe headache. Bad day to skip my lunch.

"Bacha, stop crying. I will confront him. Sit here. I will do the rest of the work." She made me sit on the slab, just like amma used to do it to me during my childhood days.

Maa seems like the most genuine person to me in this house. I don't know why dadi and dada Ji don't like her. I understand that she is a stepmother to him, so even if they don't have a healthy relationship, it's understandable.

Not wanting to act like an immature person anymore, I stood up and started making the small balls of the dough.

"Are you feeling okay now?"

"Jii maa."

"If you want, then you can go to your room and rest. I will manage it here."

I nodded as no and continued making the balls. He might be in the room.

"I don't want to face him."

"My son isn't a bad person. I understand that he has a lot of faults in him, but I know that he didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know what has happened between you two, but I am on your side."

I told maa everything, and she gave me an apologetic look.

"Still, he shouldn't have reacted that way. I can't believe that he did this to you. Don't worry, I will scold him."

I know that she would really do that.  But what caught my attention was how she addressed him as her son. I kept on looking at her.

"Of course, he is my son as well. He was the reason for my marriage with your papa ji. However, he didn't need me. He was the most kindest and purest soul. But after the death of his mother, everything for him was changed. He had endured a lot. He doesn't know how to show love and care, but his big ass does know to scold anyone and anywhere."

I nodded.

"His mother was the most important person to him. Bhalla ji used to be busy with his office work. So, he was more attached to her than him. After the death of her, he was particularly raised by mummy and papa ji. Om blamed him for his mother's death. So he never cared about him. That's why he is so concerned about them. Anything related to them is vital for him. It was them who chose you for him, maybe that's why he agreed for this marriage. Otherwise, your Hitler had no plans for marrying in this lifetime. I am not asking you to sympathize with him , nor should you forgive him this easily."