𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞: 𝐀 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲

Chapter 18

N i k s h a n t

I climbed the stairs and entered my room.

I have to wait for Aaravi to sleep because when I know she's having nightmares, I can't let her sleep alone. What if she has a nightmare again at night? I can't risk it now. When she's with me, it's my responsibility to keep her safe.

I opened my laptop and placed it on my lap. I was checking some emails when my phone rang. I looked at my phone and saw that mom was calling me.

I saw the time-it was showing 4 a.m., so it must be 6:30 a.m. in India.

I picked up the phone and placed it against my ear.

"Hello, mom," I said.

"Hello, beta. Umm, did I disturb your sleep?" mom asked.

"No, mom, I was just checking some emails. Tell me, why did you call me at this time?" I asked.

"Oh, right. Tomorrow is Karwa Chauth, so wake Aaravi up at 5 a.m. because it's time for sargi and give her something to eat, because after 5 a.m., she can't eat anything. That's why I called you, because Aaravi might be sleeping right now, and I can't disturb my baby's sleep, so I called you instead,"I facepalmed.

Is she even my mom? I mean, she can disturb my sleep, but she can't disturb her daughter-in-law's sleep?

"Mom, I'm your son, so you shouldn't have disturbed my sleep either," I said, annoyed.

"Tell me, were you sleeping?" mom asked.

I would've been sleeping, mom, if I wasn't fulfilling your daughter-in-law's wish almost the whole night.

But I can't say this to her, right?

"No, mom," I pressed my lips into a thin line.

"So why are you having a problem then? You didn't even sleep, and my baby must be sleeping peacefully right now, so how could I wake her? She needs to sleep well," my jaw dropped to the floor.

"If I hadn't married her, she wouldn't even be your daughter-in-law," I said, should I be proud of this or not?

"Forget all that and listen to me," mom dropped the topic. I mean, how could she do this to me?

"Mom, you can't-" she cut me off.

"It's important, Nikshant. Since it's your first Karwa Chauth, and traditionally sargi is supposed to be given by the mother-in-law, but since I'm not there and there's no one else, you have to do it. You need to give Aaravi the sargi, which should include dry fruits, fruits, meethi pheni, sweets, and water. Feed her before sunrise because after that she won't be able to eat anything. In the evening, when the moon rises, you have to give her water, and only after that she can eat something," mom explained everything to me.

An entire day of fasting.

Like-WHAT THE HELL.

"I mean, do I have to fast too?" I asked.

"Oh hahaa, no, Nikshant beta, only the wife fasts," I frowned at mom's words.

This is injustice. I mean, why should only the wife fast the whole day? Husbands should fast too.

"It's tradition, beta, we can't do anything about it," mom said.

Who even makes such traditions where the wife has to suffer?

"Okay mom, I'll hang up now and arrange everything," I said.

"Okay, as soon as the moon rises, make sure to give her water. My daughter will be hungry the whole day, so don't make her wait. I'm warning you, Nikshant," mom warned me.