ACCEPTING 'US'

21.

Sudha's POV:

I heard all he said. I know I shouldn't have been there but I was. I don't know why my husband was just standing there without doing anything. I mean I am his wife after all. He could at least say something to make him stop but he did nothing. As soon as I was done hearing his words I turned away from there to home. I walked as fast as I could but my left foot was burning with pain. I am applying a lot of strength to it to walk fast due to which it is paining terribly. Finally when I reached home I went to the bedroom and closed the door. I know he will be coming back in a few minutes and I don't want to face him. I sat against the door and placed my head in between my legs and sobbed loudly.
I got up and plopped in bed with my head buried in my pillow, my tears wetting it. I held the other pillow in my hand tightly wanting to stop myself from crying but it turned useless.
I was hurt. No. I was sad. No. I was upset. No. I was disappointed. No. I am heartbroken. Yes. My heart broke the moment I saw my husband allow him to badmouth me. The person who spoke badly about me doesn't know me. But the person who was hearing didn't have any feelings for me. I understood.
The person I trusted with my heart and believed blindly didn't stand up for me. He didn't support me while he should have. He was just.....
" Sudha. Please open the door. I need to talk to you. Please " he banged on the door. My eyes filled with tears again and I sat there closing my ears not wanting to hear his voice. I don't know what my mistake was that I had to hear those words.
" Sudha. Let me explain for once. Come out please " he pleaded. I didn't open the door and cried there closing my ears. After a long time I lost all the energy to cry and sat leaning my head to the wall. I can still hear his please outside the door. I thought he would give up but he kept calling me repeatedly.
" Sudha. For once listen to me. Okay come and have breakfast at least. You have not eaten anything since morning. Please " he said and again tears filled my eyes. I looked away not wanting to see his face anymore.
I don't know how long I sat there but I want to make sure that maaji doesn't see me like this. So I got up slowly and made my way to the mirror. I can see my eyes red due to crying and they seemed tired. I made a bun of my hair and came outside. He was sitting there in the hall with his head low and when he saw me he immediately came towards me. I went towards the backyard and washed my face. I washed my face until I could no longer feel like crying. The cold water helped me and I was finally relaxed that no tears came out. I sighed and turned to go inside when shyam came near me.
" Sudha talk to me. I am begging you " he said and took my hand in his but I just didn't respond and bowed my head. I don't have the energy to fight with him and allow him to say whatever he wishes and I am not going to talk to him in any way.
" Sudha look at me please " he said again but I remained numb. He let go of my hand and I went to the kitchen to prepare lunch for maaji.
I prepared lunch for both my husband and maaji as I was in no mood to eat. He kept staring at me and talked too but I kept myself busy.
" You look beautiful in this saree sudha " he said. My anger bubbled and I rushed to the bedroom. He saw my angry face and rushed along with me. Before I could close the door he entered. I had no other option, so I removed the saree in front of him and took another saree and started wearing it ignoring his presence. I don't know what he was thinking but all I could think about was the words of that stranger.
" Sudha why are you wearing another one. I just complimented you. Don't I have the right to compliment you? " He asked desperately. All I want to say is ' get out ' but I resisted and finished tying the saree. I came out and entered the kitchen again. After I completed the work in the kitchen I went to the backyard. He went out this time and I sighed in relief.
" Sudha " maaji called me and I went inside.
" What happened? Why didn't you eat breakfast? " She asked.
" I am not hungry " I lied. She seemed unsatisfied with my reply.
" You are not hungry? This is lunch time sudha. And you didn't even eat breakfast. What happened to you? " She was worried.
" No..nothing maaji. I ate laddus and I didn't feel like eating " again a lie.
" Hmm. I should have made you eat breakfast by myself. Come now let's have lunch " she said. I was about to deny when he entered home again. His expression was unreadable and I turned my gaze away when he saw me.
" Maaji you both have lunch. I will eat later " I said without hearing her and went to the bedroom.
Both talked for a while and then finished eating. After lunch maaji knocked on the door and I opened the door.
" Sudha is everything alright? You don't seem well " she said and touched my forehead. She gasped as soon as she touched and I was shocked.
" You are burning sudha. Let's go to the hospital, " she held my arm.
" What happened ma? " He intervened in between.
" She's caught a fever. I will take her to the hospital " she said. Maaji was about to take me away when I stopped.
" I want to see dadi " I whispered making her turn towards me.
" Okay but first you should come to the hospital " she said looking at me.
" Please maaji " I said with tears filling my eyes. Immediately she hugged me and rubbed my back.
" Hey sudha don't cry now. You want to see your dadi. Fine but first we will go to the hospital then you can go. Alright? " She said like I was a kid.
" No. I want to go to dadi " I said sternly like a kid and this time tears slipped my eyes. He stood at a decent distance from us and kept hearing our conversation.
" Okay. Pack your bag " she said when she understood that I was not going to budge.
I soon entered the room and started packing the bag. I took a few clothes and accessories necessary. I looked at myself in the mirror and realised how red my eyes turned and my body was hot too. I came out after a few minutes and was about to leave.
" Where do you think you are going? Shyama will drop you home " she said stopping me.
" No maaji. I will go by bus " I said. She looked displeased with my words but obliged when she understood that I am being stubborn.
" You are being adamant today. Okay as you say. Shyama goes with you till the bus stop and makes sure you get a seat in the bus " she said to him. She again hugged me and said some soothing words and kissed  my forehead.
" Take care maaji " I said and exited the house. Shyam tried to take my bag from me but I made sure there was a distance between us and didn't allow him to take my bag. I remembered the route to the bus stop as we went to the exhibition that day.
" Sudha please. You don't have to go to your home right now. You have a fever. You can go when you feel better " he said while walking but I didn't pay heed to his words. He kept saying the same thing and we reached the bus stop. I sat near a bench and looked at the board on which the routes of buses were written. I got to know that the bus to our village is in another half an hour according to the clock above. I sat there staring at the buses and the passengers.
" Here take this water bottle " he extended the bottle towards me but I ignored it. He even gave me some money but I didn't even take it. I had taken money with me which dadi gave me after getting married. I thought of using the money in an emergency situation but turns out this is the most emergency in my life. After 25 minutes or so the bus to our village arrived. I got into it without hearing his words. I got a seat and sat there closing my eyes. I don't know why but his words kept ringing in my ears and for a moment I wanted to get down and go with him. But I resisted myself from doing so and sat closing my eyes. He tried giving me water bottle through the window but I didn't take it, instead I closed the window. As soon as the bus took off I allowed tears to flow down. I gave the fair amount and took the ticket. When I reached my village I got down slowly. I didn't have the energy to walk as I skipped breakfast and lunch. My body was not allowing me to walk and my head was dizzy. Everyone who saw me walking towards my home gave me suspicious looks but I kept walking with the last ounce of energy left in me. When prithvi(our house helper) saw me, he rushed towards me and shouted about my arrival. I felt relieved when he took the bag away from me and I entered home with the lovely embrace from dadi. She hugged me tightly but she pushed me after a while.
" Sudha you are burning. What happened? " She asked touching my arms, head and body.
" Yeah dadi. I know " I said and sat in bed.
" Why did you come in this situation? " She asked further sitting beside me.
" I was missing you so much dadi. I couldn't stay there without seeing you " I said and hugged her tightly. Tears flowed down my eyes and dadi kept rubbing my head.
" My child. I missed you too " she said and made me lay in bed.
" You sleep here. I will go and make soup for you. After drinking that we are going to the hospital " she said firmly and went away. I laid in bed and covered myself with a duvet.
After some time dadi made me drink the  soup and my body felt light as soon as I tasted it. Then she called the doctor home as I was in a bad situation and unable to walk. Papa came and checked me too. He asked the doctor about the medicine and all and told me to take enough rest.
I slept the whole evening and got up at night to eat dinner. Dadi fed me with her hands as I was not eating. She made sure I took medicines.
When I slept, she got up in the middle of the night several times to check my temperature. She placed a cotton cloth dipped in water on my forehead and kept chanting mantras. She prayed for my well being and I wondered how lucky I am to have her in my life.

Okay our sudha is ill 🤧 I feel bad for her. May she recovers soon.
Till then you keep voting, commenting and following.
Thank you everyone for your support🫶🙏
Till then bye..