She wakes up feeling more rested than in a long long time. Although her body is still sore and her back aches, it is more restful than she has ever been during this time of he month. Grabbing a pair of her most comfortable dark maroon churidar, she makes her way to the bathroom for a shower. She takes her time knowing she cannot risk fainting and cleans herself thoroughly, letting the hot water help with the lingering ache. Once done, she dresses for the day. Once in her room, she folds her bedsheet and corrects the mattress. She then sits in front of her dresser and tiredly removes the knots from her hair. A knock makes her look up and it is Malini who has showered and is dressed in red kurti with white pants.
"Can I come in?"
"Of course you can Didi! Why do you even have to ask?"
"How are you feeling now Imlie? Is my girl ready for the day?" Malini makes her way to Imlie and takes the brush from her hands. She then proceeds to slowly unentangle the knots. Imlie's eyes tear up again at the affection of her action. Her heart is replete with love for this family that has given her so much while not even knowing how she was related to them. Her marriage snatched away her Amma, her Dadda and her dreams but it had given her another family instead. It had given her a sister. And it had given her a balm to wounds she herself never realized existed.
The poignant expression on her face does not escape Malini but she does not draw her out of it. She knows Imlie has to experience her emotions after all the ups and downs of the previous few days and not be drawn away, just for those emotions to remain suppressed in her system. So she lets it be, working on combing her long hair and plaiting it the way she has seen Imlie wear. Once done, she bends down on her knees and keeps her hands on Imlie's, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looks startled and she makes to ask Malini to get off the floor but Malini stops her.
"How are you feeling Imlie? Is the pain better?" she questions again. This time Imlie sighs and nods.
"Pakka Promise?" Malini asks, extending her pinky finger.
Imlie giggles at the childish gesture but Malini does not relent. So Imlie hooks her pinky with Malini's and tells her the truth, respecting the sanctity of the intention behind her gesture.
"I am much better Didi. Just mild pain in my back and legs, that's it" she says. Malini nods and guides her to stand, intent on taking her down for breakfast.
The whole family descends on her with their own brand of affection as soon as she is by the table. She is made to sit and her plate is pilled with steaming hot poha along with bowls of assorted fruits and curds. Her supplements are kept ready to be taken alongside a glass of water. They take their turns to feed her, making sure she eats well and then nudge her to take her medicines. Yet again their actions speak volumes of their love for her and somewhere in the corner of her heart, a tiny belief comes to life-
They see me as a daughter!
_
After his conversation with Aparna, he makes it back to his room. He knows he has to apologize to her but he cannot do it in front of everyone because they do not know. It is a private conversation between him and her anyway. So he does not come down for breakfast when Malini informs him she's going to fetch Imlie down, citing an important call. What he does do though is stand by the railing and look at the family feeding her. She looks better even if the tiredness has not completely gone and the emotion in her eyes as she is being fed and cared for has his guilt deepening and a pang arising in his chest.
He had not wanted her close to the family and Malini for valid reasons. Yet without even trying she had made place for her in their hearts. The way she had bonded with Malini, the way they worked as sisters, genuinely had had him acknowledging he couldn't and wouldn't stop their bond. He had not made her the maid without it having been suggested by her first yet he had associated that label so easily to her. It felt like a prejudice he hadn't himself known he had. Is it so bad if she became the daughter of the house the way his family wants? This family has gone through so much and if they are uniting in their love for her, is it bad? Especially as it makes her happy as well.
Pondering these very thoughts he makes his way to her room, having seen her exit the dining room and nobody going behind her.
_
She has just reached her room and is about to shut the door when she sees him coming. She halts, heart thudding painfully in her chest. Her hands which had been closing the door subconsciously open it just as he reaches close.
"Imlie" her name escapes his mouth in tone softer than what she has come to expect from him.
"Ji?" she says and it brings forth the same feeling as the first time she had said it and he had remembered his mother replied to his father the same way. He pushes it aside though because it is not important right now.
"Kaisi ho ab?" he asks, a tone of concern in his voice. It makes her heart flutter.
("How are you now?")
"Hum acche hain Babusaheb" she replies back softly.
("I'm good Babusaheb")
He nods, accepting her answer.
"Apna dhyaan rakhna" he says gruffly and she nods in tandem.
("Take care of yourself")
"Imlie..hum...I had to say something to you" he begins, his countenance and body language showing his nervousness. It has her baffled. What would be such that he is this nervous in talking to her about?
"Imlie...woh...hum...I'm sorry!" he says and it shocks her.
"I'm very sorry about the way I have behaved with you. Nobody deserves to be treated like that and I'm so sorry I couldn't recognize it before" he says and without another word walks away. For a man who wielded words, he had none left to convey to her for he himself hadn't resolved his entangled emotions and mixed up thoughts.
She looks at his retreating back, his apology still ringing in her ears and sighs painfully. She is too tired to contemplate if she has forgiven him, if it is even within her power to forgive him. Maybe now they have finally reached a truce, she thinks before closing the door and moving towards her hammock.
Love,
Pratyusha
YOU ARE READING
Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us
Hayran Kurgu------ Can Be Read As General Fiction ------ One night. One event. Lives of two people altered completely. When Aditya Kumar Tripathi, Chief Executive Reporter at Bhaskar times stepped into Pagdandiya and met Imlie, he did not know how his life woul...
