The First Baby- A Shraman Story

The First Baby

"Suman di, what are you doing?''

" Nothing Preeti just was sorting out the budget. "

"What dii! You're always working, you should rest sometimes. Like just chilling all day sitting on bed or going shopping or may be watching a movie. What say?"

"You know what Preeti, you're lucky always have been. Whatever you wanted was right there right at your feet. You have a perfect life but  I ain't as lucky as you. I think you should ask Vandy bhabhi to accompany you for shopping."

"Di why are you...."

"Go Preeti"

Its been a few days since living with Malhotras and she realized how much her dear sister has changed, the one for whom she sacrificed her life yes her life her Shravan. It was for 'her' love she sacrificed so much and the same girl is really busy with her new family. She is shopping, kitty partying with her mother in law and romancing with her husband. Its not that Suman is complaining its just that even if she does all that, there is no harm in enjoying life but that 'you keep working all the time, you should also chill and shop bla bla ' felt like taunting. Doesn't she know the reason why she has to work so much? Doesn't she know her mother is waiting there open mouthed for the money she earns? Doesn't she know how much loans and advance order she had to take for her high class wedding and herself going to a court in everyday salwar kameez, just signing the papers and getting married? Doesn't she know how much she had to endure so that her so called lovely mother in law would accept her? Doesn't she know how much she is suffering and hurting?

Suman is honestly confused today. Had she become someone else or  the real character is hid under a facade.
(Your thoughts?)

Suman was thinking of all this when the ring of her phone caught her attention. As she was talking to Preeta looking around she saw a magazine lying on bed, perhaps Preeti left it there. Casually she started flipping pages when one particular article caught her attention. Right after the call disconnected she started reading it.

It was a important day for Shravan. He had two consecutive dates in one day itself and the cases were complicated. Even around all the fiasco, his drunk escapades and fights with her, there was something that kept motivating him to keep roaring in the court. Two smiles. One that he saw right after winning, his father who was always there to witness his success and other that he imagined. The day he won case of Tiwari Killa, he saw that smile for the first time. That was the moment when he knew this is the smile that I'm going to fight for and chase. Then what happened?
So cliché, "life happened". But he says ego happened and stupidity happened.

Shravan reached home in evening to find the place empty. He asked Bahadur for everyone except her. Kamini chachi, Vandy bhabhi and Preeti were out for shopping, Pushkar was in Gurgaon for the day would come tomorrow, Lalaji and Ramnath went to meet someone. He did not asked for her because he knew her workload. Yes he knew. It was true, they were fighting, ignoring each other but in reality they were pretending to hide their wounds. He knew how loaded she is with work and how his family was on her head but one thing he was certain that she was a ball of pretentious energy. If she was home, she would have been either in the kitchen or the living room. With this thought he went upstairs with the glass of water in one hand which Bahadur got for him. In his room what he saw amused him, surprised him but also made sure that he spends some sleepless nights.

Suman was lying on the bed reading the article and realized the other one is also catchy so she went on to that as well. She was almost done with it when she realized someone gazing her. She put down the magazine upside down and looked at the silently amused and smiling man standing there at the door. Now his smile confused her. What should I infer of this now? Her frown that was the reason of his sleepless nights deepened. Shravan when found her she was spread over the bed like a teen girl, puckering her lips, and narrowing her eyes while the frown which looked cute was different from  her angry frowns but just thee cute one.