Short Stories on RiKara

Silent Tears

PROLOGUE

"Shivay has left the house for his promise."

"Annika being a faithful wife left with her husband to support him."

"Shakti and Pinky lost their only son."

"Tej and Jhanvi are facing hostility of their own sons."

"Daadi in her old age has to witness the unpleasant sight of her family separating"

"Rudra is devoid of his bade bhaiya's support."

"Omkara is managing house and business single handed"

And what about Gauri?

Why is no one aware of all the strains and sacrifice of an unappreciated daughter in law and wife does for the house she calls her sasural?

1

Gauri could feel the soreness in her legs and heaviness in her eyes, as she walked towards her bedroom. She was used to labour from childhood, but even that didn't prepare her for emotional and physical stress she faced now in her husband's house. All the family members seem to be living a detached life and Gauri felt as if it was her sole responsibility to hold them all together. A job too tedious for her delicate hands.

Gauri was greeted by the sight of her exhausted husband asleep on the bed in the same clothes that he wore to office today, even his shoes not removed. Gauri was tempted to let him sleep the same way and not help him to be more comfortable by taking off his shoes and coat. When he hasn't noticed all things that she has done, then he surely will not notice things she has not done. She smiled mentally at her own thoughts, as she proceeded to remove his shoes and socks.

Gauri's biggest weakness is not being able to be as good as she should be and also not being as bad as she wants to be.

Gauri took her place on the bed beside her husband. She didn't bother to change her clothes. She was too tired to move a limb. When Gauri turned to the other side holding the duvet close to her, she felt a sharp pain in her spine due to contact with her husband's sharp knuckle. She lifted herself to see that Omkara has occupied almost half of the bed and his legs and hand was sprawled carelessly. Gauri wondered if her husband even forgot that he is supposed to share the bed with his wife. Is his tired brain too dense to remember that she will be coming back to the same room and would want to occupy the same bed as him? A husband who nervously put his arms around her and pulled her closer seemed like only a dream to Gauri. Definitely he cannot be the same person who is sleeping beside her now.

Lifting her duvet and extra pillow, Gauri went to make bed for herself in the green recliner that has become her sleep alternate every time her husband decides to take the whole bed for himself. Gauri wondered if he ever missed her during times she slept on the recliner. Did he even realize in the first place that was not beside him?

Gauri's day started earlier than they usually did. She had to make sure that pooja happened exactly at 6 in the morning. Though, neither Daadi or Shakti attended pooja in the morning together like they used to, they get disappointed if they don't hear bajan early in the morning. Gauri had to take coffee to Daadi personally and make sure she drinks it, else she might skip it getting too involved in her own misery. The same applied for any meal for that matter.

"Gauri, I have made Om's favourite breakfast make him eat it." Said Jhanvi handing a bowl to Gauri.

They both knew Omkara will not eat what his mother has made, yet Gauri tried to feed her husband the dal.

"I don't want anything that she has made." Shouted Omkara throwing the bowl away letting it crash on the wall.

Gauri looked at her husband walking out of the house angrily without having breakfast and then turned back to look at her mother in law run into her room weeping. Gauri knelt down on the floor trying to clean the mess.