AN INEQUITABLE LOVE

Birthday , Torture and Breaking down.

The next day was very normal. Shehnaaz, as usual completed her house chores and sat down to read the book. She bought that book two week back. Usually she completed a book within three days only but this time it took her long.

" .... and I simply decided to be happy again"

She smiled at the line and closed the book. Another chapter completed. How true is that! You can be happy if you want to. Nobody can help you out if you do not want to come out of something. That feeling has to come from within . Shehnaaz kept the book in her cupboard and decided to take some rest. She sat on the bed , leaning against the wall. She closed her eyes and sat there quietly, trying to flush all the negativity out of her mind.

A message popped on her phone. She unlocked it to find a message from team Snapchat. Shehnaaz opened the snap and was elated to see a Happy Birthday snap. " TEAM SNAPCHAT WISHES YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY!", it read.The snap had so many animals wearing birthday caps and a cake kept in between. " The first wish!", she sighed. It was her birthday today. She ought to have forgotten it. She was smiling at the snap when it disappeared. She replayed it and took a screenshot .

Shenaaz wished to she had her dadi with her for she was the one who loved her the most. Her mother had left them when she was a child and her father had developed a heart of stone. Her grandmother gave her all the love she deserved as a child. She was her best-friend but she wasn't doing well with her health for a long time now. Shehnaaz's heart broke for she could not even go to meet her. Since her marriage, she had hardly called them thrice. She decided to do a video call to her grand mother.

She dialed her father's number and held the phone infront of her face. Her grand mother picked up the call. " Sat Shri Akaal beeji", Shehnaaz wished her. " Sat Shri Akaal beta. Kaisi hai tu? Dadi nu bhul gayi tu?", dadiji said as tears rolled down her cheeks. She was seeing her Shehnaaz after such a long time and she looked so pale . She wasn't being taken care of. " Nahi beeji", Shehnaaz replied as her nose turned red because of crying. " Kaisi hai tu?", beeji asked. " Mai theek aa. Tusi kida ho?", Shehnaaz asked again. Beeji smiled at her , telling her that she was absolutely fine.

Both of the ladies were talking about their daily routines while beeji teased her with Rishabh's name. Shehnaaz wished that it was all true. " Beeji aaj kuch hai. Aapko yaad hai?", Shehnaaz asked . She expected her to remember her birthday. " Haan, aaj meri gudiya ka birthday hai", Beeji said as she coughed hard. "Ice cream khaayi thi na aapne phirse?", Shehnaaz asked as she squinted her eyes. There was no escape now, beeji thought. " Beeji apko mana hai na. Aur upar se diabetes bhi hai", Shehnaaz was continuously scolding her while beeji smiled at her. She had not changed at all. She scolded her the same way when she was a kid. 

Shehnaaz has been talking to her for an hour now and had forgotten to receive Shrey.He waited for her at the bus stop for ten minutes. When Shehnaaz did not come, he went back home alone. Shrey entered the house with a frown and frowned more on not finding his mother. He heard some giggles from her room and went there.

His mother was busy talking to someone on her phone. She was laughing her heart out and giggling from time to time. She ought to have forgotten about her surroundings. A smile crept on his face when he saw his mother happy. He ran towards her and hugged her. Shehnaaz looked at him and realized that she did not go to receive him. " Sorry", Shehnaaz said to him. He kissed her cheek and said, " No problem mumma". Shrey looked at the phone and saw an old woman smiling at him. Shrey gave her a confused look and then asked Shehnaaz who she was. Shehnaaz told him that she was her grand mother. Shrey wished her and talked to her while Shehnaaz got him the lunch in the room itself.

" Aur Kya baatein ho rahi hain?", Shehnaaz asked as she went to the bed and made Shrey sit on her lap. Beeji was happy looking at the two of them. " Mumma , unhone bola that you were very bad at studies lekin aap phir mujhe kyu daant te ho?", Shrey asked. " Kyunki mere ache marks aate the. Nani jhoot bol rahe hain", Shehnaaz said biting her tongue. Shrey looked at his nani and explained her that it was not good to lie. He told her that he was taught this by Shehnaaz. Having talked for some more time, Shehnaaz disconnected the call. She made Shrey eat his food and asked him to sleep.