CHAPTER-5 Special Moment

NAINA

"Say it Dammit. Why are you here? And what were you doing here?" He said peevishly giving me a hard look.

"Ohh! Sorry. I think you have not understood what I'm saying. Let me explain this to you." He said with heavy sarcasm.

"Madam, what're you doing here?"

At first, he asked me in his usual style. But when he realized he was talking with me in English he apologized and said in Hindi to mock me.

I gulp and say meekly. "I had come to call you for breakfast,"

"Why you didn't knock? And why were you standing here?" He asked with a frown.

"Anyways, now give me some way so I can go.  I'm already getting late."

He again shouts at me and I hand him some space to go.

He moved to the dining area and start having his breakfast. As he doesn't like my presence so I go back to the kitchen. From the kitchen, I can see him.

I wait for him to finish his breakfast. When he gets up and leaves from there, I head to collect the used dishes. After some time I watch him going out to his office. And I also get back to my room after finishing my kitchen work.

I'm lying on the bed in deep thoughts.

"There is an interview in Kunwar Sa's office. Why don't I grab this chance? If I get a job then I can use them for my expenses."

"Then I don't have to ask him to give me money for my expenses. He thinks that I'm illiterate. But he doesn't know that I'm graduated."

"When I got to know that he is an architect then I made up my mind that I'll do the same course. I wanted to become like him. Pitaji helped me financially and take all responsibility for my graduation."

"And I also came 1st in the state. I'm sure I'll get the job in the Architecture department."

"What if he found out?" My inner self asked.

And I laugh at that. How could he recognize me as he didn't see my face till this time?

"He won't recognize me. Today I am happy that he has not seen my face to date. Or else I won't get the chance to enter his office. That interview is just a few days later."

I speak looking at my reflection in the mirror.

"And you have full faith that you will get that job?" She again asked me.

Is my inner self a question machine? All the time shoot questions at me.

"Didn't I say clearly  I'll get this job? then I'll. Mark my word."

I said angrily and shooed her.

I have to buy some clothes for the interview and my office work. As I didn't bring any of my formal dress from my home.

Masi sa just gave me some saaris and ghagra choli. And I forgot to pack my other clothes in that hurry. So now I have to buy some clothes. But how?

I don't want to use his card to buy my things.

I sigh and felt a wave of disappointment.

Idea!

I have some money with me.

In my marriage, I got some money from his relatives.

And I think I put that money in my beg.

I march to my wardrobe and open the drawer. And I found it. Thanks, Kanha.

I open the chain and found the money there.

A wave of happiness washed over me.

And a big smile crept on my lips and I sighed in relief.

I have so much time as he will come at night. So I can go and buy my necessary things.

I come back home in the evening time and put my shopping bags in a safe place.

I walk to the bathroom to take a shower. After changing myself I moved to the kitchen to make his dinner.

Today, I went to the mall without my veil. Because I didn't want to make myself a laughter fellow. But I had to wear a sari for that.

I make his dinner and move back to my room to set my clothes in the wardrobe first.

After arranging my clothes I walk to the living room and sat on the sofa. I don't have any work to do and here I'm all alone.

Before I was so scared to stay alone and now I had to spend all the time all alone. I have no one with me to talk to and share my feelings. I'm feeling so lonely. I never felt like this before.

I have been lost in thinking about my old happy days when I heard the bell. That means he is back. I glance at the wall clock and it's showing 9:15 pm. He is late.

I cover my face with my veil and rush to open the door for him. I open the door and stand behind the door not to show my face to him. He walks away towards his room and I close the door.

"It seems he is tired or possibly hungry also. So I should serve the dinner quickly."

I scoot to the kitchen and start to reheat the food after that I put all the food on the dining table.

"Shall I go to call him?" I ask myself but feel scared to get scolded by him again. But by shoving away all the fear I decided to go and summon him for the dinner.

I reach near his room when I heard his restless voice. He is on the phone with someone. No, he is continuously saying sorry to the other person with whom he is talking.

But who the hell is the other side of the phone call?  Is it a he or she?

I get confused but when I heard a name coming out of his mouth, it proved that the person is a girl. Named Siya.

I felt a pang in my heart like someone is stabbing me continuously and I walk off from there silently.

How much time do I console myself that it's okay he loves someone else and let him live his life with whom he wants? But it hurts. It hurts a lot.

The thought of him being with someone else is killing me. I also love him but he doesn't. I don't know what will happen in the future?

I lay down on my bed without having my dinner. I think he also skipped his dinner. As I didn't hear any noise from outside. I cooked for him with so much love but he don't care about it all.

But I do care for him. He can't sleep without having food. It's not good for his health. He worked so hard all day. His body needs stamina so I should take care of his health.

I walk to the kitchen and took some food for him and make my way to his room.

His door is kept ajar. I think he forgot to lock it. That's good for me. I peep inside his room by slightly opening the door and I found him on the bed, lying on his belly carelessly. He hasn't even taken off his shoes.

I placed the plate on the table and move near him. First, I took off his shoes and socks.

My heart starts to hammer against my chest. With my racing heartbeat, I shake him by his toes a little. But he didn't even budge.

"Strange!"

So I move to his head side and found some horrible foul odor coming from him.

"He's drunk!" This is incredible! I never thought he would come home in a drunken state.

I again shake him by touching his arm. And this time he flickers his eyes.

"What's the matter?" He asked me in his drunken state. So I decided to talk to him smoothly.

"Your food."

"I don't want to have anything now." He says flatly and again closed his eye but I again shake him.

A frown flashed across his face and he gives me a warning look. Despite knowing that he can not see my face.

"Sleeping with an empty stomach it's not good for health. So, you should have some food. At least a little bit."

I request him but the way I have been talking to him it does not seems like a request but a strict order from me.

I felt scared from inside that anytime he could do anything with me. As I have already confronted his mood swings before.

I found him glaring at me and felt a lump in my throat. I compose myself to face him.

"Now get up. I'm not asking you whether you'll have food or not. I'm telling you to have your dinner. So get up quickly."

In hurry, I told him in my language and get up from the bed to take the plate and honey water.

It will help him to sober up. And I have also gotten warm water and a towel to clean him up.

I come back holding the warm water bowl and found him in a half-lying position, leaning against the headboard.

Oh! So he is not angry. That's great. It's good for me.

I sit near him and held the soaked towel to clean his face. After cleaning him properly I move to bring the tray of food and honey water.

After coming back I pass him the glass of honey water and he gulps it, in one go. Then I placed the plate in front of him but he has not touched it.

Stubborn Man...

I take a small piece of roti with sabji then keep it near his mouth and wait for him to open his mouth.

To my good luck, he opens his mouth and I feed him. After some bites, he refuses to eat more.

So I pass him the glass of water and he gulps it down.

"You go to sleep now." I get up and move with the plate but stopped listening to his voice.

"Thanks."

I halted on my track while listening to his Thanks.

He said Thanks to me!!!

Wow! Am I dreaming or it's reality?

I can't believe it. It's the first time he is talking to me in a calm tone. Either he keeps yelling at me or giving me a warning.

And never leave any chance to insult me. This is the first time after coming here that I am so happy. Today is my lucky day.

I begin to dance from inside, listening to his thanks. This is the first time he is thanking me for something and the cherry on the cake he has not been angry at me for forcing him to eat.

I spin to face him and speak. "There is no need to thank me. Believe it or not. For me, you're my husband. So I must take care of your needs."

After telling him in my language I walked off from there making my way to the kitchen.

He'll not remember anything till morning. Because he is drunk now. Never mind. I'll always remember this day. It's the best day of my life til now.