Chapter Ten

Jay:

Vidya is pure and a sweet girl. She doesn't know to hurt or cheat anyone. She doesn't have the qualities of her dad. I hope Adi and Shwetha understands her soon. Though Vidya said that she didn't mind their words, I am sure it hurts her a lot. I don't want her to get hurt. At the same time, I can't hurt Adi or Shwetha by shouting at them. Three of them are sensitive and important to me. If I shout at them for Vidya, they may assume that Vidya changed me and may hate her more. I should do something to solve this.

I went to the kitchen to talk to Vidya and saw her lost in thoughts. The milk overboiled and was about to flow down. I went to her and tapped on her shoulder.

Vidya came into this world and saw the milk overboiled. She was about to catch the vessel with hand but I switched off the stove, holding her hand.

"What happened to you, Vidya? Are you thinking about Adi's words?"

"No, Jay. I am just suffering from a headache," Vidya said, trying to hide her pain from me.

"Go and take a rest," I said.

"Yes but after preparing the food," Vidya said, chopping the onions to pretend as if her tears are because of onions.

"I will do this. You just relax," I said.

"It's ok, Jay. I can manage. Please leave me alone for sometime," Vidya said shouting at me. I know how hurt she is. I thought of giving her all the happiness possible to me but situations are making her upset than ever.

I raised her chin making her look at me.

"Say it again," I said and Vidy stayes calm.

"You want to be alone. It means you are upset. How can I leave you alone when I know that my angel is upset?

Vidya, let's prepare the lunch together and then, let's talk about all this. Don't worry. I am with always with you," I said, kissing on her forehead.

We prepared the lunch and had it together. Adi refused to eat and went out. Vidya had a little on my insistence.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright," I said.

"I dreamt of going into a family where everyone in the in-laws house loves me. But now..."

"Vidya, in every family there will be a few problems. We should adjust and deal with patience. It's not that the family of in-laws loves the daughter-in-law as soon as she steps into their family. There will be many differences among them but the patience of the daughter-in-law helps her to win the hearts of everyone in the family gradually."

"You can't understand me, Jay. Having a few differences is different from being hated by everyone in the family.

We will be interested to read and see hate to love stories but in reality, it's very tough and painful to bear such situations, Jay."

"Vidya, I don't hate you. I love you. Why are you making mountain out of a molehill?" I said.

"Jay, leave it. Please leave me alone for sometime. I request you."

Vidya stood up to go but stopped as I held her hand.

"Ok but remember no one can hate you if they understand you. You can win the heart of anyone through your love and innocence. You did that with me, so definitely it's possible with everyone."

Saying this I hugged her from the back and kissed on her right cheek.

"Now go and take rest. I wish you will be fine soon. If you feel good, in the evening we can go to your institution to take the admission," I said and Vidya nodded. She went inside the room and I didn't disturb her until the evening. Sometimes lone time is the best medicine to heal the heart aching with pain.

In the evening, we went to the institution and took her admission. We returned home and I got a call. I should leave to Delhi on some important work. I went to Vidya to tell her about this.

"Vidya, please pack my luggage. I should go to Delhi urgently. I will be back within ten days."

"Ten days? That's too much. I will accompany you," Vidya said pouting. I smiled at her cute expression.

"Can't you stay without me at least for ten days. Do you love me that much?" I said.

Vidya bent her eyes blushing and nodded. I kissed her on the forehead.

"It's important. So, I should go. I can't take you with me because you have coaching and Adi is also at home. How can we both go like that leaving Adi alone? He can't come with us because he has exams within a week. So, please take care of you and Adi until I come back," I said trying to convince Vidya.

I know it's not the right time to go leaving Vidya like this as Adi didn't have good rapport with Vidya. But the work on which I am going to Delhi is damn important.

"Don't worry. I will take care of Adi," Vidya said and I pulled her to me.

"I know that definitely you will take care of your brother-in-law but I want you to take care of you too. I love you, Vidya. I will surely miss you for these ten days," I said, kissing on her hands.

Vidya packed the luggage and I went to Adi.

"Adi, I am leaving to Delhi for ten days. I have something important there to do," I said.

"Ok. I will stay at Karthik's home for these ten days," Adi said immediately.

"Adi, Vidya stays alone here. How can you leave your sister in law alone and go away?"

"I told you already that she is not my sister in law but only your wife."

"Okay, Adi. You accepted Vidya as my wife, isn't it? It means she is your brother's wife. So it's your duty to take care of her in your brother's absence. How can leave her alone at home? What if she needs something or something happens to..."

Before I complete my sentence, Adi stopped me.

"Ok, I will not leave her alone. But don't expect me to respect or treat her as my sister in law. I will take care of her because she is your wife. That's it," Adi said.

"That's my brother. Okay, I will leave now. Bye," I said and hugged Adi. I went to hall and noticed Vidya being dull.

"Don't get upset. I will be back as soon as possible. I will call you everyday."

"You should never forget to call me. Call me whenever you get free time. I will miss you a lot," Vidya said and I gave her a sudden hug. Vidya left me hardly. I smiled and kissed her again on the forehead before leaving to Delhi.

Vidya:

At night, I went to call Adi for the dinner. I knocked on the door but he didn't reply.

"Adi, the dinner is ready. I prepared your favorite noodles. Come fast or else it will become cold," I said.

Adi didn't reply. I felt sad but knocked on the door again.

"Will you stop disturbing me? I am busy and I don't want the food prepared by you. I have ordered the food through online. Stop your nonsense and leave me alone," Adi shouted at me without even opening the door. I left to my room with tears. After that day, I stopped preparing food or trying to talk to Adi. I don't want to be a disturbance to anyone. Jay used to call me whenever he gets free time and I told Jay to talk to Adi too as Adi shouldn't feel as if he is avoided by his brother because of me. I started preparing for the civil services exam to chase my dream of becoming Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer/ bureaucrat.

One day, I returned from the coaching center and heard the groaning from Adi's room. I knocked the door but then realised that the door was already open. Adi was shivering and he covered himself with a blanket completely. I tried to wake him up but he didn't open his eyes. I thought of calling Jay but again I don't want to disturb Jay from his work. I called the doctor. The doctor tested him and gave a few medicines. As the doctor gave an injection to Adi, he woke up after sometime. I prepared the kitchdi as it's lite food and it's necessary for Adi to eat something before he takes the medicine. I tried to feed him but Adi refused to eat.

"Adi, stop this nonsense. I know you hate me. But as your brother's wife, it's my responsibility to take care of you. Just stay calm and have the food. You should take the medicine. If you don't recover faster, you can't give your exam. Do you understand?" I said with a bit of seriousness in my tone. Adi nodded and I fed him the food. I gave the medicine to him as the doctor prescribed.

Whole night, I couldn't sleep and gave Adi medicines from time to time. I wrapped his forehead with a wet cloth to bring down the temperature sooner. Early in the morning, Adi stopped groaning as the temperature came down. I leaned onto the chair to have a nap. But after a little time, I heard some sound and opened my eyes.

"Adi, do you want anything?" I said.

"I am thirsty, maa," Adi said, surprising me. I smiled and gave water to him. I felt he might be hungry as fever was cured. I made tomato soup for him and made him drink it. I skipped my classes as I want Adi to recover sooner to give his exam. Finally, Adi recovered and wrote his exams well. Being busy with all these, ten days went off and it's the day of Jay's arrival. I waited excitedly as I missed Jay so much.