Chapter 48

Thank you all for the comments!

Part 48 – the role of a "bahu"

 

Nisha yawned and stretched her arms as she woke up the next day. She turned around to look at her husband and smiled. She looked at the alarm clock beside her. It read 8: 00 AM. 8!!?? How could she wake up at 8? That was just impossible! She never needed the alarm but she always set it, just in case something happened. So why hadn't the alarm clock worked? Manthan rolled around in the bed and pulled her closer. She pushed him away. He opened one eye grumpily.

 

M: Kya hua, Nisha?

N: The alarm didn't work! It's 8!

M: Yea, I turned it off yesterday…So?

N: Manthan!

M: What? It was our Suhaag Raat, I didn't want you to wake up at 5!

 

Nisha ignored Manthan. He was a guy; he didn't understand what being a bahu meant. She had planned this day so perfectly. She had wanted it to be perfect. She had wanted Tanya, he saas, to love her new bahu. But what kind of a saas would like a bahu that woke up at 8? She got out of bed, moving Manthan's hand away from herself. She rushed into the bathroom and quickly took a bath. In 15 minutes, she came out all ready for the day.

 

N: Manthan, I'm going downstairs. Come soon, ok?

M: (Sleepily) Hmm…

 

             Manthan pulled Nisha's hand towards him giving her a kiss. Nisha smiled at him and then ran downstairs to the kitchen. She had to do something to impress her new saas.

 

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             Eklavya shifted around in his bed and felt for his newly wedded wife. But he couldn't feel her there. He opened his eyes and found nobody there. Where on earth was Isha? She couldn't have woken up so early, could she have? Eklavya looked in the bathroom but nobody was there. He took a quick shower and wore his clothes. Something caught his eye on a table.

 

                                                       Went to make breakfast.

                                                       Hope it goes fine. And hope

                                                       I don't burn anything…

                                                                        Love you,

                                                                                  Isha

             She wanted to cook? What on earth was wrong with her? Eklavya walked out of his room and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. He was sure Isha would need some help with cooking. He'd seen what kind of a cook she was. To say the least, she was not good at all.

 

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I: Crap! Where did I put the sugar??

N: (stunned) Isha? What are you doing? In the kitchen?

I: Di, I have decided. No more dancing until I learn to be a proper bahu. And the first step towards that is to learn how to cook!

N: But how on earth did you wake up?

I: Don't even ask! Di, do you think this looks ok?

N: (looks at the stove)Isha, take it out fast!! You'll burn the halwa! And I never knew you liked carrot halwa.

I: I don't. Damini aunty – no my saas likes it.

 

             Nisha smiled at her sister. It was really sweet how she was trying to fit in.

 

N: Ok, Isha. I'll help you. Let's start easy. Ok? Umm…ok you already have juice. The first thing is to keep stirring that juice. And what juice is that anyway?

I: Oh, mango, apple, pine apple, peach, and –

N: Are you sure that's the recipe?

I: (Unsure) Uh, Yeah? (Sigh) No, I dunno. Di, I give up! I can't cook!

N: No, no! It's ok. Here, I'll taste it.

 

             Nisha went over and tasted the juice. It had a horrible blend of all the fruits. Nisha tried not to make a face to make Isha feel bad but they were twins. They knew each other. They didn't need to read each other's faces to know what was going on.

 

I: I knew it! I quit! I am a horrible cook!!

Eklavya: Really?

I: (surprised) Eklavya? Yes I am!

E: You know how you gave me dance lessons? And you pushed me to my limits? Well, cooking is just like that! You're going to learn to cook, Isha! You just gotta push yourself!

I: (Bites her lip) Well, I guess I can try.

E: Great. Ok, I'll help too. Maa loves mango juice in the morning. You can make that, Isha. It's really easy!

I: But anyone can make that!

E: One step at a time, Isha. She loves mango juice in the morning.

I: Ok.

 

             Isha took the "101 Recipes for Absolute Delicious Food" and flipped it to the mango juice section. She quietly started reading it.

 

E: Ok, Nisha. Tanya chacchi loves her milk chai during breakfast. So start making that.

N: Milk tea? Ok.

E: Isha, how are you doing there?

I: I have the mangoes here. I have sugar and water.

E: Add elaichi.

I: Elaichi?

E: Yes, it's a secret ingredient Tulsi dadi uses to make the perfect mango juice for maa.

I: Ok. elaichi…that's this one right?

E: Yes. Ok. Start by blending it all together in the blender.

 

             Isha blended everything for a minute and then mixed water in there. Finally she chilled it in the refrigerator while Nisha finished making her chai in no time at all with no trouble at all. Everybody was coming to the breakfast table now. It was time to test out their hard work.

Ok, that wasn't very good...sorry...

 

                                           -Pooja