Ma & Son
She knew she would have to live a double life but, she hadnât forecasted beginning to love this sweet woman.
âMeri yaad kabhi nahi aati tumheâ Sumedha insisted
âNahi kabhi nahiâ she handed her MIL a bag of pineapples
âWHERE did u get them?â
âOh I just stopped on the way here from Guragon, u know officeâ
âThanks beta⌠I am just shocked u even remember I love themâ
âOf course I doâ
âTum itne saare kyon laayi?â
âI thought u can juice them, and have them for breakfast or put them in fried rice or pizzaâ
âYummmm u are giving me ideasâ
âI hope I amâ
She followed Sumedha into the kitchen
âHow do you like working for a boring company?â
âIts boringâ Taaruni giggled
âI told you, you should just let me find u another job, or just apply through a newspaperâ
âNobody does thatâ Taaruni thought, but didnât say it
âWhy donât u want me working here?â Taaruni wondered of Gopal had told her about her prowling
âNo I am just saying, u should be doing something excitingâ Sumedha smiled fondly
âI am just trying to be useful for as long as I am hereâ
âTum har baat par yeh kyon kehti ho?â
âUmm.. I mean you know as well as I, there is a term limit to me being in powerâ Taaruni laughed
Sumedha stopped the washing of the ladle and turned to her
âJaane ki itni jaldi hai tumheâ
âI know aap sad ho jaaogey, but I told you, way back whenâ
âIts barely been two months, way back when nahi haiâ
âI know, but you knowâ Taaruni looked at her feet, unable to face up âWe did that thing to spite each otherâ
âI am not thinking about all that, I am thinking about, the goodness of meeting you, having you over for dinner, watching movies with youâ Sumedha was tearful
âYou have your daughter.. MU..Auntyâ
âAt least in private can u call me Ma? Or Mamma?â âKuch bhi?â
Taaruni cringed, this woman was everything⌠every⌠Daân thing she would have wanted in her MIL
But here she was begging for every sweet thing she would have automatically gotten of Pradyut had married a wealthy heiress like himself
âI respect you as much as I respect Ma, I am so honored to have u in my lifeâ Taaruni choked a bit
âSo it shouldnât be hard to be kind right?â
Taaruni nodded wordlessly
âUr turnâ Sumedha waited with her eyes wide open
The help gingerly walked out of the kitchen Taaruni noticed
âI am taking ALL of you home, you are all so adorable and respectfulâ she teared up more
âI love you and I am glad I have your friendship in this house Maâ Taaruni whispered
Sumedha gurgle sobbed and gave her a hug
âI am going to make a pineapple cake for dinnerâ she said releasing Taaruni
The women didnât mention the hug or the endearment
To Taaruni the address of Ma came easy
This woman was the epitome of strength and optimism
Both things she herself didnât have
âPapa kabhi kabhi raat ko aloo methi banaate the, unki favorite thiâ Taaruni shared
âBanaoon aaj?â
âAre nahiâ⌠âNahi Maâ she smiled at Sumedha
âWe have to be careful, we cant let Gopal hear itâ
âYeah we donât want thatâ Taaruni chuckled conspiratorially
This woman made her happy
Her son enthralled her, the mere thought of him made her insides flutter
âPradyut ko please nahi kehnaâ Taaruni paused
âI am on ur side bebuâ Sumedha whispered
âMain banaane wala tha bhaiâ Gopal growled
âAloo methi bana lein aap, aapki⌠um.. (holding back calling her a beti) aapki guest ko pasand haiâ Sumedha teased her husband
âArey Wahâ
Gopal busied himself washing potatoes
âPoochho bete ne kya khaaya lunch mein?â
âDid u eat with him?â Sumedha enquired laughingly turning from stirring
âNahi bhai he brought lunch from home, Chow meinâ âHes all about saving moneyâ
Taaruni rolled her eyes
It was just destiny, Pradyut walked up to the kitchen and watched her do that
âAre u seriously doing that?â Sumedha asked her son
âI guess soâ
âNo hes not not, this is a family of gulliblesâ Taaruni muttered shelling peas
âDid he share with you?â Sumedha turned to her
âI let him eat it all, he didnât eat break fast this morning, he works too hardâ she kept a straight face
She wasnât even up this morning
She found herself in his bed, fully clothed with top buttons undone on her kurtaâŚ. Drunk from her night out at Taj Mahal hotel
âThanks for noticing that, I TELL HIM he needs to eat breakfastâ Sumedha was shocked Taaruni cared so much
âI am going to feed him a big breakfast from nowâ Taaruni smiled sweetly
Pradyut sat across from her his eyes dancing mirthfully
âWow!! Wow!â he muttered
âU cant burn your self outâ Taaruni cooed
âSay Thank u Pradyutâ Gopal ordered
âOh I willâ Pradyut promised
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