Hello friends!
Thanks once again for all your wonderful comments and continued support. I know this update has been delayed. I was caught up in personal commitments. But here we are. Enjoy!
Part 6
Once home, she was reminded why she had needed a break from the tense atmosphere. Pakhi had begun to loathe the daily conflict happening around her. While she no longer engaged it, she was amidst it, as was everyone else, daily. Often, it was the usual suspect who caused it. On some days she was very tempted to ask Badi Mami to kindly shut up and keep her criticism to herself.
One particular morning things got really bad.
This day Sai and Karishma both happened to oversleep, which meant Pakhi made breakfast for everyone herself. She didn’t mind doing so and didn’t complain about it. At the breakfast table, Badi Mami asked why breakfast was so late. Sonali Mami tried to protect Karishma by shifting the blame onto Sai. Ashvini Mami, outraged, shifted the blame onto Karishma. Badi Mami began berating both Sai and Karishma. Ashvini Mami and Sai talked back to Badi Mami, which made Ninad Mama upset and yell at Ashvini Mami.
Everything spiralled out of control from there and it made Pakhi’s head spin. At one point she was sure that every person in the house other than she and Aai had been yelling.
“Stop!” She demanded forcefully. This made everyone go quiet, likely in surprise. “What is the issue here?”
“You did everything by yourself today Patralekha. Isn’t it also Karishma and this junglee mulegee's job to help you and do their part?” Badi Mami said all this condescendingly, clearly expecting her to berate her sisters-in-law.
“Yes, it is,” Pakhi agreed, “And they do their part every day. It's not the end of the world if they happen to miss one day.”
She could see Sai and Karishma’s puzzled faces. She usually didn’t stand up for them.
Badi Mami’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You might be in a generous and forgiving mood, but I am not. This is unacceptable.”
“Why?” Pakhi challenged. “It didn’t affect anyone but me, and I don’t have issue with it. There’s no reason for everyone to fight because someone needed a lazy morning or a sleep-in.” She walked around the table and stood beside Sai and Karishma. “I know they would do the same for me if I accidentally overslept too. We are just human Badi Mami.”
Badi Mami was clearly unimpressed by her attitude. She could also see Aai frowning in displeasure. She had never spoken rudely to an elder before, but she was taught by her parents to stand up to bullies, and she would do just that.
“I’m surprised at you Patralekha. I expected better from my oldest bahu. I thought your parents instilled the values of a Maratha bahu in you. You should keep your youngers, in check. Else, one day these girls you are speaking up for will show their colours.” Badi Mami hit a nerve with Pakhi as she spoke. Pakhi’s insides stung at the mention of her parents, but she understood that it was a deliberate jab at her. Badi Mami turned to her own sisters-in-law and continued, “I expected better from you too Ashvini and Sonali.”
With that, Badi Mami dramatically sat herself at the dinning table.
Pakhi fumed as she served her tea.
--
Later that day Pakhi was joined in her room by a very tense Aai.
Aai didn’t beat around the bush today. “What happened today can’t be repeated Patralekha.”
Pakhi frowned, not expecting this from Aai. “Badi Mami was wrong Aai. She is unfair towards some and favours others and creates distance in relationships and conflict because of it.”
“I understand your sentiment beta, but you have to understand our position in the household.” Pakhi was confused, not sure what Aai was trying to say. Aai understood and continued, “My Nagesh Dada was very good to us when Samrat lost his Baba. We had no where to go. He took us in, and he and Bhavani Vahini raised Samrat like their own. Samrat didn’t want for anything thanks to them. Samrat is where he is thanks to them. We live a comfortable life thanks to them.”
Pakhi’s stomach swooped as she realized the delicate situation from Aai’s perspective. “Aai, I understand, but it’s because no one stands up to Badi Mami that she bullies everyone, unchecked. This daily bickering can’t continue.”
“Then do something that won’t repeat the cycle in your generation.” Aai suggested wisely. “Don’t allow history to repeat itself, and don’t let her succeed in creating distance between you and your sisters-in-law, like she has done with Ashvini and Sonali. But also, be mindful in the future when dealing with Bhavani Vahini. We owe her our lives.”
With that, Aai left her room.
Pakhi sat on her bed, feeling chastised.
--
Much later in the evening Pakhi was pacing her room. She was taking Aai’s advice to heart. If her only solve was to not let the pattern continue in her generation, then so be it. However, that meant camaraderie with Karishma and Sai. Sai, the bane of her existence.
At the back of her mind she understood that this cold war with her two sisters-in-law couldn’t continue forever. Someone would have to take the first step, but she had hoped it wouldn’t need to be her. Pakhi had thought that being civil was enough, but it clearly wasn’t. Civil was what Ashvini Mami and Sonali Mami were with Badi Mami.
She refused to become that. She wanted more than civil.
And if that’s what she wanted, then she had to take the first step.
--
Pakhi knocked on Virat’s door with some trepidation, her insides turning with something akin to nervousness and shame. She had spent a lot of time looking at this door, arguing at this door, and being shut out of this door.
Sai answered her knock and seemed unsurprised to see her there. “Pakhi Didi aap? You decided to knock today?” Sai’s jab hit home and hurt. “Virat Sir isn’t home yet.”
Pakhi smiled, despite the tension between them. “Good. Because I’m here to talk to you. May I come in?”
Sai stepped aside and allowed Pakhi into the room. She noticed textbooks and various stationery littered across Sai’s study desk.
Pakhi took a deep breath before speaking. “Sai, a lot has happened between us. A lot of unpleasant words and conversations that I was a part of, or I initiated. I want to apologize for that and I want to try and put it all behind us.”
Sai clearly had not expected these words and just gawked at her, surprised. Her surprise quickly turned into a smile that lit up the younger girl’s whole face. “I am responsible too Pakhi didi. Aaba used to say that I’m very reactive, and I don’t disagree with that. There are times I was very mean to you.” Sai suddenly stopped and frowned at her. “Why this sudden change?”
Pakhi shrugged in response. “I don’t want us to turn into the older generation. I’d like for us; you, Karishma, and I, to get along better than how we see our mother-in-laws do. I can’t live like that forever.” Sai made a face that made clear that she vehemently agreed. “Yeah, no kidding.”
Sai seemed to size her up for a moment. “Honestly Pakhi Didi, you and I haven’t had words in the longest time. The things that used to bother me about you aren’t happening anymore.” Pakhi knew what Sai was referring to, which was scolding her or constantly berating her. Sai continued, “You were even kind enough o stand up for me today. I’m not sure why you’re here.”
“I want us to actually get along Sai. There’s a big difference between us no longer bickering and us getting along.”
Sai seemed confused at this gesture. “Why though? I will be gone in some years, then all of this won’t matter anymore. You should expend all this effort on Karishma.”
There it was, the part of the conversation that Pakhi was dreading. “Whether you’re here for one day, or your whole life, our relationship is important to me Sai. I see things heading in such a way that we won’t need to worry about an end date to this relationship.” Pakhi ignored the sharp twinge of pain she felt as she said these words.
Sai stared at her, her expression turning pained. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You know what agreement is between Virat Sir and I. We are both people of our word,” Sai mumbled.
Pakhi took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe she was about to say this. She slowly extended her hand and took Sai’s hand in her own. “Don’t let words said in a stressful situation define the rest of your life Sai. Things change. Circumstances change. You have to change with them.”
Sai just looked at her, seemingly absorbing her words. Eventually, she smiled and invited Pakhi to sit with for some time.
--
Once done with Sai, Pakhi headed over to Karishma’s room and repeated the same conversation, beginning with an apology. Karishma was far less open and much more skeptical than Sai. However, she agreed with her sentiment and began a friendly conversation.
--
Pakhi sat at the foot of her bed. For the first time in a long time she wasn’t feeling miserable. However, she was feeling conflicted. She was looking down at her phone where she had a text message typed out. It was a simple message; We have to talk.
She was afraid to send the message. Sending it meant that she would have to have a very difficult conversation. It meant things would need to change.
She took a deep breath. SEND
Thoughts?
-Ally
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