My Vulnerary Husband- our journey towards love - Chapter 240

| ESHAN|

“Do we really have no choice?” Arjun lamented, looking at the glasses filled with green bitter gourd juice.

I glared at him. He sighed before leaned back in the dining chair, looking resentfully at me.

Mom sat across me- silently. Her finger roamed listlessly around the rim of the glass. Her attention was obviously somewhere else, and her eyes were still red. Looked like she had been crying for a while. When dad had called us inside, I knew nothing good would come out of it.

I was so right. Dad planned it out well.

Dad’s way of punishing us was way too different- cruller, yet effective. He knew how much we love his cooking, yet he had only cooked for two people- Innaya, and himself. He had specially prepared six glasses of bitter gourd juice- two for each one of us, warning that it was our punishment for wronging Innaya.

I could not even voice my dissatisfaction, for his one glare was enough to cut down my protest.

“I did not do anything wrong. Why am I subjected to this punishment? Ah! This delicious smell! My mouth is salivating!” Arjun ruffled his hair. His gaze went to the pots on the dining table. Dad had kept the food on the dining table, but the worst part was we could not even touch it. Touching it would only increase the number of glasses of bitter gourd juice. Perhaps, dad would come up with other alternatives.

We had to hold onto grievances and bear with it. When dad did not even spare mom from his punishment, what were me and Arjun? Dad miffed with how mom handled the matter, gave us a cold shoulder. However, there was no use of crying over spilled milk.

“Will she forgive me?” Mom asked abruptly. She looked lost and worried.

Unknown to the two people sitting on the table, my fingers curled in a fist. Mom’s words and actions played in slow motion in my mind. I could not bring myself to forgive her. If not for the phone call I had received in the morning from her, telling me to trust her and briefly explaining the matter, I would have blown up.

Today would have been the day when my mom lost me as her son.

“She will… It will take time, but she will. Innaya won’t hold this matter with you after you clarify everything,” I answered honestly.

If even after having a rough idea about her plan, I could not control the anger rising in my chest. So, what would be Innaya’s condition? We kept her in the dark. It would be surprising if she forgave mom. Then again, that was my Innaya. Eventually, she would forgive mom.

After that, I ignored both of them. My ears trained on the conversation going outside. Dad had something planned. The question was, for whom it was. There was no way of knowing it until he tells us. However, his acceptance of Innaya as his daughter gave me a little relief to calm myself down.

Innaya’s quivering voice, her simple questions regarding mom’s behavior… they made my eyes tear up. Mom’s eyes also welled up when Innaya mentioned being humiliated.

Arjun stood up and walked to her side. “Don’t cry, auntie. She is hurt and confused. Once she knows about the whole matter, she will understand.” Hugging mom from the sides, he comforted her.

I could not bring myself to console mom after witnessing Innaya’s breakdown. Perhaps my love for Innaya was blinding my emotions.

Just as I picked up the glass of that vile green liquid, a piercing scream of my name rang out from the living room. “ESHAN!”

I stood up almost instantly and ran out. Innaya needed me.

***

| INNAYA |

Placing the plate on the coffee table, I turned to get down from the sofa. I had to stop Eshan from having the biryani.

Last time if he had been a little careless. My ignorance could have landed him in the hospital. Given the circ.u.mstances of the whole day, who could guarantee that Eshan would be careful?

“Careful. What’s wrong?” Eshan’s father reached by my side, not letting me get up.

“You’re hurt-”

I paid no heed to his words with my eyes fixed on the face of the man running in my direction. “Innaya! What is it? Are you-”

Eshan reached by my side, crouching before me. His face filled with non-maskable terror. Perhaps my face held more fright than him. He showed no sign of allergy yet, but I wanted to be sure.

“Are you okay? Have you eaten biryani? There are capsic.u.m and cabbage in the biryani. You take medicine. It’s here in the drawer.” I rushed with my questions, simultaneously checking him for any signs of allergy. I had learned my lesson, so I usually kept his medicines with me- and within easily reachable places. In fact, in every room, there was a strip for his allergy medicine.

Eshan sighed, his shoulders relaxed as if a heavyweight was lifted off them. “Shh… calm down. I haven’t eaten it. I’m okay.” Eshan sat down beside me, holding onto my shoulders and stopping me from reaching out to the medicine.

“You scared us. It’s just an allergy.” Arjun folded his arms across his chest, looking disdainfully at us.

“Shut up!” I snapped at Arjun. “What do you mean by ‘ just an allergy?’ Do you even know how serious it can be?”

“Don’t.” Eshan squeezed my shoulders as he indirectly asked me to not to pursue the matter. “He knows.”

I inhaled sharply. The flash of hurt in Arjun’s eyes made me swallow my anger back.

“Why would you add things in the food which your son is allergic to?” I turned my attention to Eshan’s dad. The whole situation started with him.

If he had not added capsic.u.m and cabbage, would I be so anxious?

What kind of parents does my husband have?

His mother wreaked havoc in her son’s married life. And, now, his father wanted to harm him by making him eat allergic food. Just what the hell was wrong with these two elders? Wasn’t Eshan their son?

Eshan’s father smiled. He then whacked Eshan’s head before he went back to the place he was sitting earlier. “Who said he was allowed to have this food?”

“Did you finish your food?” He asked Eshan. Turning his head at Arjun and Eshan’s mother, who stood behind the sofa, he repeated the same question.

“Uncle! Please, spare me. I did not do anything wrong. Why are you punishing me?” Arjun whined like a child.

Punishing?

Since when eating food turned into punishment? Puzzled, I looked at Eshan. Asking Eshan’s dad for an explanation did not seem right. Instead of directly answering, he appeared to be content in twisting his words.

“You did nothing wrong? Where were you when your sister needed you?Huh?” Eshan’s father glared at Arjun.

“Ain’t I here now,” Arjun replied meekly.

I never knew Arjun could be afraid of someone. Inside the bedroom, he behaved as if only Eshan would be subjected to punishment while he would enjoy Eshan’s plight. Now before Eshan’s father, his courage seemed to be deflated in the air.

“Sorry!” Arjun lowered his head at the glare he received. Eshan seemed to be quite enjoying the treatment Arjun was getting for his lips curved in a small smile.

“Go and bring the glasses. Finish it before me- all of you.” Eshan’s father folded his hands across his chest and leaned back on the sofa. Eshan’s smile faltered at the order.

What was it that caused all of them to turn gloomy so suddenly.

Arjun muttered something but went back to the dining room. Eshan’s mother walked across and sat on the single-seater sofa beside the one her husband was occupying. “Suhas-”

He raised his hand in the air, cutting down whatever she wanted to say. He did not even look at her.

That baffled me. Eshan’s father appeared miffed with everyone- except me.

His behavior towards me was warm. He even cooked for me. I glanced down at the plate of biryani. Perhaps he had added something to it.

I could not help but feel wary.