The rays of the afternoon sun peeped through the kitchen window. As I patiently winded up with the preparation of lunch, I felt my legs ache.

Work a little more!

When have you been treated like a human being here?

Ok, stop going to that zone!

My in-laws are not bad hearted people, it's just that they have been brought up in this kind of culture where a daughter in law is a substitute for a slave.

It would definitely take a long time for me to really make them understand that I am also equally human and have the same muscle that pumps blood and keeps me alive, but it's definitely worth the shot.

In right time, right opportunities would be brought, and that's when I'd emphasis on my real feelings.

For now, PATIENCE.

"Bahu, Raj aa gaya, khaana sab ready hai na?"

Well, that's a double call. My husband is here for lunch which means the whole family awaits for their afternoon meal.

As I sat with my family to serve food in our dining hall, Raj ji looked at me and smiled.

I had cooked his favourite curry, Potato fries!

Well, that's the perk of arranged marriage, you don't explicitly say that you really acknowledge the effort, it's all in the shyness and smile.

I immediately looked at my mother in law, to see if she was looking at me and then, smiled back at him.

Reflex!

"Ma..."

"Haan beta, bholo..."

"Abhi dukhan mein-"

"What- what happened in the shop? Business is not going well? Anything that you are falling short of?", Babaji almost exclaimed more than questioning.

"Yes yes, Babaji... But-"

"But what, spill the beans already!"

"Ma, actually in our town there is no good tution centre for the kids-"

"Yes yes, that is true... Why are you worried about all of this son? Most of the children here have their father's business to take care and girls, just meant to get married, so it really doesn't matter son. Just sell pens and books and earn money!", adviced my mother in law.

I tried my best to mask my true feelings to be expressed in any way. I just waited for this moment to pass.

My husband was my only saviour in such things so I waited for him to respond.

"Ma, actually that's where everything is going bad for us..."

"What are you saying Raj beta?"

"Nothing ma, it's like, now children are showing less interest in academics. The boys are relying too much on their father's money and the girls have a keen interest in household activities. Because of this, our stationary products are not sold that well.

So, I have been thinking this for a while Ma-"

"What?"

"What if we start a tution centre ma?

Our Pavi here, I have seen her help Rekha...

Also, to start this, no initial cost investment also Ma...

Students will naturally come to our shop to buy books and pens and this would boost up our business as well.

With Pavi earning, it would aid the finances of the house-"

"Beta, thum kya bol rahe ho?

How can a woman earn for the family? What will the society say? Try some other ways to enhance your business..."

"Ma, nothing like that. If you see, even our Swathi didi is doing this and so is mausi. In their villages, they are able to educate the children. But there is literally nothing like that here.

Schools are not taking interest and hence students are not studying. So this is affecting our business. If it goes in this rate we may be in loss.

But if Pavi starts-"

"Hmm, you seem to have a point here Beta", said Babaji.

I was just a spectator to the whole thing. The tiniest smile possible crawled through my lips.

My husband is a man of fulfilling promises.

Well, it was just yesterday night I tallied the budget for last month and I noticed a significant decrease in the profit and while talking about how this happened, we figured out the reason for it. My husband knows about my dreams of becoming a doctor. It took sometime for him to understand that even women can have dreams, fulfilling a wife's duty does play it's role, however now he felt he had to support me in some or the other way.

I suggested about this tution centre and showed him how it would definitely benefit us financially.

He was jumping with joy as he slowly pulled me towards him-

"Ahem, Bahu, are you even listening to what Raj is telling?"

I felt a little awkward. 

I mean, ofcourse!
  
"Well, you can do it na?"

"Ji ji, Ma, I can do it..."

"Challo accha hai. Raj, you take her to the temple today in the evening and let us plan about this at night.

We can start the tutorial centre by next week. I shall ask Pandit ji for a good day..."

I wanted to hug him and hug him tight.

After all these days, I felt worthy of being a part of this family and that did mean a lot.

And, if Ma meant temple, it simply means that she wants us to have some quality husband and wife time.

Well, these are the perks of being in a family like this. Life gets poetic and has its fair share of happiness and sorrow.

Well, today is a bright sunny day!

I chuckled that to myself.

My husband winked at me while Ma and Babaji were engrossed in having lunch.

Before leaving to the shop, my husband whispered, "Wear that yellow saree that I bought for you..."

I blushed and nodded.

Well, what did I say, PATIENCE is definitely the key!

***