Relationships: Sweet N Sour

You are so right, Ammu.

Parents' efforts in shaping children's future remains the same but son's parents take more pride and try to glorify their sacrifices and efforts! Sons and sons-in-law any day get more respect than daughters or daughters-in-law!

Among the millennials, due to equal education and work, some sense is seeping into parents too. Hope it will bring in a good balance in our mindset too.

 

Senseless ego clash, na?

 

Wait and watch, dear madamji!

 

Dear Adharv,

The story is all about sweet and sour interactions in relationships!

You will have to wait for a couple of episodes to find out the real winner. Do they have winners and losers in families?

 

Part 3
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“Enough, Meethi, stop crying. Make some tea for me while I freshen up,” I picked up my towel to seek peace in the washroom.


Meethi continued, “What is the use of telling her anything when it is your mistake; when you knew your family’s mentality, why did you trick me into this interstate and intercaste marriage?”


Meethi’s accusations ticked me off, “Did I trick you or did you trick me? Just because you were my boss’s daughter, I was polite to you. You had fallen madly in love with me. To retain my job, I had to please you and your father. I know how disappointed Amma was.” I gave back in anger. Now the war of words had changed tracks!


“Then why don’t you leave me and marry a villager from your community and make your Amma happy? I will go away to my parents’ place; I am the unwanted one here. My parents had warned me of these problems in these mixed marriages. I was foolish and made the biggest mistake of my life,” Meethi started crying like a broken dam.


After a long day at work, I did not want this kind of atmosphere at home. While I was trying to resolve their fight, without understanding my plight, both of them were accusing me and blackmailing me turn by turn. Ignoring Meethi, angrily I went into the washroom and locked myself; I wanted some me-time to relax and de-stress. After a very leisurely bath, I emerged from the bathroom feeling fresh and rejuvenated. I was now ready to take on these two women headlong.

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I was surprised to see Amma and Meethi enjoying snacks together in Amma’s room. While Amma sat on a chair near the open cupboard, Meethi sat relaxedly on Amma’s bed. Amma had opened her wardrobe! She had understood Meethi’s weakness. She was always curious to explore Amma’s wardrobe which had gorgeous silks, gold jewellery, silverware, copper antiques and many other memorabilia. Amma had enjoyed teasing Meethi by shutting the wardrobe whenever Meethi was around. Now she had opened it for Meethi and sharing the trivia attached to those curios. I was relieved to see them happy together. Pulling a chair closer to the bed, I joined them.


“How did you both makeup? This coalition is truly unbelievable and unimaginable! Meethi, did you apologise to Amma?”


Inadvertently I had said the wrong things! Both the women glared at my impolite and ill-timed utterances. While Meethi looked hurt, Amma jumped up to her defence. “Watch your words, Veeru. She is going to be a mother soon. I will not tolerate anyone hurting her in any way; apologise to her.” Amma gave a protective hug to Meethi reassuring her.


Looking at their unified stand, I grinned sheepishly and said, “Meethi, sorry, yaar. Amma, I am sorry.”


Both the women exchanged victory smiles and decided to forgive me. Meethi handed over a cup of tea to me and pushed the snack plate towards me. Having called the truce, I put up my legs on the bed and leaned back on my chair to enjoy tea. That was bliss!


As they busily enjoyed the treasure in Amma’s cupboard, I picked up my mobile phone to scan the messages. A while later, Meethi tapped my legs and showed me Amma’s antique ruby and pearl jewellery set. She said excitedly, “Amma has promised to give me this set sometime soon.”


Without a word I smiled and nodded my head; I understood how Amma had bargained peace. Amma’s experience and Meethi’s naivety had helped them bond together, at least for now!


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That night after dinner when we retired to our bedroom, Meethi was visibly excited and she chirped, “Veer, this morning Raju maama (uncle) from Meerut had called; with an NRI groom his daughter Payal’s wedding has been fixed! Can you believe that the wedding was finalised within three days? Isn't she very lucky? New Jeeju (Brother-in-law/the groom) is very handsome, he has nice broad shoulders and he is so tall! At least a little over six feet! See the image.”


“Who is Payal? Is she that fair, buxom girl?”


“Aha! Look at you and your memory! All men are like this only; all are Romeos with roving eyes irrespective of their age or relationship! Meethi scoffed at me.


“I didn’t react adversely when you praised your NRI Jeeju. Then why do you blame me when I praise Payal? Why do women have such double standards in everything?”


“Veer, I admired him in a good way unlike you; BUXOM!...My foot!”


I was deriving sadistic pleasure seeing her rising irritation but to reclaim the elusive peace, I said quickly, “Hey girl! I love you the best when you are jealous; jealousy brings out your beauty all the more!” I pulled her into my arms and whispered in her ears, ”Between a million beauties from heaven on one side and you on the other, my choice will always be you and you only. Isn’t that the source of your pride?”


Meethi melted easily and hugged me tightly. But before I could get carried away, she said, “Veer, wanna see their photo? Maamaji has shared it.”


I nodded reluctantly. Meethi opened her phone and showed the photograph. “Don’t they look perfect together, Veer?”


I looked at the photo with cursory curiosity. I wanted to tell Meethi that her NRI Jeeju looked like a dodo and he was too damn lucky to have got that Sexy Payal. But I clenched my teeth and held back my comments. To change the topic I enquired, “When is the wedding?”


“On the 27th of this month, that is, 20 days hence, will you be joining us?”


“No, I have a conference in the last week; I had told you about it.”


“It’s okay, I understand. Maama’s son Anup said that after the wedding, he would take us to Dehradun for a holiday at his friend’s resort. What fun it will be, no?”


“Us... includes..?”


“Ah! All my cousins; 12 of us will be converging there. You know my Patiala Chachi also wants us to visit her from Dehradun. Together about eight of us will be going to Patiala from Dehradun. We are going to have a blast! Sagarika, Rohit, Ravin and Nishi won’t be joining us.”


“That is, for how many days will you be going?”


“Aww...baby, you are already calculating! I know you will miss me for 12 days in all.” She was extra loving!


With a matching expression, I asked, “Won’t you miss me?”


“Of course I will miss you, baby,” She hugged and kissed me, and continued, “Just think, after our marriage, this is the first time I will get to spend some time with my cousins, how exciting, no?”


“You did meet your cousins when we went for your grand ma’s birthday...” I frowned.


“Oh! Come on, Veer, because you were with me, we cousins couldn’t chill together; I was all the time hanging around you...” She pursed her lips.


“Then, tell me straight that you want to be away from me,” I feigned hurt; I knew these words delighted and brought the best in her.


“No baby, don’t be so mean; how can I ever be away from you?”She showered hugs and kisses on me.


A while later, I changed the topic to mock at her, “I thought you wanted to focus on your career! How can you afford such a lengthy holiday?”


“Don’t be so mean, Veer! I have told you clearly that I don’t like to take up any employment. I love my freedom; I love to be a homemaker.” She said theatrically.


“But weren’t you regretting your missed opportunities this evening, in front of Amma?” I asked, rolling my eyes.


“Veer! You know very well why I said that. I don’t want to take up employment...that is my privilege!”


“Hmm...Okay, then should I book your tickets now?”


“I have already done it this noon.” She replied immediately.


“Does Amma know about your programme?”


“Yeah, she was there when I planned the whole trip. She told me to go ahead and enjoy,” Meethi gave a triumphant smile.


“See, what a nice mother-in-law you have got! You still had a big fight with her this evening,” I intentionally brought up the subject to subtly point out her mistakes.


“Veer...you are being mean! Amma must have allowed me to go so that she could get rid of me for a few days and enjoy her privacy. She must be so jealous of me; that’s why she fought with me this evening. Didn’t you see how mean she was to me?”


Meethi tried to appease me with another hug. But her self-centredness was evident in her shallow talk. Since my mobile phone beeped at the same moment, I got up from the bed to receive a friend’s call and walked on to the balcony. After the call when I returned, Meethi was busy selecting clothes for the wedding and the extended holiday. She was in a world of her own.


Looking at me return to the room, she asked with an unmistakable glint in her eyes, “Veer, that ruby and pearl set which Amma has promised to give me will look great with this Banaras saree, don’t you think so? I can flaunt it in front of my cousins; they wouldn’t have seen such an authentic antique jewellery set. I can imagine how jealous my cousins, especially Raima will feel! It will be such fun!”


Ignoring her, I asked the gnawing question, “Meethi, why haven’t you still shared your pregnancy news with me? Isn’t that unfair? Amma told me about it, but you didn’t.”


Meethi rolled her large eyes and declared, “I-am -not- pregnant! Just because my monthly cycle was delayed by three days, Amma assumed that I am pregnant and she started saying that Vara has the right to name my child. Don’t I have the right to name my own child? How mean, Amma was! I was having PMS; she should have been nice to me, don’t you think that it was all her fault? In the morning, I shall tell her that my monthly cycle has begun. She has to wait for some more time for the Good news.” She gave a victorious smile to convey that she had the key to our family’s happiness.


Hearing her words, at once I was relieved as I was mentally unprepared for the parental duties and responsibilities. Now that the stress was off my chest, with a big grin, I shot back, “Then you will also have to wait for that ruby and pearl set. Amma won’t give it to you until you give her that Good news!” I laughed at her mockingly.


Meethi’s jaws dropped in disappointment; she threw her saree aside and slumped.


For some strange reason, I was sadistically happy...very happy! But I controlled my expressions. I leaned back victoriously on the bed enjoying my moment. Looking at the way Amma and Meethi struggled for one-upmanship, I remembered my favourite cartoon characters Tom and Jerry; Amma and Meethi were behaving just like them!


That thought made me wonder, which cartoon character did I resemble?



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