Chapter 46 (Part 1)

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

10 years ago

"Mom, maa, amma, mummmyyyy, ammiiii, Moooooommm."

"What is it?"

"It is your favourite song. Come here quickly!"

Mom rushed out of the kitchen and joined me in front of our TV. She showed me her dough-stained hands and pointed at the wall clock.

"Your father will be here soon. I need to prepare dinner," she said, but her eyes kept flickering back to the couple on screen.

"We still have half an hour. Let's dance till Dad comes," I suggested.

She thought for a minute, her beloved song inching closer to its end. After a lot of contemplation, she and I started dancing randomly, and I increased the volume of the TV. She didn't even wash her hands, and just when the song ended, another one started, and this time, it was one of my favourites.

Mom and I exchanged a look and read each other's minds. We were so lost in our imaginary disco that we didn't hear the pendulum dinging loudly, showing the time of Dad's arrival.

"Oh no! Reyu, it is all your fault. Now your Dad will lecture me whole night." Mom shook her head in fear.

"Relax, Maa. I have a plan."

I didn't wait for her reply and ran to get my brother, Arman. He was playing his video games, so I had to drag him with me after bribing him with lots of chocolates. Mom was still glued to the TV, and I placed Arman between us.

"If Dad sees Aru with us, he won't say anything."

Mom raised her eyebrows in appreciation of my masterplan and told Arman to dance. The little brat was standing like a stick; I smacked him behind the head and falsely threatened that I would leave the house if he didn't agree.

He narrowed his eyes, but just as he heard Dad's scooter's sound, he began shaking his body like an amoeba and winked at me. I grabbed his right hand, and we did a small wave move. We had already noticed Dad coming in, but we acted like we didn't see him.

He sat down on the old wooden chair and kept his briefcase and lunchbox on the center table. He didn't say anything and started removing his shoes; I wondered when he was going to blow off on us because Mom was actually lost in her own world.

When I realised that he was glaring at her, I nudged Arman, and he launched himself in Dad's arms, just like we had practiced for years. Once my brother hugged our father, Dad forgot about the female beings in his house and started pampering his son.

Most of the time, I felt bad that he never showed me that kind of love, but I always remembered what Mom had told me. After giving birth to me, she learned that she was having difficulties conceiving. She was blaming herself for that, but later on she got in contact with a lady who gave her some tips.

My parents were already superstitious, so they believed whatever that lady told them and did some rituals, visited various religious sites, fasted, etc. But there was no sign of a child. In the end, my grandmother told Dad to get a second wife if Mom wasn't able to bear an heir to their bloodline.

Fortunately, that didn't happen, and five years later, Mom gave birth to the most beautiful boy in the world โ€” my Aru. Even though I was also a kid when all of this stuff was going on, I was able to understand the discrimination and partiality shown towards the girl child.

And it became clearly visible on the day Dad held my brother in his arms. I was five years old at that time, but I clearly remember what he said.

"Finally, I have a son. I thought I was going to die childless."

What he said was nothing new, but the way he was glowing and kissing his son again and again, and my grandmother telling me not to touch Arman because I would cast an omen on him, assured me that Dad was not happy with me.

Before Arman came, Mom tried her best to protect me from all the taunts, but her behaviour also started changing soon. Since her health had gone down drastically, Dad had asked her sister to take care of us till Mom got better. I loved my Masi (maternal aunt) because she never made me feel like a burden.

She always told me stories and tried to cheer me up, but she left soon. When Aru turned two years old, Mom gave me the responsibility of looking after him whenever she was busy. I was bouncing all around the house when I held my brother for the first time.

I thought that he would cry because he wasn't used to me being around him, but after all he was my own hundred percent original brother, so he shot me his gorgeous smile, and from then onwards, he never left my side: we were stuck to each other like Fevicol, and he followed me everywhere like a shadow.

He was so used to me being there, that he cried on purpose every time Dad separated us. In the end, my family had no choice and let us siblings enjoy our childhood.

Thanks to my brother, I also received a lot of stuff, and eventually, Dad began feeling me worthy of his time. He smiled more, complimented me more, he even bought me a mini cycle on my eighth birthday, and a doll on Diwali.

Even though Mom always complained about us being poor, I never felt like that. Dad didn't earn much, but he had a decent job, a family, and food to eat, so I wondered what else my mother wanted. But this confusion of mine soon faded as I graduated to sixth grade.

There was a school function in which Aru wanted to participate, but my parents didn't have that much money to buy the extra stuff and costumes for him. Since it was a Semi-English Medium school, the fees was three times more than my school.

Unfortunately, Arman couldn't take part in it and cried a lot. After seeing him like that, Mom was back with her complaints on how Dad's brothers and cousins were earning more than him, while he was stuck in a pathetic daily job. Not just their son, but she also had a lot of wishes but Dad was not capable of fulfilling them.

It was not the first time I heard them arguing, and Mom sobbing in her room with a bruised face, but after that particular day, I noticed a drastic change in Dad. He started coming late to home, wouldn't tell Mom what was on his mind, kept zoning out, and even yelled at Aru one time.

Mom got scared that he was going to leave her, but when she learned that her husband was actually trying to find another high-paying job, she apologized to him. Dad forgave her and told her about his plans of starting a business; it was his wish which he had buried deep down in his heart.

When Mom expressed her worry of going bankrupt, Dad informed her that he had come in contact with two gentlemen, and they were so kind that they had agreed to help him in making his dream come true. Dad gave her all the information she needed to convince her, and she was so excited to get a new life.

I was happy to see them like that because thanks to Dad's increased income, I was able to join the local dance classes and get admission into a nice school. Soon, a lot of money started coming into our house and we were able to upgrade our living.

We changed places and moved into a two storey house in a lovely neighborhood. Just like Mom, I was also grateful to Dad's friends for helping us improve our lives, but I didn't know why I never liked them.

"Lokesh and Himesh are coming for dinner," Dad announced, breaking my chain of thoughts.

"Thank god, I didn't cook everything," Mom mumbled and went inside the kitchen.

"Come here, Reyna," Dad said and took out something from his pocket.

"Alpenliebe?" I widened my eyes.

He patted my head and gave one lollipop to me and the other one to Arman. I thanked him and picked up his shoes, bag and tiffin. While Aru enjoyed his treat, and Dad freshened up, I kept my alpenliebe near the TV and polished Dad's shoes for the next day.

"Can we come inside?"

Why was he asking when he was already inside?

"Lokesh Bhaisaab (brother)? Please, it is your home only," Mom yelled from the kitchen.

"I am humbled, Bhabhi ji." Lokesh Uncle laughed and picked up Arman in his arms.

Meanwhile, Himesh Uncle sat down on one of the chairs and informed us that he had seen a sofa set recently, so he would bring it tomorrow. Dad heard him as he came out of his room and told him not to shower so much love on his family โ€” they were spoiling us.

"Has Reyna decided to ignore us?" Lokesh Uncle teased.

I shook my head and forced a smile in his direction. I started feeling nauseous as he stepped towards me and pulled my cheeks. I controlled myself from swatting his hands away; Dad was looking in my direction, and he wouldn't have appreciated it if I had disrespected his close friend.

"Dinesh, how many times have I told you not to make her work?" Lokesh Uncle scolded and told me to put the shoe polish away.

"It is okay. I like doing it," I reasoned.

As if he didn't hear me, Lokesh Uncle grabbed my wrist and made me sit beside him. He gave me some chocolates, and Himesh Uncle also got some expensive ones for us.

"These are from Dubai," he said, making my family really impressed.

Dad was beaming, while Mom was grinning as she set down the utensils on the dining table. Lokesh Uncle shook his head at the old piece of furniture and advised Dad to buy a new dining table. My father nodded and told me to help Mom in serving the food, but Lokesh Uncle stopped him and reprimanded him again.

"You like dancing, right?" he asked me.

I nodded absentmindedly, but when he said that he would give me a personal radio if I gave them a dance performance, my eyes lit up. I glanced at Mom and Dad for confirmation and when both of them nodded, I jumped up in joy.

Aru switched on the TV, and both of us began dancing like maniacs. Dad didn't scold me and when he informed his friends about my dance classes, Himesh and Lokesh Uncle complimented him for his decision.

When I got tired of breaking my joints, Lokesh Uncle picked me up and sat me on his lap. He caressed my hair and told Mom that I had a lot of potential, so she should enroll me in advanced classes; he would foot the bill.

Mom didn't give it much thought and agreed instantly. I thanked him, and he kissed me on the cheek. I felt a shiver run down my spine, but I was not aware of bad and good touch at that time. And when my parents had no problem with them, I was confused about why I was the only one feeling like that.

I had even asked Mom if it was compulsory for me to sit on his lap each time he came, and Mom brushed it off by saying that I was just being a brat. She lectured me not to do anything to upset Dad's friends or we would have to suffer his rage.

Still, I couldn't sit on his lap any longer and began getting up, but Dad shot me a warning look โ€” I sat back on my previous spot when Dad smiled after hearing the news of his business expansion.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my left thigh. I glanced at it and then at Lokesh Uncle.

"What happened, beta?" he asked softly.

"Nothing." I shook my head and continued watching Tom & Jerry.

Slowly, I felt his hand moving upwards and then down. He kept stroking my skin, and I pulled my skirt a little. I shifted uncomfortably, but when he moved his hand under my skirt, I snapped up from his lap.

"What happened?" he asked calmly.

"What were you doing?" I yelled.

"Reyna," Dad warned.

I pointed my finger at Lokesh Uncle and made a disgusted face. "He put his hand in my skirt."

"What?" Mom shouted in anger.

"It is not like that Bhabhi ji. She must have misunderstood; I was just adjusting her skirt because it is too small," he defended.

"Didn't I tell you to not allow her to wear such clothes?" Dad thundered on Mom. "Now look what happened."

"What are you saying?" Mom argued and hugged me.

"There is no need to overreact," Himesh said. "It must be an accident."

"Believe me, Dinesh Bhai (brother). Why would I do that when your family is like mine only?" Lokesh Uncle said innocently. "I was just trying to adjust her clothes properly, but she took it as an ill intention. But if you still don't believe me, I will apologise and leave if you don't want me in your house."

"Yes. If you can't even have trust on us, then how will you do business with us?" Himesh exaggerated.

Dad glared at me and told Mom to stop hyperventilating. She began arguing with him, but Dad slapped her across the face and warned her not to raise her voice on him. Just like always, she succumbed and took me with her to my room. All this while, Arman was confused, but he switched off the TV and followed us.

"Mom, I am not lying," I cried.

She didn't say anything and put us in the bed. She assured me that she would talk to Dad, but somehow I felt that it wouldn't happen. Before leaving, she shot me a long glance and closed the door. Aru asked me what happened, but I told him a lie.

I tried to sleep, but I felt like puking when I looked at my thigh where that man was rubbing his fingers. I went inside the bathroom and dumped a whole bucket of water on myself. I washed myself, thinking that the bad feeling would wash away too; I wished my parents would protect me โ€” but in the end, it was just a wish.

Has anyone faced the issue of their stories getting deleted randomly? ๐Ÿ˜ฒ

I saw an author go through it, and I have shared a message about the same on my message board, so if you aren't aware of it, you can check it out - it is really important.

In the end, I will advise my fellow authors to backup their content for safety purposes. Anything can happen, and you may lose your precious stories, so save a backup โœ”๏ธ

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net