yours sincerely Mrs. Bajaj

The Turmoil

"Niha, stop it already. What is the matter? " Storming into her room, her mother enquired.

She was dancing for hours. She was a trained classical dancer. For her, Bharatanatyam was her redemption.

Her salvation.

It was her means to resist, reduce and escape stress. She was desperate for that kind of an escape today. All that nonsense with her boss had left her brain in utter turmoil.

That psycho wanted to marry her. More like fake marry her. She was annoyed at him for belittling a sacred institution like marriage. Fake marriages might be  pretty common in his world. But in her world, people still  considered it divine. She was more angry at him for believing that she would accept the offer. He seemed very confident about it.

Before her thoughts went  more downhill, her mother interrupted her.

"A bad day at work? "

"Horrible"She replied.

" Feeling better now? "

"Sort of".

" Now, come down and have dinner. I have made your favorite dish. It's kappa(steamed tapioca) with that green chilly chutney you love "

"Oh my. I will come right now."

"First go and wash yourself. You are soaked in sweat"

"Okay amma, (mother). As you say. "

Her mother smiled at her. She would literally do anything to see her smile. She wished for a day when there will be no more hardships in her family. When everyone can be truly happy.

After taking a shower, she joined her family for dinner. She sat beside her brother,nihaan, the Apple of her eye. The happy pill of her family. He was eleven years old.

He was autistic.When nihaan was diagnosed with autism,everyone was  devastated except  her father. Shekhar Menon was a strong man. He was determined to give his son a life as normal as he could. Children with ASD had  great memorising, mathematical and artistic skills. His father evoked and nurtured all these skills in her brother. Nihaan's poems were even published in a famous literary magazine. They have always tried to give nihaan the  very best they could. He attends a private school for special children. Even though the school was quite expensive, they were the best in town.

Her brother smiled at her, as he devoured the food eagerly.

"Kutta, have more. You look like a stick now"her grandma complained.
(𝙺𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚊=𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚛)

" Is your boss, still troubling you? " her father asked with a serious expression on his face.

"No" She lied.

"Are you sure ? "

"Yes, Appa (father). He is fine. He has just given me a bonus".

" Oh".
Niharika ignored the skeptical look her father gave her. She knew he was not  convinced at all. It was so difficult to lie to her father. He could see right through it, No matter how hard she tried to mask it.

"Hmm. Its time for the payment. Some one called from the facility." her mother informed.

"I will transfer it today itself. " Niharika replied.

Her mother gave her a pitying look. It looked as if she was trying to say sorry with her eyes.

"Its okay Niha, we will manage it. "

"I can pay Appa, I just received a bonus. I told you. "

"Niha"

"Its okay".

" I am thinking of starting a private tution center " her father declared.

"Shekhar, what are you talking about? "
her grandfather asked her father.

" But you hate that" her mother also chimed in.

Her father was a retired teacher. He used to teach at a government school  nearby. After his retirement, he taught students from low income families at home for free. He hated the idea of selling education.

"We have enough. We have your pension, our shop, and I have a job too. Its enough for us"she said.

" Niha, we cannot continue like this.
I don't want to burden you. "

"Its not a burden for me"

"The facility will  definitely increase the money. I cannot destroy your dreams for my brother".

" He is my uncle too"

"Your father is right. You have a life ahead. You should focus on that." Her grandpa supported her father.

"My life is my family. I am okay with it. "

"We want you to be more than okay with life, kutta".This time it was her grandma.

" I am going to transfer money to the facility. Right now. End of discussion. And you appa, you are not going to start a tution center. ".

She  immediately transferred the desired amount to  Love and Care, a facility that took in mentally unwell people. Her uncle showed a great deal of improvement since he joined the facility. They couldn't just leave him at any mental asylum. They cherished him too much for that. Love and care treated their inhabitants with respect. They had many activities to engage their residents. It was the best choice for her Shankar uncle. She had never once resented him.

She went to bed early. She was just too exhausted, both emotionally and physically.

Was the offer, only way to prevent her life from sinking?? She pondered.

But marriage was just too much. She can't do that. But?????.

Her family?
Her uncle? Her brother?
How long could she manage it all??
How long can she prevent the ship from sinking??.

"May be he was right. It's just for two years!!. After that i will be free. I will also have enough money for a life time to help my uncle and brother. "
She said to herself.

Two years with the devil as his wife!!!!!!!!!

"Oh god!!! Please just sent me a fairy God mother" She prayed.

She needs to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a hell of a day.