Anaisha ✿
I wiped my tears, took a deep breath. I pretended to act normal. I came back to the living room. Ekansh was talking with everyone politely, actually replying. When he sensed my presence, he looked up at me. His eyes, unreadable."Anaisha beta damad ji ko apna room mein le jaa, wo thoda aaram kar lenge..... tab tak lunch bhi tayar ho jayega." (Anaisha, dear, take son-in-law to your room. He can rest a bit... by then, lunch will also be ready.) Bua said.~•~•~•~•~•~✧•°•°"This is my room," I said as we entered.He glanced all over the room.Then he moved towards my study table and picked up a photo frame. It was my photo when I was one, playing with a teddy bear, unaware of my surroundings. "Cute," Ekansh chuckled.In another picture, I was twirling in happiness, clapping at the sound of ghunghroos tied to my feet. I was five. They were my Nani's ghunghroos. She was the only person who never had any objection to me doing Kathak. My eyes got moist.Then he looked at my medals hanging there. I won the dance competition in school when I was twelve, and again when I was sixteen. And this one-I won a gold medal in a classical dance competition in my college.He looked at me with amusement, arched his eyebrows and that familiar smirk on his face. "So I married a very talented, beautiful, Kathak champion," he murmured in his deep, husky voice with an amused face.My face heated up. I playfully narrowed my eyes. "Are you underestimating me?"He slightly shook his head, looking straight in my eyes."Of course not, My Wife. I'm just admiring the girl I married. Holding this trophy... it represents so many hours of effort. I'm learning new things about you, and finding out you have this passion for such a beautiful art form is wonderful. I'm looking forward to knowing more about this side of yours." Admiration in his eyes, the sincerity in his words, and that quiet smile on his face were doing something to me. He was the first person who was genuinely praising me on my achievements. Tears rolled down my cheeks."Please don't, I can't stand your tears." He softly, gently wiped my tears with his thumb pad.I nodded, and that "Wife"-my heart skipped.A shy smile formed on my lips. "Thank you," I murmured, flattered." So, apne husband ko kab dikhayengi aap apna talent?" (So, when will you show your husband your talent?) he leaned closer and asked playfully." Sochungi" (I'll think about it) I shrugged.He smirked.I showed him some more things from my childhood, and told him their stories. He teased playfully but respectfully, and I sometimes narrowed my eyes at him, but a smile stayed on my lips.This room was my world. After that incident, my relatives insisted that, "Kriti and Ankit should be kept away from a characterless girl like me. What if they were influenced by my actions and, like me, brought shame to this family? The remaining honor of the house will also be lost. My actions will influence them wrongly. So I should be kept separate and alone." I was thrown out of my childhood room, and all my belongings were removed from that room. From that day, this room became my whole world, my only space where I could still be myself, free from taunts, curses, and hateful gazes. I decorated it with my own small earnings. This room has witnessed me shattering, falling into pieces, seeing hope, then dying, and then seeing it reborn. It watched me pull myself together, and saw me rise again. This room saw the girl who simply needed to speak her truth just once; it saw the eldest daughter of this house quietly suffocating. It saw that broken girl finally stand firm on her own two feet-Independent. It was my world."This is my world. Small but peaceful. The curtains, I painted those small flowers on it myself. The wind chime hanging on the window, I made that with ghunghroos. I decorated this room by myself," I explained, smiling. Sharing a small the most important part of my life with him felt surprisingly good."It's beautiful, just like its owner." There was admiration and unknown emotion in his eyes.My cheeks heated up, thousands of butterflies did marathons in my stomach, and my heart beat so fast. I was sure even he could hear it. A shy smile tugged at my lips.In this moment with him, the heaviness of the past, the bitterness of the people's words, faded a little.A knock on the door made us look in its direction. It was Ankit. "Lunch is ready Jiju. Chaliye, mumma bula rahi hain." (Lunch is ready, Brother-in-law. Come, Mom is calling.) he informed Ekansh, without even looking in my direction. He was the only one who didn't speak a word to me after that forced hug.~•~•~•~•~•~✧•°•°Everyone seemed eager to ingratiate themselves with Ekansh right now, likely hoping to advance their own interests. Trying to get close to him. But he was just replying with nods or one word. He didn't talk much.I was standing there, very well aware of their intentions."Anaisha serve food to your husband," Tai Ji directed, trying really hard to sound as gentle as she could, but failed miserably because the hate they all were holding for me in their heart was too deep.I didn't even give her even a nod. Before I picked up a serving spoon, Ekansh shook his head lightly. "I'll serve myself, come sit." He gestured to me."Karne do beta, aakhir biwi hai tumhari all. Pati ko khilana kaam hai iska" (Let her do it, dear, after all, she is your wife. It's her duty to serve her husband.) Bua in her over-sweet voice was trying really hard to hide her hatred.My eyes glanced at ekansh their own. He jaw tight, first clenched and eyes sharp glaring her. He was controlling his anger. "Yes she is my wife and that doesn't mean she has to serve me. She'll eat with me. I have my own hands. I can serve myself," Ekansh asserted in a sharp, low tone, leaving no room for argument.The room was still for a few seconds, and I could feel everyone's hateful eyes on me.I sat beside him, and then he did something unexpected that surprised everyone. He first served food on my plate, and then on his own. Everyone was standing there with widened eyes. Especially Bua and Tau Ji."Beta, why are you doing it? She will do hers-" Mumma tried to stop him. "I'm her husband. Mumma, it's my right and duty to take care of my wife," Ekansh intervened.A warmth spread through me. An unfamiliar feeling.It has been seven years since I last sat and ate a meal with everyone at the dining table. After that day, my father never allowed me to sit with them, even at the dinner table. I used to eat in my room or alone after everyone. And actually, more than half the time, I didn't even eat at all. My eyes glistening, I repeatedly blinked my eyes to control the emotions ready to flow. Not now" Aur beta sab sahi chal raha hai na?" (Son, is everything going well?) Tau Ji started, breaking the tension in the room."All good, Uncle," he answered."My son also had a factory. But then the poor guy fell ill and was hospitalized, because of which the factory suffered a lot of damage. And he had to shut it down. Now the poor guy wants to start work again, but all his savings were invested in the factory, so it is becoming difficult now... and after your Fufa Ji's (aunt's husband) death, it has become even more difficult," Bua recited with a dramatic sob, wiping her invisible tears.I already knew why she was showing her fake care and love to me and Ekansh. She was never the kind of human who thinks about anyone; she only cares for herself and her son Rahul.My eyes glanced at my parents, and they were embarrassed. I knew my father didn't like her intentions either. He was always a man of values. But it's just that he loved his sister way too much."I'll help in every possible way I can," Ekansh ensured politely.It's Ekansh's hard-earned money. It would be disrespectful to spend it on someone who didn't even value his own work. Rahul destroyed his factory himself. It's better if he taught himself how to earn. I decided I would talk to Ekansh later about it.After lunch, everyone was sitting on the couch."Anaisha ab apne parivaar pe dhayan de baaki nachna gaana bohot ho gaya ab." (Anaisha, now focus on your family, the rest of the dancing and singing is enough now.) The hate in Bua's voice was clearly visible." Aur agar damad ji ko ya unke parivaar walo ko tumhara yeh naachna gaana acha nahi lagta ho band karo yeh sab" (And if son-in-law or his family doesn't like your dancing and singing, stop all this.) Tau Ji added with the same hate as Bua.But before I could say anything, a raw voice, sharp with an edge, cut across the room " No one has the right to tell her if she can do the work or not. Not even me. It was her passion. My wife will do whatever she wants to do. It's her choice." Ekansh's eyes glaring at their souls. His expressions were calm, but anger radiated from his body. And everyone froze, a pin-dropped silence.Tau Ji swallowed hard. "Beta parivaar zyada zaruri hota hai shaadi ke baad ek ladki ke liye" (Dear, family is more important for a girl after marriage.)" It's her work, her dream is the most important," Ekansh stated in a firm tone, silencing everyone.A smile formed on my lips, with admiration for this man, My Husband..~•~•~•~•~•~✧•°•°.We came back home, and Ekansh told everyone that I will be joining my academy again from tomorrow. And everyone was genuinely happy dadi, maa, papa give their blessings to me and avni, lakshya and tanish hugged me they were excited. After dinner, we came to our room. We lay down on our bed after changing our clothes."Thank you for everything, Ekansh. And I'm sorry for the drama my-" I turned towards him with a genuine smile on my lips and little embarrassed because of my family's behaviour."Don't thank me, you are my wife. And it's ok." He replied with a shrug."Can we go to Mandir first tommorow?" I whispered."You don't have to ask me anything, Anaisha. Just say and I'll do that." His tone was gentle, and eyes soft, there were unknown emotions in his them.My heart fluttered. I nodded.After some time, Ekansh was asleep, but I didn't sleep.Flashbacks of today flooded in my mind.My relatives' hated gaze and their words " ghar pe dhayan do" (focus on the home).The sheer, blinding hypocrisy of it all tasted like ash in my mouth. It's not just about me; it's the raw, collective ache of every woman or girl who has ever been told to dim her light. Bua's voice-it's just one more mouthpiece for a rigid society that follows the same outdated script. They praised my dancing when it brought them momentary pride, but the moment a woman steps toward marriage, that same passion becomes a liability, a frivolous thing to be discarded. This expectation to immediately dismantle their vibrant lives and become a 'proper' wife exposes their core low mentality. They don't value the individual spirit of a girl; they value conformity to an antiquated role. They demand that a woman's life's purpose must pivot entirely to domesticity, forcing her to constantly worry about whose comfort she might be disturbing. A man's career is called his ambition; his life's work. A woman's art? It's just a pastime that must be easily sacrificed. This fight against Bua's narrow view isn't just mine; it's the endless battle of every woman who refuses to apologize for being whole, for daring to be an artist and a wife, all at once.And then his words: her work, her dreams are the most important.And I finally closed my eyes with a faint smile on my lips. ❀❀❀❀❀❀How's the chapter ? Please do vote ( hit that star icon ) and comments it will help in reach.✿ Follow me on instagram for updates of the book id in bio ✿
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