Our Mindset Episode 34
He never knew what to say or when to say it. One afternoon, my mother and I were returning from the clinic. It was hot, and as usual, my face turned red from the sun. Back then, covering one’s face with a scarf wasn’t trendy. My mother would simply pull her sari’s pallu over her head.
Seeing us, he turned to my father and remarked, “Your mother’s complexion looks more original than yours.” Who says something like that about their mother-in-law, especially in front of their father-in-law? My mother retorted, “If he weren’t your son-in-law, what would your father have done to him?” My father didn’t speak to him for days after that.
I was recounting this incident, and my sister-in-law listened with her mouth wide open. She finally said, “Doesn’t he look pitiful? But after hearing all this, I’m genuinely starting to dislike him. And honestly, I’m amazed—how do you stay so calm with a husband like that? It’s unbelievable.”
Outsiders never truly understand what happens inside a home. He had no addictions, so everyone assumed he was a good man. But he suffered from seizures and couldn’t eat properly. Even chewing betel nuts made him dizzy.
That day, after dinner at my sister-in-law’s place, I went home carrying fodder. The women working at my house spread the news that I had been beaten. The story even reached Pradeep’s family, and the old lady next door told everyone in the fields.
That evening, some of them came to meet me. One of them said, “We heard your cries, but we didn’t come. Your aunt would’ve accused us of poisoning your mind.” My sister-in-law told Balu, and Balu informed Patil. Later, Balu came to see me, and Patil suddenly started singing, “Chaha hai tujhko, chahunga har dam, mar ke bhi dil se yeh pyaar na hoga kam.”
I hadn’t felt anything all day, but by evening, my body burned with fever. Crying and talking too much with my sister-in-law had given me a headache. My entire body ached, and here he was, singing his song. Who wanted to listen to that?
Balu called my husband from his phone. “Bring some medicine for fever and headache on your way home,” he instructed. Then he said, “We’ll talk tomorrow when we meet at the farm,” and left.
No one truly knows what fate has in store. We don’t know what the future holds or what thoughts will enter our minds. We can only ponder and analyze, but no matter how much we try to change things, destiny unfolds in its own way. At that moment, nothing Patil did affected me anymore.
The next morning, Pradeep arrived early. My husband was working in the nearby fields. Pradeep asked, “Did he hit you yesterday? Did it hurt a lot? He shouldn’t have done that. I couldn’t sleep all night—I was worried about you.”
I used to call him Pradeep Bhaiyya. He was older than my husband. Since he was my brother-in-law, he was like a brother to me. His wife was more beautiful than me, so I never suspected anything. I assumed he had come to console me. My husband, on the other hand, probably thought Pradeep was there to check on his crops and had just stopped by to say hello. His farm was near the river.
To make me feel better, Pradeep started cursing my aunt and Mangu. He said, “Kaku once told me about you, but you were too young, and I had never seen you before, so I refused. Otherwise, I would have married you myself.”
He used to call his mother ‘Kaku.’ Even then, I didn’t suspect anything.