|Innaya|
"Mom, what's wrong with you? Fortune is not any vicious animal. I know you don't like dogs, but that doesn't mean you can behave this way. See what you did. You've hurt Innaya," Eshan admonished his mother.
His mother scoffed. She glared at Fortune, and that made me hide him more behind me. The pain in my back reminded me of what she could do to Fortune if she wanted. I would never let her hurt Fortune. She could hurt me if she wished, but not Fortune.
"What are you still doing here?" Eshan's mother narrowed her eyes at me.
Oh no! This was bad. I slightly flinched when her angry gaze looked at me. I did not expect her to burst out before Eshan. Was she going to spill the truth of that day?
"Mom, stop kidding alright. If not here, where would you find my wife?" Eshan wrapped his arm around my shoulder as he pulled me to his side. I did not expect him to behave normally after the running he was doing from the afternoon. Perhaps, he did not want his mother to find our differences. Sadly, he did not know that his mother was the reason behind the differences in our lives.
Should I feel thankful for his warmth? I had rather pressing matters that needed my rapt attention. For a moment, I thought of being selfish. I wanted her to vocalize her intentions for once and all. That way I could be relieved of the guilt of hiding things from Eshan. However, one glance at the man beside me, and knew I had to stop his mother.
I did not even want to call her mother-in-law anymore. I still remembered how she had berated me last time. I did not want to risk having her lose her temper which she was on the verge of losing.
"I-I think you should take a rest," I said, trying to dissolve the tension in the air.
"Did you not understand what I asked? What are you still doing here?" Eshan's mother did not pay any heed to what Eshan or I said.
"Mom, what's wrong with you?" Eshan asked. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why would he not be confused? He had no idea why his mother would behave in such a manner with his wife. So, for any normal man being put in such a situation would certainly puzzle him. His reaction was within my expectations.
Eshan left my shoulders and strode to his mother. I could see he was getting angry as well with the way his mother looked and behaved with me.
"Where are the papers?" She ignored Eshan and crossed her arms across her chest.
My heart dropped. Her sentence proved that she did not care for Eshan's emotions. Maybe, in her opinion she was right. For any mother, watching her son in pain would be the deciding moment. I did not know if she was aware of our circ.u.mstances at that time. If she was not, then it was expected from any mother. Would a mother let her son be with a woman who had hurt her son?
From her perspective, I was the culprit. So, her anger was justified. Her behavior was not. She had no right of throwing me out of the house behind her son's back. She had no right to insult me. She had no right of pointing her fingers at my character. We were civilized people, and she could have behaved like one. Instead blinded by her love for her son and their prestige she decided to forsake humanity.
"I-I think there is some m-misunderstanding," I stammered. My emotions were faltering. The fear that she would hurt Eshan made me worried.
"Shut up!"
I flinched at her sudden yell.
"Mom? What's going on here?" Eshan snapped. "What paper? Why are you talking this way with Innaya?"
"Aunty, what's wrong?" Ayesha walked up to Eshan's mother and held her arm rather intimately. "You should calm down. We can talk things through. If you are displeased with Innaya for some reason, you should not get angry like this. It will affect your health. Please, calm down."
"See, this is the difference. Do you see this Eshan?" His mother pointed her finger first at Ayesha and then at me. Ayesha blushed slightly. The woman did not care about the situation but wanted to find her profit. Ridiculous!
If I said, her words did not hurt, then I would be lying. I bit my lip, lowering my head.
Wasn't she right? There was a huge difference between Ayesha and me.
"Mom!"
"Yeah, you only know how to stop me. What do you see in her? Tell me. What the hell do you see in her that you're ready to go against your family? Huh?" She yelled.
My eyes widened. Go against family? I did not know Eshan's family was against our marriage. I looked at Eshan with disbelief.
"MOM! Stop it already. We've had our discussion. This is already in the past. Why are you bringing this up now?" Eshan looked solemn.
He refused to look at me.
"We had our discussion? Why don't I recall you telling me how she hurt you? Why don't I recall you telling me about where were you for the two months? Why don't I recall you telling me about how this woman cheated on you here in this house? Tell me, why you hid the fact that she is a madwoman? Huh? Tell me, why don't I recall?" Eshan's mother glared me, pouring all her accusations.
"MOM!" Eshan roared. His mother did not flinch but directed her anger at me.
"Did I not ask you to leave my son alone? Will you be satisfied only after destroying his life? "
"Aunty, what are you saying? Innaya is cheating on Eshan?" Ayesha loudly gasped, worsening the situation more.
I closed my eyes in pain. I had heard those accusations before, but still, they hurt. Why would she not let me explain before assuming things, and pointing fingers at my character?
I shook my head.
"Are you still going to stay silent now?" Eshan's voice laced with pain sounded from beside me. I looked at him hearing his pain-filled voice.
"Is this what you have been hiding from me?"
Eshan asked, but I knew he had figured it out. The brown orbs of his told his turmoil and his inner conflict. I knew how hard it was for him. One side was his mother and on another me.
I never wanted him to be in this situation.
I could not answer him. Everything was out in the open, was there any need to say anything? I could see the tears gathering in his eyes.
"She has been hiding many things from you. She has been fooling you from the start. She ruined your life, can't you see?" Eshan's mother pulled at his arm, making him face her.
Her expressions turned to that of little warmth, exactly opposite of the glare she had been directing at me.