Chapter 239 - Learning about the truth (2)

| I n n a y a |

Silence descended once again after Eshan helped me on the sofa. Well, he technically placed me down on the sofa, almost in a lying position. His dad ordered him to, for he said that I should not be exerting or putting pressure on my leg. Arjun nodded fervently in the synch. I had no other option but to keep my head down and listen to the grown-up men fussing around me.

Eshan adjusted cushions behind my back. Arjun placed a few cushions beneath my leg, propping it up. 

"Everything will be ok," Eshan said. He placed his hand on my shoulder, subtly pressing it as if he could sense my unease. 

Eshan's father disappeared from my sight once he made sure that I was properly looked after.

I had not made eye contact with him intentionally, but his concern was hard to ignore. Now that he had left, I raised my head to take a look around. It was my home. Nothing was out of the ordinary as everything was the same. Yet, the presence of my in-laws changed the picture. In my own home, after the drama that had unfolded, I felt like a stranger.

"Are you going to pretend that no one exists?" Arjun flicked my forehead. He stood at the back of the sofa, with his left hand in his pocket and another tapping on my head.

I took one look at him before averting my eyes. I did not know how much he had heard when we were in the bathroom. Also, Eshan and I had taken so much time in the bathroom that he was bound to get funny ideas. I was not in a mood to entertain him when the anxiety of facing Eshan's mother was making me anxious.

The sofa was long enough to accommodate Eshan. He sat beside my propped up leg, looking at me. 

"Both of you brats, come here and help," Eshan's father yelled from the kitchen. 

Arjun and Eshan both groaned at the same time before they left to help. 

Arjun had repeatedly mentioned about dinner Eshan's father was cooking. Then instead of letting me go to the dining room, I was asked to sit comfortably here. I could not determine what was Eshan's father thinking.

"Woof woof!"

Fortune yelped lowly by my side. His big eyes looked at me expectantly. What was he expecting? I failed to understand. My mind was yet to get clear while the fog of uncertainty was blurring my thought process. 

"No. Stay here… This is your punishment for torturing my daughter…. Hmph!"

Eshan's dad ordered sternly and I could hear him clear in the living room.

Punishment? Daughter? His words were truly puzzling. Was he referring to me? Arjun had also addressed me as the 'daughter' in Eshan's dad's words. 

Was I missing out on something?

Soon the approaching footsteps sounded from the left side of the hall. Raising my head, I caught the sight of an elderly man carrying a tray in his hands and walking smilingly towards me. 

Taken aback with the cheerful expression on Eshan's father's face, I straightened up unconsciously. He was being too good to me. Too good that I was starting to question his intentions. I did not want to raise my hopes high, but his affectionate gaze was making it harder. The look in his eyes resembled grandpa's when he would dote on me unconditionally. 

"Relax Innu… Am I that scary?" Eshan's father laughed, casually addressing me with the nickname my maternal family used. It sounded as if he was used to it.

I fumbled for words, averting my wide eyes from his smiling face. I did not want to give him the impression that he startled me. "Umm… no uncle-"

"Dad! You'll call me dad just like Eshan does." He interrupted me before I could address him as an uncle. After what had happened with my mother-in-law I had decided to be more careful with my words. Who knew my father-in-law's thoughts would be opposite to that of his wife's.

He placed the tray on the coffee table and picked up one plate before coming toward me. There was vegetable biryani, and a bowl of gulab jamun on the plate. The two colorful dishes were enough to salivate my mouth, igniting the hunger in the pit of my stomach. 

"They are your favorites, aren't they?" 

"How do you know?" I asked before I could stop myself. Not many were aware of this knowledge regarding how much I loved biryani and gulab jamun whenever I was sad.

"That's a secret." Eshan's father made a gesture of zipping his lips. He then held the plate before me, urging me to hold. "Here, have this quickly before it turns cold." 

Silently, I took the plate from his hands. He walked back to the single-seater sofa across me and took the second plate from the tray. 

It was just two of us. Eshan, Arjun, and my mother-in-law did not appear in the sight. Where were they? 

"They'll have their dinner. Don't worry. Start eating, what are you waiting for?" Eshan's father said. He picked up the spoon but did not start eating. He kept looking at me. What was he waiting for?

Meanwhile, his words did not make sense to me. Why were there different dining arrangements? 

"D-don't you have to blam-...umm… say something to me?" I changed my words. The sooner he expressed his thoughts, the easier it would be for me to cope up.

I would rather choose the direct confrontation, instead of wallowing in the anxiety of what would happen. I never liked being on tenterhooks.

Eshan's father sighed. "Are you in the wrong?" He asked, leaning back in the chair. His question pushed back the ball in my court. He wanted me to spell it out for him.

So, be it then. I gritted my teeth to thicken my skin. Eshan's mother might pop out at any moment. Eshan's father looked more level-headed and so far he had not given me any reason to not like him as his wife had.

"Aunty does not think so…"

"Innu… I admit Prerna was wrong in this. I also don't agree with how she handled the situation. Sometimes things are far deeper than what meets the eyes, yet what she did could have been avoided. At least the pain you went through." His expressions turned sympathetic. 

"What could possibly be the reason to malign and humiliate me in such a way? I-I admit that I didn't fulfill my duties as a daughter-in-law, but… but-"

"Do you really think we are that narrow-minded to still believe in the duties and that stuff? As long as you consider us your family, we're more than satisfied with it."

"But you were against this marriage," I countered, recalling the words Eshan's mother had used.

"Who said so?" Eshan's father raised his eyebrow questioningly as if he did not believe me.

I stayed silent. Obviously, his wife had said this.

Eshan's father muttered something under his breath. I could not catch it. He smiled as he looked at me with a gentle gaze. "You weren't even of legal age when my son had announced his decision of marrying you. I had known about you for very long. Do you think if we were against you being our daughter-in-law, we could not have stopped Eshan?" 

My eyes widened. Not of legal age? When had Eshan told them about me? And, how was he so sure that he would marry me?

Lowering my gaze, I fiddled with my spoon. Though the food looked appetizing, I could not bring myself to eat when I was being watched so intently. The new revelations were making it difficult for me. The intent of the person did not feel threatening. Perhaps I was being too vigilant after what had happened.

"ESHAN!" I yelled out loudly the moment I spotted red and green capsic.u.m and cabbage in the biryani. 

Eshan would suffer an allergic reaction if he accidentally consumed it. I had to stop him.