Tangled

She walked in vigorously, flung her sandals, climbed steps and entered inside the home. She threw her pit shopper bag stuffed with her cloths at the sofa and she herself sat down in sofa resting all her weight and leaned back as though she was exhausted.

Uma in kitchen hearing someone entering inside home, she left peeling pearl onions in the middle ran to the living room to find out is there any visitor arrived. She glanced pit shopper bag at one end of the sofa and Mayil sitting at the other end muttering something to herself in gentle low voice.

Mayil by seeing Uma coming from the kitchen she increased her volume and said "Enough, I can’t live with that person anymore."

Again mumbled to herself taking eyes off from Uma shook her head "Such a terrible person. For God’s sake I cannot adjust any more. God! Terrible… Terrible… Enough! Enough!"

She saw Uma and said "Ma, can you bring Tea for me… Strong!"

Uma without uttering a word returned to Kitchen and started preparing Tea. She thought of going back to her to seek more details of her disappointment. But the next moment she decided this is not the right time and she postponed her curiosity for few more minutes.

Uma served Tea and sat on the floor near to the sofa and started peeling her pearl onions. Mayil sipped hot tea… took a deep breath, she saw Uma doing her work quiet and calm. Mayil was positively offended since Uma was not speaking or asking questing as though she was expecting it. She came down sat beside Uma and helped her in peeling.

After a moment of silence Uma asked "Amma, where is Appa?"

"I don’t know... don’t ask about him." said Mayil with a disgust and anger in her voice. Immediately she changed her voice as though she felt guilty of her previous reply and gave a proper response to the question "He will come."

"What happened?" asked Uma trying to hide her smile or any sort of amuse in her face.

"We had a serious argument today morning. I washed clothes and left as it is, hired an auto and came. I think he will dry them up and come later."

"Can I send him to bring Appa? He is in backyard cleaning and sorting things out there."

"No, No. Leave it. Don’t bother Mapillai (Son in Law). Anyway he will come." said Mayil and sipped her tea.

Mayil pondered for a moment thoughtfully and her eyes got brightened all of a sudden with excitement. She found a topic to initiate a conversation with her daughter.

"You know what? When I was young I thought introvert and extrovert make a best pair. Indeed it was true. When my friends were complaining about their husbands like... they don’t talk much… they don’t share things...  by hearing those I was so overwhelmed and proud. Your father was not like others. He talk to me all the time, he shares everything and I love to listen to him complete day, he talks about what happened in office, he talks about what happened in bus stop, he talks about his friends and their family, about politics, about movies, gossips, what else? He talks everything what comes in his mind. We have even spend many nights just by talking (he talks she listens) without sleeping." said Mayil and sipped her tea.

Uma nodded her head and listens to her mother and kept peeling onions in parallel.

Mayil continued "I listened to your fathers blab for so many years, until that moment. That moment… still I remember. He said something… and to respond to that I began to tell my opinion but he did not even wait for me or provide me an opportunity to speak, he kept talking like a maniac, doesn’t even know someone is listening to him or not. I learned that day he was not interested to hear me. That incident made me to recall all my previous experiences, and all I did was listen, listen and listen. Even if I talk something he will deviate and talks what he wants and what he wants me to hear. God, what wrong I did?? God made a mistake by offering two ears to your father, he makes no use of it."

Uma seems not so excited or surprised, she already know about what her mother is telling right now, she heard it many times but what makes interesting is every time phrases are new with respect to the mood swing of her mother.

"I started reading newspaper only because of your father, because your father doesn’t like to watch TV. When I watch, he will criticize the contents telecasted on TV or he will pick some topic from the content and start talking to me without allowing me to watch TV. Initially I read newspaper, then magazine and started reading books only to avoid your father and create some distance from him. Since he had a habit of reading books he will not intrude me while I am reading something. Thank God for that!!" said Mayil laughed heavily and continued "You know while I read he don’t have any one to talk to, he walks from one room to another like a trapped little rat. Ha ha." laughed again by showing all her teeth.

Uma cannot help herself from laughing.

"But now it has become worse ma, since only we both stay at home. It is impossible to use reading as a weapon for all time. Then I come up with this." said Mayil and stretched her two legs from criss cross and made herself comfortable.

"My arthritis is not that severe as I show off. I myself can do all the household works that’s why I did not employ any servants. But you know your father, he does not like when someone ask him to do some work.” after a pause she continued “Only God knows how he worked until his retirement. So here is what I do, I lie down on the sofa often pretending like I am damn tired with painful knees as though I could not able to stand or walk. By doing so I am not only making my own space but also managing my tasks as well." said Mayil with pride and a mocking smile in her face lifting her eyebrows.

"Amma, don’t tell lie. Appa will help you even if you don’t have knee pain." said Uma smiling and being favorable to her father.

"You don’t know about your father ma. Why I am telling all these things is because it may be useful for you in future." said Mayil and immediately paused a moment seems like she contradict to herself and said "But you don’t have to do this. Our Mapillai (Son in Law) is gem of a person... not like your father."

After a moment of silence Mayil sniffed in dismay, shed her tears and said "I pray to God every day… every single day... I don’t want your father to be alone in this world. I can’t imagine. It should not happen."

"Amma, don’t be silly. Shut up!"

Someone opened the backyard door and came inside. Mayil wiped her tears swiftly with her saree and kept her face with unnatural smile. Vivek came forward greeted his Athai (Mother-in-law) and said "Just give me some moment I will just wash the bathroom." and he disappeared inside master bedroom.

By making sure Vivek has gone Mayil said "See I told you." after noticing there is no pearl onions left to peal she asked "What’s for lunch?"

Both daughter and mother heard someone opening the front gate and both glanced at the door, they could see a shadow of some visitor approaching towards door. Balan by seeing his wife's sandals tossed apart in different direction and one being upside down. He could image what would be the current mental status of his beloved wife. He arranged her sandals and stepped inside home humbly with generous smile trying hard not to look at his wife. He kept his pit shopper bag stuffed with his cloths under dining table, on the other hand he carried a bag of snacks for her granddaughter, placed that on table top.

"Hi Appa, welcome, came by auto?" said Uma

"No ma, I came by walk." answered Balan, without waiting for another question from his daughter he said "Uma, don’t believe completely what your mother says. You know I let dry all the washed clothes all by myself, will go evening to take that inside and fold. You mother things I am dependent on her..." 

He turned to his wife with mocking smile, pretends himself in anger lifted his shoulder to show his pride and said "I can manage without your mother. Tell to her." pointing hand towards his wife.

"I have to prepare lunch Appa, Kalai may come at any moment from school, today its half day." said Uma with a forced smile and went inside kitchen. Stream of thoughts came and filled her mind at that moment she was unable to think of anything else. But she kept doing her work unconsciously. She pondered trying to picture how she would be in later stage of life with her husband.