Hope and Love

Mr.Raghavan stormed into the house, weary and tired, dropping down his suitcase...his sister followed,an old lady in her mid-sixties,with gray hair marking her age and a stern expression she proudly wore...she was a natural with that!

Soon on entering...he looked at his wife and grunted "Wer'e hungry,now serve..." and sat at the table like a hungry wolf.His sister followed suite,heaving with pride for her brother's so called command,Manliness and hold over the house.

His wife looked at them,hiding her surprise because they did not tell her they would come.As timid as she was,who after fifteen years of marriage,trained so much in adversity knew exactly where this was leading, put up her false courage which was 'for the moment' because after It was over she was sure to breakdown and cry.She belived whatever it was,'It were better come out than go in'.she dint restrain to stop her tears...she knew,either way it made no difference.

"Its not cooked yet,You have to wait..." she replied and greeted her sis-in-law very politely offering her water while they waited and ran inside to speed up the cooker,her husband followed her into the kitchen opening the lid of every dish and viewing to find fault.

Mrs.Raghavan turned to her husband and knowing pretty well she was going to fight a lost battle,took a deep breath and began...'couldnt you call when you were just on the way so I would put the food ready,Isn't this the 21st century?and why couldnt you tell me your sis was coming along too?'she asked in a polite singsong way...The effect was same anyways...To this whisper,he shouted a reply only to make sure his sis would listen and the fuss would take shape...

"Aha,Look now...I knew it sis,She doesnt like cooking for my family,she cant stand my family at all"..."Can you"?he asked his wife,who by now was in tears of shock,nodded her head in disbelief and left to cut the lemons,the tears clouding her view and complicating things furthermore.

At the same time,their daughter 'Avanthi' came out from her room after having a long conversation with an old pal and reviving memories...She saw her dad and said 'Hi,dad and looking at her aunt tried to smile....atleast something like that,but she couldnt.Sensing the tense mood,she put away...That was the best thing to do,she learned from past experience and joined her mom in the kitchen,grabbing a few tomatoes and a knife.She caught her moms eye and raised her eyebrows?'Why is she here?did he tell you?'.her mom nodded "No" and the rest was understood by Avanthi.

'Ya,dad should have called' she thought placing the dishes on the table and reflected on how the mans ego won all the time.These rifts were common in the house but the battle was not meant to be fair,not meant to be won...The winner was already declared,she nodded subconsciously at her dad...he only played his part again and again...while Avanthi's thoughts thus formed her eyes absorbed the whole scene...her mom was speaking through sobs that she had extra hours to work at the office that day,so she couldnt cook sooner.To this he replied 'then leave it,Leave your damned job and fulfill your duty like a wife...You want a name for yourself,Dont I earn enough'?,he shouted...Now,that was foolish thought Avanthi and frowned,and saw her aunt observing her every reaction from the corner of her eye.she went to fetch more curd from the fridge as they finished and left to watch TV.
She left to her room and thoght how they had to swing along with his mood.It was no house,she thought...It was a war camp,sense the enemy and act...as these thoughts took shape,It suddenly hit her how she was developing loathing for her dad,who did love them once upon a time,who still financed her education,asked about school,who sometimes tried to fill the gap...gap...That was the problem,Communication gap,Gap from showing love,Gap from showing he cared...

this realisation struck another chord..."Mom"!
In due course,after the storm subsided,she went to her mom to console her as she always did...
Oh Cmo'n,she told her "that Man and his damned sis cannot ruin anything for us" was what was formed in her mind,but knowing better reframed it to"Dad's got the temper mom,You've got to take it smooth...".She analysed that the sentence still supported her dad and knowing It was the best went consoling her...remembering the time when her Dad had actually hit her mom and Avanthi,fuming with anger called him a jerk.her mom's reaction was totally unexpected for 'Slap' came her hand fresh on Avanthi's cheek.It was difficult to percive Avanthi's feelings at that time.She couldnt decide if she hated her dad more for hitting mom or mom for this 'special treatment' when she meant to fight for justice,cheer her mom and boost her morale...

Avanthi stood flabbergasted with a hand on her cheek trying to grasp the reality while her mom said in a stern tone "Dare not speak of my husband like that,how can you disrespect him?do you realise he's your dad?Its my problem,dont bother"....she retorted.Such instances made Avanthi wonder what was that driving force in her mom that made her bear all this.As she thought about all this,she consoled her mom chosing the right words for howmanyth time???she lost track.
Avanthi built up her lines and courage and continued..."Mom,I dont know how your'e putting it up,If I were you,I'd..."

her mom understood and replied...'look child,If I want it,i can divorce him in minutes,seconds...no big deal...I know you'll come along too...and then what??'she asked.'What have I won?couldnt I keep up my own family?moreover,Whom does he have to be loved?youre dad?just us....his sis will only take control,He cannot live without me...she said shuddering at the thought and went by to make buttermilk for her dad.

Avanthi looked at the pair of them and repeatedly thought over the lines...specially "Whom does he have to be loved"?and "what have I won"?Such was her love for her husband,she thought...as she thought over and over,she could only admire her mom more and more....It was her decision,she thought,she chose to suffer...but dint suffer,she wanted it.She wanted to keep up the family,The system,The setup and the sacred feeling of marriage...she found anything tolerable for this...anything untill he cheated on her,at this Avanthi stopped and nodded 'No other woman can put up this personality'she thought with a slight smile.
She only wished her dad would realise how much his wife cared and showed his gratitude sometime...and lying back on her bed,she knew this was exactly the same hope that made her mom cling on...only she called it love,because either way,even if her dad would not realise in this Life and ever after,she would still care for him,Love him and serve him....
This was how most Indian families were...Avanthi reharsed in her mind,There was pain,Sacrifice,Compromise from the women.They could put up anything from their husbands.So docile and patient,They were not quick to get angry,quick to react and regret...They just let it go...They only stuck to the traditional family style...this attitude amazed Avanthi as she lay there lost in thought............