CHAPTER 1 - ALIZA AND AHMED

Their eyes met for the second time in the day. Every time this happens, Aliza feels a ticklish sensation in her stomach. It's not that they have not been closer than just eye contact, but the jitters won't leave her alone. Her mother-in-law was busy scooping out the last few morsels of chicken from the bowl with a creaking noise that numbed Aliza's ears. Her father-in-law was lost in thoughts enjoying his chicken malai korma and tempered ghee rice.

 

‘Aliza, can you get me some warm water?’

Aliza comes running with a jar of water to fulfil her new wife's duties, and Ahmed finds his moment just when Aliza is filling his tumbler and his parents are busy eating. He pokes her in the hip, which is faintly visible between her saree fold and her blouse. Aliza winces and moves behind quickly. She turns around to ensure no one has witnessed it and promptly returns to work, flashing a smile.

Ahmed had to steal moments like these between daily activities because the house was always swarming with people. Their private moments were restricted to their bedroom after 10 PM when everyone else slept. And Aliza gets too tired by then to indulge in any intimate talks. The first night after her marriage seemed all bright and promising. She was brought home in a fancy car and received royal treatment on the day of her wedding. She was made to go to bed as early as 8 in the night. She liked how Ahmed made her feel comfortable in her new home. He listened to her when she sobbed in memory of her family. She loved how he had taken her permission before consummating their marriage. She thought every day would be as rosy as her first day in her new home. 

In the second week of her marriage, she was already taking care of kitchen duties. She realised the family did not believe in hiring house help and that all the household work had to be done by the women at home. Luckily, there was a washing machine that cut down her labour, but then she had to cook meals thrice a day. And then came collecting the used crockeries from the dining table and washing them immediately because none of them moved as much after eating. Then she had to pick the leftovers and store them separately in the fridge. And clean and sweep the house every day without a speck of dust in vision. Otherwise, her mother-in-law would sing songs about her period as a daughter-in-law the whole day. 

She learned her new family's practices quickly; after all, she was a quick learner. She found it challenging initially but adapted herself to her new environment over time. After two months of marriage, now everything is her job at home, from going to the market and picking up vegetables to discarding the garbage. She has to clean toilets when free and sundry the spices on the roof to get them ground at the mill. Ahmed leaves for the office at 7.30 AM, so she has to be early by two hours to make breakfast and pack his lunch. After he goes, she has to serve her in-laws a beverage of their choice at 8 AM and then breakfast at 9 AM while they indulge themselves in newspapers and television shows. She would then continue her duties till Ahmed got back at 8 PM.

So at 10, all Aliza wants is a good massage and sleep. But massage is the last thing Ahmed would offer her, and let's not even talk about rest. Aliza never complained about her work and the lack of support from her family members because she had been told that every woman is expected to do so after getting married. It was one of the many reasons she dreaded marriage before falling for Ahmed. 

Some days she thought it was the price she had to pay for her well-settled life. But on other days, she wished she had some helping hand, perhaps her sister-in-law, who always keeps to herself in the next room. But Aliza was always too scared to ask. At the end of the day, daughters stay daughters while daughters-in-law have to take up many roles.

To be continued…

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This is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023