Mayi Ri

Chapter 13

"Thank you for being here, Ainy," Fakhir murmurs, his palm finding solace on Ainy's hand. Ainy reciprocates with a gentle, reassuring smile. "Always."

"Fakhir, what have you done to your room?" Sameena's abrupt entry startles Fakhir and Ainy, causing them to swiftly retract their hands and rise from their seats.

"Ainy, tum? Yaha kya kar rahi ho?" Sameena's voice holds a note of suspicion, her gaze flickering between Ainy and Fakhir.

Ainy and Fakhir exchange uncertain looks, unsure of what to say in response to Sameena's sudden inquiry.

"What's happening here? Koi to batayega? Were you guys fighting?" Sameena questions, her concern evident in her tone.

Fakhir takes a breath, his frustration evident. "Nahi, Amma. Ainy is here to help me... to clean up things."

"Will you tell me what happened?" Sameena's gaze shifts to Fakhir, awaiting an explanation.

"I was...angry," Fakhir begins, his voice tinged with frustration. "Baba wants me in the office starting tomorrow."

"Fakhir, he wants you to prepare for your future. Understand your father, beta," Sameena urges, trying to reason with him.

"I can't do it now, Amma. I have school. I can't take one more responsibility," Fakhir expresses, feeling overwhelmed.

"Fakhir, we will talk about it in the morning. You must be tired. Get some sleep," Sameena decides, attempting to diffuse the tension for the night. She turns to Ainy, "Ainy, beta, clean the room before you leave for your room."

As Sameena leaves, Ainy stands there, a mix of concern and contemplation evident in her expression, her thoughts racing as she processes the situation and Sameena's instructions.

"Ainy, jake so jao. Jo bhi hai kal karenge," Fakhir urges, gently nudging her. Startled from her thoughts, she nods in acknowledgment and leaves the room with a heavy heart.

As she walks away, a wave of emotions floods Ainy. She realizes the uncanny resemblance between her situation and her mother's - constantly cleaning up after someone else's mess. It dawns on her that now, she's picking up after Fakhir, just as her mother had done for her father. The weight of exhaustion mirrors Fakhir's own weariness.

Feeling a mix of empathy for Fakhir and a pang of weariness from shouldering this responsibility, Ainy retreats to her room. The burden of cleaning up emotional and physical messes takes its toll, leaving her equally drained as Fakhir. As she settles in for the night, thoughts of finding a balance between supporting Fakhir and safeguarding her own well-being linger in her mind, creating a sense of inner turmoil.

As the morning sun filters through the curtains, Ainy stirs from her slumber to the sound of a gentle knock on her door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she opens the door to find Sameena, her mother-in-law, standing there.

"Are you still sleeping ?" Sameena asks.

Ainy, her voice still carrying traces of sleep, replies, "Yes, Bari Ammi. Is there something I can help with?"

"Indeed, Ainy. You're a married woman now, dear. With that comes new responsibilities," Sameena gently explains.

"Oh, okay," Ainy responds, trying to comprehend the changes that have come with her nikkah.

"Would you mind ironing Fakhir's uniform and polishing his shoes? It's a part of your role now," Sameena says.

Ainy nods, her mind grappling with the sudden shift in expectations. The weight of her new duties feels overwhelming as she tries to navigate this uncharted territory of married life.

Ainy enters Fakhir's room, finding it still in disarray from the night before, with scattered glass pieces catching her attention.

"What are you up to, Ainy?" Fakhir stirs, half awake.

"Bari ammi asked me to tidy up your room," she explains, beginning to collect the glass.

"Don't worry about those shards, you might hurt yourself," Fakhir advises.

"But I need to get this mess sorted," Ainy insists.

"Alright then, let me give you a hand," Fakhir offers.

As they finish cleaning, Ainy smiles, feeling grateful for Fakhir's support. Fakhir notices her flushed cheeks and sweaty face, prompting him to reach out and gently wipe her forehead. Ainy's breath catches in her throat as Fakhir's touch lingers, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead and trailing down to her cheek. Just as Fakhir's hand lingers on Ainy's cheek, the door swings open, startling them both. Fakhir's hand freezes in place, and Ainy's eyes widen in surprise as they both turn to see who has entered the room.

Sameena's narrowed gaze falls upon Fakhir and Ainy, causing Fakhir to retract his hand swiftly to his side. Sensing the tension, both Fakhir and Ainy instinctively move away from each other, trying to diffuse the awkwardness of the moment.

"Kya ho raha hai yaha?" Sameena inquires, folding her arms across her chest. Ainy and Fakhir exchange glances, a hint of unease in their eyes.

"Kuch... kuch nahi," Fakhir responds, nervously biting his lip. Ainy attempts to smile at her mother-in-law but fails miserably.

"Bache ho tum dono. Vo yaad rakho," Sameena admonishes angrily.

"Bari Ammi, I came to clean his room. He was helping me," Ainy explains.

"Ho gaya?"

"J...ji."

"Fakhir ka uniform iron kiya?" Sameena inquires.

"Nahi," Ainy responds.

"Kab karogi, Ainy? It is your responsibility to take care of your husband."

"Abhi... abhi karti hun," Ainy says, moving towards the wardrobe to fetch Fakhir's uniform. She bites her lip, struggling to hold back tears, unable to fully comprehend Sameena's sudden change in behavior. Fakhir walks over to her and takes his uniform gently.

"Rahne do, Ammi. Aamina kar degi," Fakhir insists.

"Tum Aamina se nahi Ainy se kiya hai shadi," Sameena interjects, taking the uniform from Fakhir and handing it back to Ainy.

"Maa..." Fakhir starts, but Sameena cuts him off.

"Fakhir, nikkah hua iska ye matlab nahi ki tum apni maa se aisi baatein kare," she scolds.

"Fakhir, koi baat nahi main apne kapdon ke sath tumhara bhi kar dungi na."Fakhir's heart sinks as Ainy offers to take care of his uniform herself.

With a heavy heart, Ainy leaves the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Kya hua, Ainy?" Aisha, her mother, notices her daughter's distress.

"Ammi, meri maaika ek hi din me sasural ban gayi hai," Ainy responds, her voice trembling with emotion.

Aisha embraces Ainy, comforting her as she tries to contain her emotions. "Beta, sab theek ho jayega. Yeh sab adjustments hote hain nikkah mein."

"Adjustment sirf main hi karun?" Ainy's question shuts Aisha up. She realises that Ainy isn't she.

Aisha strokes Ainy's hair soothingly. "Main hoon na tumhare saath. Aur, Fakhir bhi tumhara saath dega. Waqt ke sath sab thik ho jayeg."

"I don't believe in that, Ammi. Waqt ke sath kuch badalna tha to abba kab badal chuke hote." Ainy walks away leaving her mother question herself.

Fakhir still leaves things scattered in his room, expecting someone to clean up after him. Ainy, feeling obliged to take care of things for him as Sameena says, finds herself constantly cleaning up after Fakhir while struggling to concentrate on her exams. She comes to the realization that she needs to talk to him about this recurring issue.

"Come in," Fakhir calls out.

Entering the room with a tray of tea and snacks, Ainy gazes around at the scattered items, feeling the weight of her frustration.

"Can we talk?" she asks tentatively, placing the tray on the bedside table.

Fakhir senses the seriousness in her voice and puts his phone aside, giving her his full attention.

Listening attentively, Fakhir hears Ainy express her concerns. She continues, "Fakhir, I can't manage your things along with my studies, especially now. When Badi Ammi and Ammi got married, they didn't have to balance studies. It wasn't as challenging for them to handle household responsibilities."

Understanding her perspective, Fakhir nods. "I see where you're coming from, Ainy. I didn't realize how much it was affecting you. I'll take care of my things for now. Your studies are a priority."

Ainy exhales a sigh of relief, grateful for Fakhir's understanding. "Thank you, Fakhir. I appreciate it. Once I complete my studies, I'll take on more responsibilities."

Fakhir smiles reassuringly. "Take your time, Ainy. I'm here to support you every step of the way."

While Ainy appreciates Fakhir's words, she wonders if his actions will align with his promises this time. Ainy hopes that Fakhir truly understands the significance of the situation and will actively participate in shouldering their responsibilities together, allowing her to focus on her studies without added stress.

Sameena observes that Ainy isn't taking care of Fakhir's chores, which adds to her growing concern. Despite Ainy's focus on her studies and assistance to Aisha with household tasks, Fakhir continues to rely on Sameena for his chores. This imbalance weighs heavily on Sameena's mind as she witnesses Ainy's dedication to her education being overshadowed by Fakhir's reliance on others to fulfill his responsibilities.

Sameena decides it's time to address her concerns with Aisha. Sameena knocks gently on Aisha's door before entering the room. Inside, she finds Aisha attempting to oil Faiza's hair, though Faiza seems resistant to the idea.

"Ammi, don't do it," Faiza whines, shooting a pleading glance at her mother.

"Bhabhi, you're better at convincing her. Look at her hair, it's as tangled as a scrubber," Aisha complains, urging her sister-in-law to intervene.

"Let Aisha give it a try, Faiza," Sameena says with a reassuring smile, taking a step back to let her niece take charge.

Reluctantly, Faiza acquiesces, hoping Aisha's skills can tame her unruly hair.

"Do you need something, bhabhi?" Aisha asks, pausing in her task of untangling Faiza's hair.

"No, just... what should I say, Aisha? Ainy is intelligent, yet she forgets our traditions," Sameena laments with a sigh.

"What happened, bhabhi? Did Ainy do something wrong?" Aisha inquires, concerned.

"Oh, no," Sameena waves her hand dismissively, chuckling. "It's just that she's neglecting her responsibilities, as I've taught her. She's not taking care of Fakhir."

"Bhabhi, she's in the middle of exams. She's busy with her studies. I'll take care of Fakhir's things. Don't worry," Aisha reassures her.

"Aisha, it's not just about doing chores. It's about nurturing their relationship. If Ainy continues like this, Fakhir won't be happy with her. I don't want them to have an unhappy life," Sameena explains earnestly.

"Bhabhi, it was Fakhir himself who asked Ainy to focus on her studies, and bhabhi they are just kids. Jaane do na," Aisha reminds her, trying to ease Sameena's concerns.

"Hum bhi the, Aisha. Look at us. No matter what we did for our husbands and their parents, we're still considered good for nothing," Sameena reflects, a hint of sadness in her voice.

Aisha's remains silent. She doesn't want her daughter to experience the same hardships she endured, but destiny seems to have brought Ainy to a situation mirroring her own.