And Then She laughed

Radha was smiling.

Something that now rarely happened.

She was in the kitchen, making dinner for everyone; her husband Sudeep, her in-laws and her five-year-old son Abhi.

She too wanted to go shopping with them. She needed a new sweater.

“We will bring one for you,” Sudeep told her. “Besides, it would be late for dinner if we take you too.”

It’s been a long time since she bought something for herself. She didn’t mind it though.

Besides, Sudeep was right in reminding her of dinner. It is a lot of work.

Sudeep would eat deep-fried ladyfinger with ‘Parathas’ and ‘Boondi Raita’.

Her father-in-law doesn’t like ladyfinger, and had demanded ‘Dum-Aloo’ with ‘Butter Chapattis’.

Mother-in-law had extended her desire to eat ‘Onion Pakodas’. “It’s been a long time I ate something good,” she claimed, “Bahu doesn’t make anything special ever.”

“I will also eat ‘Pakodas’, Mumma!’ Abhi shouted from the hall, feeling all pumped up to go out.”

“No, you won’t!” Radha denied his wish in a monotone. “You will eat only Chapattis and vegetables.”

“DON’T YOU SHOUT AT HIM! RADHA,” blind love of a grandfather exploded over her, ready to swallow her whole. “He will eat WHATEVER HE WANTS!”

And like a defeated soldier Radha surrendered.

She didn’t say a word back. She was afraid of his anger. In fact, for these past years, she has been afraid of everyone.

Radha was all alone in the kitchen. Juggling between different chores, running from one end of the kitchen to another, from one burner stove to another, from ladyfinger to ‘Boondi-Raita’ to ‘Dum-Aloo’, from ‘Parathas’ to ‘Chapattis’ to ‘Pakodas’.

If anyone could see her at that time, they would think that Radha is possessed by some demon or a spirit with infinite potential, for a normal human being is not capable of working like that. But there was no one to see her. And no one really cared.

“We will bring one to you.” Sudeep’s words echoed in her mind.

Though she had no time to waste, a part of her mind was already knitting her sweater, “A light grey woolen sweater with white horizontal stripes and big round white buttons, or maybe a black one with high neck and side pockets. She even fancied the idea of two things for a while - one sweater and one jacket. A classy fit brown leather jacket she always wanted to have.”

She didn’t want to grow too much expectation. ‘Expectations always hurt!’ she had learned that a long time ago.

Even with all the work of the devil and her plight, Radha couldn’t stop herself from smiling every other minute. She was happy for some reason. And every other second she would think to herself, ‘I can’t wait for tomorrow morning. I can’t wait for the trip to begin.’

Her husband had planned a week-long trip to various destinations somewhere down south. Only three of them- Sudeep, Radha, and Abhi.

It has been a long time in the house. And she knew that she needed a break from all this madness. Sudeep’s parents somehow had agreed reluctantly to let them go alone. And ever since the plan finalized, Radha was on edges.

“Next morning comes, and I will be far away from home!” a surge of happiness running wild through her veins.

Dinner was ready.

Since no one was home, Radha went to her room for some time to catch her breath.

Radha stood in front of the mirror. A young woman of 33 looked at her through the other side. She was beautiful. But she looked pale now. There were dark circles beneath her eyes. Hairs all messed up and grown thin. She didn’t find much time for herself now.

Like a button, she pushed her nose with a finger. Her tongue popped out of her mouth. And she made a mocking face at the lady on the other side of the mirror.

The lady from the other side winked at Radha, passed a smile to her followed by a flying kiss and a simple question- “You look happy today. Do you?”

Radha smiled back at her and pushed her backward. Together both of them fell on their backs straight onto their beds. “You think so?” she replied back with another question. And for the moment she closed her eyes.

TING-TONGG-TINGG-TONNGG-TINGG-TONGG-TING-TONG-TING-TONG-TING-TIN-TINGG-TONGG….

‘COMING!’ shouted Radha waking up from her reverie, trying to get hold of her senses. ‘It must’ve been a long time,’ she thought. And as she raced out of her room to the hall, her eyes fell on the clock. It was 11:25 already. She had been sleeping for nearly an hour.

“What took you so long?” Sudeep seemed frustrated.

“Must have been sleeping already” taunted her mother from behind.

Radha wasn’t interested.

She noticed those shiny shopping bags in everyone’s hands. Then she looked at their faces to notice something. And then she gave up her hope for a sweater.

“Expectations always hurt!” words echoed in her mind.

“I’ll bring the dinner,” Radha said almost inaudibly as she turned around to move to the kitchen.

“Don’t bother,” retorted Sudeep, “We have already eaten outside.”

“Buttt…. I have already cooked everything,” Radha almost broke down. It was like a slap on her face.

“Sorry, we forgot to tell you,” Sudeep replied. That’s all he said.

Everyone went to their rooms with their shiny bags, leaving her alone in the hall. Nobody bothered to ask whether she had taken her dinner or not. But then nobody bothered to ask her for anything at all these days.

“Sorry, we forgot to tell you… Sorry, we forgot to….” words played again and again in her head.

By the time Radha had her dinner and went to her room, Sudeep and Abhi were already asleep. Three shopping bags were lying on her side of the bed. She picked them up and dropped them on the side table without looking inside them.

She felt like crying but was too tired. And she wanted to fall asleep now. “Tomorrow is going to be exciting. And I am going to have all the fun on the trip.” Sleep finally overtook while her mind knitted happy dreams for her.

The next day came.

Radha had already prepared breakfast. Everyone joined at the dining table.

Radha was a skeptic. Everybody was dressed in their new shiny outfits. Including her in-laws. They seemed rather happy for a morning breakfast.

Noticing Radha’s face Sudeep decided to wipe out her confusion, “Maa Papa is also coming with us on our trip.” Everybody laughed for some reason.

Radha didn’t get the joke.

Sudeep continued, “They had asked me to keep this news secret from you.” There was a strange kind of excitement in his voice, a kind of satisfaction. “They wanted to give you a surprise, Radha!”

“Yaaay! Daaduu!” Abhi’s face too was exploding with joy.

Radha couldn’t understand all the excitement. She didn’t get the joke. And she was getting really annoyed with all the laughter and excitement.

Then it hit her. She finally understood.

The joke was on her. The joke was on her…

A sneaky laugh escaped her lips. She noticed it.

‘It sounds funny,’ she thought to herself.

And before she knew it, she was bursting out with laughter.

“HAHAHAHAH...HAAAHHHAAAAHAAAHAAA….HAHAHAAHHAAAHHAAHHAAHHAA…UHHHAAAHHEEEHHAAAHHHAAAAHHAAA…” and on and on it went until there was silence all around.

“That’s wonderful!” she tried to collect her words. “A family trip! WAAOOO! So very lovely!!”

“I think I will stay at home.” It was a flat declaration in a monotone. She wasn’t laughing anymore. And nor could anybody else.

“I think I will stay at home,” she repeated. She wasn’t asking for anybody’s permission. She had made her decision.

Nobody could dare argue with her. For the first time, nobody could say anything at all.

Everyone boarded into the car and waved their hands to her from the partially opened windows.

Radha waved back and passed a smile to them.

“Enjoy everyone!” she pronounced and turned around to go back in through the front door, passing through the hall, and straight into her bedroom.

Her eyes fell on her all packed travel bag.

She felt like laughing again.

And that she did.

She finally understood the joke.

The joke was on her.