THE RECIPE

Ashok removes his muddy shoes on the floor and throws it away and falls onto the sofa feeling exhausted. He closes his eyes to feel the fresh air coming through the broken window, when his sense of relaxation is interrupted by a smell coming from the kitchen. the smell wakes him up and carries him towards the kitchen. He sees his mom Durga is frying something in the pan.

He walks in and hugs her from behind, giving her a kiss on her cheek.

Durga, ” You smell like shit”.

Ashok, ” does it?”

He steps back from her and sniffs his dress.his face changes.

Ashok, ” Maybe it is not me Mom but from the dish you are preparing”.

Durga laughs and hugs him hard and bites him on his cheek..he cries out loud and pushes her away..

Ashok, ” You really have sharp teeth”

Durga smiles, showing off her teeths..

Ashok, ” Maybe we should try this at dad.. let's see what he does..”

Durga's face changes..she returns back frying the dish..

Durga” freshen up soon”

Ashok, ”where is kalki?”

he looks around..

Ashok, ”she would be at your feet like a dog, if she smells the dish..”.

Durga”she is not well..”.

Ashok”maybe the drama queen wants to  bunk her exams”

Durga, ”just dont wake her up”

Ashok, ”anyway, what dish is this?.I have never seen you making this??”

Durga, ”it is your grandmother's recipe”

Ashok, ”why all of a sudden you are making her dish..you never spoke about her to us. to what you have gone through, why now?..Is everything alright mom?”

Durga nods her head and drags him to the bathroom pushing him in and throwing the towel in his face and shuts the door

Durga, ” The recipe tastes good when hot..be fast..”

She walks towards the kitchen looking around the pictures of the family happily posing around..all the happy memories flood in as she walks..their old black and white wedding photo..her son's first prize in swimming..daughters speech in delhi..their 25th-anniversary trip to goa, from when everything starts to change...

Durga takes the dish in a spoon to taste for salt, when it falls in her mouth she has been taken back to her past.

at the time when Durga's mom was preparing the same she opens up her love towards her friend who is now her husband.her mom doesn't tell her anything but smiles and pads on her shoulder, Durga"mom, you should tell dad and convince him", her mom walks to the kitchen, brings her the dish, serves it and looks at her daughter eating and says"I will take care of everything", after few hands to the mouth Durga starts to feel dizzy then she understands something was wrong, she pushes away the dish and runs outside, takes her cycle rides to his lovers shop and blacks out.she wakes up in a moving vehicle with bandages in the hands.

Ashok walks towards the dining table smelling the aroma of the dish..he sees that the table is arranged with only two plates in the table..mom serves him the dish and sits opposite to him.

Durga puts the dish on his plate, mixes it with rice and feeds him..

Ashok, ”wow mom..it really tastes good..but why is there a taste of bitterness?”

Durga, ”that is what makes it special..”

Ashok finds a multiple cut scar in her mom's hand..then he notices her eyes are bulged up turning red..

Ashok, ”mom..where is dad?”

Durga, ”it tastes good with chapathi..”

Ashok, ”where is he??”

Durga stays silent..

Ashok, ”do you take your medications properly?”

Durga, ”yes”

Ashok, ”why don't we visit the clinic after food?”

Durga, ”he is gone”

Ashok, ”what?..gone where?”

Durga, ”he left us”

Ashok, ”Where did he go?”

he gets up from the chair.picks up his phone and calls his dad's number..its not reachable..

Ashok, ”shit..why is he not picking up?”

Durga, ”he is long gone now”

Ashok, ”he must be in a meeting somewhere..”

Durga, ”he has a new family now”.

Ashok, ” just stop it mom..you are lying mom..is it some kind of prank?”

Ashok sits back in the chair..

Durga, ”it's been happening for four years”

Ashok”but why..what did we do wrong.

Durga, ” I don't know.”

Ashok, ” does kalki know?”

Durga, ”not yet..”

Ashok, ”i don't think she can handle it in her mental state..we should bring dad back home mom..”

Durga, ”When we got married it was just us with no family and friends to support..we were totally alone..but we were there for each other..that is how it all began.the house..you..kalki..”

Ashok, ” How can you be so calm mom..”

Durga, ” I carried this burden for three years..and now I am free”

Ashok, ” Don't you get angry at him?”

Durga, ”his love towards me was true and so does mine..”

Ashok wipes his tears flooding from his eyes..but Durga remains calm..

Durga, ”everything repeats again..except I have which he doesn't have..my kids..”

Ashok”maybe I can convince him”

Durga, ” bitterness in this food  makes it more healthy than any other food..such as in life bitterness makes us strong..”

She wipes his tears with her saree and kisses him on his forehead.

Durga, ” We can start again..fix the broken pieces”