Shehla peeped through the kitchen window intermittently looking at her husband and his mother in a close conversation.
She stopped moving the spatula and stood motionless focussing, 'Perhaps I can catch a byte of their whisper, the lady is upto something' she thought as her mind spiralled into suspicion 'and she expects me to love her like my mother'
Her husband Wajid had been discussing his hardships at work with his mother and requesting her to pray for him. "Let's keep our voices low, let not Shehla get bothered with my tensions, she is already overwhelmed by the care that our new born child requires" he had cautioned at the start of their conversation.
Mother noticed from the corner of her eye that daughter in law had stopped stirring food, she could read her body language and make out that Shehla was trying to sneak into their conversation albeit from afar.'Look how she is trying to spy on us, do I not understand...How dare she!' thought mother 'and she expects me to love her like my daughter'.
"Assalamoalaikum baaji" the words broke into everything that was happening in the house at the moment."O! Come on in, Walekumassalam, Sarwat" said mother noticing the neighbour standing at her door.The sudden turn of events caused the spatula to re-stir food back in the kitchen and Wajid to stand up with a self inflicted smile.
"Heard that Wajid and Shehla have come, so came to meet them" said the elderly neighbour placing her hand on Wajid's head."Where is your daughter in law?" She enquired."Come Shehla, look who's here to meet you" called out mother."Assalamoalikum aunty" chirped Shehla landing right in front.The neighbour touched her chin gently, "Must say your daughter in law is so beautiful""She is not daughter in law but my daughter, isn't it my love?" said mother smiling at Shehla."Yes mother, I am fortunate to be that way in this house" she replied.
"What mutual love and trust" said the neighbour as both mother and Shehla grinned. ●●●