Her Second-Hand Husband! novel Chapter 38

Anika’s PoV

I dared not to look up at anyone as I am the new one here and my husband himself thinks that I am not a polite girl. So the chances are, everyone here must think the same. I don't know if she had already told her lies to Aunty or she has yet to tell.

“Anika, you sit too. Savithri will serve for all of us.” Aunty told me. I dragged the chair as silently as I could and sat on it.

“If you are free after breakfast, I can give you a tour of our home, Anika. Feel free to ask for anything from me or any of us. It is your home.” She added.

“Sure, Aunty.” I said.

“Uncle, I have to go to Goa for this month’s visit to our unit. I will leave tonight and will be back by wednesday.” Arjun’s Sister Priya’s husband said to Uncle.

“Ok, Maapillai. Safe travels.” Uncle replied.

“Arjun, Why don't you take off for another week and take your wife on a honeymoon?” Uncle asked Arjun.

“I will, pa. But the new ‘Tinite’ is ready for the launch. I have planned for the advertisement next week. I have to make sure all the retailers have it before the ad goes on TV. I will take a break after I pull this off.” Arjun said. I love his talks. He doesn't do it often but the little time he does, I love to hear his voice.

“Ok, I am really happy about your marriage, Arjun. I can see your smiles.” He said.

“Pa, I am just as usual. Don't be so dramatic.” Arjun dodged his dad’s comment. Aunty and Uncle had little smiles of content, Priya just stared at me, Rajesh tried to smile at me. Ok, Aunty and uncle are genuinely happy, Priya is not happy with me and Rajesh tries to fit in.

We all had breakfast and Arjun, Rajesh and Uncle left home. I didn't get alone time with him to bid him an intimate bye as he went just after breakfast with Uncle. I miss him already. But I have other important work here. I must get along with Aunty and Priya. I must find out why that servant maid lied to Arjun. I also must take a tour of this home. It is like a palace and I will for sure get lost if I am left at some place in this home.

“Aunty, is there anything I can help you with?” I asked her.

“Oh, nothing, dear. We have maids for everything. The only help you can do to me is keeping Arjun happy. That smile he had today was totally because of you. It was long lost, dear. Just make him happy and give us a grandkid to spend our old age with.” She said.

“I will keep him happy, Aunty.”

“Good, about Savithri, she is a very good lady, Anika. She was very hurt because you denied her help and talked rudely to her.” She said and I truly don't know how to defend myself against a servant maid. Aunty sounded a little worried and Arjun is not going to be happy if I make his mom sad. This is not good for me.

“I didn't start it, aunty. She was the one that behaved rudely to me. I will be careful next time.” I told her.

“She was rude to you? What did she do?” She asked me. Thank god, at least she asked me this.

“Her way of talking was so rude. She pushed the coffee jar towards me. She…” I stopped. When I said it out loud I felt like it was not a big deal. It all seems like bickering between two kids. Argh, I am a grown up and a married girl. I should be mature.

“Leave it, Aunty. I will see to it that this won't happen again.” I told her.

She walked with me showing the two floors and she stopped in front of a door and knocked on it.

“Priya.” she knocked louder.

“Priya can be a little short tempered at times. But she is a very nice girl if you get to know her.” Aunty told me.

I just nodded to her. I don't really know how to manage everyone here. I realize how hard it is for every girl in our country to get married and mingle with a new family all together. Priya opened the door and let us in.

“Hi Anni(way to call a brother’s wife/ husband’s sister)” I greeted her as I went into her room.

“Just call me, Priya. Come in.” She greeted me back in her own way.

“Oh, ok, Where is Tarun?” I asked her.

“He is playing in his nursery. It is summer break for him.” She said.

“Oh, is he playing alone?”

“No, he is playing with his nanny. Come, let's go see him.” She walked out and we followed behind her. We went into the room next door and I was awestruck again. It was painted blue and had almost all kinds of cars, trucks, robots, dinosaurs and godzilla. Tarun was a cute little boy. Once we got in, he jumped up and came to me.

“Aunty!” He jumped on me.

“Hi, Tarun. What are you doing? Shall I join you in your game?” I asked him, sitting down to meet his eye.

“Sure, Aunty. I was actually getting bored. Shall we go to the swimming pool?” He asked me.

“Awe, I don't know how to swim. Do you have floaties? I can look after you while you swim.” I told him.

“I have, I have!” He jumped up and ran to get them.

“Haha, looks like Tarun likes you. He will keep you company. Come to my room anytime you feel bored or need something.” Aunty told me and left.

“Shall I take him to the pool?” I asked Priya.

“Of course you can. Bring me when he starts to trouble you. Take care, Anika.” She talked very nicely to me. Well, strange but it felt good.

“I will. Bye Priya.” I told her and picked Tarun up to go to the pool on the third floor.

“Aunty, Arjun uncle doesn’t like anyone else using his pool. Besides, it is very deep. Let’s go to the pool in the backyard.” He said.

“Oh, Ok, then. I don't know where the pool is. Will you take me there?” I let him down.

“I will. Follow me.” He ran down the stairs and I followed him to the backyard. The House stands in the middle of a huge compound. The front side has a huge round lawn with a beautiful fountain in the middle. Both sides have many rose plants and hibiscus of different colors. We walked through the rose garden and reached the backyard of the house. The breeze and the sound of the waves crashing the shore is absolutely divine. The backyard has coconut trees and some fruit trees and five small cabins.

“That is where the nanny, Savithri, gardener, cook and driver stays with family.” Tarun said, pointing to the cabins.

“Oh, I see the swimming pool.” I told him as I saw the huge pool.

“Yay!” He ran towards the pool and I started walking faster to catch him but stopped in my tracks when I heard someone talking about me.

“Huh, she can never come close to Anamika madam.”

“Yeah, she is not even beautiful. She is too short and not a perfect match for our Arjun sir.”

“She is much poorer than us and some relatives said that she married Arjun sir for his money. Greedy Bitch.”

“Oh, that might be true. She is a rude bitch too. She said that she doesn't like me on my face. I told on her to Arjun sir and Yashodha madam.”

“Everyone in the home is going to miss Anamika more than ever because of this stupid girl.”

God, they seriously don't like me. They think I am not pretty enough to marry Arjun. I am not as good as Anamika? Huh, my mom had said the same thing many times growing up. That didn't hurt but this hurts. I am compared to another girl and was graded less than her.

“During Breakfast, madam and sir were happy about the happiness Arjun sir has got. But they don't know this girl’s true face. She is going to be Arjun sir’s misery.”

I heard them go on. I hate to have heard this conversation. I walked past their houses and reached the pool. Tarun was in it already and I sat down dipping my feet in the water. All my mind was stuck in the conversation of the maids. I have to excel Anamika to find my place in this house. The servant maids said that out loud but uncle, aunty, Priya and Arjun may not say it out loud but they will compare me to her. My heart felt tired of this thought. Being judged as compared to another girl for a whole life? I must be too good to take my place.

Thinking of it, I must know what Anamika was like to excel her. I cannot talk about her to Arjun, that would be awkward. I can ask aunty or priya. Priya is the best choice. After about an hour I picked Tarun up and went inside the home. Savithri was making lunch and I went in and asked her if Lunch was ready as Tarun was tired after all the playing in the water.

“I will bring it to the table.” she said to me.

I took Tarun to his room and got him ready after a bath in the freshwater. When we came down to the table, the food was already on the table. I took a bowl and spoon and made him sit on the chair. I made him eat by himself. I put a bib on him that catches the spilled food. I corrected him when he spilled too much.

“Wow, you made him eat by himself?” Priya came down.

“He is a good boy and a big boy. So he said he can eat by himself.” I told her.

His nanny came and took him for a nap after lunch and Priya and I went to her room.

“Wow, you paint?” I asked her unbelievably. Her room was filled with canvases and paints.

“Yeah I do. Do you like them?” She asked me excitedly. I know she is an easy girl when we know the right buttons to push on her.

“I love them. This one is so good. Are you planning to decorate your room with it? But you have many. Planning to make an art exhibition? You can even sell some.” I told her.

“You think it's that good? I have thought about it many times but have not gained the courage to take them out of this room.” She sat on the bed.

“I don't know anything about painting but I sure know you have some good ones here. Maybe you can post it on instagram and facebook and look for reviews.” I told her honestly.

“Awe, that’s a nice idea. I can try that for sure. Thank you, Anika.” She said.

“No issues. Anytime. Priya, do you mind if I ask you something?” I asked her.

“Of course not. Shoot.” She sat turning to me.

“May I know about Anamika?” I asked her.

“Anamika was a very nice girl. She was a charmer. Everyone in this home loved her. From the servant maids to my dad. She was very respectful and a quiet girl. Such a beautiful girl. Don't know what happened to her all of a sudden that she disappeared into thin air. She loved Tarun and took care of him more than I ever did. Tarun doesn't remember her at all but I think it is for the good.” She said.

“Oh, Was Arjun happy?” I asked her.

“Arjun was never an outgoing person to show his feelings out. He was always an introvert and you can never judge his mood looking at his appearance. To me he was his usual self in the term of their marriage which suggests that he was happy with her.”

“Oh, ok. How did he react to her disappearance?”

“He didn't talk much about it and we never talk about her in front of him as it infuriates him. You don't do it either.” She said, I know that much to not talk about his ex-wife.

“Thank you, Priya.” I told her and left for our room.

I started waiting for Arjun to come. I wish we would consummate our wedding tonight. Maybe that will make him think only about me. I forgot the date and when I felt uncomfortable in my tummy and back I knew that I had got my menstrual periods. Dang, wrong timing.