Coming Home to My Step Mother

Rajnish was standing at the door. Eyes red with exasperation. His step mom was at the receiving end of his perpetual wrath. “Keep this trash tiffin box with you. Feed it to your friends. I can manage fine.”

“Take it child, you will remain hungry at school,” she pleaded despite the vexation. Rajnish was stubborn, he stormed out leaving behind the echo of his hatred and reverberation of the banged door.

Sonia, a twenty nine year old, tall confident woman stood helpless. She was feeding her one year old girl Priya who was also crying inconsolably. Ravi, her husband picked up the left lunch box and put it in his bag. He was leaving for his factory where he was the supervisor in the embroidery firm.

He was thirty five years old. “I am going dear, take care”. He then hugged Sonia and his little angel goodbye. They had tied the knot two years ago. Ravi had divorced his wife, Tapasya, an ill tempered woman and was scared to see the reflection of her hot headed disposition.......in his sons tone. Sonia who had been widowed at twenty six after less than an year of marriage had found a friend in Ravi while working in the same cloth firm “Indian Magic”. She was assigned the job of designing and framing colour combinations for the artisans. A talented and hardworking woman she was determined to keep her abode together despite many mental and financial struggles.

 Tapasya had left her two year old child as she was not keen to bundle her life with untoward responsibility. She was having an affair with a rich man and was happy dressing up and roaming with him. Rajnish was six years old then. Abandoned by his biological mother, resentment had built in him to the extent that he had come to despise women. He felt inferior to his friends and was often involved in groundless fights. Now only two friends endured him, Parth and Kevin. Parth was motherless and Kevin’s mother was posted abroad. He stayed with his grandparents.

Once Ravi brought Rajnish home from school early. He had been suspended for two weeks. His classmate flashed his new collection of pens that his mother had bought for him. Unable to control his bitterness, he had thrown the pens on the floor and pushed a pointed nib in his friend’s palm.” Enjoy the pinch of the pens, smarty”, said Rajnish sarcastically.

“Why is Priya covered with my sheet? And why is she wearing my old clothes?” Rajnish shouted when he saw his step sister. He was now three days into his suspension and his frustration level was growing higher.

“We do not have spare money to buy new ones. That is why she wears your altered clothes”, Ravi answered back.

“You both earned enough still you pretend there is shortage of money. I need to buy a new cycle and a cricket kit. It will cost Rs 6000. Give me the amount”,”Rajnish demanded.

To which Ravi replied, “Mr. Gupta needs help in his shop. He will pay you Rs. 500 per month pocket money if you help him for two hours, five days a week. Go and earn your cycle and  kit.”

“No don’t send him there”, Sonia intervened. I have saved money for Ravi’s cycle. We can buy his kit too.”

“Thank you very much, madam magnanimous. But no thanks. I would prefer to earn and stay out of your happy family time,” he sneered once again and went off to have a talk with Mr. Gupta.

Exasperated, Ravi looked Sonia into her eyes and remarked “When will the storm get over in my house? When will he come home?”

Sonia knew the job was gruelling but was not willing to give up. She had grown fond of Rajnish despite his tantrums. She never cried.

Ravi returned from the office that day, carrying with him vegetables and oil. Sonia prepared tea and began chopping cauliflower. Today she was also preparing chickpea lentils. Rajnish returned around eight with Parth and Kevin. Parth smelled the aroma of freshly cooked curry and inquired “Can I have some, Aunty?”

“Sure Parth, with some rice?”

“Yes, that would be wonderful!” Parth beamed.

“Me too!” Kevin joined not to be left behind.

 Rajnish glared helplesslessly at his two allies and grimaced as if they had deserted him in the middle of a battle, lured by his enemy’s incentive. They were unworthy of his friendship! Still both seemed oblivious to the context of his deadly expression.

“Rajnish you also have some!” Sonia called out, an invitation that he preferred to disregard.

“Your mom had very less left for herself,”Parth said shamefaced. “I peeked into the wok and saw.”

 “Oh, stop it. There must be something in the fridge for her. She will never give up on her feast without saving for herself.”Rajnish blasted, unable to digest the empathy .

To make ends meet, Sonia had taken up baking orders after Priya’s birth. Rajnish had been working at Mr Gupta’s shop and had already saved twelve hundred rupees. Today, was Monday and she had to deliver 130 patties and two pineapple cakes for a party at St Joseph school. She woke up at five in the morning, Priya was tied firmly to her back and she started working on her order.

“You people have enough money to party! Never thought of giving a cake to me for my friends. And by the way did you apply my powder and oil on Priya?”

Next time do not touch my things. I have bought it from my earnings. She has two parents to take care of her.” Rajnish as usual was acting as a masochist but Sonia refused to surrender to his victimised self.

“Here Rajnish, take your tiffin, halwa and poori ( puffed fried bread). Have some more from the kitchen before leaving”, she said fondly.

Priya held out her arms towards her brother which he choose to ignore, made a face at the little one and hastily picked up the lunch box. The halwa      

(sweetdish) was too tempting to resist!

The patties and cake were prepared by twelve noon. Ravi came home from the factory to deliver the order. It was hot, so Ravi felt refreshed after having a glass of lemonade, Sonia had made, even after roasting in the kitchen with a small baby tied to her back. He was filled with utmost respect for his wife and wished his son would reciprocate her silent sacrifices.

Rajnish was about to have his halwa in the break time, when his maths teacher passed by. In his eagerness to impress his favourite teacher, he ran after her and said “Ma’am please taste this, I’m sure you will like it”.

“ Hmmm..........Rajnish it’s really tasty. Tell your mom she is a brilliant cook”, his maths teacher complimented.

“ Yes, yes, ma’am. I sure will. “ He continued to boast further,” Today she has been asked to deliver cakes and patties at St. Joseph school ma’am.”

‘Really! perhaps she can prepare for us also. If you could get us a sample...we can order her, for our next party”.

Rajnish was immersed in his thoughts. He desperately wanted to impress his maths teacher. For once he could afford to be soft to his step mom. No! that would be too hard and mean. Surely she would not have kept even a small bite out of leftovers with little icing for him. I have to somehow convince her to give me atleast a small piece of cake and two patties.

As he reached home he kept on debating in his mind the conversation he would initiate.

He entered the house and his eyes searched the platform of the small kitchen. Was something left? He wondered.

“Rajnish, have your lunch. For the evening I have kept a small cake for you to enjoy with your friends and five patties. You can have a small party.”Sonia called from her bedroom where she was changing the nappy of her young one.

Rajnish did not move. He was still and tongue - tied. Was he hearing correct?

He slowly dragged his feet towards Sonia’s room, stood on the door and said, “Can I take it as sample to my school tomorrow? My teacher said that if they like it, they can give us an order for their next party.”

“ Of course son, it’s all yours. And by the way you go tomorrow on your new cycle.”

Rajnish left the room speechless, only to return back few seconds later,” Thank you and what about you and Dad. Have you tasted it?”

“ You eat, we eat, its one and the same thing”, Sonia replied with a smile. For the first time in a little more than two years Rajnish had actually shown concern for his parents. As she watched Ravi devour his food hungrily, she clasped her hands and bowed her head in front of Ramji’s idol. When Ravi heard what had transpired between his wife and his son, he too was happy and savoured the rare fleeting moment of his compassion.

The next day, Rajnish took the packed goodies to the staffroom during the break and was overjoyed to hear his teachers appreciate the cake and the patties. They asked him to bring his mother to school the next day so that an order could be placed.

The next day, an order of 200 patties and 4 cakes was given to Sonia and she would be paid Rs.7000 for the same. It would cost them Rs 4000 and rest would be saved. Rajnish for the first time went shopping with his father and offered his services. The order was to be delivered three days later and Sonia was in no mood to let down her son.

Though Rajnish assisted in the baking and peeling of potatoes, he still did not hold Priya or play with her. Priya had peed. They could not afford pampers as the saved money had been used up for his cycle. Sonia requested Rajnish to hold her for a moment till she could arrange her fresh nappies. He made a face and went out. “I cannot stand that smell. I am being agreeable and she is now taking more advantage,” he contemplated.

The big day came. The delivery was done on time and the food was thoroughly enjoyed. Rajnish was at the receiving end of praise for his step moms cooking. Praise, approval and acceptance that had not fallen on his ears......... ever at school.

A week later the doorbell rang. Rajnish was alone in the house. He opened the door and was taken aback by the visitor......... his biological mother. They stood glaring for a long time. “Why, have you come?”he said quietly.

“Come with me child , leave this house, forgive me,  I need you,” she cried.

“What for? You didn’t need me then, why do you need me now?”

He did not shout nor wail. He saw his father, step mom and Priya behind his crying mother. They had overheard.

He held out his hand towards his step mom and took Priya in his arms and patted her back softly. “Dad give your ex wife something to eat and drink and tell her I’m not going with her anywhere. Rajnish went inside the house, Sonia followed him in wonder. She said “Give her to me Rajnish, her nappy is soiled.”

Rajnish did not utter a word. He still held Priya tightly and went to his room, brought back his sibling along with a packet of pampers. He went back again to his room and came back with Johnson's powder and lotion, gently placed his sister on the  bed and changed her nappy.

“ I will buy the best for my sister”, Rajnish smiled lovingly at her.

Sonia knew her son had returned home and for the first time since her marriage her eyes were moist.