Page 95 of Twisted Alliance

“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

Ishani smiled. “I can set up the rest of the books too.”

Malathi smiled, seeing the excitement in Ishani’s eyes. Over the past few days, Ishani spent a lot of time in the library setting up the books she had purchased from the underground library.

“All right,” said Malathi. “Do call the staff if you need help.”

“I will, Malathi. Thank you!” She leaned and kissed Malathi on the cheek

Malathi smiled, squeezing Ishani’s hand before leaving the library. Malathi and the rest of the staff must wonder why there was a constant smile on Ishani’s face.

Ishani couldn’t help the smile as she was floating in happiness. Wiping the sweat dripping off her forehead, she decided to take a short break to make her regular morning phone call.

The phone rang, and it was answered by her mother’s nurse.

“Hi Kamala. Is Ma awake?”

“Yes, madam. She is in the garden. I’ll call her right away.”

Ishani’s smile widened as her happiness grew. In recent weeks, her mother was not only getting much better in health, she was also doing things that used to terrify her before.

After a ten-minute wait, her mother came on the phone.

“Ishani?”

“I’m so happy, Ma that you are spending time in the garden.”

Her mother laughed. “Yes, me too. I was having the marigold flower bed worked on. After you left, no one took care of them properly.”

Ishani smiled. The marigold flowers were her mother’s favorite. Ishani always ensured several flower beds were around the garden, especially where her mother’s bedroom window overlooked the flowers. For years, her mother didn’t open the bedroom curtains to look at the view outside, but now, she was not only looking, she was actively enjoying working in it.

“Your father’s first gift to me was the marigold flowers. During our marriage, he would put a marigold in my hair each morning.”

Ishani knew it already, but she loved hearing it again and again.

“Papa loved you, Ma.”

“Yes, my child. He loved me and you too.” There was no sadness in her mother’s voice.

Ishani was glad.

“By the way,” her mother said. “I’ve instructed the kitchen staff to keep things ready. I will be making a big batch of sweets. Your favorite, Mawa Kachori and also Ghewar sweet, since your husband enjoyed them during your visit.”

“Oh, don’t strain yourself, Ma.”

“It’s not a strain at all. I should have sent the sweets earlier. But it’s not too late.”

Ishani smiled, knowing her mother would enjoy making them. During childhood, Ishani often joined her mother in making big batches of sweets to distribute to clan members.

“When will you come to visit me, Ma?” Ishani had been asking her mother to visit her for a while. But she hadn’t pushed much before, knowing the journey might tire her mother. Now that her mother was feeling better, Ishani longed to see and hug her.

“A mother shouldn’t visit her daughter. It is the daughter who has to visit her childhood home with her husband.”

Ishani laughed. “Yes, I know that’s the Gujjar and Singoor tradition, Ma. And Papa took you to visit your parents each year. But we don’t have to wait a year to see each other. The Thakvar family will always welcome you here, Ma.”

Ishani knew her father-in-law would welcome her mother. And even Shivay would not mind.

“I know that, my child. I’m so happy you married into such a family. Mihir Thakvar was a good friend of your father’s. Ishwar always had good things to say about him.”

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