Rahim stammered funny as his father told, “Sorry Rahim, it happened so fast, I couldn’t even mention about her. I know this is so sudden and unexpected to you and I’m really sorry for not intimating you either. Actually I met her at ‘Hotel Sandhyatara’ just few days ago and we hit it off immediately…. and both being widowed, we found a natural bond.”
After that brief introduction, Rahamat did the most talking….. asking his son about his plans for the week while he mumbled his responses…… quickly inhaling his curry. And when Probhaboti added her own or asked him a question, he would either give her a very curt response or not really say anything at all. Finally, as he was about to drink water from a glass, Rahamat clanged his fork against the side of his glass to get his attention.
“OK… OK, enough of the awkwardness,” He said. “Just a minute while I say a few words.”
His son put down his glass and looked at his stepmother, and then back at his father. “I just wanted to ask you to give your new mother a warm welcome into our home. I know all of this has happened very sudden and you will need some time to get to know each other, but it is a situation which you will learn to accept. From now she is your new mother and you will treat and respect her as such.”
“No…. she isn’t my mother,” Rahim blurted.
“Rahim!” His father scolded him angrily. “What did I just say? Be polite. Although she isn’t belongs to our caste like your wife, she is a wonderful woman….. I’m sure you’ll found that soon. But I must agree, like you, I still couldn’t forget the sweet memories of your deceased mother. Anyway, your mother is gone and that’s just life.”
“Yes Abba, I couldn’t replace her still now for anyone,” Rahim replied meekly….. still lowering his head as a small drop of tear appeared in his eye….. reminiscing his mother’s heavenly face. Probhaboti also noticed that and feeling his emotion, she rose from her seat and wiped out his tears with her Dupatta like his real mother.
“No doubt, there wouldn’t be a substitute of your real mother…. but we have to deal with that pain and move on. Now Probha is a new chapter in all of our lives. I assure you she won’t try to replace your real mother but you better understand the recent developments”. He was pleased by his wife’s behavior to his son.
After a pause…. and with a profound tone, he continued, “So from now on, she is your mother and you listen to what she tells you, or you will suffer the consequences. Is that understood?”
Although Rahim lowered his head, he just rolled his eyes. Probhaboti felt at that moment that if she didn’t say anything, she would be treated simply like Rahamat’s wife and not Rahim’s mother.
“Listen Beta,” Probhaboti said….. in the warmest tone she could voice while shuffling his hairs affectionately, “I know I am the stranger here and it is my job to get to know all of you and see how things work around here. So please be patient with me while I do my best to get to know you personally. I know you already are a big married person and don’t want a outsider to tell you what to do. So I hope I can be there simply to support you and your wife both in whatever you need and please don’t hesitate to tell me if I am doing something wrong.”