I struggled to establish a rhythm of cooking and eating. I felt compelled to cook fresh food three times a day, just as my mother did, but this exhausted me. Likewise, I also had to learn how to cook from scratch.

Growing up, I don’t remember a lot of love being showered, but a series of rules being preached — don’t talk too much or too loudly, don’t laugh out hard! My grandmother was strict!

MIL DIL relationships - maybe sometimes some relationships don't work out in spite of us giving it our best. Maybe it's not meant to be. But why?

“Bhabhi worked before marriage, Ma. You insisted on her leaving her job. I’m not like you, I can’t think like you. That reminds me, Karthik seems to be free now, it’s his turn to mop the floor today. Bye."

The constant friction of our bodies and mind produced the heat that the two melted at once, flowed off our bodies; white and fragrant. A wave of laughter with a hug, my eyes sparkled.