I came to check on you !

This dates back to 18 years. somewhere in the year 2000.

They were newly married staying in a joint family.

Both were in the same office. And despite of being in the same office their marriage was a thorough arranged one, the probable reason they did not know each other was - 

because it was a big company.. and they were 2 floors apart.

The another very important fact was - they came from home to work, did their work sincerely and then again headed back home.

She often saw her friends hanging out after work, but she knew she had to help her mother with little housework, and not because it was mandatory but because she knew her mother was tired at the end of the day.

Being the eldest son in the family, He knew his parents would be waiting for him to come home and run some errands.. and hence he finished his work and used to leave for home immediately.

Yes there still might be some such species left!

Thanks to some good common family friend, they got married.

She had father-in-law, mother-in-law, 2 brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law who was the youngest and the most pampered child of the household.

(Daughters are almost always pampered, isn't it?)

Initially all was good. She never quite understood - how much work exactly a 'Bahu' should be doing? Still since she knew she was the eldest and it was her duty she kept doing everything, that was assigned to her.

(The funda of feminism and boys should also share house chores, was not that evolved during that time!)

After she finished all the housework, they both used to leave for office together.

One day 

She had some work and had to leave early, and both of them left together.

Before leaving she had finished doing the basic chores - arranging the clothes, dusting, cooking - except for Rotis packing the tiffin for rest of the family members.

When both of them reached the office, they started with their work.

Since they had reached 2 hours early that day

they both went downstairs for a tea-break..

In their 3 months of marriage, this was the first time they had come together in the office tea-zone - to enjoy the office tea break, which usually happened at both of their office tables.. 

they were so happy that instead of spoiling the moment with words, they just had an ear-to-ear smile on their faces.. It was a super happy moment for both of them...

but before they could absorb it properly..

they had someone from the security who came and informed them...

"Sir - aapki sister aayi hain, unko aapse kuch kaam hai"

Both of them asked her to be sent to their tea-zone, so that they could share a nice cup of tea/coffee with her too!

They got up to welcome her but before both of them could utter something

She started speaking in a very soft yet stern tone

"Accha - Bhabhi ghar se aadha kaam karke nikli hain office mein kaam hai yeh bolke - aur aap dono yaha canteen mein time pass kar rahe ho, accha hua I CAME TO CHECK ON YOU before leaving for my college. 

Mummy was right, we need to tell Bhabhi's mother, that she has started making excuses of office work, so that she leaves early and Mummy has to finish the remaining work, and if she continues like this, she might have to discontinue her office"

Saying this .. she left.

Both of them were stunned...

What could they say.

The wife was almost in tears, but then she gathered herself up and went to her table.

The husband knew he was not in a position to say anything, he kept quiet.

They made sure that they reached home early, 

and then as usual she started doing her household work, finished it late at night and came to sleep. It was hard for her to keep her calm infront of her agitated mother-in-law and sister-in-law, but she managed to keep quiet.. her mother always told her 

"When you cant think of something, keep quiet, that always is the best solution"

That night was a very quiet one.

She did know what to think, react, act and finally discuss with her husband.

He did not know - "What led to my mother and my sister think on such a note"

A female narrated this incident to me on a tea-gupshup.

This made me think

Are daughters-in-law the bonded labor that you get with your son's marriage?

Is this what we teach our daughters, who become daughters-in-law?

Is arranged marriage a sort of unspoken contract that the female is not supposed to raise any voice especially when it comes to leaving her work and being the whole and sole entity responsible for housework, despite of there being other females in the household, but who have the title of "IN-LAW"

And whats the big-deal if a newly married couple tries to spend a few moments together, away from everyone else!?

aah the Indian society!