Ignorance
After marriage it was first time Neha was going visit her in-laws.She was very excited about it.Her marriage was love marriage and her in-laws were not happy about it.They wanted their son to marry in their caste.But finally everything turned out fine.Now Neha was very nervous about this first visit.She wanted it to be perfect.But it suddenly started raining on that morning.She wore sari to please her in-laws.The sari was damaged because of rain.The beauty of the sari was completely destroyed.There were patches of the mud many places.She wanted to go back and changed the sari.But after coming this distance turning back was stupid idea.Her husband,Saket also didn't encourage her for this visit.In fact he was against it.But her in-laws were staying same area.Even if the journey took few hours.Neha was not that busy.She wanted to improve her relationship.Saket told her that she should give his parents some time to accept her.But she didn't agree with him.She thought that she had to do some efforts to achieve it .When she reached there.Raining was started heavily.She entered in the building.When she entered the building ,rain was pouring out of clouds and there was thunder and lightening with it.She found it hard to locate the flat on board.Finally she found it.She entered the lift.Slowly she searched for flat.She was very upset when she started to get nervous.Finally she went to door.She prepared the artificial smile and about to ring the bell when she heard a loud sound of thunder and lightening.Then she suddenly heard a loud scream from inside.After hearing her nervousness was gone,she became pretty sure that some one was getting hurt inside.She had full intention of protecting that person.She started ringing that bell again and again.She got many images in her mind.In them she saw many worst things.She just couldn't guess what sort of crime might be happening inside.She literally started banging the door and calling everyone.At last her mother-in-law opened the door.Her mother-in-law was looking tired,upset everything expect a woman in danger."Why were you ringing bell like that?Don't you understand you are disturbing neighbours and creating a scene?""But mom some one screamed.""I know.It was your sister-in-law Prachi.She is afraid of lightening."Before Neha could asked any further questions,her mother-in-law went inside.Neha could feel that many people were looking at her.But she was convinced that it was because of scream.She followed her mother-in-law in hurry.As soon as she went inside.She noticed that her father-in-law was reading newspaper peacefully.He just looked at her and smiled.She felt that she must have overreacted on small thing.She wanted to impress her in-laws instead of that she created a scene on an imaginary scream and upset them.She thought that the scream might not be that loud.She was nervous that was the reason behind her overreacting.She thought that Saket was right.She should have waited for some days.Then suddenly there was a sound of lightening and thunder,then again she heard a loud scream from the bedroom.Her mother-in-law ran inside that bedroom.Neha slowly followed her.
When she entered inside;she didn't see Prachi anywhere.She thought that mom must had mistaken.She was about to say it loudly.But then she noticed a movement under the bed.Mom went near the bed and started going under it.Neha was confused.She just remained standing there.Mom"Come on Prachi come out.There is nothing to be scared off.""No.Mom I will not come out.First let it stop.""If it continued to rain like this whole day.Are you planning to hide like that for whole day?""Yes Mom.I am safe here."Prachi was hiding under the bed and she was not ready to come out.Neha just couldn't believe her eyes.She couldn't accept that Prachi was just scared of lightening.She was pretty sure her in-laws were hiding some thing from her.Then she thought the attacker might be inside and he was forcing them to pretend.She saw Prachi at time of marriage.Prachi was nice and simple girl.In fact Neha really liked Prachi.During the marriage Prachi was only person who happily smiled at her and didn't complaint about any of her behaviour because of Prachi mom had to adjust many times.Now after seeing Prachi like this she started feeling that some one might be hiding inside the room.She slowly started searching the whole room while mom was trying to convince her.Then suddenly curtain moved Neha was pretty sure some one was behind her.She just started to open it.When Prachi screamed loudly"Don't open it.I don't want to watch it with my eyes.Mom stop her."She was literally screaming on top of her lung.Neha had already moved the curtain no one was behind it.She was at least sure regarding it.But now her mother-in-law was angrily looking at her.Her mother-in-law"Why did you open it?""Sorry Mom I just thought some thing is behind it.""Oh!My God!!Don't you think that one mad person is enough for this family?Now I hope you are not planning to act like her."Neha was very upset after hearing this.She thought she should have listen to her husband.It would have saved her from this embarrassment.At that point suddenly her father-in-law entered in the room."Now please stop screaming on her.We don't want to upset our son.Do we?""Ya and our son no longer cared about us.He just care about his wife."Neha was more nervous after her mother-in-law started blaming her.She began to think that she might cry so she just ran out of room.But she could still hear argument between her in-laws.Her father-in-law"Why are you doing this?What are you going to achieve by this kind of behaviour?""What is this nonsense?first we saw our daughter turning mad.Then this woman took my son away from me.""Now she is our daughter-in-law and you have to accept it."After this Neha clearly heard sound of her mother-in-law's crying.Neha was very scared by this.She decided to leave the house immediately.She went out of the house.
After reaching on the road she started stopping vehicles.First she tried to stop the rickshaw.But when it didn't stop.She started to stop Taxi.But in that heavy rain no vehicle was ready to stop.She was started getting wet completely.At that moment her phone rang.Saket"Neha where are you?"Neha didn't know how did Saket react when he learn that she went to his parent's house.Neha just wanted to avoid that question.Neha"Why?What happened?""Don't you know that because of rain roads were blocked?Where are you?"After hearing this she couldn't avoid Saket's question.Neha"I am at your parent's house.""Why did you went there?Now you have to stay there for night.So enjoy your stay."After saying this Saket started laughing.Neha was relieved at least Saket was not angry with her.After all every dark cloud has silver lining.Then she heard noise of thunder and lightening.This time it really scared her.She didn't want to go back in that flat.But nature made it clear to her that there were no options.
When she went back argument had stopped.But Prachi's screaming had increased.Mom was literally pulling her out from the bed.But Prachi was not ready.This time Neha's father-in-law was also trying to help mom."Come on you can't stay there all night."Her father-in-law was talking very sweetly to Prachi.Mom also started talking sweetly like she was talking to a little girl."Mom will take care of you.All windows are closed."Slowly Prachi came out of the bed.Her hairs were scattered.Her body was shivering with each lightening.Prachi hugged mom.It was awkward for mom.Mom could even walk properly.Neha went ahead to help mom.But Prachi didn't let her come near her.Mom"Neha will you please bring her food from kitchen.""Sure."Neha went in to kitchen.But food was not ready there.Mom must have forgot to prepare it.Then mom screamed"Neha yesterday's food is inside the freeze.You have to heat it."Neha didn't like the idea of finishing yesterday's food.She thought that at least Prachi should eat fresh food.But she didn't want to argue with her mother-in-law.Still finally she asked"Mom shall I cook some vegetable?""As you wish.But just don't take too much time."Neha made one vegetable and curry in fast speed.Then she heated yesterday's lunch.When she brought all lunch on table.Her father-in-law was already sitting on table.When Neha served him food.He happily started eating it."You are a good cook."He said.His one sentence of appreciation was a big achievement to Neha.While serving her father-in-law she arranged food on the plate for Prachi.When she entered in the room.Prachi was crying while sleeping on her mother's laps.She was still shivering with fear.Neha took the plate near Prachi."Prachi eat your food.I made delicious curry and vegetables for you."Neha started giving the plate to Prachi .But Prachi didn't move.Finally Mom took the plate from Neha Mom slowly started giving her bite of the food.Prachi slowly began to eat the food.After lightening stopped Prachi relaxed little bit.Then mom told her to sleep.Mom gave her a pill.After taking the pill finally Prachi slept peacefully.When mom became completely sure that Prachi was in deep sleep.She gestured Neha to come out of room.They slowly went out of the room.
When they sat on the table for dinner;her father-in-law had already finished his dinner and went to sleep.This time mom didn't say anything.Just quietly she started eating food.Neha just didn't dare to ask her any question.Finally mom spoke"Sorry for all those things I said to you.I was upset because of Prachi.You saw it.How did she behaved?She acted like this in every monsoon.Whenever she heard lightening,she just started acting in strange way.You saw everything now tell me how do she survive in the life?If she behaved like this before people,all will think she is mad.People started avoiding her.She will be a loner.""But why don't you show her to doctor?"Now mom just kept quiet."Mom tell me don't you think I am part of family?"When mom looked at Neha there was tears in her eyes.Finally mom spoke"We took her to doctor told us to take her to mad people's doctor.""Mad people's doctor?!!You mean psychiatrist."Mom slowly nodded her head.Neha "Mom you are over reacting.Now a days many people go to psychiatrist.They are normal people's doctor.If we took Prachi there...""Papa is fully against it.""But you can't keep her like this for whole life.It will slowly effect her sanity.Mom you must convince Papa regarding this.""I will try."That day Neha slept in guest room.
When Neha was about to sleep.She heard loud and angry voices from her in-law's room.She wanted to go and interfere.But then she thought she should not talk between elders.For many hours argument continued.Finally her father-in-law went out of house in that heavy rain.Neha ran out of her room and went near her in-law's room.When she saw mom was sitting on the bed alone and crying,she entered in the room.Mom"He will never listen to me.Now he will phone to Saket and complaint against you.I didn't tell him anything.But he guessed."Neha was really scared.This thing would bound to upset Saket.After all Saket didn't want her to interfere in his family matter.But she was married to him now.She was part of his family and Saket had understand it.Suddenly her phone rang.It was Saket's phone."Neha what happened?Why do Papa is upset with you?"Neha told Saket everything."It's not fair.You can't let him spoil your sister's life.""Do mom agree with you?"Neha looked at mom.Then she asked her.Mom once again nodded her head.Neha"Yes.""Then we will manage without telling Papa.""How?""Don't worry.Just trust me.Just show him that you are totally agreed with him.""But?""No buts.Tell mom what I told you?She will understand."When Neha told mom,mom smiled.Neha"How is he going to manage it?""I will tell your Papa that Prachi is joining drawing class.Actually one of the drawing teacher is my best friend.She will lie for me.""But lying like this is wrong.""But he will never understand and I don't want my daughter to suffer."Neha was not happy about it.But she cooperated with them.When Papa came,they both apologized.
After some days they took her to psychiatrist.Psychiatrist"She is suffering from Specific Phobia.It means that whenever she see lightening.It gives her irrational fears.""Why did this happened?"'Her some bad memories must be related to lightening."Prachi"But I don't remember anything.""It was hard to point out such incidence.Any traumatic experience can do it like death,sickness,accident etc.They are not important to you now."Mom"But for curing her she has to remember it.Don't she?"Doctor laughed."This is not a film or television.She just have to obey my orders and you have to keep lot of patience.It will take some time."They all smiled happily after this promise.After treatment Prachi was slowly cured.One day when they all were eating dinner.Suddenly rain started with lightening and thunder.They all looked at Prachi.But she peacefully continued with her dinner.Then Papa laughed happily and said"Don't I told you.She would be okay when she will grown.Now she is fine.She never needed that stupid doctor."They all nodded their heads.But they all were secretly laughing on Papa's ignorance.
The End
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