She, like millions of other Indian girls, prayed for a ‘beautiful family,’ post-marriage. Thankfully, she even got it, until one day…

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“I wasn’t a submissive girl, and yet, I didn’t know how my marriage made me into one. Initially, things were perfect. I felt like I was in a dream home. My husband was loving, my mother-in-law and father-in-law were the kindest and most beautiful people I ever knew. 

Let’s go four years back in time. My father didn’t want to marry me into an orthodox family, he was looking for well-educated people. His colleague’s extended family connected us to the Taks in Calcutta. I will be honest, my husband’s good looks immediately swept me over, and I said yes, instantly.  

Though, four years later, today, I’m regretting my decision of marrying into Arnab’s family…

My mother-in-law passed away a year ago, and somehow, everything changed. My husband slipped into depression and kept himself occupied with work. Since he was the only child and my father-in-law was a retired gazetted officer, I spent most of my time with my father-in-law. He didn’t have many friends and chose to stay home. One day, when my husband was at work, my father-in-law came up to me and said, “The food was delicious,” smiled at me and patted my back.

It should’ve felt normal, right? But, it didn’t. Something told me that I should have kept the distance from him. The more I thought about it, the weirder I felt.

At first, I thought that he just needed to find happiness again, but then he said something that shook me. “How come you’ve not had any children yet? See, now your mother-in-law is not amongst us, so you can share your bedroom problems with me.” And then, he smiled strangely. 

Something was wrong. I could feel it. He started avoiding conversations with me when Arnab was around. I started fearing conversations with him. Every single day I spent in the house with him, would pass by in horror.

One day, I lost it. As I was taking the clothes out of the washing machine, from the corner of my eye, I could see him staring at me. In the evening, he came up to me with a pile of clothes. 

“Beta, you work so hard. I’ve folded your clothes. By the way, you shouldn’t wear black underclothes like bras and underwears, also don’t mind, you should wear padded bras, they will add a shape to your breast.” He smiled strangely again.

I nodded my head and said, “Papa, don’t worry, I can fold all the clothes, you don’t have to do it.”

He came, sat next to me, kissed me on my cheek and said, “We are alone at home, the entire time. Tell me, what else should I do?”

I stared at the pile of clothes, with a neatly folded black bra sitting at the top of it. I decided against discussing it with Arnab. He was still in the trauma of his mother passing away, how could I tell him what his father was doing?

I struggle to spend every day with him, I cannot seem to find a solution. Should I say something to my father-in-law? What if I am misreading the signs? Please help me.“