BOND OF LOVE

At 5 pm, like every day, I left the office and headed home. There is a small market between the office and home, where there are several tea shops and some grocery stores.

I come here every day after work. Before I come, my father comes here and sits in a tea shop. I first meet my father, give him 100 taka to pay the tea shop bill, and then go to the grocery store. If there is anything I need to buy, I buy it.

Every day, I buy a big chocolate for my wife, mother, and only daughter Ridhi and return home. That's my daily routine.

Like any other day, on my way back from the office, I parked my motorcycle in the market, first went to a tea shop and gave 100 taka to my father, then headed towards the grocery store.

Then my father said, "Today, it won't be enough to buy a big pack of chocolates for three people. The house is hot today. If you want to cool down, then go home with three separate chocolates for three people." I took a deep breath and went to the grocery store without saying anything to my father.

I went to the shop and checked my wife Tanu's SMS on my phone. She sends me an SMS if she needs anything. No, I don't think she needs anything today. So I didn't send any SMS. I just bought three chocolates and left for home.

It took five minutes to reach the house by motorcycle. When I got home, I knocked on the main door for a while. But no one opened the door from inside. I forced myself to use the main door key I had, unlocked the door, and went inside. There were three sofas side by side in the drawing room.

Mother is sitting in one, Tanu [my wife] is sitting in the other. And my daughter Ridhi is sitting in the other. The other day, when I returned home, my wife quickly came to me, took the bag from my hand and said, "Come freshen up. I am preparing food." My girl ran over and took the chocolate from my hand and climbed into my lap. But no one was coming closer today. Everyone's faces were serious. I realized that the atmosphere in the house was a little too hot today.

I also quietly went to my mother first and placed a chocolate next to her. Then I went to my wife and placed a chocolate next to her. Then I went to my daughter and placed her chocolate. I went to my room and put my bag, changed my clothes, freshened up, and sat down to eat at the dining table.

Seeing me sitting at the dining table, My mother got up from the sofa and placed food in front of me. Seeing my mother placing food in front of me, Tanu[my wife] got up and took the bowl of curry from in front of me and said, "Wait a minute, I'm heating it up." I was waiting for my daughter to come up.

After a while, Tanu brought the hot curry and placed it in front of me, I focused on eating. After taking the food in my mouth, I saw my daughter getting up from the sofa and standing next to me. I lifted her up with my hand and sat her in front of me on the dining table.

She filled a glass of water for me and handed it to me. On one side, my mother is sitting, supervising the food, on the other side, my wife is standing. And in front, my daughter is sitting. No one is saying anything, everyone's face is serious.

I also quietly watched the three of them and having fun and wondered how serious they could be. Almost at the end of the meal, I took the glass of water from my daughter's hand, drank it, washed my hands, and sat down on the sofa.

My daughter to me and said- Dad, can I ask you a question? I said- Do it.

After a while of silence, she said- "Okay Dad! Among these three, me, grandma and mom, who do you love the most?" I am surprised to hear her question. What answer should I give to her question? Immediately, my eyes went to my mother and wife. Seeing that both of them were looking at me in such a way, I realized that both of them were interested in knowing the answer to this question. However, my mother and wife did not have the courage to ask this question, but the daughter dared to ask the question.

I kissed my daughter's forehead and said, "When I sat down to eat at the dining table, your grandmother got up and placed food in front of me. Your mother got up and heated the curry for me. You got up and poured water for me."

You three love me as much as I love you three. Just as your grandmother put food in front of me, this act is the only way your grandmother has shown me love, I love your grandmother as much as she has. Your mother brought me hot lunch, that's how much love she showed me. I love her just as much. You poured water into my glass, that's how much love you showed me.

Ridhi said, "No, I don't want to hear that, Dad. Tell me, who do you love the most among us? If you don't answer this question, then come home tomorrow and see, I, Mom, and Grandma will start World War III in your house. Today, the three of us have been arguing all day about who you love the most? If you want to stop this argument, then tell me today. Who do you love the most? Me, Mom, or Grandma."

After listening to Ridhi, I realized that it was not possible for me to convince her with any words. I looked at my mother and wife. Seeing my gaze, my mother and wife must have gotten a little scared. So they moved away.

I easily started talking to my daughter about something else. Gradually, she forgot that she was angry and had been arguing with her mother and grandmother all day.

It was around 10 pm, I finished dinner. After everyone in the house finished eating, my father and mother went to their room. Tanu left to put Ridhi to sleep. And I went to the terrace for a while. It is my habit to go to the terrace every night after finishing eating and drinking.

I sleep better after walking on the roof for a while. I didn't feel like walking on the roof anymore today, so I sat on the chair on the roof and lit a cigarette. After a while, Tanu came and stood next to me.

Rubbing my head she said, "Last week, your daughter came to the roof and picked up this cigarette butt. She said to me, 'Mom, what is this? How many times have I told you not to smoke cigarettes at home? If you do, you'll come and eat them from outside."

Hearing Tanu's words, I threw the cigarette away. Tanu sat next to me and held my hand and said, "Can I ask you a question? Please don't get angry." I looked at Tonu with a smile and said, "Yes, what's the problem? What's the point of saying so many pleases?" Tonu said- Don't get angry, and answer the question correctly. I said- Okay, okay. I won't get angry, I will answer the question correctly. What questions are you asking?

Tonu said - I am also as eager as your daughter to know the answer to her question. Who do you love the most among the three of us? As soon as I heard the question, I got a little angry. Tanu said - Okay, sorry. I understand, you don't have to answer.

After spending a lot of time together on the roof, we came down at around midnight. Before going to my room, I went to my parents' room and opened the door slightly to check if they were asleep. Then I checked if the window in my parents' room was closed properly, carefully closed the door, and returned to my room.

Tanu was getting ready to sleep. Seeing me returning home, Tanu said, "Shall I turn off the light?" I said, "No, wait a minute." I went to Ridhi, who was lying in the middle of the bed, and kissed her forehead and said, "Leave Ridhi with her grandparents."

Tanu looked me in the eye and said, "I will leave Ridhi with my parents only when you tell me who you love the most among the three of us?"

I said- Oops! I'm asking you to leave Ridhi with her grandparents. We'll have a little romance tonight, what are you starting, who do you love more? You, my wife, I love you too, Ridhi, my daughter, I love her too, and mother, she's my mother, I love her too.

Why all the fuss about this? I didn't understand. Tanu looked at my face and smiled sweetly, picked up Ridhi in her arms and went to Ridhi's grandparent's room to keep her. I lay on the bed and started thinking - really, among these three, mother, daughter and wife, who do I love the most?

After a while, Tanu left Ridhi with her grandparents and while closing the door, she asked, "Shall I turn off the light?" I said, "No, keep the light on." Tanu closed the door of the room and came and lay down next to me.

I hugged Tanu and kissed her forehead and said, "I probably love you the most. Before you came into my life, I could not have imagined that my life would be so beautiful. To make my life so beautiful, the person who sacrificed everything of herself. That person is the one I have to love the most." 🤍🤍🤍

What else? I can't write more than this. Go! The story is over, you guys go to sleep.

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