Marriage Made In Heaven !

My house help (let’s say her name is Reena) told me a very funny story, though she is not the gossipy kind. It was a personal rant about how she is being treated in one other household particularly where she works.

The lady of the house met with an untimely end during Covid. She left behind a grief stricken husband who did not have any inkling how the household was being run and a grown up son and daughter and aged parents-in-law.

The daughter subsequently got married and settled in the US of A. It was a love marriage. Recently, she came over to meet her father and the rest of the family. Reena was appalled to find that the girl did not take part in any household chores. Even her personal laundry was being done by the son-in-law.

Later, I believe the boy requested Reena to counsel the girl suitably on the score. I do not find that strange because Reena has been working for years in that household (also mine). She is extremely trustworthy and loyal. Also both the boy and Reena belong to the same part of the country and speak the same language. Having no communicable  female figure in the house he must have found it comfortable to confide in her.

On hearing this story, my instant reaction was , “What did he find in her to have got married?’

Pat came Reena’s reply, “She is a beauty.’

Which made me think whether facial beauty was enough for a marriage to survive. I do not for once think housework is the sole duty of the woman. I believe both partners should share responsibilities. In any relationship both are required to grow and be happy. In this case, the boy did not seem happy with the situation.

Reena, of course did not take up the matter with the girl because, according to her, she was not the receptive kind. But what really is surprising for me is that since both knew each other before marriage, did they never have a conversation on how they would like to manage the domestic front post marriage?