Rhia couldn’t believe the words being hurled at her. Her husband had just accused her of being selfish and not paying enough attention to the house. Rhia glared back at him and volleyed back a string of furious allegations.

‘You’re always expecting me alone to handle everything. As if I am your personal maid, house-cleaner, cook, etc. Don’t I have feelings? What about me? What about what I like?’

‘What about you, huh? What about you? As if this time pass hobby of yours wasn’t enough. I am not even asking you to sit at home all day, every day. Can’t you manage the basics?’

‘Oh, my work is irrelevant. And yours is very important, right?’

‘Damn right, it is important. I pay the bloody bills. How have you contributed? This hobby of yours isn’t helping pay the ever-increasing bills.’

‘I keep the family together. Can you not see that? I haven’t once complained about your lack of time. It’s almost as if you just don’t care. Why don’t you just live alone in this house that has all its bills paid?’

‘Yes, thank you! At least, I’d be able to live in peace again. Not to mention all this trash that you have lying around under the disguise of your ‘work’ requirements. Take it all with you when you go.’

With her parents busy hurling abuses at each other, five-year-old Minal realized there was no one to hug her or wipe her tears. Dragging her particular piece of trash – a plastic can she dragged everywhere behind her, Minal walked off to her room alone. Again.