In a small house in Lucknow for a whole month, I took a break from work and stayed with my mother-in-law, Shanti Devi. From making porridge to making medicine, wiping and massaging her body, I (Ananya) did it all. Seeing her pink color slowly return, I was very happy, thought that in a few days she would be able to walk normally.

That day, my eldest sister-in-law, Pooja Bhabhi – who hadn’t visited even once for the past one month – suddenly appeared, holding a pot of fragrant herbal kada dates. He carefully poured it into a bowl and fed spoon by spoon to his mother-in-law and said with a smile:
– I am very busy, yet I have made this dish. It is very nutritious, drink it and you will get instant relief.

My mother-in-law ate a bowl and praised it very much. Then she called up all her relatives in Kanpur and Agra boasting:
– It is true that the elder daughter-in-law knows how to take care of her mother. Drinking hard dates for a few days makes her feel very healthy.

I choked up, but I kept quiet.

Bus… Just three days after using it, his health deteriorated rapidly: dizziness, dizziness, and constant nausea. The whole family took him to a private hospital near the house. When the doctor asked about his recent diet, I told him about the pot of Kada dates. He made a mouth:
– Nutritional supplements should be given to the right person and in the right amount. For those taking blood pressure medication, herbs – too much sweet decoctions can worsen blood pressure, even causing a sudden drop.

Everyone’s eyes were immediately fixed on Pooja Bhabhi. She just smiled and said:
– I don’t know…

But I know. Last night, when I washed the cauldron pot, I saw that there were small white grains mixed with the bottom—something that is not usually found in the homemade kadah dates. The whole family was stunned. Mrs. Shanti Devi’s face turned pale and she held my hand tightly. From that day on, he never showed his sister-in-law to me again… Nor did he ever eat anything they brought.