Arranged Love (RagSan) (Part-7) Euphoria

It was the D day. Finally I’m going to start the next chapter of my life and I can’t be less excited than this. The sun in the horizon spread it’s light and the day finally arrived. As I woke up I heard noises down the hall. I’m sure Mom and Dadi sa can’t keep the heat within at least today.

And it’s fair that they take that out here rather than making it at very moment I will be sitting in the Mandap with the confused face whether I should listen to my mother or to my father’s mother.

I nodded my head pushing the quilt aside and walked to the washroom. As I stood in front of the mirror I found a new glow on my face. A kind of nervousness crept me suddenly.

Am I ready to make someone a part of my life. Am I ready to share my life and family with someone. Am I ready to undergo these changes of my life. So many questions and among all was the million dollar question. Will I be able to keep this new relationship for life?

“Sanky” I heard my dad on the door. “Haa Dad” he walked inside and I gave him a weak smile. “You are okay?” asked he sitting beside me.

“I wish I could say yes” I gave up as I cannot hide anything from him. And it seemed he will understand me as he is a husband already. And when he has handled my mom Punjab ki Sikhni he might be the most apt person to share my worries.

“Nervous?” asked he and I just nodded my head. “I don’t know dad. I’m feeling weird suddenly. I have heap of questions and desperate to get the answers for all of them. But then I have a king of all the questions and feel it’s answer only will be enough to dissolve all the questions at a go” My fingers shuffled my hair.

“Would like to talk about it?” he asked as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I nodded my head.

“I feel I’m not ready to be a husband. I mean like I don’t know anything about being a husband and there will be my wife entering my life today. What if I hurt her? What if I don’t meet her expectations? What if she just stays in this marriage as we are tied together but not out of love?” I looked at him and he gave me a wide smile.

“Dad I haven’t cracked any jokes and besides you won’t understand as yours was a love marriage” I looked away.

“And you think I did not had these questions?” I looked at him confused. “I had the same set of questions. Because being a boy friend was way different than being husband. I don’t say I never disappointed your mom. But yes she still was with me out of love not because we were tied by the marriage. There I find you have a problem” he patted my back.

“And if you worry about it that’s not gonna help. Instead you have to face this” he said and I looked at him confused. “May be she is not in love with you yet. But I advise you don’t hurry up in this relation. This is most beautiful and to be cherished for lifetime relationship of your life. Give it time and it will carve up to be more beautiful” I looked at him blinking my eyes not understanding anything.

“As far as I have known my Bahu she seems a bit conserved yet ambitious girl. She has been managing her family financial conditions alone from the time her dad has left. And I somewhere feel she is still in that state.” “What state?” I asked him.

“A state of a girl where she had lost her father at a very young age. She might not look but she is a brave soul. Only thing she is not aware of it. And it might be due to the traditional life she has been living” I keenly listened to him.

“And you have to first make her realize herself. When she will see her strengths through your eyes mark my words she will fall in love with you. And that’s where you become her husband. These rituals and papers may make you her husband you now but you will win this battle from being stranger to being her husband at that moment” Dad gave me a smile and I gave him back the smile as I understood what am I gonna do with my life now.

“Lucky Puttar” I heard my mom squeal. “Bali ka Bakra agaya” me and dad said in unison and laughed out. Dad caressed my hair and walked out to have a check on Lucky and I smiled making a decision of my life.

“Sanky….” Laksh ran inside my room. “Omg finally I found you. I thought I will never escape your Punjabi mom and Rajasthani Dadi” he said as he stood closing the door behind. I chuckled looking at him.

“Gosh man you are laughing and I alone know how I escaped the two bulls which were about to crush me between them” he said walking to me.

“And you thought it is easy handling. Now you understood why I did not let mom and Dadi sa to visit us together.” he hugged me relaxed.

“You should have done it. At least I would have known where I’m going to land today” he said coming out of the hug. I smiled at him and took him to his guest room which I had arranged earlier only though he insisted staying only for the marriage I some how convinced him to stay till the reception party next day.

I even used my mom’s melodrama which always worked as he loved mom like his own mother. I wish he had a mother she would have been the luckiest mother in the world.

***.***

The sun set in the horizon and I roamed around inside my room nervous. “Sanky” Laksh knocked my door. “Thank god you came” I pulled him inside and he stumbled standing inside.

“Yaar Lucky. Am I looking good. She will not faint looking at me na?” I shot him with my queries. He looked form bottom to top and controlled his laugh.

His actions made me nervous. “What?” I asked confused. “I did not knew you are so nervous” he said muffling with his laughter and I cocked my eye brows not understanding what he said.

“Mahn you wore your bottom inside out” he held his stomach laughing loudly and then my eyes moved down. I nervously entered the washroom to change it.

“I should have let you walk to your would be wife this way. She would have fainted” he controlled his laughter. “And I would have killed you” I screamed from inside.

“I don’t mind dying after saving an innocent girl from a pervert like you” he laughed more.

“Was that even funny?” I asked coming out.

“It wasn’t for you though” he made me sit on the little chair and rolled the pagdi and fixed the sehra in front of my face.

“Why is this for?” I asked as I looked at my face sliding it slightly. “So that you look combination of Rajasthani and Punjabi genes. Your mom’s demands. She thinks your bride will be able to see through her long ghungat and tujhe nazar lag jayegi” he held my shoulders.

“Long ghungat?” I asked. “Don’t tell me you have not seen a Rajasthani bride all your life?” “I have but then I don’t take a notice so much when I go to a marriage. I just concentrate on one thing that’s food. Gosh wish I could have” I said and he burst into hysterics.

“Oh man. You are the nervous ninety nine now.” he said and I pouted looking at him. “One thing your wife should be proud of is she will not find such cute husband material” he said pulling my cheek.

“Waise she isn’t any less cute” I said and lost in her thoughts. “Now don’t fall in your dream world because you will miss your dream coming true” he patted my head and walked out. And I caressed my neck blushing.

***.***

The Pandit beside me was chanting continuously. And I haven’t understood half of it. “Vadhu ko lekar aayiye” he said and the first word out of his mouth I understood made my heart beat slow down. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her covered with a long veil which completely covered her face.

Was that necessary. Then I looked at the guests around I felt it was necessary to cover her from these evil eyes.
They continuously gaped at her and I wished I had a register marriage instead. Though we have to register our marriage in few day before we leave for Mumbai.

She sat beside me and I felt like walking over the clouds. Her fragrance made me feel the magical moment. The moment we will vow as husband and wife in front of the holy fire.

The Pandit continued chanting some more Mantras which now did not even reach my brain as it was numb due to her presence just beside me.

Her uncle placed her hand in my hand and the electricity ran through my senses suddenly. I felt her shivering hand and I supported her hand with my other hand. I did not wanted to let go of her. I did not wanted to let go of this beautiful relationship. And I’m gonna make myself go through whatever possible to make her fall in love with me.

I smiled at my determination. My dad gave me ‘you are going good’ look and I smiled back at him. He realized that I have understood his words. And he knows me so well that I’m his son after all who doesn’t give upon on anything.

My life never looked more sorted than this. As we stood up for taking seven vows I reminded myself that I will not let her down at any part of our life together. She has entered my life to stay and build our home with me and I will be beside her in all the odds we face. We face it together.

The smile on my face was in no mood to leave as we settled down. I made her wear the Sindhoor and the Mangal sutra. And made her my wife. Correction my wife cum life.

We stood up and walked together to take blessings from our elders. She hugged her mom and burst into a bitter cry. It made my heart flinch though her tears were hidden in that long veil I could feel her pain.

I wish I could reduce her pain in any case. It might feel like hell to leave your family in a day and settle down with a complete stranger. Now I understand why dad said me to be slow with this relationship. She is so vulnerable at this stage and I might end up hurting her more.

I don’t know what are her expectations. Will she ever trust me with them but then I promised myself that I will be patient with her. And I will give her time to share her thoughts with me. Her fears with me. So that I don’t be her nightmare but the sweetest dream. I may not be the prince charming of her dream but I don’t want to be the beast of her nightmare.
****.****
The night seemed freaky for a strange reason. Why am I supposed to go through this. We hardly know each other and I’m being pushed inside my room by my crazy cousins and Lucky who want me to look like a despo in front of her. The girl whom I have to make fall in love with me.

Before I could retreat they closed the door on my face. “Sanky don’t forget to latch the door from inside and prevent Dadi saa have an heart attack when she will come to wake you up morning” gosh this Lucky. What will she think of me. I cursed myself for the embarrassment the moment brought with itself.

I saw her dragging her legs close to her chest and I know she is scared to hell. These people have only agenda to scare a girl. I nodded my head walking to bed and she squeezed her hands. I’m desperate but just to see her beautiful face which I’m craving to see.

But if I move close to her she is gonna be more scared and what if she misunderstands me. I can’t afford her disappointment on the first day itself. How am I gonna deal this. Okay Sanky you will not die if you don’t see her face. But dare you scare her my heart spoke and I felt better comply by that.

“Ragini” her toes curled with the fear. “Hey relax” I wish it was as easy as I said. But I know she isn’t at peace.

“I know you must be nervous about all this. And I don’t want to rush into this. I would like to give you whatever time you need to feel comfortable with me. I want to be your friend more than your husband. Will you give me a chance?” I asked and I know she might be feeling it weird but surely my words has calmed her.

She nodded her head and I was relaxed. I did not scared her on her first day in my life. Oh sorry our life. The thought was soothing.

I walked to the door and latched it. I saw her startled. “Um actually Lucky was right Dadi saa has a terrible habit of barging inside a room and I don’t want her to scare you when you see the first sunrise of your new life” and she seemed convinced by my reason.

“Em if you don’t mind then change yourself before you sleep around. I will just clean the bed for you” I said. “You don’t want to see your newly wed bride?” she asked hesitant. “I wish If I could do it without freaking you out” I heard her chuckle a bit.

“You can never” her trusting tone made me smile. She slowly lifted her veil and my eyes glued on her face which made her blush. “Um. Can I confess something?” I asked her and she nodded her head not meeting my eyes.

“Will I make you nervous if I admit that you are beautiful” she looked into my eyes and immediately lowered her gaze.

“I think I will” I smiled walking to her. “Change yourself and feel comfortable” I said leaning to her and she nodded her head and walked to the wash room with her night dress.

As she walked out from there I cleaned the bed. She was still wearing those impossible to carry heavy jwellery. “Why are you punishing your skin with such heavy jwellery?” I asked her when she sat in front of the mirror. She smiled making my heart to skip a beat the very moment.

“I wonder you have so less of Rajasthani genes in you and more of Punjabi genes” she removed the earrings and mang teeka.

“And I’m proud of my dominating genes” I gave her a smile. “And I don’t mind too” she reflected my smile before lowering her gaze.

“What are you doing?” she asked me when I took the pillow and bed sheet. “Um. Sleeping” I said and she chuckled. “I know that. But I don’t want you to go through all this just because you want me to feel comfortable” she said and held the pillow.

“The bed is huge enough for us to share” she lied and turned to face her back to me. OMG I can’t believe I achieved the first level of our relationship so soon. She trusts me. “And besides we are friends. First rule of friendship is to trust each other” she said and I was damn happy that she accepted my friendship with whole heart.

Oh god oh god. This night turned out to be so blissful. I wouldn’t have asked anything better than this.