Marriage For Convenience (completed)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

~~~~~~~~~Raj~~~~~~~~

 I am sure I saw tears in her eyes.

I am confirming about the tears because the next moment that I notice was the lights were on bright and her face was masked again with a pretty smile and it flushed once we realized that it was my mom who had switched on the light 

“Naughty, naughty” my mom draped in a heavy blue and white silk drape waved her pointer at us teasingly.

“No no aunt..” Pari tried to apprehend some words but I beat her to it.

“Mom I wanted water and Pari was getting me but I was so thirsty that I followed after her” I explained the non-sense.

“Okay okay you follow her to the end of the world. I not mind,” she said smilingly eyeing both of us skeptically and swaying on her toes, her stance saying that she could smell fish.

Someone tell her that there’s not only a fish but the entire ordeal is seafood.

Pari widened her doe shaped eyes in embarrassment and I looked at her and then at my mom.

‘”Mom” I shouted.

“Yes Raj” she answered innocently eyeing both of us waiting for an action between the two of us.

As if we’d give the treat to her

Oh no! Even if I tried I’d rather get a kick on my balls, the thought itself brought my hand cupping on my delicacy but I controlled.

“Mom go” I ordered.

“Why I am waiting for Pari to get water in the room.” My mom smiled mendaciously.

“Mom” I huffed irritated “Please GO”

Stubborn that she is I had to drag her pushing her from her shoulders but the woman, she is my mom and I love her yet she is undeniably crazy 

Crazy: Why?

Who waits or eavesdrops on PDA’s of their children?

However she did not leave before saying, “Bottles of water are served in the ceremony hall itself, there was no need to take a room” she winked at Pari who went abashed looking everywhere but at my mother

Seriously!

 “Are you okay? I guess you had company?” I asked out of concern.

“Hmmm.. mmm” she mumbled suddenly remembering something terrible that she had escaped.

“You want to stay here alone? I can give an excuse.” I offered.

“Alone” she shouted, her voice trembling “No no I am fine. I will come along.”

“You sure everything is fine. You seem a little..” I asked but stopped.

‘What? What are you trying to comprehend?” she snapped again.

“Why are you yelling? You want to hear the truth Miss. Feisty.” I continued frustrated at her mood swings especially the violent and bitchy one with me “I know you had company and I also am sure that you were crying earlier. So stop faking that strong and ready for all’” I wriggled my two fingers in the air obviously angry “Persona. Because I know you are masking the truth.”

She was quite, hush quiet and if there were no lights I would have believed I was alone in the room.

But anyways my rage had gotten over me and I spritzed out of the room.

How long can one take the mystery of a feisty and annoying b***h?

You can judge me if you want.

My inner came to calm but the amount of frustration! My inner was out holding a glass of water for me to cool down but me one glare from and he was hiding under the carpet.

I was waltzing out when she called “Raj” 

I honestly wanted to ignore her and walk away but you see another me dressed in white kurta and a rose pinned on my pocket convinced me to wait.

Yes my inner; The Saint

“Thanks and apologies” she said not breaking eye contact and the twitching of her dilated browns said that she meant it.

“For what?” I asked perplexed. Pari asking for apologies was new.

“Thanks for coming here and sorry for the way I behaved with you amongst your friends. I am just not used to convenient relationships and the fact that it was open to all was freaking me out.” She hung her head defeated.

“You should have told me if you wanted to be discreet about this relationship.” I offered understanding.

And here comes my inner with a garland of flowers for me

 And I accept it gladly wearing it around my neck. I deserve it* shoulder shrugs*

“I thought everyone does not advertise the fact that they are marrying for convenience or that we are cheating upon our elders.” She said mockingly again.

Can we two at all breathe without disagreeing with each other in one roof?

“Whoa they were my friends, I might meet them once in a year, not some journalists.” I counter replied.

“That doesn’t mean we go about telling each and every friend of ours ‘look we are cool dude marrying each other because it is convenient. Congratulate us.” She gave her obviously irritated reply.

“I never told them to cajole me for the same. I just stated the fact clear, uh I am marrying an Indian small town girl who is no where near my types.” I shrugged my shoulders.

She sighed giving up on me “Well I am surely not your types” and walked away silently.

And here comes my royal self, giving a quick blow on my forehead ‘cant you have a normal conversation with a girl? Moron” he shouted and like a scared mice in front of a cat I stood still.

She was about to walk out of the room when “Oooucch” her shriek brought me out of my inner debate and I looked at Pari who was half on the floor, half trying to balance herself, skirt tangled at the buckle of her high heels and she was wincing but soon she masked her pain and stood upright.

‘Paybacks a b***h’ I thought and my inner glared at me.

Once she was standing she tried to walk but couldn’t move because the skirt was badly tangled “s**t!” she cursed, how do I do it with tattooed hands.. Sia” she shouted “SIAAAA’

“SIAAAAA, DEEEEYYYYAAAA Help” but it went unheard.

“I can help” I volunteered somewhat amused at her tiny prob.

‘I’ll manage” she huffed shouting again “SIA, DEYA”

“Its musical evening of our wedding. Who’d listen to you? i***t?” I mumbled in my head 

And my inner dressed as Yama was back but I stopped him pushing my palms in front of him ‘I am not telling her on the face’ 

The musical twinkling of her anklet was now turned into shrilling as she was wriggling her feet rigorously equally shouting for her sister.

“Quiet “ I said and repeated which was ignored by her intentionally.

Giving up, I held her steady holding her from her shoulders “Steady” I shouted and then rested my finger on her lips, now I did not touch them.

I wanted my balls intact on my consummation day.

There was very little space between her glossy taut lips and my fingers.

Her pink luscious soft lips were quivering softly; a little more movement and she’d end up kissing my finger. 

I am sure that she wouldn’t

 Under the shimmery silk fabric of her top I could feel her heart beating, her eyes glued to mine not challengingly this time but pleading or begging.

I would have loved to be paused there and stare at the prettiest thing I had ever seen but she needed help.

So while she was statue on her place I bent on my knees working on the layers of her skirt straightening them and untangling them from the hook of her golden stilettoes. Her eyes stared non-blinking at me.

Once I was done I smiled saying “Look that was easy” and then winked.

Her shock demeanor turned into an annoyed one as she lifted her feet and kicked me hard on mine.

“s**t!” I shrieked in pain “what was that for?”

Instead of answering my question or before I could stand and ask for explanations she sprinted as if the room was haunted

~~~~~~~~~

If I thought she isn’t my type earlier, I think I can amend to that declaimer because she is definitely my type with those high peep toes, spine erect and the sea green low neck gown that she endeavored in her perfect hour glass figure

I rather seem to be underdressed with my typical Indian sherwani that I was forced to wear by my uncle.

Why?

Because the dress bites, the golden highlighters of the fabric bite like f##kers and this house of Pari where they were organizing all the events since it was a low budget marriage as I had bargained for with my family didn’t have conditioning.

Yet the adrenaline everybody around was carrying and being super excited about the wedding especially my mom and Sia who were dressed up alike and were singing all Bollywood songs since they left Delhi made me relax and wait for another showdown.

Yes the showdown because my miss goody two shoes of a b***h fiancée 

Yeah I know I am being mean calling her names but she wasn’t less earlier.

Who hurts someone who has helped you?

Nay the kick wasn’t that hard and I am strong, my inner raised his sleeves folding his elbows displaying the perfect muscles that I have worked for shouting that I am strong.

Still I was only helping her and she’d been a bitch

Time for payback folks!!!

While the biggest show would be to hold her hands in my hands and slip a 24 carat solitaire ring in her finger which is a size slight smaller than her finger so I will have to hold her hands for long..

Lets see how she reacts “I don’t like being touched’ were her words when I put my hand friendly on her shoulders.

Lets have fun guys, games on..

No I am not mean [note the sarcasm] especially when I was welcomed inside by her cousin Deya with an orange drink which was nothing but a combination of mustard sauce, red chilies and vinegar and Pari, the cynical b***h was the loudest one to laugh at me..

So for you to know what I am upto is not wrong.

I pushed the sleeves of my dress shirt upwards ready for the big event of the evening; Engagement ceremony where the groom and bride exchange rings with each other. Had we been in America we would have been considered married with that act.

But hail Indian traditions and customs I have another day in my credit till the feisty queen reaches my home, my room.

She quickly slipped the ring on my ring finger as if the touch would burn her to ashes and when it was my turn I was purposely procrastinating holding her hands even though she turn rigid and stiff, her eyes blank and when there was no reaction for a while from her I finally slipped the finger on her finger.

After the ordeal was over I felt her loosen and breathe deeply as if she was holding it for long.

Probably I did not enjoy it that much.

But she avoided eye contact with me since then. I poked my elbow to her once or twice but she was constantly looking down without reacting to my calls.

The next custom was to feed sweets to the engaged-couple where relatives present would feed the couple one by one.

Pari was smiling with my parents, uncles and granny jut biting a tit bit the cashew sweet that she loved as said by her cousin Deya, I on the contrary hated it.

So I softly requested to her father who always behaved with me as I was high and mighty; son with an added in law that I was and he changed it to motichoor ladoos(Round sweet balls made of gram flour] and I smirked at her because she’ll have to have it mouth full so 2 to me and 1 to her rather I give her another2 for her brave front with my touch.

No wonder she doesn’t want a boyfriend ever.

When her uncle came to fed her, he was caressing her cheeks adoringly even that touch made her uncomfortable, her body tensed yet she masked it well and then he took one of the huge round sweets and pushed it in her mouth, a little too forcibly as he stated dearly “She has been close to my heart since she was little girl, how beautifully she has grown”

Once the entire sweet was in her moth, she coughed uncontrollably yet gulping the sweet but her teary eyes said that she was hurting inside.

Sia and my mom quickly helped her with a glass of water and took her to washroom.

“Just go out and wait I’ll join you” I instructed Sia who had escorted her to the washroom and she obliged giggling uncontrollably.

I am sure she had all the naughty thoughts running in her head too.

What’s with the way they treat newly wed or the would be weds?

“You good, everything alright?” I asked her once she was out of the rest room.

She ignored me and was about to leave when I stopped her holding her wrists a little too tightly than I should have.

And the rivers flew down her cheeks but the feisty Pari was back only thing is I did not like it.

“NO” you wanted an answer “No nothing is alright, nothing is good” she harshly pulled her tattooed hands to herself and was full on sobbing by now “how can things be right when all I am doing is wrong? I am marrying a wrong person for all the wrong reasons. s**t! I am even getting married that I shouldn’t have.” It was like a huge turbulent that had been waiting for so long was finally out  “I don’t know what my tomorrow is? I am not even sure that I will be able to continue with my studies? I don’t know how to trust a male who is also my husband but we are not married; yet married. I don’t know if I’ll be taken back here or I’ll be doomed to be alone and clueless….” She finished breathless but the crying continued. Her cool, careless demeanor missing as she pushed herself on the wall of the room and slid on the floor crying bitterly.

I felt like a scumbag for hurting her till now. All I wanted to do now was to pull her into a hug and caress her murmur sweet comforting words in her ears till she stops crying.

But she hates being touched.

And my balls. No No…

My inner too stood clueless

Idiot useless

So I bent on my knees 

Her sobbing stopped and she was sober all of a sudden serious still in thoughts continuing her soft rant “Clueless. I am so clueless” She reached the solitaire engagement ring and was fiddling it moving it around her fingers as she said seriously “You know our rings went through a ritual of being blessed by the gods, almighty and all the elders of the family as the small ritual was performed in front of holy fire” she closed her eyes as if the thought itself was hurting her.

“I am sorry” I mumbled but she chose to ignore as she continued for probably she had kept it inside her for long “tomorrow while we’d circumduct the holy fire, you know pundits chant those verses asking for all the deities to come and bless the couple, and we’d be cheating the lords, our parents, relatives and ourselves too.

We’d be reciting the chants or repeating after the priest without even meaning them, there wouldn’t be any wows.

What a piece of curse I am for my family, for my religion? 

Shit. I am so hating myself for the same.” She finished blocking her pretty yet tear stained face with her palms trying to hide her inner turmoil.

“Pari I didn’t think along the lines. I never had an idea this means so much to you. I was oblivious of the deep meanings of Indian rituals. I am sorry. I truly am.” 

She took a deep breath rubbed her temples and closed her eyes for couple of seconds and once she opened them she was a different person

Now I do not call her chameleon for nothing?

“Sorry I snapped at you” she said.

Had I not been fully conscious I would have imagined last few minutes didn’t happen at all? 

She was vulnerable couple moments ago and now she had a stony appearance that said ‘Come on life, bring all the shit.”

Yet I celebrated mentally two apologies in two days, that’s an achievement.

But I am not that bad because my inner was back dressed in black like Yamraj[god of the death] yelling at me for my happy dance.

Happy at the cost of girl’s tears he was ready to take a blow at me and I was immediately on bended knees.

Not actually though.