Marriage For Convenience (completed)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Have you ever witnessed volcano?

No I am not talking about the one you have done in school project

That I am sure each one of has done at least once.

So did I *smirks*

But it’s only me who can goof up such an easy project.

How?

Interesting question..

I was so fond of aerated drinks that the aerated drink aka soda was out of stock so my mom gave me coke to use for the presentation.

Not a wise decision for a coke addict like me

So in the break I couldn’t hold myself and gulped the entire bottle in one go.

It was much later that I realized there was only one sip left and by the time, it was my turn for presentation it turned flat.

So you can always judge my grades;)

So where was I? A lava, molten and steady dripping slowly.

Come on; we are talking about real volcano you might have surely seen in discovery or science channels with new ones mushrooming up every now and then

Well Pari was one molten lava walking slowly and graciously and sure to blast full on, float and burn taking lot of things along and causing lot of destruction.

She was carefully observing and roaming at the Night Safari with me.

For an instance I did feel that she’d ditch me and go back to the hotel, infuriated that she was.

But fortunately she was silent; destructive silent

And that silence scared the s**t out of me!

Now I realize why are married men always traumatized.

Its not the devilness probably there isn’t a word called devilness but yes they make is sound like wives are devils and come to their true forms when they are angry.

But that’s not the case; my personal experience

Gosh I can write a book on married life

And its only five months I have been conveniently married.

My inner bowing down for my achievement 

It is actually the guilt trap feeling inside our hearts that we have wronged and disappointed the former one.

Although I do not love her but I guess with the vows I had taken I had promised to take care of her happiness and wellbeing.

With her face swollen to twice its size and her walk more like a fashion model turned Godzilla and the muted uncomfortable silence while we commuted from the science museum to the Safari.

Even the cab driver turned around twice to check if we were really seated.

Because considering the blabbering and excitement of Pari on our way from hotel to the museum anyone could assume that either she was frost frozen to death or was bitten by the most poisonous snake to instant death.

With either the case I didn’t mind if the driver double-checked our presence.

Me; I was too scared even to apologize.

Sometimes the mightier words are more venomous than King Cobra’s poison.

And I had taken the liberty of using such a vocabulary!

Night Safari was as lively as it should have been with loads of tourists excitedly entering the arena, parents escorting their children like they are doing the most wonderful act of parenthood by taking their children to educational trip/outing, teens more concerned about pouting and making faces as they click their selfies and tourists the usual overdramatic shrieking and yelling at whatever they see only to get the feel of being excited at what they were seeing.

You might think I am over exaggerating.

Well I am not 

I’ll enlighten you.

Imagine there as a group of tourists who simply started yelling and shouting at Indian cow

“Indian cow Indian cow”

“Take pictures”

“From here. Am I included?”

“Wow such huge”

“I cannot believe it” 

Trust me these are as quoted equal replica of words by them.

Someone tell them these cows are as common in India as busy streets in any country.

They aren’t even getting extinct.

To my dismay even Pari was trying to click whatever picture she could take from her black box I mean camera

Whoa it did have a camera!

This could have been a more exciting and unique thing to discover than the Indian cow

Really the phone from almost medieval times had camera.

I did offer her my phone but she walked ahead, more interested in what the place had to offer.

Not that the place wasn’t interesting, it was amazing and Pari was observing and admiring anything and everything that she was witnessing and experiencing even the monkeys in the cage wherein Mathura is one place famous for the riots of monkeys.

And it is true that monkeys in Mathura are smart enough to snatch away even the spectacles you are still wearing.

They can even steal your mobile from your pockets.

They are like evil goblins who’d steal away things and return them with bargain of bananas or food.

Trust me science channels have even made a documentary on the same.

I on the other hand was more bothered about the lady who was walking ahead of me trying to make a point that she didn’t have a chaperone on her side; especially me.

Gratefully she didn’t word her actions.

You too can abuse and curse, even spank me for my actions that my inner is doing right now bored of the cold war going between us.

I tried to maintain my chivalry and dignity both by silently following her and supporting her what she wanted to do but once we were at the open air space that was filled with fireflies; she couldn’t help but gasp at the beauty of tiny insects shining and twinkling like stars in the garden

It was like celeste had travelled down to marvel at the beauty of the earth.

The sight was enticing and the same expression adored Pari’s face that had a pretty appreciative smile on her face as she gushed at the tiny insects in front of her.

Too bad her tiny grand dad’s aged phone was not able to take pictures for her

Not that she did not try!

So I did the gracious a gallant thing to click pictures from my iPhone, I even took the panoramic view of the entire place including Pari and even video shot to make sure that the twinkling was visibly captured in the lens.

If she appreciated she did not acknowledge and stayed neutral.

I however felt like a real jerk

Somehow her cold treatment was affecting me in a way to make me feel even guiltier.

‘Tasting your own medicine’ my inner mocked making me grit my teeth helplessly.

You all can courteously sympathize at me.

I wish I was alone with her, I would have bent on my knees and apologized but with fiery and feisty attitude of hers, I knew we’d be more entertaining than the chimpanzee extending his hands for nuts in the zoo.

So I coughed my thoughts of apologizing right away 

Only to be smacked by my irritating inner who was dressed as a monkey ready to be center of attraction.

As we moved ahead there was this place that was transformed into natural habitat of bats

Yes I mean it a room full of bats and they’d be flying on top of our heads

The thought itself was tantalizingly scary and I was on the verge of diverting my path and taking any other route to next spot but Pari had her own plans as he stepped into the room full of dark, noisy, creepy, flying bats.

No heart feelings bat buds!

But you scare the s**t out of me especially after watching the shitty movie in which thousands of bats, evil and ugly attacked the humans and killed them.

It was dark and the habitat was kind of closed room covered with figures

Obviously I was uncomfortable taking baby step as I reluctantly followed Pari like ducklings following the mother duck.

There was a point of time when we were in the middle of the room and if either of the bats planned to attack me, there was no place to escape.

The crowd walking, do I need to specify few of them chose to be adventurous enough to enter this room full of shrieking bats.

I tried to quicken my pace to get rid of the place but selective few wanted to enjoy and wallow the place as they were taking their own time pausing and moving ahead.

I was getting irritated and fidgety and simply wanted to move out of the place.

I happened to incline a bit towards Pari as a reflex and was about to hold her hand, I don’t know why but suddenly realizing her phobia of touch I retracted myself ending up brushing my palms against hers.

I looked at her trying to apologize she too looked back at me and remained silent, without complaining

Yes I too found it strange.

If it was surprising earlier, her next action was a SHOCK a freaking SHOCKING thing that she did.

She voluntarily inclined towards me and stretched her hand to hold mine and pressed it with comfort.

I smiled and without any delay we were out of the haunted room.

“It wasn’t that bad” Pari commented pulling her hand away from me. 

My inner grumping at her retrieval

“I too was scared” she completed with a soft smile and I replied her with a broad one not bothering that she might judge me for being scared by handful oops! Roomful of bats. 

But one thing was crystal clear that without a say or do we were good.

And that’s the best thing I love about Pari that she is quick forgiving.

My inner ready with a rose and red heart balloon dancing.

I pricked the balloon with the thorn of the rose.

So corrections folks “I like about Pari” 

```````````````

“Are you sure you actually want to bail on your client to take me to Sentossa Island?” Pari asked “But why?”

“Because I have finally realized that I am in love with you and I love to be mocked, irritated, annoyed and verbally abused by you,” I replied sarcastically.

“You should have told me that I could have done in the room itself. I can always lock the door when you are in the washroom and the window curtains; they are only push of buttons.” She counter replied.

“You find it funny?” I asked irritated.

“You didn’t?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Can we be civil at least till the time we are in Singapore for a holiday?” I was on the verge of begging.

‘You insinuated’ my inner blamed me.

All I could do was punch him on his face that he’d easily duck away ****.

“Let me think.” Pari acted animatedly scratching her chin for no reasons “We can” she paused “only if you promise to be less of jerk and show less mood swings than that of a pregnant lady”

My inner appeared immediately stout and padded belly, one hand on his waist for support and other caressing his fake belly.

Can he be more predictable?

“How about you leave less words out of your smart mouth?’ I grimaced.

“Well can I take it as a compliment?” she smirked “You are using a positive adjective for me, smart and my reference in same line” she wriggled her eyebrows playfully “should I feel proud of it?”

“Suit yourself” I commented 

And we both started laughing.

‘Then how about you being less mean to me?” she asked adjusting her veil and securing her baglike the burglars are waiting outside the island looking for an opportunity to grab those passports from her.

“I have never been mean to you?” I stated annoyed of her silly accusations.

“Huh” she made a teasing face “then why did you eat my last chocolate cookiss?” she mentioned the name my mom uses for cookies making me laugh and realize that she wasn’t serious.

“Choco cooo kisss” I made a thinking face “so if I had given you that last cookie I wouldn’t have been mean?” I smiled.

“Yes you would have been nice, sweet, generous…” she was on and on.

“Wait .. wait..” I stopped her pulling my wallet out “you can fill those words of appreciation in this.”

She shrugged her head confused

“So many words of appreciation from you for me. Must be precious I can keep them safe.” I laughed as she cringed.

“No they aren’t yours” she shouted, “you were mean and ate the cookie.” She folded her hands.

“I still deserve those to be treasured,” I said as I put my hands in the pocket to get the chocolate cookiss wrapped in a cling foil for her to have.

Her eyes widened as they stared at me then at the cookie in her hand were full of indescribable emotions

Awe, gratefulness, empathy, shock, bewilderment..

My inner looking at me proudly and patting on my shoulders

“Whoa coooookissss. I love it.”  She shouted as she bit into the cookie making sure to pick the crumbles falling into the cup of her hands to be had later. “Nobody has ever done such a thing for me.” And she blinked multiple times trying to control the glassiness

“You are such a kid.” I commented trying to ease her out of situation.

‘You are such a je…” she paused smiling at her pick of words and corrected “Okay I wont fight” she zipped her mouth with an imaginary chain and added “for today”

“Me too” I played along “for today”

And then we were no longer convenient husband and wife.

We were friends.

We laughed, strolled and enjoyed the island as we chatted and commented on every single thing we enjoyed.

And it was everything

Because Pari is full of admiration of everything. She had a very decorous vocabulary

A fine quality that very few posses 

To look good in everything

‘Exceptions are always there’ my inner did not miss a chance to tease ‘its you’ and me.

Very gracefully I threw him out of the trolley that we were travelling thousands of feet above the ground. 

Yeah the windows were covered with glass

But my imaginations go wild when I am with him.

I noticed how her eyes crinkled from the edges when she smiled and that after she had laughed for something she makes sure to adjust her veil and it is out of habit.

She also had amazing facts about something or other

Few of them being; Although Singapore is named after the lion Singapura yet there aren’t any lions in the country or the big currency of the country has a whole anthem of Singapore printed on it.

I did realize that she was pretty fun to talk to.

She had a lot of knowledge and information and was very confident to share them.

She never complained that she was tired or hungry or wanted a break.

Instead she believed in grasping the moment.

She even disconnected her mobile that rang twice

No need to mention that the only person who calls her is none other than the charmer Sandy.

She preferred not to waste her time in gadgets.

Like there was so much to do and very little time at her disposal.

‘Two years’ my inner worded and it was like a slap of reality to my face

Indeed there was only limited time we had with each other.

Suddenly the span of 1 year and 7 months remaining felt very little.

I wanted her forever. I mean *coughs coughs* our friendship. I cannot let her go.

I might have gone sightseeing before but today was the best.

The best day of her life, my life, our life.

The quote felt like a lyric to my ears.

And I want her to memorize it.

Coz cordial moments with her were scarce

And I knew how exactly to do it.

She was scrolling through the pictures of butterfly island, light show, sky lunge, dolphin dance and repeating the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ and ‘so cute’, that she’d been saying all the time we were roaming around the island when I asked the driver to take a detour to Simlim Square market.

“Do you mind sitting, I’ll take some time?” I asked as she was busy watching tiny videos of the tour we had taken on my iphone.

“I am good” she waved me away without looking at me nor questioning where I was headed.

Not that I wasn’t glad about it.

I knew she’d always put a fight on whatever I was doing.

So enjoy till it lasts.

`````````````

“I am so tired. I can sleep the rest of our days here in Singapore” Pari commented lazily.

“I am so hungry I can eat whatever is there in the menu” I added.

“No need to clarify. I know you eat like pig.” She was back to her irritating b****

‘I am not complaining though

Who doesn’t need some entertainment in life especially if it is at the cost if my own self?

My inner was ROFL when I shouted SARCASM at him and he shushed himself.

“Does word ‘mean’ has a different synonym for girls?” I asked as I looked for the room service menu.

“No appetite does. And you DO eat like you have starved for years” she said giggling.

I gave one glare and she was quite.

I could give my self the Dominion certificate for the same

But it would be useless 

Because this marriage is only for convenience;) 

“You do realize that this mushroom and broccoli soup cannot be sufficed as dinner?” I asked irritated. She was such a poor eater.

“Mushrooms are full of nutrients, vitamin D and iron, broccoli is rich in calcium and iron, the cornflour in soup suffices for fats and salt for sodium and it helps to prevent illness like cancer…

And she went on sharing her distilled knowledge.

My inner dressed as Mr. Bean from comic series folding his hands and giving the signals and repeating blah… blah… blah giving a bored expression and yawning simultaneously…

For the first time my inner was hilarious and that too not at the cost of me

Yaaay!!!!

“I get it. I get it..” I was far more tempted to cup her mouth with my palms to stop her from blabbering the advantages of mushroom, broccoli or any other green, leafy or vegetarian dish available in the market.

But I thought otherwise.

Seeing that she was in a manageable mood.

Yes manageable. With that I refer as she won’t strangle or castrate me if I give her what I had bought for her.

“Pari see what I got from Simlim.” I said as I opened the carry bag that was kept on one side of the room.

Pari the usual was talking to the devil aka Sandeep and laughing uncontrollably

“What? Simply nauseous and she was adamant that she had Malaria” she laughed, “Really spoilt rich brat.”

She was fretting over the phone.

“Last time when I was on duty she was sure that she had bird flu because her neighbor who purchases the grocery from same store had the flu and even though she was fit and fine she wanted to get the check up done.” She continued laughing, “When I said she was fine she insisted that she wanted to see a certified doctor and not some intern.”

She added without feeling offended ‘the entire staff of the hospital was laughing once she entered doctors cabin.”

“Pari I am trying to make a conversation here and show you something.” I said irritated

Where did the living life without gadgets policy go?

“Okay Sandy I have to go. I’ll mail you by evening. Yes I do use your baby well. Happy? bye bye bye” she hung up the phone still smiling like a Cheshire cat.

Wasn’t she tired enough to sleep for the rest of the tour? 

Two faceted.

I tried not to sour my mood and opened the cardboard packing revealing the latest model of MacBook air.

“Wow for papa?” she asked excited almost jumping on her heels like a toddler.

“Papa? Why? He has the best one and again he doesn’t use one. He has his assistant who does all his work.

I smiled always thinking about others; this was Pari “Not for him” I said.

“Then for you.” She smiled “nice one.”

Sighing I nodded pulling her arms to sit besides me, making sure to release before she realizes that she’s been touched.

However I try to make small touching gesture to let her accustom to the fact that some touches are not harmful

“This is for you” I opened the flip cover and tried to log in with her name as user name.

As if shot on her butts she jumped from the cot “What? Why in the f##kin world would you buy me such an expensive thing?” she shouted.

“Geez Pari” I said calmly “relax people might think you are being abused. I bought you such an expensive thing because I can afford it.” I paused for a dramatic convincing effect “and you need it.”

“I do not need this.” She shouted as if the hotel was on fire. “I freaking never needed it back in Mathura nor do I need it now, UNDERSTAND.”

“I understand that you do not like taking favors” Somebody please felicitate me for the colossal amount of patience I am portraying.

“But this is something I want to do for you and you don’t have to jolt this down in your stupid book or diary whatever it is.” I tried to put some sense into her. “As it is you are not going to payback the entire expenditure”

“You think I do all that noting for show off and not intend to return you back. You ARE F#$#KING WRONG MR. RAICHAND. I will make sure that I return every single penny that you have spent on me in the duration of this arranged freaking convenient marriage” her each syllable loud and firm.

I could hold my hair and scratch them till I am bald; she is that frustrating.

Memoir, my s**t! I rather dump this laptop in the garbage bin of the hotel room.

My inner hugging the thing, caressing it and cursing me for my weird thoughts.

“Pari you are being unreasonable. Why cant you think like a grown up. Why these tantrums all the time?” if I was loud I didn’t realize but this female gets the worst out in me and how long could I hold my part of bargain.

“Unreasonable.” She repeated Do you have any idea what unreasonable is?’

She took a deep breath, tightened her fists  “you are unreasonable. You are rich, have a lot of money. So you think you can get the world.” Suddenly realizing something she started again “Wait.. Wait. It is not your money. It’s your dad’s money. Born with a silver spoon you don’t have value for money. See it’s easy for you.” She was full on shouting, her speech attacking my conscience.

I wanted to ask her to stop, keep her mouth shut but I couldn’t or she wouldn’t

She was possessed.

“Born to rich parents, things are easy, you know how to spend, waste money ohhh… can I add you even had the balls to go ahead and marry for your convenience.

And if I would have said No you would have made a run and looked for another one and threw your money. Problem solved.”

She paused to take a deep breath.

“Pari you don’t know a thing about me.” I tried to stop her warn her but she went on and on.

“No I do not know how to lavishly spend the money because I am not born in a rich family unlike you. So I know how to value money and not to take things for granted.

“Granted. You mean I take things for granted?” I shouted loud. She was going way too far. 

“Yes Mr. Raichand Malhotra you are taking your mother for granted, your father for granted and money for granted. You can only value things you don’t have and you MR. RAJ; Mr. Have IT All do not value money, do not value for family, your mom and your dad.”

I tried to be calm, I closed my fists, closed my eyes but her last words “you are blessed with such loving mother and father but the spoilt person you are you simply take them for granted, as if their existence is a mere acquaintance for you.” and then the doors of dams were opened….

“NO MISS PARI, you are wrong WRONG, I do not take things for granted. I do know what they are worth. So you keep your mouth shut. I AM SORRY I got you this laptop. You actually do not deserve this.’ I pushed the thing away from me as if it was nothing less than a Hiroshima bomb.

“Talk about deserving you don’t deserve the love and care of your parents. You are insolent. You even cheated on your parents. You don’t deserve your MOM and DAD” she was full on shouting now “you heard me you are not a good son you don’t value your mom and dad.”

“YES I do not F##king deserve what I have, yes I probably take money for granted. But I do value my MOM and DAD more than anything in the world.” I was a full on blown up nuclear missile now “I am not worthy but I AM GRATEFUL

I was breathing hard and fast now, she had touched a nerve like a live wire 

“I have learnt more than anything in life to be grateful because I actually do not deserve what I have in life, I do not deserve my mom and dad and the money”

She tried to interrupt but the damage was done

“I WAS ADOPTED.” I barked. “Did you get it? I am adopted, freaking f##king ADOPTED”