Marriage For Convenience (completed)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“Do they check the driving license of the pilot?” Pari asked fidgeting with her white jacket that she’d worn over blue jeans and sky blue top.

I simply shrugged.

“Okay are you sure that there aren’t any terrorists in there? Actually for me airplanes are always related to 9/11 attacks,” she muttered nervously

“Pari” I called trying to warn her to keep off her blabbering.

“Okay is the plane thoroughly checked and has passed all the security tests. I have seen a lost of Crash Investigations series in NatGeo. A small lapse of security may lead to hazardous crash,” her voice a mixture of panic and accentuation.

“Pari this is a very reputed flight and they cannot compromise with the security. So you are safe.” I assured her.

“How are you so sure?’ she asked biting the inner of her cheek.

“I am sure just like you are sure that some tragedy is bound to happen in here.” I laughed.

“Are you trying to mock at me?” she glared at me.

“I wouldn’t dare.” I lifted my hands in the air still laughing.

“Jerk” she murmured before bending to pick the booklet of instructions.

“Ma’am ma’am” she shouted at airhostess “can I try this safety jacket with, the pictures are not so alluring. Can I try once to be sure I understand it well.”

I was left with two options.

One to sink deeper into my seat so that nobody notices that I am with her.

Second start shouting “I am not with her. I don’t know who this dame is.”

But since the invention of word ‘destiny’ it has always been against me.

Pari shouted “Raj can you please get up and let me go. You can argue with me like a husband later”

Here my plan goes into the drains.

Whoa even though the stewardess was embarrassed but she was well trained since she patiently buckled Pari in the yellow jacket and demonstrated.

To add to the embarrassment Pari insisted to fill in the tubes with air to make sure that she can do it at the time of emergency.

“No need to inflate it ma’am, I am sure you’ll be able to manage if god forbid and the situation comes.”

“Yes yes.” Pari nodded her head “With 128 passengers on board when your god would forbid and situation arrives what are going to do help personally or run and inflate your own jacket to save your ass.” She acted stubborn “I am going to try it right now.” And then she addressed the co-passengers “You all should also try it. pata hai” she continued in hindi “jab jahaj dubta hai toh sabse pehle chuhe daudte hain[Rats abandoned the sinking ship first]

This was it.

If I was embarrassed, people around were irritated at her antics.

A small child probably 7 or 8 raised his eyebrows asking if she was crazy; an old lady in mid fifties from across the aisle patted my knuckles pitying me for having a retarded wife.

I too made a sympathetic face acknowledging her humble gesture.

“Can you just open the emergency doors and make sure that they actually work during emergencies and are not jammed due to lack of use.” s**t! This was actually Pari asking the airhostess who had the face like she had swallowed a whole piece of raw lamb.

It was only when almost double the number of passengers eyes switched towards me I realized that I had to take control over the situation.

I stood and went “I will handle her from here” I said politely before pulling Pari her elbows.

“You can only manhandle,” she shouted before swatting away her hands from me.

“Pari people are watching” I hissed angrily.

She looked around and then the realization hit her.

“You have made enough of a scene. Now please SIT” I gritted my teeth.

She pushed past my seat mumbling a soft apology and a small smile at the onlookers before digging her face back at the magazine amicably reading the instructions thoroughly.

‘God can I die a little earlier?’ I prayed internally.

And my inner ready with black outfit and funeral wreath for me.

Somebody tell him if I die he too is going to be buried or burnt. Nobody is going to spare him.

No wait he would not die, he’d turn into a ghost and haunt me in my post life.

Anyways he isn’t any different even now

Bloody evil!

“Was it that bad?” Pari asked once we landed at the Singapore airport.

Thanks for my silent treatment she realized that she has to keep quiet 

It after all does come handy at times.

So I kept silent.

“Please we are in a new country. Can you cut your attitude and tell me where to go next” she said moving around in circle head held upwards trying to locate where she was and what she was supposed to do next, the bag hanging from her shoulder almost dropping from her grip.

“I understand that you were flying for the first time.” I said trying to ease her since she’d already apologized earlier. “But the attitude I think I’ll live with that. At least I didn’t make a fool out of myself.”

I couldn’t help but answer back; it’s like an automated response to her vocabulary that always tends to be colorful around and about me.

“Ruuuuudddeeee much” she shouted and followed after me.

````````

“The bellhop would guide you to your room. Its 1101” the receptionist said as she handed the card to us.

“Pari you follow him and swipe the card to the gate and it’ll open” I guided her.

‘I can read the instructions” she said feeling offended as she pursed her lips walking spine straight after the bellhop.

“Ma’am I need another room” I asked the receptionist, her nametag read Rosaline over her blue dress coat.

“But sir you have one of the best honeymoon suites of our property” she fluttered her eyelashes.

Nerves she could do even though she herself admits that I have the honeymoon suite.

“No I want one more room.” I corrected ignoring her flirtations.

“Sure sir. We can arrange that and the amount would be debited along with your food bills.” She said sweetly as she typed on her computer, her fingers clicking on the tiles of the keyboard.

“No I want to pay as personal expenditure and not in the bills of the company.” I denied.

“That’d be a problem sir. It’s already updated in our records that all your bills will be credit in the name of the company. I doubt a different bill would be a problem.

“Don’t worry I’ll pay cash.” I amended.

“But the bills would be drawn in your name and once I add Mr. Raichaaaand” she elaborated the chaand thing trying to pronounce it properly yet failing miserably or “Mrs. Parijaat”

I however ignored that she could pronounce Parijaat properly.

And they say the society is male dominated.

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

I climbed the stairs instead of taking elevators for 11thfloor.

Yes I am fit so why not use the workouts and climb rather than suffocate myself in a closed room.

The first room to the left of the stair was 1101 and I rang the bell for Pari to open.

Expecting her to be in the washroom I waited patiently before knocking again but there was no reply.

Around 10 tries later I called the manager for help who sent another swipe card for me as he expected my wife to have left while I was climbing the stairs.

Not answering that Pari was new and scared and wouldn’t wander on her own I pushed the card in the slot to have the door opened.

There in the corner of the room Pari lay with her knees folded on her chest, her hair disheveled and sweat drops sparkling on her forehead, her body shivering as she murmured something in the lines of “No, don’t, let me go”

“s**t!” I cursed loudly.

I had never seen her like this since that incident in the washroom.

“Pari are you okay. I am sorry I shouldn’t have let you on your own” I said honestly as I went to her.

“Arrrrggghh NO” she yelled hiding her face behind her knees, her dark browns filled with unknown fear.

“Pari it’s me Raj” I said softly as I bent down besides her and lifted my hands in the air ”I promise I wont hurt you.”

Her murmuring stopped and I felt I have progressed.

But she was still hugging herself tight breathing erratically.

I might have panicked for a moment wondering what to do when I realized that I could touch her if I take prior permission from her.

But what if she shouts?

I had to do something. I cannot see her like this 

It f##king hurts.

“Pari, its me Raj. I promise I am not going to hurt you but I am going to touch you. Its okay?” I soothed softly in her ears.

She did not response, her pupils stilled with fear.

I touched the back of her palms that were gripping her shins tightly.

She flinched for a moment but did not react.

Taking it as an escalation I caressed the back of her palms slowly releasing them from the death grip hold.

She simply murmured ‘No, no” although they were only weak protests as the tears continue to drip down her milky white face.

Massaging her hands with my left hand I wiped her tears with my right one only after seeking permission.

She did not agree neither did she deny.

Slowly I pulled her knees apart letting her sit on the floor but still coiled on the corner of the wall.

I continued caressing both her palms that were cold like snow and her body rigid.

Had it not been her shallow breathing I might have feared the worst.

I still feared inside.

“Pari now I am going to hug you” I simply stated and before se could protest her head was rested at the crook of my neck, her hair sprawled all over my shirt 

“You are safe, here with ME,” I stressed increasing my grip on her “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you. I promise”

I realized the sincerity of my own words when she loosened herself and let her self free, not from my grip but from the emotions inside her. She cried, she cried loudly though her cries were muffled between her face and my chest.

I let her be.

I let her cry.

It did hurt but I knew this was what she needed, this was something hidden behind her smiles and cool façade.

It was bottled up inside her.

I have no idea how long we were sitting on the floor with her crying and my cuddling. I only realized when her breathings were normal and her weight being transferred that she was asleep.

The early morning, it’s probably the jetlag.

So I lifted her bridal style and tucked her on the bed pulling on the comforters over her.

When I was about to get up she tightened her grip on my shirt, not letting me and therefore I snuggled besides her.

DON’T BLAME ME

I too was jetlagged

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

“I am sorry”

“I too was tired”

“Early morning flight jetlag”

“I did not realize”

“I did not intend too’

“Promise I meant no harm”

“I tried for another room too, I swear”

I kept on blabbering 

Why?

Because two sets of sharp draggers, I mean dark brown eyes were staring back at me

Accusingly

With red in her eyes

Fumes from her ears

Punches on her fists

I am going to be abused, castrated, busted, killed soon and I am only 28 not even half of average human life.

I was dying here of fear

And what did the devil of b***h do?

She laughed, she laughed hysterically.

Can you believe she LAUGHED?

She laughed at me, mocking at me and my inner my f###... inner he joined her laughing while he clapped his hands in anticipation at me.

What do you expect me to do?

Don’t answer because I did what I didn’t expect myself to do….

I laughed along.

Soon we were all laughing and the sound echoed in the room.

“You okay?” I asked once the fits of laughter subsided.

“Hmm..” she replied playing with the loose thread of the comforter trying to avoid eye contact with me.

“You know you can talk to me about it.” I offered trying to look into her eyes to convey how honestly I meant it.

Her reply….

“I am hungry”

How Pari –the b***h like!

Taking a deep irritated sigh, I stood to unpack my bags to find something to eat not before muttering ‘why did I even try?’ to no one in particular.

And I went to scroll through the bags to get something to eat after starting the tea kettle.

“I had a rough childhood.” She said and then abruptly stood from the bed joining me and picking the first bag and removing a small packet and lifted it high in the air showing it to me.

“Ah! Snakes and cookisss” I shouted and she joined with a stifled laugh.

“Let me have the snakes” I tried to snatch the bag from her and she dodged laughing.

I pouted missing by a mere inch and she forwarded the bag to me “You take snakes but I’ll kiss the cookiss” still laughing.

Well let me clear the air

Snakes are not live snakes and Cookiss [don’t be horny here] we are not going to coo and kiss each other.

These are version of my mom’s the greaaaat speculative Englisssss’ my gran ma’s words not mine.

Let me take you to a li’l flashback trip in India…

“But granma, mom Singapore is full of non vegetarians, I am a pure Asian vegetarian, I cannot even eat eggs. How’ll I survive” this was Pari and her excuse for not traveling to Singapore with me

How original!

Corrections

How lame!

‘Don’t worry baby” my mom cooed lovingly “I’ll pack snakes and cooookisss fro you two. You can eat them if you do not find any vegetarian restaurants.”

“Snakes and Coookisssss?” Pari scrunched her eyebrows.

“Snakes, you don’t know namkin[salty]” my mom stated confused wondering who in the right world doesn’t know what snakes is?

“She means snacks,” my gran ma prompted as she continued her search in her mobile Internet about Singapore that she’d recently learnt from me.

“Oooo” Pari had actually formed an o in her mouth in understanding but suddenly she realized she was missing something “COooKissss?”

“Ohhh that” my mom actually got a pack of it from the kitchen and ripping the wrapper off removed it from the plastic cradle “See this, such cute and tasty even the taste matches the name.”

‘Cookies” Pari orated taking a breath of relief and a smile.

“Yes that see cute as in the shape is so cute” my mom moved the cookie biscuits in her hands kind of cuddling it and added “You do not bite it, instead kiss it and it drops into mouth kiss Cooookisssss” she finished proud of her theory and demonstration.

Granma simply nodded her head and went back to her mobile sight seeing the Singapore and even closing her mouth in aaahhh when an almost nude model was dancing on the screen.

“I am going to kiss the cookie,” Pari said as she kissed and then bit a bite of the cookie and laughed carelessly.

“You look pretty when you laugh” the words left my mouth before I could stop myself.

‘You were flirting’ my inner waved his pointer at me teasingly

I am busy guys

She simply blushed and suddenly realizing something she snapped “And you look like a jerk; laugh or no laugh” turning around and hiding her expression probably laughing.

Don’t worry its a routine thing to get my ego bruised by her that my ego has only gotten strong and unaffected.

Biting her lip she turned around facing me and said “thank you”

“Huh” I was dumbstruck ‘I hadn’t even offered you tea yet”

“For helping out even though I have been nothing but a bitc** and pain in the ass for you.” She said pouring tea in cups for both of us.

Strangely she remembers how I’d prefer my tea. Actually she remembers everybody’s preferences and food habits. So I shouldn’t be shocked.

But I stood shocked and she had to wave her hands in front of me shouting “Raj RAJ RAJ”

“Where were you lost?” she asked in wonder.

“No I was shocked,” I said easily picking up the cup of tea from the tray she was holding in front of my face.

“Shocked?” she raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah shocked you know yourself so accurately” I paused as I gulped a sip of hot liquid as it burnt down my throat “Bit**, pain in the ass, so honest and so very true” I laughed looking at her grim expressions.

“So funny and SSSSSOOOOO MEEAAANNN” she said and went to sit on the couch to drink her tea alone.

Don’t worry we had more than happy moment that we had with anyone else with each other in our current life.

‘And you’ll have more, many more’ my inner stated and I raised my cup of tea as a toast for his first time ever supportive comment

“Pari” I sat besides her “I am sorry I couldn’t arrange for another room. The bills would go to the company’s account and dad would know” I said editing the part where I knew I could get another room in the hotel opposite to ours but seeing her the way she was when I entered the room I did not have in me to let her stay alone.

However cliché it may sound but I care.

“Its okay the floor is carpeted. I’ll be good.” She waved her hand dismissively.

“NO’ that came out louder than intended but I masked my concern “there is a mall here “Mustafa’ and is open throughout the night. I’ll stay there and return in the morning till then you can sleep peacefully. It’s your holiday too. You need to relax.” I said with no such intentions. I wanted her to accept that sharing a room and bed with me is not a sin and we can live 

“Really a mall that is open throughout the night and is open in the mornings too” she almost squealed.

Really!!!! 

From all that I said this was only thing that she could pick. Mall?

Girls and their obsession with shopping!

“Yes there is one and so you can sleep here and I‘ll join you later in the morning” I tried to get her out of her mall and shopping mode.

“I too want to go there. Is it expensive?” she asked completely zoning out in a girlie shopoholic world.

“Par I said I will spend my nights there. Do you get what I am trying to say?” I almost yelled.

“Yes.” She said almost zapping out of her imaginary gaga land “I get it.”

“What did you get?” I asked folding my hands because I am sure she was so full of her shopping spree that she did not register a word of what I was trying to convey.

“I got it that you are an obnoxious stupid guy who believes that staying awake in the night and spending it in some mall and then attending an important business meeting next day is a not a big deal.”

So she heard

My inner dancing in glee

“Yes and I completely disagree as it is it was stupid to take different rooms and waste money. I checked earlier that a room for a single night here costs around 7k bucks and I was not in for it. I was only looking for a way to convince you.” She eyed me carefully and continued, “glad I no longer have to do that.”

“But.. but I don’t want you to sleep on the floor.” I said or commanded.

She bit the inner of her cheeks “please I am okay.”

“Pari” I held her from her shoulders and she did not flinch, “Good?” I asked and she nodded probably surprised at her own reaction. I wanted to tell her that I had been holding you in my arms for hours but I refrained.

“Please trust me we can sleep on the bed. I promise I wont touch you.” I looked straight in her eyes.

She stared for the longest time only before nodding slightly.

Was it a yes?

I wasn’t sure 

But I did not want top push it hard 

So I let her be.

At least we were progressing.

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

“Where are we going?” Pari asked innocently tucking her handbag securely under her arms.

Bless her! Somebody from her college had told her that passports need to be taken extra care of for they are robbed easily.

Since then she’d been paranoid about it.

Last time even when the bell rang with one of the staff serving us our lunch she hopped to hide her so-called precious handbag under the comforters first

I wonder if she’ll take it to the washroom too.

Rather I am sure she would.

“Still worried about the bag?” I asked annoyed as she was buried deep into her bag.

Instead of answering she handed me a Johnson ear bud.

“What?” I huffed.

“You are not able to hear properly, this might help.” She muttered sarcastically.

I was about to pick the swan stick when I stopped “Actually Pari your nose is dripping, you use it” I said very seriously.

And as a reflex her hands lifted to her nose to wipe off the invisible drip.

“Gotcha!!!!’ I shouted and started laughing.

‘Jerk” she abused and I ignored..

```````````

Actually I want a customized pendant for my wife” I told the salesgirl who was nothing but a pretty seductive smile.

Not the seductive but the one seducing enough to sell her products.

Well where are we?

We were on our way to sight seeing the Snow city when our cab driver offered a detour and take us to Gem factory, supposedly one of the most entertaining and educative sight seeing of the country.

His key word was ‘for free’

And my dear convenient wife is a goner for freebies

Well every lady is.

Apologies for the stereotype

And when the word education comes, Pari is all ears and was extremely anxious to visit the so called place only to realize later I mean now that the factory was only a work place c*m retail outlet to sell stuff to tourists and we were the ones fooled for the same.

After a quick glance Pari was quiet, by now she might have understood the real motive of our tour guide and coiled into one of the chairs.

I, being the Indian male was hounded by the skinny beauty to buy something for my newly married wife.

We Indians are their potential customers I guess.

No it isn’t a wild guess thingy because she actually showed me mangal sutra[a black and gold  beaded neck piece jewelry that Indian women wear only after marriage] as she fluttered her eyelashes and displayed her cleavage from her shirt which had ,more than two buttons undone

Whore!

So after trying to avoid her for the longest time possible I finally set to attain some entertainment and therefore I was requesting the customized jewelry.

This somehow felt more alluring to Pari too who too sat erect and joined the conversation.

“What do you want to be made by our workers?’ she asked politely offering us two glasses of drinks.

Her eyes sparkling with pupils replaced by $ signs, she might have already started calculating her commissions by now.

“Yeah I need a pendant initialized as ‘Jerk’s wife’ on mangalsutra.” The salesgirl might have swallowed her own spit because she was coughing.

“Yeah she keeps on calling me ‘Jerk’. I thought as well carry it around her neck” I said pointing my thumb towards Pari

Pari, her humor was on high alert for she added to the conversation “Amazing idea Raj, wait make one more with initials “Certified Jerk’ in a white gold chain for him.”

“No” I denied flatly “if I get one it’d only be ‘b***h’s Husband’ and I am placing an order for the same.”

Getting the clue the sales girl motioned the staff to pick the glasses of drink of probably white wine and excused us never returning back.

So the tour to factory was finally entertaining because we both were laughing at our best as we returned.

The cab driver well he too lost his share of commission but he deserves that for dragging us there.

``````````

“You have to take these gloves” I insisted Pari.

“I am good.” She lifted her hands.

“Its going to be really cold” the uniformed worker from the rental clothes department said with an intention to earn more sales.

Being a weekday it wasn’t much crowded I guess.

So I simply picked the gloves and slapped it on her hands without any further argument and walked ahead.

Pari I tell you is an angel she likes anything and everything.

Honestly I haven’t heard her cribbing, complaining or saying negative about anybody.

Well I come as an exception.

My inner ready with a pedestal for me to stand, all decorated with ribbons and flowers

So here she was all gaga and appreciating the ice sculpture, frozen ice swing for children.

“Aww! I wish I was younger and could take a slide,” she said dreamily.

I simply smiled at her innocent quote.

And the tube ride, she took ten long minutes to stare and admire and probably learn before she went for her take with a tube in her hand and climbed the slope to reach the top.

Once you reach the top you have sit on the tube and slide down through the artificial snow that looks more like real.

“That was amazing,” she said once she finished her first ride, “Thank you Raj for bringing me here. Its awesome” and she rushed with her tube for another go “Thanks for forcing the gloves too” she added on her way “Psstttt its really cold.”

“You are not coming?” she asked and her enthusiasm contagious “You should try.”

Although I had done it earlier on one of my visits but I was enthralled by her excitement and therefore picked a tube for myself and followed her.

I was so lost watching her scream on top of her lungs enjoying that when it was my turn to sit I almost missed the right balance and was tumbling on the slope and to prevent from falling I used my hands to dig them into snow and about falling.

Whoa I did land safe but with hands being dug they were freezing and I started rubbing them for heat.

“You okay?” Pari asked, “s**t you are freezing. Your hands are blue.” Concern was evident on her face.

She looked left and right and suddenly jerked off her gloves and lifted both my hands in hers.

I did see her tensing with the touch but she immediately started rubbing my palms with her hands rigorously warming my frozen ones.

Once she was convinced that the color of my hand was back she forced me to wear her gloves.

“Anyways they are bigger for me, only if you’d check before taking” she made a duh face “and I don’t need them anymore. So you wear them” she stated arrogantly or she tried to be arrogant so that I couldn’t deny

I was already feeling warm with her helpful gesture. Only thing that she did not realize was that she was warming my heart too:)