Pregnant with Ex-husband's baby

Kavin Have you ever paid the price for your sibling’s mistakes and hated them so much that you want to strangle him or her? I will say I am exactly in that kind of a situation right now, sitting here in an unfamiliar house with so many people gawking at you. “So, Kavin. What made you enter the cricket field?” A total stranger in his mid-sixties asks me. “Thanks..” I take the cup of coffee that is being offered to me by a woman, probably the man’s wife before returning my eyes back to him who is so eager to dig into my life. “Hmm.. my love for cricket..” Duh, what else? I say the rest of the part quietly in my head. “Obviously..” He laughs and I force myself to join him even when there’s nothing funny happening around. Trying to be inconspicuous, I pull the collar of my shirt that’s sticking to the sweat drops on the nape of my neck. It’s mid-October and the temperature’s still roaring at a thirty-six degrees Celsius here in Chennai. “Do you have any hobbies or interests out of sports?” The same man asks me again. I guess he has written a list of questions on his palm or something. I seriously hope he hasn’t. “Nothing much. Cricket’s my whole life..” I say plainly, desperately waiting for him to get over with his questions so that I can get out of here. From the way, I am being questioned someone might think I am here for a job interview or something. I would have loved that though, but unfortunately, I am being questioned by the parents of the girl whom my parents want me to meet before we decide if she is or is not the right choice to become my life partner. I know, how that sounds and cringe internally. South Indian parents have this weird custom or practice or whatever BS you call it to select the life partner for their children and then they call it an arranged marriage. I mean, how can you marry someone you hardly know? I agree that my parents had an arranged marriage themselves and they are just doing fine for almost forty years but times have changed now, people’s mindsets have changed. Most of the youngsters want to fall in love, get to know their partner before even thinking about marrying them but here I am jumping straight to the last part of it. Note, I haven’t seen this girl before in my life. Now you may wonder why the hell I wanted to strangle my sibling. It’s all because of her I am being forced into an arranged marriage. My foolish sister had eloped with the guy she’d been in love with for four years. She could have told her two brothers or our mother about it and tried to convince us but no, she ran away with him, causing a whole scene in our family. My parents couldn’t eat or sleep for days after she pulled that little stunt. They refused to show their face to the world for almost two years. They still aren’t ready to talk to my sister even though she and her husband are well settled in another small city. It took me and my elder brother, Kathir a while to accept it and talk to her again but we love her and we couldn’t desert her just like that. And now my parents think that if I am allowed to play cricket my whole life, I would bring home some random girl of my choice. So, the only condition they put forward before I choose cricket as my main career is that I have to marry the woman of their choice because they believe parents are better at choosing the right one for their kids. “When can we see you playing for the Indian cricket team?” I am pulled out of my thoughts by another guy who looks like the man’s son by how similar their noses are. “Soon..” I c***k my knuckles feeling like I am running out of my patience. “You guys should really stop pestering him so much and let him meet our Nithi..” Rounds of cackles echo before the woman walks away and disappears into the hallway only to come back a minute later. This time she isn’t alone but is being followed by her daughter. I quickly drop my eyes down and smoothen my khaki pants in an attempt to look cool in the eyes of everyone, who I am sure are reading my every move. “Nithila..” That’s my mom who has jumped to her feet, “You are so much prettier than the pictures that your mom sent me earlier..” ‘Huh? That means my mom did have the girl’s pictures all along and lied to me about not having them so she could drag me here to meet her in person.’ “Thanks..” She mumbled shyly. I looked up for a fraction of a second and I do have to admit that she is pretty with her dark mane done in a half up half down style. She has a wheatish skin tone and her brown eyes are the matching shade of her hair. She’s dressed simple and modestly in a maroon Kurti and leggings and there’s hardly any makeup on her face. She flashes me a small smile as she takes a spot on the couch between her parents. “So, let’s wait in the next room and let them talk and get to know each other..” My dad suggests and the next second everyone is moving out of the living room leaving both of us alone. I sit there wondering if it is really possible to get to know someone in one or two such awkward meetings before deciding to marry them. God that’s Reckless. “Hi..” I say hesitantly. “Hi..” She smiles back but she looks as nervous as me. “I’m Kavin..” I purse my lips. s**t, I don’t know what to say to her. “I know. Your mom sent your pictures to my mom..” As she speaks, she plays with her bangles and not once does she make eye contact with me. “Ohh..” How is it fair that she gets to see my pictures but I don’t get to see hers? “So what do you do, Nithila?” “I am doing my specialization in OB-GYN..” She’s still not meeting my gaze. “Final year..” She adds. Now she is staring down at her painted toes as if they are the most fascinating things she’s ever seen. So, she’s a doctor. I didn’t know that in addition to the countless things I don’t know about her. “And I play cricket..” For some reason, I don’t want to go into details about my career. Moreover, there isn’t much to add to it. I play for state-level tournaments and desperately trying to get into the Indian Premier League. “Hmm..” From the way she nods her head, I think she knows about all that. Thanks to my mom again. I roll my eyes. “How old are you, Nithila..” I don’t know if a man is supposed to ask that to a woman but hey, I am here to get to know her, aren’t I? Her cheeks turn pink. “I’m twenty-three..” “I suppose you already know that I am twenty-five?” And.. I guessed right. She nods and shoots a playful grin. “All your mom does is talk about you..” “No wonder..” I run a hand through my hair which is short and recently cut, “..how many times have you talked to my mom before today?” “Uhm.. Five to six times..” She shrugs casually. I nod. My mom is extremely friendly even with strangers and she wants me to marry this girl and weirdly it doesn’t surprise me even if she has talked to her a hundred times before. “And two times to your dad..” She adds quickly. Now that’s new. That man is the complete opposite of my mom and doesn’t talk to anyone so easily. “What are your future plans?” Honesty, I am least interested in what she wants to do with her life but I try to keep the conversation alive for.. I look down at my wristwatch, yeah for another long five minutes. “Uhmm.. I want to open my own clinic after completing my studies..” She pushes the long strand of her hair off her shoulder and I notice how long and delicate her fingers are. “Oh..” I nod briskly. It seems she’s figured out her whole life. “Do you think our careers would suit each other?” “Huh?” She looks at me quizzically. I stand up and shift to sit near her and I am instantly hit with the scent of sandalwood effusing from her, “What I mean is I am a sportsperson and I travel a lot during the game season. You are a doctor who wants to settle down in one place. Don’t you think our careers would create a distance between us?” “Yeah, it might..” She offers a little shrug, “but we need to learn to make up for the distance when we are together..” Why does she sound like she has already made up her mind to get married to me? “So, you have absolutely no problem staying here while I am traveling around the world?” I frown at her. “No.. I don’t..” she says and my frown deepens. “And what if I want my wife to come and cheer for me?” My voice comes out slightly gruff like I am irritated by something. I wait for her to answer and notice it when her cheeks visibly turn a shade darker, “In that case, I will try to join you whenever possible but that doesn’t mean I would ditch my work completely..” She replies honestly, not just for the sake of impressing me and I like that quality in a woman, to not change herself for a man. By the time I open my mouth to ask her my next question, her brother and sister are back. “I hope you two got to know each other..” This guy’s got to be kidding me but from the way he is staring at us expectantly, it seems he is serious. “Hi, I’m Nilay, their elder brother..” The guy points at both the girls and stretches his hand out for me, which I take in a curt shake. “And I’m Nadhiya.. Nithi’s younger sister..” The slightly younger version of Nithila chips in with a huge grin plastered on her face. “Hi, nice meeting you guys..” I force a smile that I am sure looks constipated. And soon our parents are also back with stars twinkling in their eyes. “So, what do you think about Nithi? Do you like her?” The sister asks, no, more like squeals and I see Nithila chastising her with a silent but equally deadly glaring at her sister for embarrassing her. “Still too early to say anything..” I try my best to be polite but at the same time try not to give them any wrong notion. I cannot simply say that I like Nithila because that would make them all jump to the conclusion that I am all ready for the wedding. “Ohh you will have plenty of time to get to know each other before the wedding. Don’t worry..” My mother interjects. “Wedding?” I raise a row at her and she quickly shuts me up with a glare that says we are not having this conversation here. “It was nice meeting you all. We will get back to you soon Mr. Prabhakaran..” My father announces. “We are looking forward to it, Mr. RaviKumar..” Finally, I know this awkward meeting is coming to an end soon when our fathers shake hands and our mothers hug each other. Nothing could make me more excited to get the hell out of here. Right when we are about to leave, Nadhiya’s annoying voice stops us from taking another step, “Aren’t you going to take Nithi’s number?” Our parents laugh as if it’s the biggest joke of the year and I resist myself from cursing under my breath. Now everyone’s eyes are set on me expectantly and my mom would kill me or even bury me alive if I don’t ask for Nithila's contact number. I immediately notice how Nithila’s feature creases in discomfort and how she shifts in embarrassment. “Do you mind?” I ask her, fishing the phone out of my pant pocket. “Ahmm. No, not at all..” She shakes her head and blurts out her number. “Bye then..” I don’t promise to call her or see her later because I seriously believe I can talk my parents out of this idiocy as we get home. “Bye..” Her bottom lip juts out glumly but that’s the least of my bother as I walk out of her house, praying this is the last time I come here. “So, what do you think?” My dad asks as soon as I pull the car out of their parking. “About?” I ask even when I know what he is talking about. “About Nithila?” “What is there not to like about Nithi? She is smart, gorgeous and the perfect match for our Kavin..” My mother beats me to answer that question. “Yeah, she’s smart, gorgeous and everything..” I keep my eyes fixed on the road from the passenger seat, “..but I don’t want to marry her..” The car comes to a screeching halt as my stupid brother decides to stomp on the break in the middle of the road. “What?” All four pairs of eyes are shooting daggers at me. “Why?” My dad asks looking already pissed at me. “Because I don’t feel that she is the one for me..” I say. My brother apologizes to the guy who’s on the bike behind us before pulling the car back onto the road. “I still don’t get that feeling with your mom even after forty years..” If I was in another situation I could have laughed at my father’s way to lighten the mood. “But can you deny that she’s not the one for me?” He continues. “Ravi, please..” My mom chastises him and turns to me, “Do you know how cinematic you sound right now, Kavin? Be practical. She’s a very nice girl from very good family background. I am sure she will do everything you make you happy..” “Mom, that’s the most ridiculous thing I have heard. How can I be happy with her when I don’t love her?” I argue. “You will love her, Kavin. See your brother and Aathira. Don’t you think they love each other?” She refers to my sister-in-law, who was also my parents’ choice for my brother and currently sitting with my parents in the backseat. Yes, I cannot deny that there are some successful arranged marriages right in front of my eyes but I don’t think it will work out for me. “I don’t know mom, I..” She doesn’t let me speak as she interrupts me rudely, “Look Kavin, if you want to take up cricket as your full-time career, you have to marry the one we want you to. Or you can kiss goodbye to cricket forever and look after the family business with your father and brother. I don't want another one of my children to marry someone we would hardly approve into this family. Saying that she turned to look out of the window and no one of us dares to utter another word after that.