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Arranged marriage

by Balaganesh   

I woke up with a siren cracking my head apart. My hands began to frantically search the alarm. Lazily I got up stretching and scratching my eyes, I Walked to the hall and took the keys from the couch. Those were keys of the draw next to my bed. I opened the draw and turned the alarm off. I had this practice of locking the alarm before sleeping. Once the siren was off, I heard a sweet humming, I dint know that my wife sang so well. We were newly married, a week old couple. Today since I accidentally woke up early I heard her bathroom sing. I went back to the hall and settled on the couch with the day’s paper. The paper made me realize it was Friday. It was last Friday that I got married and already a week had passed. Things still felt fresh.

“Shiva listen, just so you know. You have wasted 28 years am sure you’re not going to fall in love ever. You are rejecting the best offer don’t blame me in future if you don’t get a good wife… it’s your choice” These were my mom’s words. The bride was my mom’s friend’s daughter. I had no choice but to accept as I was not sure if I would again get a chance to marry a good looking girl like Parvathi with a package of good in law family, which I could put up with for life. More over since the girls is to boys ratio did not favour me. I was sure I would become an unsold article of an antique market if I rejected this offer.

We were married last Friday. Marriage was a simple with just family and close friends and we had a reception by Sunday evening which was graced by everyone we knew. Our first night was scheduled on Monday. It was a short custom that had to take place before we began our lives together. I was glad they dint fix timing and force our first physical relationship. It was a double cot huge bed we both could easily fit in with a good space separating us. “Be comfortable I will sleep on the couch for the night, am allergic to jasmine” I announced. “Let’s remove the blanket and replace with a new one, am afraid to sleep alone” she said. It genuinely meant her fear to sleep alone.

She laughed at my practice of locking the alarm and offered to wake me up, if I wanted to. I explained it would be of no use. We had a small conversation on how hectic our days were. Soon we both drifted to sleep. When I woke up the next morning she was not in the bed. I realized she was in the kitchen. My lunch was packed already. She asked “tea or coffee” recognizing my stare of amusement. I declared “Parvathi you’re an endangered species!” She laughed and replied “mom had this heart problem two years back, she was advised to rest for a few months. Got used to this routine no big deal” I was touched by her simplicity “how is aunty now?” I asked “And by the way I don’t drink either” “mom is good now” Parvathi said “she had her surgery done. Its great you don’t one work less for me, I don’t drink them either” she said winking. We had our breakfast and I offered to drop her at her bank, she was a manager. It was any ways on my way she accepted my offer.

This is how a week rolled by. We used chat when I drove and chat every night till we fell asleep. So soon it was Friday again. I was lost in these thoughts buried in the couch “Shiva? You’re up?” my thoughts were broken as she shouted. “Yes I am” I shouted back from the hall. The bathroom was attached to my bedroom. “Could you please lock the bedroom and stay out. I said “Ya sure I am locking it” That’s my wife! Wanting me to stay out of the bedroom while she could change! I exclaimed to myself and locked the bedroom door. “You’re lucky I woke early today” I said smiling as she came out dressed. “Sir you dint wake up early. I woke up late today. It was in that hurry I forgot to take my dress to bath” she said rushing to the kitchen.

I felt bad for her, having slept longer than usual for one day, why must she rush cooking. “Hey don’t cook let’s eat out” I offered. “No no give me just ten mins, I’ll cook” she said peeping into the refrigerator. “Hey listen to me. I want you to take a break today. We’ll have breakfast on the way and I’ll take you for lunch” she took a deep breath closing the refrigerator and asked “you sure? I can cook it’s not a big deal” I was surprised by her behaving like my mom used to. “Fridays are always leisure days for us. I would be done by the afternoon. We can go out for lunch and maybe if you’re also done with your work, we could even catch some movie. We do need to spend time together right” I offered. She smiled and said “Sure, ok then even I’ll be bored in office today, there is nothing much to work on, what about avengers?” I was n0t sure if we were husband and wife but was sure we were already good friends “glad you match my taste, I’ll book tickets once” I announced

I was ready at once and we started. “I am glad you woke up late” I declared as we were waiting for our food “because you got company for avengers?” she replied “nah nah, after a week I get to eat good food” I teased. I was looking at her all through the breakfast and realized she was really an angel. Her character, her voice and way she spoke everything enhanced her looks. I then dropped her at her bank. She acknowledged with a smile and got down. I made my lunch reservation at the barbeque nation. They were one of the best buffet destinations. In the course of one week’s time, I realized that Parvathi was not a poor eater.

I picked her up as promised and we directly headed to our lunch. We ended up talking about food we loved and different places we liked to dine. Once we were out we headed to the movie. We both loved watching films it was another common interest and luckily an important common interest. We saw the movie in silence. I thought if maybe we could go to the beach. Any ways we had no plans for the evening and staying home, just us was not fascinating either. She accepted to go to the beach at once. We reached the beach in while and during the drive we ended up discussing our interests, likes, dislikes. This discussion started with music we loved as the radio was on. Slowly I began to get a strange feeling of doubt If was flirting with my wife. We went silent for a while as we walked to a bench and took our seats.

“So?” I tried to start a conversation. “You have no idea how strange it feels that last week I was bachelor and it’s not the same anymore” I said “you say I have no idea MR Shiva? You were MR Shiva and you still are Mr Shiva. Last week I was addressed Ms Parvathi and all of a sudden am Mrs Parvathi Shiva kumar” She sighed “ha ha ha I understand”I said “So were you always ready for an arranged marriage? Or was yours a last minute decision too?” I asked her with a chuckle.

“I did not resist love, it just dint ever happen, eventually as I was getting older mom wanted to get me married. I did not resist it either” she said smiling. “What about your decision? When were you asked?” I asked her inquisitively “My mom asked me before asking your mom. It was with my permission that she asked your mom”. She was blushing as she spoke but she dint realize it. I liked the fact that the girl had willingly taken my hand in marriage. I dint press on the issue. I loved her looks when she blushed, I dint want to touch any area of discomfort.

“What does a girl want from a guy?” I asked her. “It depends, I don’t know about other girls but when it comes to me I would love a guy who was far from the madding crowd, who dint like me for my looks but would feel that I look good, who behaved dignified. What does a guy want from a girl?” she asked me back “We have no idea until a girl impresses us. Usually all guys are attracted to looks in first place but if we are impressed by the unknown factor then the looks won’t matter” I said “How to impress girls on the whole? Don’t talk just about you it’s a general question” I wondered if I was really asking dating tips to my wife. “Be a gentle man to her, but show you’re a bad guy too, don’t flirt much, but do flirt without her feeling that your flirting, don’t compliment her too much but do compliment, and most of all IGNORE her… All this must be done exact opposite after you get the girl impressed else the relationship would break” she said smiling naughtily. “Girls are really weird” I declared.

We went on chatting and lost track of time. I took her out for on dinner and still kept chatting on various topics. Weekends meant no alarm and I dint know she too slept long during weekends. I was the first to wake up and I felt she looked awesome even when sleeping. I was unable to look at her as my wife. I was seeing her like admiring some stranger who looks good in the mall. Since we were newly married our parents had invited us over for lunch. I decided to visit my parents for breakfast and visit her parents for lunch.

It was already 7.30 I went to the bedroom and gave one call by her name and she woke up. “How did you wake up by just one call?” I asked surprised. “Just got used to” she said as she got up smiling. We again began chatting as we got ready and drove to my parent’s house. She got along well with my family as she already knew everyone in person. We had our breakfast at my parent’s place and drove to her parent’s place. I saw an ice cream parlour and since we loved Ice cream I parked without asking her consent. She smiled as we got down and said “we would make really good company as friends had we not been married”. We again began chatting. Then we drove to her parent’s place, aunt was cooking and uncle was helping her.

They insisted Parvathi not to help as it was their treat. We sat on the couch chatting and watching television. Since we just got along we had a vast amount of topics to talk on, everything we saw reminded us of some memory and we spoke on it. I slowly realized we were for first time sitting close to each other that our bodies were in contact directly. Since it was a bit small couch we had to sit touching each other and we both felt comfortable about it. After the lunch I felt Parvathi would miss her family. I offered pick her up the next day from her house if she wanted to stay. She said it’s not a problem and offered to come with me but I insisted her to stay.

When I reached the badminton court Krishna a friend of mine asked “hey Shiva what makes you look so happy?” I thought maybe he was teasing that I was newly married and punched him in a friendly way. I realized I was smiling without my knowledge. I then thought of what could have possibly made me smile. I realized I had been recollecting time spent with Parvathi. Slowly these thoughts began to fill me, without control I began to think a lot about her. I went to my parent’s place for dinner and decided to sleep there. I Fell on the bed to relax a bit as I was tired playing. The bed felt lonely, something felt missing. I finally realized I was in love! WITH MY WIFE J I loved her sincerely.

It was already 10pm luckily it was a Saturday night and the mall was still open. I was in my shorts and dirty t-shirt that I wore for playing. I quickly grabbed my wallet and drove to the mall. I bought followers from the floweriest. I rushed inside the mall to the jewelry shop, asked the owner for a ring that would be the best to propose a girl. He gave a weird look as my dressing dint express I would buy a ring. Those are rings used for, weddings and proposals sir he said as he pointed the platinum section. I chose a ring and the person at the counter was still not able to believe that I was buying the ring. I swiped my card and immediately drove towards her house. I had a strange feel of what if she does not fall in love with me and reject my proposal like the other ones she had rejected.

I knocked at her door gently for not to disturb others. It was already midnight, there was no response, and I shouted her name “Parvathi” in low voice. I realized it was stupid and my voice would not be heard. But the door immediately opened. It was her. “You heard me?” I asked surprised. “I was not able to sleep I just came for the knock” she said staring at me. It looked like she was angry. I dint know if it was wrong of me to have come, in such late hours. “Come in” she offered and closed the door behind me. “What brings you at this time of the night?” she asked. “You missed me dint you?” I was shocked, I dint expect that question, it was damn straight. I smiled in embarrassment “No no actually ...” I stammered. I was nervous, as it was my first love. “I missed you. I wanted to come with you I totally wanted to be with you. When I said I’ll come with you insisted I stay, what made you do that?” there was anger in her tone when she asked that, it expressed her love. “I was longing to know if you missed me too I was staring at my phone if you would maybe call or message. The first knock at the door made me feel it was you, but then I was afraid to open the door without knowing for sure. When I heard your voice I was sure it was you and you missed me. Why can you not admit the fact Shiva?” tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke.

It was the best moment of my life I have never been proposed here it goes my wife expressing her love and I have never proposed a girl either…. Oh my god, I am yet to propose her. I became conscious after being mesmerized in her talk. “Because am here for a different purpose” I said smiling. She looked at me wiping her tears. I knelt on the floor taking the flowers from the basket in my bag. A smile decorated her face as she realized what I was about to do. I took the roses one by one. “Deep pink, it’s the symbol of gratitude. Firstly I am grateful that you accepted my hand in marriage” she got it with radiating smile. “Yellow represents friendship and it is to the best friend I have ever had” her happiness enhanced her looks. I was unable to proceed further as she was sedating me. “White is the symbol of purity and innocence, don’t wonder how it associates with you that’s not why it’s for you” she laughed as I said that “white also symbolize truth and loyalty which I would always offer you along with this rose. White is a bridal rose and here it goes to my wife” tears welled her eyes as she smiled. “Red my love, is the symbol of love, I would like to announce, I love you my girl, love you with all my heart” I gave the last rose and kissed her hand. I took out the ring from pocket and tears began to roll down her cheeks. “I cannot ask if you will marry me with this ring its way too late for that.” I said smiling “I love you so much do you heartily accept me as your Husband” I asked with a ring in my hand to my WIFE, she speechlessly nodded. I slipped the ring into her fingers and got on my foot. “Since you wanted to know darling I missed you too” I said with a smile and wipe her tears with both my hands. She immediately hugged me tight and I felt out of the world the moments were magical. I wanted to lock her lips but then felt she must be given her space to make the next step. We spoke the whole night on love and what made us fall for each other. We slept by around morning. I was woken up in the following noon without an alarm it was her first kiss, she smelled fresh. I then realized she was just out of the bath, I was asked to lock the door again, but from inside.


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Copyright Balaganesh