Bound by Law

Bound by Law || 3-Unexpected Tragedy

"Get ready Karishma, you do realize your wedding is in two hours?!"

The day had arrived sooner than I was able to blink. My mind still hadn't been able to process that this was my wedding that was going to be happening in a matter of hours.

My mother was frantically running around, making sure everything was ready as she yelled at me to get ready.

The nerves hit me as soon as I got up to the saree laid out besides me.

I'm going to be married to Aman today. I'm going to be his wife at the end of all this.

The thought gave me both tingles and butterflies in my stomach.

My older cousin, Tanya, came bursting through the doors with a worried look on her face.

"You still haven't gotten ready?! Karishma, hurry up, we need to go get your hair done!" she exclaimed.

She went to turn away when she hurried over to me and grabbed both my wrist and the saree.

"I'll help with this, come on, we gotta go to the beauty parlour!"

The way everyone else was freaking out, I was afraid I wasn't going to make it to my own wedding.

***

We were in a rickshaw, traveling back home from the parlour all ready and conversing about the future and my nerves, when Tanya received a call.

Placing it against her ear, I could hear the loud, hysterical sobs even though it wasn't on speaker.

The smile on both her face and mine vanished, contorting into one of worry instead.

"Aunty, calm down," Tanya said, glancing at me worriedly.

My eyes widened as I realized that it was my mother she was talking to. I placed a hand over my mouth as I stared at Tanya.

What had happened?!

"What's wrong?" she asked, voicing my thoughts.

I could still hear the sobs but I could make out my mother's muffled and strained voice trying to speak.

It was horrible news.

I knew it was horrible the moment Tanya placed a hand over her mouth as well, turning to me with pain in her eyes.

"Karishma," she began, her voice breaking. "Aman..." she whispered but trailed off.

I knew what had happened right then and there.

***

"Ma!" I burst through the door and ran to where I could hear sobbing. 

On the way there, I had messed up my neatly done hair in a fit of pure rage and chucked all the bangles and gold necklace onto the floor.

There was no point, anymore. Who would I be able to show that to now that Aman was gone?

Tears trickled down my cheeks as I walked into the room to see my mother crying on the bed with my aunties and cousins comforting her.

Tanya had told me that Aman's parents called mine and told them that Aman had met with an accident on the way home when he was buying some roses for me.

And the dreaded news that...that he died on the spot.

Inching slowly towards my mother, I sat down, sobbing into my hand that was covering my mouth as to not make any noise.