Arranged Marriage ✓

Chapter - Fifty-three.

Nishita’s heart skipped a beat when she entered the cold and silent courtroom, full of mostly unknown faces except Anita’s family, Nishtha [Nishita‘s sister] and her husband. She tightened her grip on Darshan’s hand. He looked at her. “Still want divorce?”, he said with a smirk. Nishita wanted to shot a death stare at him but only glared at him. ‘Divorce’, she thought. Oh, she had completely forgotten what she told him about their divorce. Darshan began to walk, not letting her hand go. Nishita’s body forced to drag itself even though her mind and heart refused.

The judge entered. The cops brought Anita along with them. The judge greeted the two lawyers and the people present in the room. Nishita did not know what a prosecutor’s job was. But she was sure that it was to defend the criminal. She wondered who must be Anita’s prosecutor. Then her eyes fell on a guy. She had seen him somewhere. She had seen him with Anita. ‘Oh yes, that day, in the hospital—’, she stopped thinking. She did not want to remember what happened that night. The lawyer from their [Nishita and Darshan’s] side — whom she obviously did not know — started questioning Anita.

“So, Ms. Pundit, isn’t it?”, he asked Anita, who was [low-key trapped] in a wooden box. “Yes,” Anita said. Neither Darshan nor Nishita had ever seen Anita sound this low. Never. “Tell us what happened that night,” the lawyer wanted to know, “hope you know what I mean, right? The night when you killed my client’s parents”. He joked about that night. “I—it was an acc—accident”, Anita whispered, fumbling. “NO, IT WASN’T!”, he roared. “Mr. Virani, lower your voice. Your shouting at a woman, that too in a courtroom!”, the judge warned. “I apologize, Sir.”, he said. “It was not accident, miss”. He turned back to Anita.

“It was, believe me. It was an accident, sir. I didn’t mean to, I could never. I was drunk. I wasn’t in my right senses. I was out of my mind. I swear!”, she burst out crying. Nishita felt tears roll down her eyes too. She quickly wiped it before anyone could see. But Darshan saw them and placed his hand on her left shoulder. Squeezing her tightly, careful enough for anyone to not see them getting this cozy in courtroom.

“Why were you driving, then?”, Virani asked, raising a brow. “I was driving”, the lawyer from Anita’s side [or, Anita’s prosecutor], corrected Virani. And suddenly, everyone in the room started whispering things to each other. “Silence! Mr. Krishna! What are you saying?”, asked the judge. “Clearly, he is lying, my Lord. ” Virani said with an evil smirk. “’Scuse me?”, Krishna said. Nishita cringed as she heard his wannabe British accent. “It’s ‘excuse me’, Krishna. Surely, you must have learnt that in first grade. He wants to use washroom,” savagely replied Virani. Everyone laughed. The judge coughed. Even Darshan smiled at Virani’s sarcasm. Krishna turned red in embarrassment and said, “I do not want to use the washroom!”.

Totally ignoring Krishna, Virani went to grab something from the nearest table and handed a CD to the judge. “It’s the footage of the highway where — to quote my fellow junior [Krishna] ‘s client, Ms. Pundit — the ‘accident’ happened.” he said. A person played the footage on a TV and everyone saw how Anita’s car [or the car Anita was driving] hit Nishita’s parents’ [or their car]. “The footage is blurry”, Krishna taunted. “Yes, but clear enough to understand that it was miss Pundit driving it, not you.”, the judge said, in Virani’s defence. “And Krishna! Do you even understand how dangerous it is for you to lie in the court? And also to support a crime like a murder? Your license could be cancelled for this!”. “I’m sorry, sir.”, Krishna apologized.

“This video states that even if it was fortunately or unfortunately, ‘accidentally’ done but Ms. Pundit really did commit my client Nishita Raval’s parents — late Mr. & Mrs. Mehta’s murder”, Virani said. Anita twitched when she heard Nishita Raval. Krishna sat, facepalmed. Moments after writing something on a paper and then breaking the pen, the judge said, “The court has come to a conclusion that Miss Anita Pundit should be sentenced to jail for 5 years to repent for the mistake she committed. Though, people have received even death penalty in such cases, but Miss Pundit turned out to be lucky that whatever happened was an accident. And the court leaves Krishna with a warning to not lie in front of judge. And never support such crime. Otherwise, severe actions will be taken against him.”

“The case is closed.” added the judge, leaving the room. Eventually, everyone left. Only Nishita and Nishtha, who were crying, hadn’t left the room, and so didn’t their husbands. Nishtha suddenly received a phonecall and made her way out of the room along with her husband, leaving just Nishita and Darshan in the room.

“Hey,” Darshan said, rubbing Nishita’s shoulders. “5 years”, she said. “She deserves more punishment but I can't see her like that, as well.”. “It’s okay, you’ll be okay and maybe she will be, too.”, assured Darshan.

*
[A few days later]

“Nishita?”, Darshan asked, playing with her hair. “Hm?”, she asked back. “You still want us to be divorced?”, Darshan’s question left Nishita puzzled. Did she really want them to be divorced? But she loved him… and he doesn’t know. What if he loves her, too? Nah! Or maybe he does? “Hello?”, Darshan’s words broke her chain if thoughts. They both sat close. “A judicial separation, maybe? Divorce is a long term process, you know. That way, I’ll still be your wife.”, she said. “So you just want to separate our ways, right?”, he asked. Nishita swallowed the “no, never!”, she wanted to say. Slowly, Darshan leaned in, grabbing her waist. “Hm?”, he inhaled on her neck. “Mhm”, she said shrugging, “Do you even know how dangerous it is, what you’re doing right now?”. “Huh?!”, Darshan said, leaving her. “Yes. You are exhaling the carbon dioxide that came out from you, into me. And if I inhale carbon dioxide it might pollute my blood and then I’ll die!”, Nishita narrated. “Okay, whatever.” Darshan dissed Nishita.

He took her hands into hers. “Nishita, I—”, he was about to say but Nishita cut him off by saying, “am inevitable? Am Iron Man? I am Spider-man? I am Groot?”, she asked. “Will. You. Let. Me. Say. It OR NOT?”, Darshan growled. Nishita burst out laughing, “okay, sorry”. “It is I—”, Darshan stopped, “If you say ‘Thor, son of Odin. God of Hammers/ Thunders’, I swear to God, I’m going to kill you!”, he threatened. Nishita laughed. Leaning in, she cupped Darshan’s face in her palms. Slowly rubbed her nose against his. “Are you trying to seduce me? ’Cause it’s working…”, Darshan said. Nishita smiled. “I wanted to say something important, Nishita!”, Darshan sighed. “I know, I want to, too. And why are you calling me ‘Nishita’? Call me ‘Nishi’!”, she said. “You like it?”, he asked. “I love it,” she said, making him smile. “Just the way, I love you.”, she added.

“What did you say?”, Darshan asked, unsure of what he heard. “I said, I love you”, Nishita repeated. “No, you didn’t!”, Darshan said in disbelief. “Yes, I did.”, she told him. “Do you really— do you really love me? Like— like for real?”, he asked. “I do. And for real.” she said. Darshan grabbed her and placed his lips on top of hers and said, “I love you too! I love you so much, ugh! How much have I waited for this moment, can’t tell!”.

Nishita giggled and said, “Fuck divorce! Shut up and kiss me!”. Darshan pressed his lips harder against hers. And they savoured every bit of each other as they made love. And with that, they dropped the idea of getting divorced and continued to live together. Of course, they were not happily ever after. Their life together continued to be a bumpy rollercoaster ride but they fought against every obstacle and found happiness even in dark!

[—The End—]

[Author’s note: Hi. I’m sorry for posting late. My grandfather and my own brother have tested positive for having Covid-19. Currently, my family is in isolation. And also my exams are going on. Please pray for me and the well-being of my family 💕]