Always And Forever

Mummy?

Two weeks later.

Sumedh was waiting for Gopika to come meet him at the jail. Waiting room was dark and just a lamp on ceiling was the source of light.

"Mummy" Sumedh smiled as he saw Gopika.

Gopika didn't smile at all. She just sat in front of him and took a deep breath. "Sumedh main bahot straight baat karne aayi hoo yaha. Main janti hoo ki yeh case kaise hua aur isko khatam kaise kiya ja sakta hai"

Sumedh furrowed his brows "Kya matlab?" He asked.

"Maine socha tha ki yeh case tumpe ho jayega toh Saheb tumhe hate karne lagenge. That way Rudransh will have everything"

Sumedh widened his eyes "Mummy? What are you talking about?"

"I am not an evil person Sumedh. I love you and Ridhi. But to be honest.. I think Abhimanyu loves you two more than he loves Rudransh. Me and Abhimanyu are old. Rudransh was born late so obviously we'll die early. I am worried sick that No one will look after him after we die. And if he's left without anything then his life will..." She stopped.

Sumedh couldn't believe what he was hearing. Since his father married Gopika he loved her like his own mother. She never showed any signs of jealousy or she never behaved like a step mother and suddenly this was happening.

" Mummy. Rudransh mera bhai hai. I love him. I will never leave him. Besides he's a bright child. He'll have a good career I am sure"Sumedh said.

" I don't want to hear this Sumedh" Gopika was crying. "I thought I could do this but I can't. I can't see you in jail. This will end now but you'll have to listen to me and do as I say"

"Okay. If you're gonna get me out of jail I'll do as you say" Sumedh said.

"Abhimanyu will hate you only if you do what Ridhi did" Gopika said "You'll have to get married. Without telling anyone"

Sumedh felt his world going slow. He didn't know how to react. What Gopika was asking him to do was unbelievable. How was he gonna do that? Get married like going to a party? That easily?

"You'll have to trust me. I'll never find a girl who's not good enough for you" Gopika said.

"So you're gonna find the girl?" Sumedh asked.

"I have already found the girl" Gopika said "You'll just have to come to the mandir and get married. Trust me she's good"

"Mummy I don't believe this" Sumedh grabbed his hair "How am I supposed to do this?"

"Sumedh. You don't want to be in jail, right? It's either get married or stay in the jail" Gopika said.

"I need some time" He said.

"Okay. Five minutes?" She asked.

Sumedh could hear his heartbeat. He felt cold sweat on his forehead. It was decision of lifetime. What did he want? He surely didn't want to live in jail under some false charges. But getting married? To a girl he didn't even know ?

"Think about it" Gopika said.

"Mummy there's no chance I would wanna live here in jail" Sumedh said "Agar main shaadi karunga toh meri kuch sharte hai"

"Kaisi?" Gopika asked.

"Pehli toh yeh ki mere upar se case hat jana chahiye aur charges jhoote the yeh prove ho jana chahiye" Sumedh said.

"Done" Gopika said "Dusri?"

"Main apni biwi ko leke aap logoke sath Mumbai me nahi rahunga. We'll go to Pune. To my house" Sumedh demanded.

"Fine" Gopika agreed.

"And third is.. You won't say anything if I ever try to divorce her" Sumedh said.

Gopika didn't say anything. Sumedh was a divorce lawyer. Divorce was an easy thing for him. She knew He would surely divorce the girl if he's forced to marry. But still it would take time. Gopika calculated in her mind and decided that time in between the marriage and Divorce would be almost a year. In that time she'll convince Abhimanyu to let Rudransh have all the property.

"Thik hai" Gopika agreed.

"Done then. You get me out of jail and I'll be wherever you call me to get married" Sumedh said.

"You won't regret this decision" Gopika said.

****

Sumedh was out of jail and Abhimanyu was dying to see him. But he knew where he first have to go.

"I've never imagined my wedding to be like this" He said to himself as he looked in mirror. He was looking handsome in Shervani.

For the first time since Gopika made that offer he thought about the girl he was going to marry. He didn't know who she was, How she was, How she looked, How old she is.. And what her name was!

Sumedh was in a little hotel room in a remote village. He was asked to come to village mandir. He came out of the hotel and found a car waiting for him.

As he sat in car his anxiety started going up. 'What the fuck am I doing' He said to himself 'should I back out? Should I call papa and tell him everything? He knew that Gopika wasn't dumb. He knew that if he didn't do what she was saying she'll do something she hasn't said yet! It could be deadly for him.

Five minutes later he reached his destination. Whilst removing his shoes he took a deep breath and looked up at the mandir. That was it! He was here and he was gonna do that. He didn't know how it was going to turn out but he knew that he would tell the girl how he was forced to marry and then he would divorce her.

'It's easy Sumedh. You'll divorce her. Itne sare logoka divorce tumne karwaya hai. Apna bhi karwa lena' He told himself as he climbed the stairs.

Mandir was decorated. He saw Gopika who was wearing traditional outfit. Sumedh, for the first time in his life, hated her smiling face. Whatever she was doing to him was unnecessary and unjust.

Pandit ji asked him to stand with a garland in his hand. Two people hold up a curtain in front of him which was supposed to separate the bride and groom.

"Ladki ko le aaiye" Pandit ji told.

After hearing this people who were holding the curtain hold it up high so that he couldn't see her.

Sumedh felt like he could burst with anxiety. He heard tinkling of bangles and understood that his bride had arrived. Who was she? What was her name? What does she look like? So many questions were whirring in his mind.

Sumedh didn't even understand and ritual was completed. He felt rice grains falling over his head and heard his mother clapping.

At that precise moment, the curtain separating Sumedh from his bride fell down. Sumedh looked up and froze.

The girl, who was his bride, was standing there with a garland in her hands. She was wearing a green colored saree with a red border and a red shawl. She was adorned with gold jewelry from head to toe. Her hair were tied in a beautiful bun and were decorated with flowers. She had lean figure and medium height. Her complexion was fair but Sumedh couldn't see her eyes because her lashes were down.

"Sumedh. Use haar pehnao" Gopika's voice brought him back to reality and he stopped staring at her.

Sumedh went forward and made her wear the garland. Her neck was already lowered so he didn't had to struggle.

"Ab ladki haar pehnayegi" Pandit ji announced.

Sumedh lowered his neck. For a second she looked up and their eyes met. Sumedh's heart skipped a beat. She had blue eyes! Immediately she looked down and made him wear garland without looking at him.

'She is so beautiful!' It was the first ever thought Sumedh had when he saw his bride.

***

Next chapter Mallika's name will be reveled.

This chapter was cut short. If I get comments from all the people who vote then I'll post other half on 10 pm ♥️