Redeemed Love

Part 43

Wedding day is considered to be one of the best days of someone's life. It brings joy, prosperity and meaning to it. But, it was not the case in this particular wedding.

The punjabi nagada, drunk people dancing weirdly, currency notes flying in the sky while the baarat moved in snails pace was making the groom suffocate if not the turban and headdress doing the job good enough.

After like ages the groom saw the wedding hall at a distance but seeing it only made his situation worse. He wanted to get down and run away at the very moment and even looked for an opportunity but doing so, his eyes fell on his Uncle who gave him a quirky smirk making him sit on the horse quitely.

The groom signalled the Uncle who went near him, leaning the groom asked "Yeh sab karna jaruri hai? (is it all necessary?)" to which the Uncle ridiculed "oyee, tu apna muh band hi rakhiyo samjha, achhe khase plan ko barbad na kariyo warna ek phuti kaudi bhi nahi dunga (you keep your mouth shut, understood, don't ruin such a good plan or else I won't even give you a penny)" and to keep the groom shut, the Uncle snatched a bottle from fellow drunkard and held it up the groom's lips forcing him to drink it.

The noises and chatters defused as soon as they reached the gate of the hall. The groom got down from the horse and was grandly welcomed by the bride's side. His heart was beating fast to see the genuine smiles of his would be in-laws, sweat beads formed on his forehead due to nervousness which the bride's side took care of by making him sit and one of the bride's cousin fanning him.

Such was their hospitality towards him which added more to his misery. Whilst he sat there in between bride's maid and was being pampered, he was trying hard not to cry or speak anything given he had an invisible dagger pointed right at his back, if he tried to speak.

Lowering his gaze and accepting his fate, he said nothing as his vision blurred and he sstarting losing sense of what was happening.

Within a blink of an eye, he was transfixed to some other place, the time of the day also changed. It was dark around them. He looked around to make out where he was but couldn't point accurately where he was.

Soon he heard faint voices and looking at the direction, he saw his Uncle walking towards him.

"hogae Shaadi ab chale? (Marriage is done, now can we go?)" He asked his Uncle already trying to move out.

"Shaadi toh hogae beta, ab shaadi ka laddoo bhi toh khake aa (Marriage is done son, now go and have it's sweet as well)" his Uncle blocked his way and pushed him towards a door which the groom realised to be his first night's room.

"Ye le (take this)" his Uncle held a bottle in his hand and handed it to thim..

"Nahi (No)" the groom replied sharply.

Pissed by his denial, the elder Man held his hand firm and said, "oye, chup chap peele, aur andar ja mard ki tarah.. (drink it quietly and go inside like a Man)"

"Humara kaam toh hogaya hai, mujhe andar janeki kya jarurat hai? (Our work is done, why should I go in?)" The groom asked trying to find a way out of this situation.

"Hume kal subah jaldi nikalna padega, abhi niklenge to shak hoga (we have to leave early tomorrow, if we leave now, they will have doubt on us)" the Uncle replied,

"wese bhi, aaj bacche se mard banne ki raat hai teri, ja mere sher, thode maje kar (anyways, today's the day you'd become a Man from a boy, go tiger, have a little fun)" giving the groom a pat on his back, the old guy pressed the bottle on the his lips and made him chug down half of the bottle.

"Khatam kar.. (finish it!)" The Man adamantly kept it pressed to his lips till he emptied the bottle. The alcohol he had before the wedding still didn't wear off and now having to chug on another bottle, the groom immediately started feeling drowsy and before he could stand on his feet, he was pushed in to the room and was locked in from the outside.