Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Broken Dreams

Suman turned and ran as a bewildered Renu, Maheswari and Vindhya looked on. Sreedhar was gripping the chair so hard, not to lose control, but he noticed everyone's attention was on Suman who was now taking 3 steps at a go and was crying profusely.Vindhya tried to follow, but Maheswari stopped her." Vindhya let her cry. Murali and Sreedhar looks similar right. The girl might have been reminded of her wedding. She needs to cry. She has not cried a bit, not a drop of tear. So much is closed inside her. Let it go. It will calm her and face the reality. Just check on her periodically from outside " Vindhya and Renu nodded." Sreedhar come, have lunch".

Sreedhar looked at his mother perplexed. Lunch. That was the last thing he wanted now. " Ma I want to be alone for sometime", he managed to tell. Renu patted his cheeks. " Go have some rest, I guess strain is seeing on you."Suman closed the door of her room and collapsed on the bed,"

Sumi understand dear, I don't want to have a secret marriage. I don't think there is any need for it. Once I am back, once the results are out, once I am settled in family business your graduation will be over and formally I will send my parents your home to ask for your hands" Sreedhar caressed her cheeks.They were sitting under the banyan tree in their college. Suman took his hand." You are not understanding. I don't know why I am afraid. I don't know why I feel I will be separated from you. You are going tomorrow for a month Sreedhar" She kept her head on his shoulders and he held her." You fear we will be separated, and I think it is your pagal pan, yet to remove your fears we will do one thing. We will go today evening to Durga Temple near college and together we will take 7 rounds of Durga Maa telling each vow. So symbolically we are married and have promises with each other. What say"She smiled, "we will go".

That evening Suman was dressed in a bright red salwar and Sreedhar was wearing an offwhite sherwani. Just 2 of them went to the temple and as planned holding hands they took the 7 rounds, both repeating the vows of marriage. They fought on the 5th vow. Sreedhar wanted 2 daughters, suman told him they will have one son, one daughter. They laughed.

Suman came back to the present. She cried more bitterly. What is this cruelty of fate for her. What game the destiny is playing with her. Sreedhar her devar. He is the man she has chosen as her husband. How can she even live in this house. She has to go, she will go, go to some Ashram or die on the road. Lot of thoughts went on Suman's mind.

Once inside the room Sreedhar wept, wept like a child unable to comprehend the reality. Suman no his Sumi, his bhabi, how did it happen, how he didn't understand, nothing was coming in Sreedhar's mind" Sumi one kiss is ok dear. Afterall we got symbolically married right" Suman and Sreedhar were standing on the terrace of the ladies hostel the night before his journey." Yes you will get a symbolic kiss" she gave a flying kiss and " Sreedhar before the warden catches you, better you go, otherwise the spotless image of Sreedhar Varma will suffer a dent. It doesn't look good to be caught from the terrace of ladies hostel" she giggled"Ok Suman Rajput I am going. But atleast one hug, or that is also symbolic " she giggled and walked into his stretched arms. He hugged her closely, intimately. " I love you Sumi", " I love you Sreedhar"

" Sumi" Sreedhar whispered only to realize he was hugging the pillow and he broke down. He still felt her in his arms. How can destiny take her away from him. How can destiny be this cruel