Seven Vows Part 1- Published

Dil Hai ke Maanta Nahi

Dil toh ye chahe har pal tujhe hum bas yuhi dekha kare

They had landed together after rolling over in the Jagratha Mandap. Suman looked up. Their faces were inches apart. She tried to get up. But she felt his arm tightly around her waist, restraining her. She looked at him and saw a passion in his eyes which at first unnerved her, her heart skipped a beat but then made her body feel a warmth that was pleasant.

Marke bhi hum na tumse judha ho aao kuch aisa Karen

Sreedhar looked at her. Her saree was completely red with yellow sprinkled. Her face also had gulal. Her hair was all over his face. In her eyes he saw the same yearning which he was feeling for her. Her lips quivered.

Mujme samaja, aa paas aaja, hum dum mere hum nashi

He took her lips into his. Suman closed her eyes feeling him. Her hands moved from his chest towards the back of his neck as she lowered her face . He kissed her passionately for few moments and she reciprocated it. Then they heard noises and broke away

She looked at him. "Sreedhar.."

" No Sumi. That day in hospital I want to talk about it. You said when we are back home I can talk. You will listen. Allow me to tell Sumi. I wanted to tell you this. I very much wanted to tell you this. Just listen." He pressed her hand. She nodded. " Sumi everyone saw the way you tried to physically protect me. But only I know what real protection you gave me that day. Sumi by accepting the intimate moment with me that day, you protected me from falling in front of my own eyes. Believe me Sumi, if you had said no, I would not have been able to forgive myself for taking advantage of the moment. Sumi I am not concerned about what the world thinks about me. But I am very much concerned about what you think about me. Because if I cant meet your eyes, I cant even meet my mother's eyes as if I insult you or misbehave with you it is equivalent to insulting her, insulting whatever she has taught me from childhood.

Sumi when I loved you, I had always wanted to deliver on your trust because I know how much you trust me. In college I had tried my best to ensure even if you break some rules with me no one raises a finger at you. Sumi when I came back from US and saw you, you wanted me to move on. I could not move on Sumi because in front of Goddess I had given you the seven promises. Yes there was no other witness other than Maa Durga for what we did that day. You had walked those 7 rounds with me without another witness trusting me. And society put a bind on you, while I could walk scott free. I didn't wanted that Sumi, I wanted to deliver on your trust. I want you to know it was not just a walk I did with you, but I meant each and every word I spoke.

And that day in Jagratha Mandap I realized the level at which you have trusted me Sumi. Without any formal binding just for the binding we had in front of Maa Durga you accepted the intimacy. Though I couldn't realize it immediately as I was confused, I understood that after that intimate moment my resolve to protect your trust has increased. And my way of protecting your trust was standing between you and the society Sumi. Before the society reaches you, they will have to bypass me. Sumi please understand whenever I am standing between you and the society I am only delivering on the trust you placed on me by being a part of me. And Sumi it also means that I trust you completely that you will never do any action intentionally that can make me stand in front of society with bowed head. So Sumi whatever I did it had nothing to do with honor. It had only to do with trust. Trust you have on me and the trust I have on you. It was there before, but then after the intimate moment we shared understand I have become more responsible towards you, wanting to do more for you. Your trust is my power Sumi and I will go any extend to protect it.

Tears were flowing from his eyes and she was also crying as he caressed her hand.

" Sreedhar I was also confused that day. I was thinking why didn't I stop you. And when you talked about honor in the messed up state I was also angry at you. Then I realized you will be as confused as I am. In hospital I saw you so vulnerable which I have never seen you before. Sreedhar leaving my modesty as a woman I want to tell you one thing. In that intimate moment with you I felt myself alive again. I felt happy sharing that moment with you. It was my choice not any compulsion. Yes I want us to understand the social reality of our relation and need to be more cautious so that we don't cross the limit. But that moment we shared I don't want to feel guilty about it Sreedhar, because I understood in front of Maa Durga we have not sinned. And sinning from society perspective we have taken the punishment also. You physically and me emotionally"

Sreedhar smiled at her, leaving her hand. She too was smiling. Their mind felt like the clear sky after the rain.

" You have become a hero Sreedhar" Suman told as she took his plate.

" You have made me one Sumanji" he smiled back at her, his eyes showing all the affection for her.