Seven Vows Part 1- Published

The Decorations

Suman, Sreedhar, Vindhya, Vaishnav and Poornima were at the shop decorating it for the next day's inauguration. Everyone was in a good mood. Vindhya and Poornima were tying flower garlands at the entrance and at the sides of shelves. Sreedhar and Vaishu checked on the lighting arrangement and were also arranging the furniture inside the shop.

Suman was dressing up the two display mannequins in sarees. She had chosen richly fabric painted silk saree for one mannequin and embroidered cotton saree for the other. She was working day and night to complete the fifty sarees. In between she had to finish orders, take training in the army camp and also teach dance. Now she had relegated her dance classes to week ends only as she knew it was not possible to run it on week days also. One good thing that happened with her six month training in army camp was that she had got two women to support her in the shop.

Sreedhar was feeling happy as he arranged the furniture along with Vaishnav. Suman's parents along with her brother's family had come. Suman's mother was dotting on him and he hoped when she knows the truth, she will love him the same way. She had bought a big dabba of gajjar ka halwa for him.

Soon most of the work was done. Now only the sarees had to be arranged in the shelf and some small decoration arrangement in the steps and front of the shop.

" Sreedhar, you and Suman sit inside the shop and spend some time. Let us do the remaining work" told Vindhya.

Suman tried to protest but Vindhya and Poorni pushed Sreedhar and Suman to the designing area to the extend they slipped and fell together.

" Poorni, Vaishu turn this side. Don't spoil the romance " teased Vindhya as she dragged the kids.

Suman tried to get up, but the way they fell it was impossible without holding him. She held his shoulders and he supported her as they got up. Suman very much wished she could keep her head on his chest. Sreedhar just wanted to wrap her in his arms. But then they left each other quickly.

" Sreedhar I forgot to tell you something. "See this  Suman opened her handbag and took the Ganesha Key chain which now had the key of the shop.

Sreedhar took it from her hands not able to believe his eyes. He took the key chain from her hands " How, how did you get it Sumi. I thought you might never get it back".

" Maa gave Sreedhar" told Suman.

" Bhavani Aunty. Does she know " asked Sreedhar.

" Take it as Maa's blessing for our union Sreedhar. She doesn't know who gave it. But the way she talked I understood she knows it is given to me by the man with whom I have been in love. By giving me this she has indicated she wished to see me united with the man I loved. I wanted to tell her who it is , but then Papa came " told Suman.

Sreedhar gave the key chain back to her. " Sumi do you know how happy I am. Bhavani Aunty has given her blessings. This symbol of our love has come back to you. Everything will be alright" told Sreedhar and Suman could see he was crying. She gently wiped his tears smiling at him.

Naina tied the decorations for her second sister in laws wedding. Her mother in law came out.

" How long will it take you to tie the decorations. Simply eating food and not doing any proper work. Is this the way flowers are tied. There are no servants here. Finish it fast. There is more work to do. "

Naina nodded her head. Post Rawat's death things didn't go good for Naina and her mother. ED confiscated all the properties of Rawat, Bhaskar and Shyamlal. They took the haweli telling it was a benami property. Naina's mother in law made a big hue and cry of calling her a criminal's daughter and refused to have them at Rajat's house.

Since Rajat was a nice man, he spoke sternly to his mother that Naina is his wife and she will stay there. He made arrangements for her mother to be taken to a widow home with the help of a student who had worked for " Dignity for widow campaign". He spoke to some people, paid something called income tax on the deposit money and got the remaining money back.

But her mother in law ensured the money they got was in Rajat's name and not in her name. Rajat tried to reason out, but her mother in law was impossible. Now Naina had nothing and was completely dependent on Rajat for her survival.

Before the fiasco his one sister's marriage was done. Now with the remaining deposit money the marriage of her second sister in law was happening. Naina knew by the time her third sister in law was married there will be nothing left and they will have to live on the income from Rajat's kirana shop.

That meant more abuses from her mother in law. Naina gently touched her belly. She had to tell Rajat. A new life was on its way and she hoped it to be a boy. If not she knew her mother in law will not spare her.

" Chudayil not yet finished tying a flower garland. Finish it fast. You need to make Churma ladoo. Guests will be coming any time for Haldi." hissed her mother in law.

Naina closed her eyes. All she could see was Suman's hurt face when she had called her Chudayil in the party. Tears started flowing from her eyes and she knew there was none to see it as she went about doing the work.