Tu Dua Hai

Chapter 11

A few days later, one evening she went home to find her father tidying the home with help of a maid. “What’s going on papa? Do we have guest coming over?” She asked as she watched him arranging the cushions on the couch. “Yes dear. Your in-laws are coming over to officially see you and fix the marriage. Please wear something traditional. Put on your makeup or whatever you put on. Go, they will be here in 30-40 mins.” Gauri was stunned to hear this. This marriage proposal was moving too fast and she didn’t know who the boy was yet. “Yes papa, about that, I.. er… wanted to talk to you. They are coming over to see me and I don’t know who the boy or his family is. Don’t you think I should know?” Her father turned towards her. “Er… didn’t I tell you about them? I thought you knew. That was why you agreed and so I called them and told them that you said yes.” Now Gauri was shocked. “Papa, I agreed for your sake. You should have at least discussed with me. Anyways, at least tell me now, who are they?” “Yes ok, it is Darshan Raval. You know him, you did a show with him and he is such a famous and successful singer and also a businessman. Their family is so rich that actually we do not match their standard level. But because this is Darshan’s second marriage…. Dear, they are a very good family and Darshan is also a nice guy. I have researched everything about him. He has a good reputation in the industry and he has never had any affairs or anything. I also watched his songs; they too are decent, nothing vulgar. I personally feel that he is a perfect match for you. He will keep you happy and you will want for nothing there. Rajal ben will be like a mother to you. Please don’t say no beta, I have already said yes. But in case if you really don’t like him then I can refuse too. I care about nothing more than your happiness.” Gauri was speechless at this. Her father’s phone rang so went attend the call while Gauri’s blank mind started to work again. Darshan Raval. But how… how had his family even thought about sending a marriage proposal to her. She was an ordinary, average looking doctor. Or was she? Maybe Nisha was right. She did have a sort of beautiful face and a nice body. But still… Darshan Raval… and… and her? There was no match between them. How could she marry a drunkard? There were so many reasons to not marry him. But then, there were a few strong reasons to marry him. First, it was a question of her father’s word. He had committed on her behalf to the Ravals and Gauri Sharma never backed off from commitments. Secondly, she had sworn to God that she would help Darshan if his mother got well. She had to keep that promise and she was being offered a best way to do so. Thirdly, she had also promised his mother, Rajal aunty that she would care for her son. And fourth, she herself felt that if this was a match made in heavens, she should not go against it. Darshan was not a bad guy. Sure he had behaved rudely with her, but he had apologized too. Maybe he behaved like that with outsiders or maybe his mood had been off that day, as he said, because of hangover. But were these reasons enough to marry an arrogant bastard who had made her cry? Before she could reach a decision, her father hurried back to her. “Gauri beta. Please go and get ready quickly. They are already on their way and will reach here in 20-25 minutes. Go, be quick.” Gauri walked back to her room, still in daze and utter confusion. With a jolt, she realized that Darshan must have consented for this marriage too. She had heard him speaking to God that he would marry whatever girl his mother chose for him. Still shaken by the fact that she was getting married to The Darshan Raval, Gauri started to get ready.
Darshan was driving the car with just one thought going on loop in his mind. He was going to marry Dr. Gauri Sharma. The one who he had behaved rudely with, the one who had helped his mother and him. The one who was so kind, that she had cared for him despite his past behavior towards her. There was no match between them. She was a post graduate doctor and he had not even completed his 2nd year of engineering. She was kind and compassionate; he was a rude and arrogant bastard. She saved lives on daily basis and he made everyone’s lives miserable just by existing. But he had promised both his mother and God that he would marry whatever girl his mother wanted him to marry. And he was not the one to back off his words. So here he was, repeating the same mistake of marriage again in his life. There was a time he could not think of any other girl other than Ayesha. But now he was marrying some complete stranger. It felt weird, marrying, when he had thought that he was done with that shit. Again there was the issue of the girl. Gauri. Why was it that she reminded him of Ayesha? Why did she irritate him just by her mere presence? Before he could drive himself crazy with such thoughts, Darshan’s mother told him to take a right turn and before he could think anymore, they had arrived. Darshan didn’t see the need to conduct the formalities. They had all seen Gauri, Gauri had obviously seen him. They could have simply talked over phone to sort out the matters. But the elders had insisted on meeting personally. This will increase the family bonding, they had said. Darshan parked the car in the parking lot and everyone got out. Darshan helped his grandmother to walk to the lift. When they rang the doorbell of flat number 101, they heard shuffling inside and the door was opened a moment later by a man in his fifties. He was as tall as Darshan and well-built. Darshan immediately recognized him as Arnav Sharma and was impressed. Military people tended to have that influence over the people, he mused. As he entered the artfully decorated flat, he noticed that the house was a mixture of old and new. While the couch was brand new, the tea-table was as old as Darshan himself, but was well maintained. Similarly, half the furniture was about 20-25 years old, while half furniture looked brand new. Darshan sat down in one of the single armchairs, while his family sat on the bigger couch after being greeted politely by Arnav Sharma. Darshan observed the house, trying to keep himself busy. There was a chest of drawers beside the TV cabinet, a single-person swing near the window, and two doors leading off into the house. Through one, he could see a blue colored corridor, at end of which he could see a closed wooden door. That must be one of the bedrooms. And through another door, he could see half of the dining room. A dining table was visible. For some reason, the dining table had different types of chairs. Two were very old and wooden, two were plastic chairs and two were modern, posh chairs, the kind you could find in a restaurant. Amused, Darshan turned toward his would-be-father-in-law. He was talking to his father about his service in military. “I fought in Kargill war and fortunately survived. After that I was posted inland on my request. Gauri was young and after her mother’s death, she needed me close.” His mother than started telling him about Darshan himself and Darshan drifted off into his own world. This same scene had happened once before, when he had proposed Ayesha. He had known what Ayesha’s response would be. He had been excited for the marriage. Now the condition was entirely different. He was here for a complete stranger. He did not know what her response was. He did not even know what his own thoughts were. But one thing he was damn sure about, he was here for his mother. He would say yes, if the girl’s answer was yes. He came back to present by the change of tone in his mother’s voice. “We have all the time to get to know each other. But let the people who are going to get married know each other too. Where is my daughter-in-law? I have been waiting far too long for her. Please call her.” Arnav Sharma nodded. “Yes of course, behen ji. I will call her right away.” He motioned a maid hovering in the background and the maid immediately hurried through the door which he had assumed to be a bedroom. The door opened with a click and he heard the maid whispering something to Gauri. He caught words like “didi…calling….be quick….” Suddenly he was nervous. His hands started sweating even though it was September and it was raining heavily outside and the atmosphere was chilly. Why was his heart beating like maniac suddenly? He heard rustle of cloth and tinkling of bangles and anklets. His heart skipped a beat. Why was he so nervous? ‘I have seen her before, why am I acting up like an idiot. Calm the fuck down Darshan. Don’t be stupid.’