A Typical Indian Bride? [✓]

The Previous Night

One Week Later:

Tomorrow we are inaugurating our tution centre. We arranged for some mats, a board, some chalks, a duster and all stationary from my husband's shop.

Rekha had been really helpful in distributing the pamphlets and asking spreading the word in her college and neighbourhood.

Raj ji is still not talking to her and well, they make sure that this is not really evident to Ma and Babaji. Well, if the layer of modesty is peeled off, I run here and there to ensure that there is no awkwardness sniffed.

After a really long week, with additional duties done along with the daily household work, I came to my room and closed the door.

Raj ji, already in his night t-shirt and shorts, was sitting on the corner of the bed checking out some expense sheets.

I just fell flat on the bed!

The nape of the saree that usually covers me slightly exposed my skin as I felt the cool air of the fan hit my tummy.

I closed my eyes and relished the feeling.

I have seriously had a really really long day!

I heard him place the expense records on the table beside the bed.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw him smile!

Oh, I definitely know this smile!

I stood up immediately and opened the closet to search for my nighty. Well, saree is too dangerous, right now...

He tip-toed and hugged me from behind as I slowly closed the closet door.

I looked at us in the door's mirror. I was still in my black and olive green saree, as he rested his chin on the left side of my neck while simultaneously pushing my free hair towards the other side.

I felt him inhale very deeply as his beard pricked my neck. I tilted my neck towards th right, just to give him more room and shy away from the sensation that was dancing deep within.

He kissed the nape of my neck and trailed it till my left ear. His hand slowly reached my earring as he carelessly removed it and placed it on the closet draw.

His right hand reached my waist as he gently and with such elegance just trailed his fingers around the front of my stomach.

I just caved in, stood there, while his artistic fingers did all the work. I leaned back on my toes, stretching and bridging the tiniest gap existing between him and me.

I turned around to look at him, into his very deep and black eyes.

A playful smile articulated on his lips as his beard just so beautifully added to the mood.

"Ji-", I breathed.

"Ha-", he throated.

I raised my tows to kiss the corner of his mouth as his hands now found the pins of my saree...

As I let him do his work, I just looked, deeply looked at him.

The universe could be measured with those eyes.

I felt my the top of my saree, just fall down proving gravity time and again, as he slowly and very very steadily tried to thin down the space between his lips and mine while I-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Bahu! Raj Beta!!"

Do you understand the meaning of not-so-scynchronized timings?

Well this is a classic example, like a reflex, I immediately turned over opened the closet and found a nighty which is easily reachable and ran to washroom as my saree still trailed along!

This is still so embarrassing and probably I might need a shower after this!

As I came out dressed in the nightwear, I found my husband and Ma ji sitting on the cot.

She looked worried.

"Ma ji, is everything okay?"

"Bahu, aao aao, sit down..."

I still chose to stand, well that's the protocol of s daughter-in-law.

"Nahi nahi Ma ji, koi baath nahi, aap please boliye, kya baath hai?"

"Women don't work in our society and this is an age-old practice. Are we going against the will of our ancestors in doing this?"

"Ma, what are you saying? Why such questions, after we have arranged for everything and even promised children to come over tomorrow-", asked my husband who was interrupted by the melancholic voice of Ma ji.

"See, Rekha is not herself from the past few days. I don't know whether you have noticed it or not.

As a mother, I always carry a strict attitude towards her and hence cannot sympathize her, if at all she is going through something.

Bahu, can you talk to her?

This is a request from a mother..."

Well, as I have always expressed my thoughts very clearly, this is a typically typical understanding of a family situation.

Any good or bad thing is analysed through unrealistic and consumed thoughts, not giving freedom to adaptation to the new age development and beliefs.

Don't get me wrong, I am superstitious but on sentiments of traditions and not that would come in the way of a progressive development of a person or a larger set of people.

However, how can I explain this to my mother in law?

Though her reasoning was wrong, her instinct was definitely right.

Rekha was not herself after the park encounter and well, you know how I have been trying to smooth things up.

My husband however chose to stay silent and probably he just did the right thing.

"Ma ji... I shall talk to her.

Kindly don't cloud your heart with worries.

We have a long day tomorrow and you and Babaji need rest.

I shall definitely talk to her and get back to you.

As far as the tution centre is concerned, Ma ji, we worship Goddess Saraswati, she is the feminine form of education and knowledge.

We are not doing anything wrong, or to put it in another way, we are definitely doing the right thing.

This business would give us a huge financial support that we need right now.

We have to arrange for Rekha's higher studies and for her wedding. 

Also, if we have to think of shifting to our own home, from this rented place, we need to start saving now, Ma ji.

This is the solution to all our problems Ma ji..."

My mother in law, for the first time in these 6 months, agreed in silence...

I am a typical Indian bride, after all!
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