Since that day, the house was dull. Only Rithu's voice - trying desperately to cheer us - could be heard.
The rest of us were silent. I was soo gloomy, I felt as if I'm being thrown away from my dearest ones.
This lasted for a couple weeks. Then started to groom hunt. A profile was made for me in the matrimonial column, emphasising my age and Shani dosha.
Proposals started to arrive. But my mom and dad weren't satisfied by that. At last one was fixed. Mr. Vinod Kumar, guest lecturer in an engineering college.
"Ruvee, ye dekho, be calm, and don't speak if you are not asked to. Do u get me??" My mom said, as if I speak whenever I was asked to. I was undergoing my training session for the first meet.
I was to be entered after I was called and serve them tea, then take the groom to the park and have a chat.
I was dressed in my mother's blue sari, and wearing some light makeup and my mom's golden chain. Amma was giving me instructions how to behave to the party.
Papa came inside saying, "Meera, they called just now, they are just close to the school. So be quick, they'll be here soon." The school was just 5 minutes away from home and both me and Rithu attended there till class 4. It was a primary school.
That was when he noticed me, draped in her sari with the help of mom. He gave a sigh. "I never knew my baby had grown to be a beautiful young woman. You were always a baby for me, and now you look like my princess." I could see the tears welding up in papa's eyes. Amma had already started crying.
"Bus Ruvee di beautiful hain, main nahin??' Rithika, my savior , she always had the right timing of entry . She was enough to change papa and mama's mood.
"Tum Kaise beautiful ho jaoenge, you are their son right." I said back. "You can only be handsome."
"Papa see, you are the one who always say that she is the well behaved one and I'm the naughty one, now see who's behaving naughty." She was trying her best to fake tears by pretending to rub her both checks as if there were tears running on her cheeks.
"You people have pampered her so much that she has become a devil now." She said looking at me cheeckly and giving me a naughty grin.
"Devil, me, ahaaan... Then you are a beast, and I'm the beauty" I said signalling myself with both hands.
"You, beauty, hahaha, joke of the year." She said, and by the look that I gave her, she knew better than to reply. So she moved to the next better option.
And she began running around the room screaming, with me trailing behind her.
By this papa and mama started laughing. "Sanjay, you are wrong, these two are still babies, my two little babies." She said hugging both of us, while we still continued to exchange weird faces.
"Haha, yes right. My two little princess. And you two have made me the King."
The laughter died down as soon as we heard a horn outside the gate, and I instantly became nervous, fiddling with the tip of my saree and biting my lips.
"Sanjay, you welcome them inside and make them comfortable, and you Rithika," she turned to Rithu, "make them enough coffee or tea, and call me when you are done. So off with your work you two." Mom said in her bossy tone.
Papa gave me a reassuring look, while Rithu gave me a thumbs up, and both left the room. I turned to mama and saw her adjusting my hair that was in a simple clipped form.
"Ruvee, you do remember what I told you right. And also remember this is only the first, you don't have to say yes if you don't want to. Okay??." She asked. I simply nod my head as no words were coming out of me.
Soon I was standing in front of them with tray in my hand and serving them. There was an old lady who looked like a retired hostel warden and an uncle looking military. A young girl probably 2, 3 years younger than Rithu.
And at last the guy that I saw in the photo column of matrimony, Mr. Vinod. All their eyes were on me and it made me uncomfortable. I was not the person who liked so much attention, and this made me more tensed.
I served them tea and sat in between papa and mama, and of course opposite to Mr. Vinod. Both the parents were talking about the weather and stuff and finally they asked if we both wanted to talk in privacy.
I wanted to say no as I was too tensed, but the guy said yes, and now I had no other option than to follow him to the garden, while Rithu and the girl, named Vani, led the way.
He was the first to sit in the chair and motioned me to sit opposite to him in the 4 chaired round tea table. Then there was silence that I didn't want to break. It was my first time alone with a guy and I was giving continuous glances at the door to the house.
"Ahem, so your name is Dhruvika, graduate in fashion technology, am I right ??" He broke the silence.
"Ji." I said nodding my head.
"I hope you know my name, but still I will introduce, I'm Vinod Kumar, and I work as a guest lecturer in an engineering college in Pune. And I wish that we will shift to Pine after marriage." Was he that sure about the marriage?? "Do you have any objection with that?."
"I.. I have to ask papa about that." I replied, still not looking at his face.
"Don't you have anything else to say??" He inferred. I got more tense, and I felt that my lips would bleed now since I was biting it for a loong time.
"I was planning to start a boutique with my friend Shikha, after marriage."
I said still not gaining the courage to look into his face.
"Boutique?.. Hmm look Miss. Dhruvika, I am marrying since I want a wife to look after me, and cook food for me, make love to me and take good care of my parents. I want you to be home when I'm going for work and when I return.
Also, I don't want my parents to be alone at home. Your only job should be to do these. Do you get me?" He ordered. This made me look at his face for once, and I instantly knew that I will have to sacrifice my whole life for him.
"But that was my dream since my childhood, my own boutique." I was getting angry, and whenever I get angry my eyes will sting with tears.
"Dhruvika, I told you, I want a wife, not a fashion designer to stitch my clothes." He was more calm now, as if he was teaching a kid. And all I could do was to nod my head, as I was scared of his sudden calmness.
My saviour , my Rithu, she came back, obviously seeing my tensed posture from somewhere inside.
"Vinod bhaiya, deedi, papa asked you to come inside once you are done with the chat." She said motioning her eyes inside. And I knew that this was my chance of escape.
So I stood up and looked at Vinod ji. He understood my action and silently followed us inside.
Papa, Mama and the guests were still talking and they seemed surprised upon seeing us back. And I realized that it was Rithu's trick to save me from him. Looking at his face I knew that he too got the hint as his face showed confusion.
"You guys are really fast. So have you discussed over the future??" Mrs. Kumar asked.
"Haa maa, everything is done. But a small problem, Dhruvika here seems adamant that she wants to start a dress shop after marriage." Mr.Vinod said.
"It is not a dress shop, its a boutique." Rithu intervened, she was making it obvious that she didn't like Vinodji.
Mama gave her a pointed look to shut her, to which she obeyed. Both Vinod and his mom didn't like the way Rithu said, and both were giving her the same look that mama gave them.
"Look Mrs. and Mr Kumar, we are sorry to say, but the boutique was my daughters dream since a long time, and we are rushing into marriage only because of her shani dosha , and we wishes that she continue with her studies and aims after her marriage." Papa said with certainity.
"Yes, I understand Mr. Sanjay, and I appreciate your daughters spirit. It will be a privilege to have a daughter like her when married women this age prefers to be housewife or are forced to be one." Said Mr. Kumar, who remained silent till now, said affectionately and continued getting up from his seat.
" I apologize for my family. We will think more to this and let you know later. Thank you, so Lakshmi, chalein?" He said the last words sternly looking at his wife who quickly became got up from her seat.
He shook hands with father and then kept his hand on my head and said, "May all your wishes come true beta, and I hope you will get a better husband who will respect you." And I knew that this marriage was not going to happen. I don't know why but I felt happy for some reason.
As soon as they left, Rithu came hugging me. Thank God they left, I didn't like the lady, she looked like a school principal. "Seriously Ruvee, I thought she was a hostel warden.," Said mama and everyone laughed.
"So the groom hunt begins all over again.." Said Rithu as all of us went inside.
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So friends how was the chapter. This is just a sample of today's marriage and how women do not get the right to work after marriage. I loved Mr.Kumar.
So do keep reading, love you all..
Amaira...