Flaming Sun Collection 2: Marriages Made in India (Box Set with 5 novellas)

by Sundari Venkatraman

  Ram finished his breakfast in a hurry and got up. “We have a flight to catch in the afternoon. I’m yet to pack my bags. Sapna?” he turned in her direction, his eyes not meeting hers.

  She too got up immediately. “Yeah, I need to pack too.”

  If anyone found their behaviour strange, no one spoke about it. Lakshman’s eyes followed the newly married couple, worry in his eyes. He hoped that it was only a teething problem.

  “Are we still going on the trip?” asked Sapna. They were both angry. What was the sense in going on a honeymoon, all the way to Kodaikanal?

  Ram glared at her. “Do you have a better idea? You saw how they were. They expect us to behave like man and wife. How do you plan to face the lot of them over the next few days? I don’t know about your family. But everyone in mine will know within an hour that things aren’t as it should be. I’ve never lied to them.” There had been no need till date.

  Sapna felt as if he had slapped her. She hadn’t thought that far. Her brothers were too young. But her parents would know that something was wrong. She wished she could go back in time, to live her life peacefully in Pushkar. Life had been way simpler then.

  They packed fast and left after an hour, saying their goodbyes in a hurry. Ram wore a pair of dark shades that kept the pain in his eyes hidden. He noted that Sapna had also done the same and even managed to smile on seeing that. The hapless couple had no choice but to go on the honeymoon that Ram had planned with so much enthusiasm. He hoped they didn’t kill each other during the trip.

  14

  Their Jet Airways flight left Jaipur at 2 pm to reach Delhi in about an hour. After a stopover of an hour and fifteen minutes, the same flight had taken them to Chennai. After another wait of half an hour, they finally reached Madurai at five minutes past nine.

  Sapna had been nervous before they boarded the flight. But she kept it to herself, not wanting to draw her husband’s attention. But soon, excitement overpowered her nervousness that she enjoyed the trip thoroughly. Though, by the time they landed at Madurai, she was half asleep, having no clue about where they were going.

  A taxi from Heritage Madurai whisked them to the hotel. After completing the formalities at the reception, the two of them went to have dinner at The Banyan Restaurant. It looked like they were the final stragglers in as the restaurant was taking the last orders for the day. They asked for two masala dosas and ate their dinner without really tasting it. Both had been speaking in monosyllables throughout the trip.

  Stepping out of the restaurant, they went along with the bellhop and that’s when it struck Sapna that she would be sharing it with her husband. Turning pale, she gritted her teeth in frustration as he showed them to their room, their luggage already having been delivered there.

  Ram tipped the man before shutting the door. Well, too bad if she didn’t like the arrangement, but he hadn’t been prepared for the turn of events when he booked the hotel. Ignoring her, he turned to look at the huge room. It was the ultimate in comfort. He noticed that it consisted of twin beds that were separated by a table. A deep sigh rose up from the depths of his being. That was at least something.

  Sapna stood frowning in the middle of the room, wondering how to deal with the situation. She didn’t want to open her mouth, just in case Ram bit her head off. He somehow seemed capable of it right now. She also noticed the separated beds and gave a sigh of relief. She was too tired and just wanted to crash.

  Removing a nightie from her suitcase, she went into the en suite bathroom. After a quick wash, she changed and stepped out within five minutes. Her shocked eyes looked at Ram who had removed his shirt and was walking around in his jeans. Her eyes clung to his lean and muscled torso, the kind that she’d never laid eyes on. Her heart fluttered as her breathing deepened. This man was her husband.

  But no, she wasn’t interested. He wasn’t the man of her dreams. Turning her face away, she quickly went to the bed that was furthest away from the bathroom and settled down on it. Her whole body ached, what with the sleepless night and more than seven hours of travel. Thank God for the luxurious bed. Turning on her tummy, she pulled the comforter over her head and went to sleep the moment her head touched the pillow.

  Ram had stopped feeling angry many hours ago. It was difficult to remain in a state of resentment for a long time. It just wasn’t in his nature. But that didn’t mean he had forgiven Sapna. He turned to look at her and automatically smiled. She was fast asleep. Incredible!

  He switched off all the lights and left only one bedside light on at his side. Changing into a pair of boxers and t-shirt, he plumped up the pillows and cushions at his back and settled down on his bed to open the Kindle app on his phone. Even yesterday, he hadn’t foreseen to spend the first night of his honeymoon reading the life history of Abdul Kalam.

  After seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, Sapna woke up, feeling completely refreshed. It took her a few seconds to recall where she was. She turned to look at the other bed to see Ram, sprawled on his back, his right arm hugging a pillow, while his left arm was flung out. His comforter was on the floor while he was clothed only in a pair of boxers. His wide chest that was liberally sprinkled with dark hair, rose and fell in an even rhythm. Fascinated, Sapna tiptoed closer to have a better look. Thick, dark lashes fanned out on his lean cheeks that were covered with dark fuzz. Her eyes travelled the length of his body, rushing over the strained boxers, to fall on muscular legs that ended in well-shaped feet. She felt tempted to tickle the underside of his feet. She almost reached out a hand, just stopping herself in time. Now where the hell had the thought come from?

  “Good morning!” said a sleepy voice. “What are you doing so far away?” called out Ram, before reaching out with a long arm to pull her to him.

  A startled Sapna gave him a shocked look that was lost on her husband, whose eyes were still closed. His arms went around her waist like steel bands, his breath hot against her cheek. “Sapna…” he whispered in her ear as his hard lips pressed into her petal soft cheek.

  Sapna tried to pull out of his arms, only to have them pull her closer. Her breasts were flattened against his solid chest. Her traitorous body seemed to enjoy the pressure as her nipples perked up. She did her best to hold on to the control that was slipping fast.

  “Ram,” she called out loudly, hoping to wake him up. She couldn’t free her arms that were trapped against her own body, as he held her in a crushing grip. His mouth was busy exploring her face, moving inexorably towards her lips. His eyes continued to remain closed, while his hands moved restlessly at her waist. “Ram…” her voice came out in a whisper, as she felt his tongue trace the edge of her lips. Tortured, she made the final move to capture his roving lips, breaking free her hands to hold his face steady.

  “Sapna…” sighed Ram, kissing her gently, his tongue first tracing her upper lip and then her lower one. He gently bit the luscious curve. Sapna instinctively opened her mouth to let him explore the velvety cavern with his tongue. Shyly, her tongue reached out to mate with his, making Ram groan with need.

  His hands moved restlessly on her body, her nightie bunching up. His muscular legs tangled with her slim ones, making her sigh with pleasure as his hard and hairy skin brushed against her soft and silky one. His hands cupped her lush bottom, caressing it lovingly.

  Sapna suddenly became aware of his hardness pressed against her belly. Coming to her senses, she turned her face away, breaking the kiss. “No Ram.”

  His wet lips continued to caress her, his tongue exploring her shell-like ear. Even as her heart thudded loudly, Sapna pushed against him. “Ram, please, will you stop it?”

  His black eyes opened a slit, desire and slumber at war in them. “Sapna?” If he hadn’t been fully awake before, he was now, as he stared at her lovely face that was so close to his. He slowly recalled what had been occurring over the past few minutes. He had at first thought he was dreaming about kissing the luscious woman in his arms. How had she landed there in the first place?


  Removing his arms, he sat up with a jerk. “I’m sorry. I…” he rubbed a hand across his eyes. He didn’t really remember at what time he had finally gone to sleep, though it had been very late. Since he was still in his own bed, then how come his reluctant wife had found her way into it? A small smile appeared on his face as he stretched his arms above his head. He observed Sapna from the corner of his eyes as she watched his movements, her mouth open. It looked like his wife found him attractive. Well, he could wait. He was patient like that.

  Looking at his watch that was on the side table, Ram exclaimed, “It’s almost nine. Chalo, time to be up and about. Do you need the bathroom first?” he asked, ever the gentleman.

  Sapna nodded her head, before running over to hide herself there. What the hell had come over her? How had she ended up in her husband’s arms, being kissed thoroughly? She looked in the mirror, a finger tracing the shape of her swollen lips. And it was she who had initiated the kiss, she remembered, her shocked eyes meeting their reflection. She had enjoyed it too. Her gaze moved down to her breasts in the mirror, the tips still swollen and sensitive, from rubbing against his hard chest. It wasn’t even as if he had touched them. How would it feel to have those large hands cupping her breasts?

  Sapna glared at her reflection. Shut up! She pushed her thoughts away, taking deep breaths.

  The two of them got ready, Sapna was careful to stay out of touching distance from her husband. Ram’s charcoal eyes studied her at every opportunity, even as she refused to meet his eyes. He was happy with the way things were going.

  After having a leisurely breakfast, they took a tour of the hotel, checking out its facilities. Sapna was fascinated by the spa. Gauging her interest, Ram asked the woman at the counter—Raksha—about the different treatments on offer. He patiently translated everything to Sapna who listened to him avidly.

  “Would you like to try one of the therapies here?” he asked.

  Sapna nodded her head shyly. “But won’t it be very expensive?” She had lifted the menu only to see that it was listed in English and Tamil, the local language. Even then, she couldn’t miss the prices mentioned. She had put it down immediately.

  “You don’t worry your pretty head about all that,” said Ram, a small smile on his face. It made him happy to indulge her. “So, which one would you like to try?”

  “Aromatherapy,” said Sapna, without hesitation. While all the treatments—Ayurveda, Swedish massage, sea-salt treatment and aromatherapy—sounded fabulous, she was attuned to the smells of this therapy. She was keen to find out more about the essential oils they used.

  Ram nodded to her before turning to Raksha and saying, “Aromatherapy for the lady.”

  Raksha inclined her head in acknowledgement, even as she asked, “How about you sir? Could I recommend the Swedish massage? It’s the most popular among our guests.”

  Ram said, “Why not?” before presenting their room card key for billing.

  A couple of hours later, the two of them emerged from their treatments, feeling more at peace then the earlier day. Ram’s breath caught in his throat as he got a whiff of the aromas that wafted around his wife. She glowed even better than she smelled. He felt painfully aroused. He shut his eyes for a few seconds to gain control over his libido, making Sapna wonder what she had done now.

  Ram opened his eyes to find her staring at him, her grey eyes perturbed. “Would you like to go shopping? We can have lunch at some local restaurant. Unless you’d prefer to eat here?” asked Ram.

  Sapna looked at him. How could he be so cool after what had transpired between them that morning? Keeping her thoughts to herself, she asked curiously “What’s special at Madurai? To shop and to eat?” Jaipur was the first place she had travelled to, outside Pushkar. The journey here—especially with her first experience on a flight—had been surreal and Tamil Nadu appeared like another continent. She had thought that their home, Nakshatra, seemed like a palace. But this hotel was out of this world.

  “Well, we can have a thali, only the meal will be served on a banana leaf. All the dishes will be typical of Tamil Nadu. Or we can find a restaurant that serves North Indian if you like.”

  “What would you like to have?” she asked.

  “I’d like to try the local cuisine.”

  “Then let’s have the food served on banana leaf,” she said, a small smile on her face.

  They left by car to go to Sree Sabarees, a restaurant specialising in Tamil cuisine. They had to wait for fifteen minutes before they could get a table at the crowded restaurant. The service was swift. Sapna eyes went wide when she saw the size of the banana leaf that was placed in front of her. Waiters swarmed around as they served four types of vegetables, two pickles, and a big plate of rice. They also brought three different types of gravies to have with the rice.

  Unable to keep pace, Ram requested them to serve the gravies in separate cups for the two of them. Sapna relished the new tastes as she munched on the fried papad that tasted very different from those back home. The sweet served was called jhangri and was orange in colour. Sapna admired its perfect shape, before taking a small bite into it, her eyes closed as she relished the taste. Ram’s dark eyes watched her avidly, the sensual expression on her face delighting him.

  Sapna patted her full stomach happily, having tasted everything that had been served on her leaf. She was glad that they had gone there.

  “Now, for the shops,” said Ram, as they got into the car.

  “What’s the speciality of this place?” asked Sapna. He hadn’t yet told her what there was to shop.

  “They have some type of local cotton weave for saris and dress materials. I’m not sure of the name.”

  Sapna grimaced. “I don’t think I need any more clothes. I have enough to last me a lifetime.” Her trousseau, presented to her by the Maheshwaris, must consist of at least a hundred salwar suits and fifty saris.

  Ram held back the automatic grin that formed on his lips. No, he had no plans to get too friendly. It’s better to make her do the work. It was obvious that the lady liked to be in control. “Okay, don’t buy for yourself. But we can get something for Mamma and Purnima aunty; and maybe a dress for Chanda. What say?” he quirked an eyebrow at her.

  Sapna turned red with embarrassment. She hadn’t thought of them. She gave him a small nod, her head bent low.

  In the end, they ended up buying a dozen each of the saris and salwar materials made of Sungudi cotton, the local speciality. Ram organised for the lot to be couriered directly home. There was no sense lugging it along with them during their trip.

  “Now we go to Meenakshi Temple. The city of Madurai is renowned for this temple of the Goddess. The Devi is a consort of Lord Shiva,” explained Ram. He had found the information on the internet.

  They got off at the temple entrance, leaving their footwear inside the car. Sapna raised her head a long way to gaze at the temple tower that was huge. It had wonderful carvings, the like she had never seen before.

  They walked into the large compound and could see many more towers. They found out that there were ten in all. Despite being a week day, the temple was pretty crowded. They took darshan of the deities—the Goddess Meenakshi with a parrot perched on a shoulder, and Sundareswarar in the form of a Lingam—praying for a few minutes at each sanctum and partaking in the aarti. After that, they went to see the hall with a thousand pillars, a historical phenomenon that was in the same compound as the temple. It took them more than an hour to check out some of the amazing carvings and also the melodious notes that emanated on tapping the musical pillars.

  Sapna was happy to walk along with Ram as he went around the prakaar in perambulation. At that moment, it felt like their married life had taken a positive step in the right direction.

  15

  It was raining when they reached Kodaikanal. Sapna couldn’t believe how cool it was compared to the heat they had left behind at Madurai. The drive had been via ghats as the road climbed steadily in the mountainous terrai
n. They could see a few waterfalls coming down the face of the mountains, sometimes to their right and other times to their left. She couldn’t get enough of the natural surroundings that were so pleasing to the eye.

  After a point, the car they were travelling in, was riding through mist. The driver explained that what they thought to be mist were actually clouds. Sapna felt thrilled. Was it possible to touch a cloud? She couldn’t wait to reach their destination.

  It was past noon when they drove into Hill Country Resorts. She got out of the car and just stood there, staring in fascination. This surely had to be heaven on earth. There were a few buildings and many cottages, all surrounded by greenery. She had never seen so much green at one glance. Most of the ground was covered by grass, many trees intercepting their smoothness and oh, the flowering shrubs, did that many colours exist in nature? She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  Ram waited patiently for her to take her fill of the area. The drizzle was mild as the clouds played hide and seek with the green and brown of the surrounding hills. Perfect weather for a honeymoon! Would she let him make love to her? Frustration ate into him. It wasn’t just the physical part of their relationship. Their life together had begun on a wrong note. Well, now the ball was in her court. He didn’t plan to rush his new wife.

  He called out, “Shall we go? We need to check in.”

  Sapna immediately noticed the change in temperature. Over the past three days, she had become an expert at reading his moods, or so she believed. She had no clue about how exasperated Ram was. He was doing his best living by the hour, refusing to think of the future.

  The smile gone from her face, Sapna walked side-by-side with her husband, her eyes looking down. The charm had gone out of the day. They checked into a luxury cottage that had a front view of a flowering garden surrounded by towering eucalyptus and cypress trees.

  Ram knew there were two bedrooms. Will she sleep in the same room as him or will she insist on a separate room? He had booked the cottage for the sake of privacy. He hadn’t expected it to backfire on him. Frowning darkly, he opened the mini fridge and was glad to see a couple of bottles of beer. His wife watched on in shock as he opened a bottle and drank from it directly. She had only seen guys drink in movies.