Love after Marriage

by Chandra, Bhagya

  He looked at Roshni so lovingly and asked for her acceptance, and she agreed. Sheetal and Akash also agreed to this idea, and it was already 6 p.m.

  “I’m starving. I did not eat much all day; shall we go out now?” said Akash.

  “We can’t go now,” was Roshni’s response.

  All were stunned to hear this.

  “Why not?” Deepak questioned her instantly.

  “Please give me a few minutes to get ready at least.”

  All laughed at her request.

  “Certainly, let’s take a few minutes to freshen up before we leave,” Deepak responded.

  Deepak followed Roshni to their room. Roshni was at the closet, flipping through her salwar kameezes, when she felt the warmth of hands around her belly. Deepak was behind her with his arms around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder. “Shall I help you pick a dress?”

  Even before she replied, he went through all her dresses and picked a dress, a navy blue dress with heavy mirrorwork and embroidery, showing it to her. “Roshni, I think you should wear this.”

  The dress he picked was too fancy for dinner. She held the dress and turned around to face Deepak. “Deepak, don’t you think this is too jazzy for this occasion?”

  Deepak now wrapped his arms around her tighter. “This is not ‘just dinner’, Roshni. We are celebrating for two reasons!”

  Roshni saw the happiness and excitement on his face, and she quietly smiled. Deepak noticed this and continued, “This is not a simple celebration you know.”

  “I know.”

  “So, I think you should wear this dress. This color looks good on you, Roshni.”

  “Can I wear something a little simpler, please?” Now she started to plead with him.

  Deepak looked at her pleading face. “Okay, but can I look with you?”

  Roshni turned to face her closet and dresses and, after she went through a few, picked a dress that was simple and appropriate for the occasion. She turned around to show Deepak.

  “How about this dress? It is simple and good for this occasion, and…and it is the same color you picked. Are you happy?”

  Deepak nodded. “Yes, nice suit.”

  He continued to hold her, so she requested, “Deepak, I can change only if you let me go, please?”

  Deepak nodded and let her go to change while he himself had a wash and changed. He came out to check if Sheetal and Akash were ready, and both of them were ready and waiting in the family room.

  Deepak excused himself and came back to ask if Roshni needed any help and was dazzled. Roshni had changed and looked extremely beautiful. He also noticed that Roshni was struggling with the zipper at the back. She needed some help, and Deepak went behind her and snuggled into her hair.

  “Can I help you?” he asked again, and she nodded.

  Deepak helped her with the zipper, and she moved along to brush her hair. Deepak followed her; unable to resist, he pulled her by the waist. “Roshni, you look so beautiful in this dress, but I have a request.”

  “What is it?” she asked and looked at him through the mirror.

  “Can you leave your hair loose, please?” he said and snuggled into her hair again.

  Roshni agreed, and Deepak tried to romance her.

  “Deepak, they’re waiting for us outside, shall we go?” she interrupted him.

  Deepak and Roshni joined Sheetal and Akash, and they left for dinner to one of the better restaurants in Bangalore. Deepak and Roshni were seated together, and Sheetal sat with Akash. All of them were very pleased with the developments that day. The dinner was served, and all of them enjoyed the food.

  Roshni initiated the conversation during dinner. “Sheetal, when will you talk to aai and baba about this?”

  “Don’t know,” Sheetal shrugged.

  “Akash, will you inform Sashank bhaiya and bhabhi, or do you want us to inform him?” she asked.

  Akash was relieved that Roshni had taken over the responsibility of informing Sashank bhaiya.

  “Sheetal, Deepak and I will talk to Sashank bhaiya tomorrow. Do you want to inform baba?”

  “Yes, I can…b-but how do I approach this topic with him?”

  Deepak interrupted, “You should talk to your mother first. What do you say, Roshni?” He looked for Roshni’s approval.

  Roshni agreed and urged Sheetal to talk to her parents first before Sashank bhaiya approached them. After more casual conversation and dinner, they left.

  ~ ~ ~

  After returning home, everybody changed into nightclothes. Akash and Sheetal decided to hang out with each other in the living room while Roshni was exhausted after the day’s events. She felt lighter too after opening up to Deepak. She decided to rest in the room, and Deepak followed her. He felt relieved; the stress of these many days was off his shoulders. Roshni had finally forgiven him and accepted his love for her and confessed her love for him. It was an emotionally traumatic day for both, and they were tired.

  Roshni was ready to go to bed when Deepak held her hand gently and pulled her closer to him.

  He continued to hold her hand in his, looking very passionately into her eyes. “Thank you for the wonderful birthday gift, Roshni.”

  Both of them stared at each other, full of passion, the love evident in their eyes. After a few minutes, Roshni pulled her hand away from him.

  “Roshni, you know our marriage is not complete until…” He glanced towards the bed, and Roshni understood him – he was talking about Suhaag raat. This was the day, almost a year ago, that Deepak had told her he was forced into this marriage, and now he was ready for the union. The past reflected in front of her, but she forced herself to ignore it.

  “I know, b-b-but not now?”

  “Why not?”

  Roshni very lovingly explained while Deepak patiently listened.

  “Deepak, Suhaag raat is a very special time, a very important ritual for the couple. Both husband and wife submit to each other completely; hence it is usually done on a good…I mean, an auspicious day. That is why most people perform it on the wedding day itself or perform a special pooja prior to letting the bride and the groom unite. I hope you understand.”

  She cupped his cheek with her hand and continued, “In our case…firstly, I really want these bandages on my foot and hand removed, and secondly, let’s go to a temple, at least, on an auspicious day before the ritual…please,” she requested.

  She came forward and rested her head on his chest while he hugged her. “Deepak, we have come a long way in this journey. Why not wait for a few more days?” She looked up to his face.

  Deepak respected her sentiments. “Okay, as you wish but…”

  Roshni lifted her head to face him, and she understood him well.

  Out in the living room, Akash held Sheetal’s hand and assured her that he was making the right decision and he would be with her always. Sheetal acknowledged him and confirmed the same. Both talked about their wedding, their future, Sheetal’s move to Mumbai, and a few other topics, and went to bed late into the night.

  ~ ~ ~

  The next day was a busy day.

  Roshni and Deepak were all excited to inform Sashank of Akash’s wedding while Sheetal was nervous about informing her father. Sheetal told her parents, and they were very excited to hear this news. They had met Akash in Poona and were satisfied that Sheetal had made a good choice. Sashank and Kusum were also very pleased to hear this news. Sashank congratulated Akash, and he was restless to meet Sheetal’s parents to move forward with this alliance.

  Sheetal’s father called Sashank, and they talked about their families, their jobs and other topics and discussed the marriage of Akash and Sheetal. Sheetal’s father invited Sashank and Kusum to visit them in Poona, and they agreed. Several phone calls went on between Bangalore, Poona and Mumbai; everyone updated others regarding the developments. Akash left on a high note on Sunday to return to Mumbai.

  ~ ~ ~

  Monday, November 27th

  Roshni ha
d her doctor’s appointment, and Deepak and Roshni were getting ready. The appointment was later in the morning, and Roshni mumbled, “I hope this is the last appointment. I’m tired of this sling and cast.”

  Deepak overheard her mumbling. He came closer, holding her shoulders. “Roshni, we’ve made it this long. Be patient…I’m sure if this is not the last appointment, your casts should be off very soon.”

  Roshni felt comforted.

  Bhaskar, the project manager for Roshni’s project, called. Roshni and Deepak had the phone on speaker mode to converse with Bhaskar. Bhaskar thanked Deepak for all the support he provided to his team, and then he talked with Roshni. Since the project had been verified and validated, the team saw no reason to wait until the first week of December for the launch of the project, and the launch date was moved to the 1st of December, Friday of that week.

  Bhaskar suggested that since the project was complete, Roshni could move back to Mumbai, or they could bring her on board for a new project. Roshni asked if she had to stay in Bangalore for the new project when Deepak interrupted.

  “No, Bhaskar, I’m taking Roshni back to Mumbai, I guess either this weekend or early next week, since you mentioned that the launch has been scheduled for Friday.”

  Bhaskar communicated that it was up to them to decide and that the company would honor either decision. He asked Roshni and Deepak to come to the company on Friday, December 1st, so they could meet all the team members before leaving. Roshni and Deepak agreed and hung up.

  Roshni was amazed at Deepak’s statement. She wanted to ask Deepak when Deepak interrupted her again and came closer to her.

  “Roshni, you were here in Bangalore for this project, and now that it’s complete, we will go back to Mumbai. Let us spend some time together with the family. There’s a lot of excitement regarding Akash’s marriage; let’s be a part of the celebrations. Moreover, who knows? Sashank bhaiya and Sheetal’s parents may decide on an early date for the wedding, in which case, I expect Sheetal to move to Mumbai as well.”

  Roshni looked forward to going back to Mumbai and seeing Sashank bhaiya and Kusum didi. “Yeah, let’s go to Mumbai. I miss it. Let’s talk with Sheetal too. I’m sure she and Akash have talked about their plans.”

  Roshni and Deepak left for the doctor’s appointment. Doctor Swaminathan examined Roshni. Her bones had healed well, so he removed the cast and sling. She was free to move as long as she took precautions not to exert her arm or foot for a few more weeks. Deepak and Roshni were pleased. They discussed their plans to move to Mumbai, and the doctor okayed their move. Roshni was still weak, and Dr. Swaminathan prescribed some medicines for Roshni and instructed Deepak to continue to take care of her. Deepak smiled and nodded in agreement.

  ~ ~ ~

  That evening, Roshni and Deepak discussed their plans to move back to Mumbai with Sheetal, and Sheetal was very happy for both of them. Sheetal also mentioned that she and Akash had talked about their plans. She would resign and move to Poona until the wedding and later would try to find a job in Mumbai itself. She was hoping her last day at this firm would be December 1st.

  Both Roshni and Sheetal talked about informing the landlord as well, and they agreed to forego the deposit if he created any problems. Deepak told Sheetal that he and Roshni would go back after the team meeting on December 1st, but he would like to help her with the furniture around the apartment. They decided to discuss their plan during dinner.

  The three discussed their plan of vacating the apartment and how to move the furniture, and all agreed on a plan and decided to work towards it. Roshni was able to perform simple tasks without much difficulty, although at times she felt tired and in pain, and Deepak reminded her to be careful. It was a busy week for them, but with three efficient people, everything fell in place.

  Sashank and Kusum visited Sheetal’s parents in Poona, and it was a good visit. The elders decided December 12th to be the wedding day, and Akash and Sheetal agreed to this date. They concurred to a simple wedding with near and dear relatives followed by a reception for other friends in Poona. Sashank and Kusum decided to have a reception in Mumbai and invite their friends. All planning for the wedding was done with mutual consent from both parties.

  Deepak informed Sashank and Kusum of their plans to come back to Mumbai, and there was a lot of enthusiasm in the family with all these developments.

  The project close-out meeting was on December 1st, and Deepak and Roshni attended this meeting. Bhaskar informed the team that Roshni would move to Mumbai. All the team members thanked Roshni and Deepak for their contributions, and with a small farewell, the meeting was adjourned.

  Deepak and Roshni made their plans to leave for Mumbai on Sunday, December 3rd. Sheetal informed her boss of her resignation, and he made no fuss for her to leave on the 1st. Sheetal met with the HR and took care of all the formalities prior to her resignation.

  Air tickets were purchased for December 3rd – Deepak and Roshni for Mumbai, and Sheetal for Poona.

  ~ ~ ~

  December 3rd

  All items in the house were packed, and arrangements were made to transport them either to Mumbai or Poona. It was a hectic week for all three but filled with excitement and enthusiasm.

  Roshni and Sheetal bid farewell to their neighbors, and they left for the airport. At the airport Roshni hugged Sheetal and thanked her for everything, and Deepak thanked Sheetal for her support, especially during Roshni’s accident and recovery. He also thanked her for her support in his task to win Roshni.

  Deepak and Roshni left for Mumbai and Sheetal left for Poona on a high note, wrapping up everything in Bangalore.

  Chapter 33

  Deepak and Roshni Move to Mumbai

  Deepak and Roshni arrived in Mumbai, and everybody welcomed them. Sashank was emotional seeing Roshni, for he had not seen her since she’d left for Bangalore. Kusum was glad to have Roshni and Deepak back in the family. The family was united now, and they looked forward to inviting Sheetal into the family.

  Roshni slowly walked up the stairs to her room and looked around. Nothing had changed except that it had been maintained – dusted and cleaned. Deepak followed her and held her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and she leaned her head against his chest. They remained that way for a few minutes with their eyes closed…a great satisfaction indeed to be back to their house!

  After a few minutes, Roshni said, without moving or opening her eyes, “It feels so good to be back, to be welcomed by family, right?”

  “Hmm,” responded Deepak without any movement.

  “Did you see the excitement in everybody’s eyes? They really missed us.”

  “Not us…you! You have had such an impact on all of them, including me; it is natural they missed you,” replied Deepak. He was so proud of her.

  Roshni smiled and started to pull out of his embrace when Deepak turned her to face him, and they held each other.

  “Thank you for everything, Roshni. The happiness you see on Sashank bhaiya’s and Akash bhaiya’s faces is because of you,” Deepak said.

  “Thanks to Babuji, if I had not made that promise to him, all this would not be possible,” Roshni responded. She looked into his eyes. “I would have left this house long ago, and you would have never found me.”

  Deepak pulled her closer. “I’m glad you stayed to fulfill your promise to your babuji. If not…I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

  They embraced each other and remained that way for a few minutes, reminiscing over the events that happened.

  “You proved me so wrong, Roshni, regarding my ideas of a life partner and marriage. It isn’t necessary that only love marriages end with good compatibility between husband and wife; better compatibility is possible even in arranged marriages, and there is such beauty in ‘Love after Marriage’…each partner exploring and discovering each other. Thank you for making me understand this. Being truthful, honest and devoted is what makes a happy marriage. Thank you so much for opening my e
yes to this truth.”

  He continued, “Roshni, I respected you and had a great regard for you always, but now…I love you for who you are, your dedication, your honesty…everything. I could not have gotten a better life partner than you. I want to spend every moment of my life with you.”

  He gently tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Have you forgiven me? Please give me an opportunity to undo all that has been done. I love you, Roshni.”

  His eyes were moist. He let her go and slowly moved to the bed and sat on it. At that moment, he was overwhelmed with emotions – feelings of guilt, his love for Roshni and her forgiving him – a significant leap forward in their relationship. He could not contain himself, and Roshni saw this. She sat beside him and hugged his hand, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “Deepak, all that has happened is past history. I know you love me more than your life, and I love you too! Let’s not ruin our future now. We have a great opportunity ahead of us, and let us make the most of it,” she said.

  Deepak turned around, nodding, and hugged her, and they remained in each other’s embrace, feeling the tenderness, comfort and support in each other’s arms. They felt complete with each other.

  They came out of their trance when they heard Kusum call them for dinner. Both freshened up and joined the family for dinner.

  ~ ~ ~

  Kusum updated Deepak and Roshni regarding all the arrangements made so far for the wedding, and then she delegated tasks to Roshni and Deepak. “I think both of you can take over the responsibility of distributing the invitation cards and buying wedding clothing for everybody.”

  She paused with a thought. “Roshni, do you have to report to work here?”

  “Yes, didi, I have to report on the 4th,” Roshni replied.

  “Meaning tomorrow?”

  “Yes, didi, I don’t have to stay for long; I will meet my boss and be back.”

  “Roshni, can you take some time off, at least until the wedding?” Sashank said when he heard this conversation.