Bending down, touching feet I earned everyone's blessings. Papa hugged me tight.

"Madam, look here", the photographer irritated me. And before I could turn completely, click click click! Oh god! People these days! Why blame others? Even my man took a quick 'selfie' of us! Rolling my eyes I looked away.

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"No. No. At least 12 thousand rupees. 2 thousand for each of us." My cousins cribbed. "Not a paisa more than 3 thousand. 500 for each of you." Raj, Rohit's cousin bargained back.

The clock ticked away. Well, it is more than an hour now. We are yet standing at the door of the 'basar ghar'. And my cousins won't let us enter, until Rohit fulfils their demand. (BASAR GHAR: A room, where the bride and the groom after the completion of the marriage ceremony, rests for the night, along with their sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, etc. In Bengali ritual, the girl doesn't leave her house right after the marriage. She leaves her for her husband's house either at next day dawn or dusk, depending on the particular family traditions. )

"Not a paisa less than 12 thousand. Or, ready to stay out for the night." Jui gritted her teeth. "Very well then, we are taking dada-boudi (bhaiya-bhabi) with us today itself." Rohit's another cousin chipped. And suddenly I felt a drag. What the! Hain? I am inside the room? Rohit? "Go.. take your brother with you. shoo." My another cousin quipped. "Now that we have your boudi as our hostage, you all can stay away."

"Here, 7 thousand. I don't have more than that in my wallet now. Rest five I will give you at the reception party. Promise. Now can I come in?" We all heard Rohit say. Is he serious? He gave away seven thousand rupees just like that! "You traitor!" He got cursed by his cousins. We laughed. "Bro, my wife is inside. I had to." Well, that was enough for me to shut. Seven thousand rupees for me? Is he nuts! Wooooooo.. everyone hooted with his words.

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"Dil duba, dil duba teri aankho me ye dil duba..." "amar o poran o jaha chaye, tumi tai" (what my life wants, is you).. and the songs went on.. Well, perhaps this is the only good side of this wedding. Relatives I hardly met, cousins I nearly forgot, all got together and now singing and chirping.

"Rohit da, one song for our Hira." One of my cousins chirped. Ha ha ha. Rohit, singing is like horse laying eggs. Well, not to blame him, after he can't even sing the national anthem in proper tune. So.. well.. "Please please Rohit da.. One song. Just one!" Jui added.

"I can't sing. Really." I heard his feeble voice. He looked helpless. Poor guy! I actually felt bad for him. No matter how good you are in studies, how great is your job, in situations like this, if you didn't know stuffs like singing and all, it will be embarrassing! Hey wait. Did I just feel bad for the boy? Oh no! What the hell is happening to me!

But Rohit is Rohit. Ain't it? Surprising me, he meek yet deep baritone came out,

'mono dilona bodhu...
mono niloje shudhu...
ami ki niye thaaki...
mono dilona bodhu'..

(Wife didn't give her heart to me,

She just took my heart,

What should I live with now?

Wife didn't give her heart to me)

I flushed without knowing!

A/N: Thank you thank you.. <3 Please do give your views and please do vote. Love love <3