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Unedited 🙏
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"Uncle, you are going in a wrong route. You should have taken the left turn.", Sidharth said to the auto driver.

"Huh? I know the route very well, don't worry son.", Replied the driver.

"No uncle. You must have mistaken. I have been brought up since childhood here, I know the route to my home.", Sidharth replied politely.

"Sidharth.. let him do his job. He knows the route.", Amar said to Sidharth.

"Huh? But babuji, this route will not lead us to our home. You know that very well. Simply the metre reading will go North.", Sidharth said to his father.

"Sidharth, we aren't going there.", Amar replied turning his face away from him to hide his facial expressions.

"We aren't going home? Then where are we going?", Sidharth asked totally puzzled.

"To your Anand Kaka (Uncle's) house.", Amar replied.

"Huh? Why?", Sidharth asked.

"Just stop your interrogation, Sidharth.", Amar yelled annoyed.

Sidharth felt humiliated in front of the auto driver. However, someone pressed his hand to console him. It was none other than Sana, his wife who was one among the three passengers in the auto. The other two being his father and himself. Sidharth was now put off by his father's behaviour yet he decided to keep quiet due to the respect he held for him.

The auto came to halt infront of a huge house. The house belonged to Amar's brother, Anand Joshi. Anand Joshi was also Sharad's father with whom Divya was now married. Behind Sidharth's auto, halted another auto in which Sidharth's mother, Rekha and his best friends, Adith and Shiv were seated.

"This way..", Amar said to Sidharth, who was going to enter the house.

"Huh?", Sidharth looked perplexed as to why his father was going towards the little outhouse used by servants than his brother's house.

Since his father had already chastised him in the auto, he decided to not ask him anything and instead chose to give his mother a curious stare.

His mother lowered her head and silently followed her husband. Sidharth and Sana now looked clueless at each other for a few seconds before following Rekha.

"Wait here..", Rekha said and went inside the house and came back with a plate which had a lit lamp, vermilion box and sweet in it. She waved the plate in circles in front of the bride and groom (Sidharth and Sana) to welcome them home.

"Maa, what's going on? Why didn't we go home? Why are you performing this ritual here than our home?", Sidharth asked. But all he got in reply was a piece of sweet shoved into his mouth by her.

"Knock this tumbler filled with rice on the threshold with your right feet and enter inside the house dear.", Rekha said to Sana. The ritual which signifies the bride to bring happiness and prosperity to the family she is married into.

Sana nodded and did as instructed while Sidharth followed. Adith and Shiv carried their luggage which they got from the wedding hall.

Sidharth was shocked to find the things from their home already in this house.

"Maa, why are you turning deaf to my questions? Why aren't you or babuji saying something?", Sidharth asked more sternly, determined to get an answer. Rekha looked at Adith and Shiv to which they both excused themselves citing the reason as they wanting to grab fresh air.

"We sold that house.", Rekha replied.

"What?", Sidharth was taken aback to learn that piece of information.

"You heard that right.", Rekha said.

"But why?", Sidharth asked.

"Because we belong to a middle class family. A category who takes up loans to build a house, repays it for a lifetime so that when their kids grow up they can sell it to get them married.", Rekha replied in an irritated yet depressed tone.

"How much money did y'all spend on that marriage Maa that you had to sell our home to pay for it?", Sidharth asked.

"It's a long story Sidharth. I won't be able to tell you everything in detail. You have a train to catch early in the morning tomorrow to go back to the city. So let me concentrate on cooking dinner for now.", Rekha said before pulling out a pumpkin to cut. The house didn't have any room or a seperate kitchen. It was just one single room for everything.

"I don't mind cancelling my ticket for tomorrow Maa. Tell me the whole thing.", Sidharth said snatching the pumpkin from her hand.

"Vivek's parents demanded for dowry in marriage after the engagement. So we had to fulfill it.", Rekha replied.

"But didn't they say that they don't want anything?", Sidharth asked.

"That's when you were suppose to marry Vivek's sister, Divya.", Rekha replied loudly annoyed by his questions. However, she soon realised Sana's presence and muttered a sorry for hurting her in anyway.

"It's okay Aayi.. please continue..", Sana said.

"Sharad's parents were not happy with their son getting married to such girl even though he was equally involved in such shameless act. Thus, they asked them for a huge dowry thinking that they would back off from engagement. However, Divya's parents inturn asked us for the dowry. You know how society mocks the girl whose engagement gets called off. So your father had no way but to agree to it.

When Sharad's father learnt that the wedding was inevitable because of your father's decision to give dowry, he took it in offense. To avenge, he asked Amar for money telling that he was short on money. Additionally, he reminded him that he had solely spent on their deceased mother's medical expenditure years ago and he never got repaid his portion. Your father being a respectful person agreed to repay his share of medical expenditure with interest, even though their mother passed away 15 years ago. That's how we had to sell the house", Rekha narrated the whole story.

"After Anand Kaka doing all this, why are we staying here in his outhouse?", Sidharth asked angrily.

"Where else do we go Sidharth? Your father is a retired person. We can't afford to pay rent. Sharad's father agreed for us to stay here.", Rekha said.

"If he dislikes us so much then how did he allow you to stay here?", Sidharth enquired.

"It was suggested by Sharad's mother. Their maid left the job, so she just wants me to cook for his family in lieu of staying here.", Rekha said.

"Arrrgggg... Did you and babuji really agree with this crap? I am going to punch that Sharad's face since he is the sole reason for all this", Sidharth asked extremely enraged.

"Stop right there young man. Do you realise that even if Sharad had to not marry her, we would have to give the dowry because you were already married? So don't take any decision in haste and make our lives even more difficult", Rekha warned.

Sidharth got up angrily and went out of the house.

"Sidhaaarth..", Sana called to stop him but he didn't listen to her.

"Aayi, I'll take care of him.", Sana said and ran behind him.

"Sidhaaarth.. wait..", Sana said racing close to him.

"Sana please. I don't want to divert someone else anger onto you.", Sidharth said.

"Okay, okay.. I just want to come with you that's it. I will be quiet, I promise.", She said.

Sidharth continued to walk and Sana walked along with him. After a few minutes of walking, they were at a familiar looking place. It was the lake where Sana had came earlier after engagement function.

Sidharth sat on a big rock and Sana sat with him. She was panting heavily as she had to literally run to keep up with his pace.

After about 30 minutes of silence, Sidharth finally leaned his head on her shoulder wanting to find some solace. She gently pecks his forehead and patted his head.

"How dare they treat my maa as their maid servant? How do I keep calm?", Sidharth said.

"Sidharth, can't we take your parents with us to city? We have got our own rented home. They can stay with us. This will solve all the problems. They won't have to stay here like servants to your uncle's family.", Sana suggests.

"Huh? Why couldn't I think of this idea?", He asked surprised staring at her face.

"Because you were too angry to think anything.", She said pulling his nose.

"Wait, I am going to call Adith and Shiv and ask them to cancel our morning train tickets and rebook for evening. They will help us move over this weekend.", Sidharth said.

"Hmmm..", Sana hummed and allowed him to make a call. As he spoke over the phone to arrange things, Sana kept gazing at her husband.

"Aaahh.. all sorted..", Sidharth sighed looking at her who was already smiling at him.

He raised his eyebrows and she nodded to say nothing with a blush. She was still dressed in their wedding dress and looked as beautiful as she was even after being tired.

"You know, it's our nuptial night today?", He asked her in a flirty tone.

"Hmmm..", she hummed shyly lowering her gaze.

"I am sorry dear. When I planned our marriage earlier today, I thought we were going back to our home. Where we would mark the beginning to our married life in the same room where I spent my childhood. But now all my dream is broken and shattered.", Sidharth said.

"I can feel your pain Sidharth but let bygones be bygones now.", Sana said hugging his arm and leaning her head against it.

"Hmmm..", he rested his head over hers.

"On the contrary, the offer you gave me earlier on Naina's engagement day on this same place, is it still valid?", He asked her in a teasing tone.

"What was the offer? I can't remember it..", Sana replied biting her lips and playing innocent.

"Don't you remember?", He asks in a naughty way.

She nods faking denial feeling extremely shy.

"You wanted me to consummate our marriage here and get you pregnant.", he whispered in her ear which made her hide her face into his chest due to extreme shyness.

His hand on her shoulder slowly moves towards her back and pulls a string of her blouse which makes her gasp.

"Sid..dhaarth..", she stuttered due to groaning.

"Hmmm..", he hummed nuzzling his nose into the crook her neck.

"That day was a new moon day.. so it was dark.. but today is a full moon day. You don't want to put up a romantic show for the passerby, right?", She spoke which came as whisper.

"Argghhh..", he frowned folding his hand which only made her chuckle and pull his cheek.

"You know there is no room in that house?", He asked with a frown.

"Even if it was there, I wouldn't have wanted to do something there because I don't get good vibes in that house.", She replied with a disgusted and complaining tone..

Looking at her cuteness, he pulls her closer and kisses her lips.

"I love you wifey.", He said.

"I love you too hubby..", she smiled.

"Shall we go back?", He asks.

"Hmm.. but before that you have to tie the knot at the back.", She whispered.

"Hmmm..", he ties the knot at a sloth speed allowing his hands linger on her skin for more time than it normally would take which gives her goosebumps all over her body.

They walk back hand in hand to the outhouse, though unwantedly.

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️