Destined to be together

Raghav: are you serious?

Sameer: serious about what?

Raghav: this!

He gestured at me

Sameer: what? Isn't the sherwani looking nice?

Raghav: nice! Sameer you gotta be joking! I mean you and marriage, well when I take the names together they already sound poles apart! And today am I actually attending your wedding!? I mean I know it isn't the first time that a woman has caught your fancy but I guess we all know the fancy stays only till you have gone out for your first date and then the next morning they are all a history. But this buddy! This is new! Well just tell me one thing...I mean will you be honest if I ask you something?

Sameer: shoot!

Raghav: well.. did you draw a contract? I mean have you guarded your assets? See I am your lawyer but this time you didn't even let me know about it! That's crazy! You should have told me once. I could have gone through the papers once, and tell you that alls in order. But never mind, better late than never! You show it to me now. Let me have a onceover.

With that he extended his hands out in my direction, I couldn't help but smile at him and continued with what I had been doing before he came. That is getting dressed for my wedding. My bride was getting ready in the next room. To say that she didn't throw any tantrums would be an understatement. When the beauticians and the hairdresser came, incessant knocking on the door, but she didn't budge. The beauticians stood clueless, while the snake looked on with a sneer on her face while the pet husband whispered something lewd into her ears to which she laughed. I had fumed and my blood boiled but then I didn't want to make a spectacle in front of everyone. Conveniently Mr. Somani too had parked his ass on the lounge sofa while he smoked his pipe and my mother looked hassled.

Sameer: she must have overslept

Sunaina: wow! Some sleep, with this she can be competing against kumbhkaran easily given an army of people banging at the door. You need to be keeping an extra key to your bedroom or else she might lock you out someday! Good luck Sameer!

Sameer: thanks a ton sunaina for your two pence but I think I can handle without it. You wanna see? I challenged with my eyes while she challenged back jutting her chin out in defiance

I was sly enough to be diverting the attention of the villains while I simultaneously typed on my phone and while the snide to and fro was on the message had been delivered to Naina and suddenly there was a soft click and the next moment, the door opened and she stepped out in her pyjamas, hair open, eyes downcast, she murmured.

Naina: sorry I had overslept!

I could see the sigh of relief from my mother and the puzzled puckering of lips by the others. Check mate!

So my message had worked like magic on her like always. You must be wondering as to what I wrote?

Simple I wrote, "if you continue with your belligerent charade, then I wouldn't mind climbing up the pipe and going into your room through the windows and I wouldn't even wait for our first night but would break all barriers now and here! And you know am capable of that! Better come out or try me?! 10..9....8....7

Hence that was then a few hours back but now it's a different case scenario, now she got dressed all calm while I was busy tucking myself in cream sherwani and also tying the shafa. Ideally its done by the bahu of the family and she bestows her best wishes and dances too while she does it. But sunaina well she was a snake, I couldn't let her touch it since obviously she wouldn't be happy to do so, moreover instead of best wishes, she would be bestowing me with curses. But now I had some explanations to do, my best friend needed some answers.

Sameer: what contract?

Raghav: arey this marriage! This is a sham right? You are doing it for the sake of nanaji and ....

I didn't let him finish

Sameer: right, I am doing it for nanaji but also am doing it for myself

Raghav: what do you?

Sameer: dear friend cum brother, what I mean is that the devil has grown a heart and he wants to marry this princess next door and have children, atleast a dozen of them. Wow! Our children are gonna be fab looking! We make for a heavenly couple!

Raghav: are you serious!?

Sameer: yes, I am, there is no contract and hence I never let you know about the same. I am getting married in real and yes I am finally in for some commitment and yes this marriage would be like hitting two birds with one stone. One nanaji would be super happy and so would I be.

Raghav: mujhe chakkar aaraahe

I couldn't help but laugh, stop it I know me and marriage are a far cry but that was yesterday now its different.

Raghav: I get it but are you a changed man?

Sameer: changed man? What are you implying?

Raghav: well you know, ready to be monogamous? I mean as far as I know until yesterday that was a horrific word to your ears

Sameer: yes I am and with that I would like to rest my case and now lets get going, we are getting late for the wedding.

Naina

I sat there like a statue, a woman is supposed to be happiest, she should be glowing on her wedding day. But I, I was at a loss, forget glee, I was far from being happy. But I wasn't unhappy too! I mean somewhere the devil still effected me, like the first time when I had bumped into him. To say that I fell in love at first sight, wouldn't be untrue. Yes I did and when the offer for a date came, I had been happiest. He had been so patient on our first date together, and I was the one who did all the talking while he had laughed at my jokes but then he had done something which had shattered all my dreams and broken all the illusions and that had been some 2 months back. I had sworn off him that day, never to see his face again. In the two months that followed things in my life changed so fast. Suddenly tayaji and taiji were eager to siphon me off by getting me married. One after the other alliance followed and I was paraded across these men like some doll. I were to bring tea and refreshments for them I tried my best fending them, once I spilled tea on the boy and then and there they left bellowing at my taiji telling her how she has failed as a mother figure. The drama that had followed had all the makings of a film. I did receive a slap or two and was banished to get out of the house until sharad came with his bandwagon of relatives. I had despised him at the very instant while he had said yes right away leading to a quick roka on that very day. Little did they know bout my plans, that I had been applying in secret for a job in Mumbai. I wanted to be free! But life no, the devil had plans chalked out for me. And what were his plan? The tears that I had shed the night before, were more out of horror than of sadness. I would have been genuinely sad, if the groom would have been Sharad today but that was not the case. My tears were borne out of the fact that all my plans to be free, to be an independent woman was trashed unceremoniously and I didn't know what lay in future. When he spoke of his plan, the night before, I saw something in his eyes which I couldn't place it. As if the thought of marriage excited him. Various thoughts criss crossed through my head, one being he only wanted to have his way with me in bed. I had shuddered at the thought! But then for that why would he marry? I had anticipated a contract stating that I were to leave him after a certain tenure. But then in the morning when he made me open the door and broached the topic , he had simply smiled at me and said,

Sameer: what contract!? Its fixed! You are mine and we are destined to be together! Now get ready fast. I will wait for you at the mandap.

With that he had left, since he is not supposed to see the bride until we got married.

And now here I was getting ready, he had chosen a lehenga in pastel pink with intricate zardozi on the borders and the blouse is embroidered all over front to back. Small pieces of crystal glinted off from all over. The uncut diamond set that was chosen to go with it literally looked heavenly. The beauticians had adorned my juda with flowers of his choice as per his instructions at least that's what they said and giggled amongst them, they were pink roses. When they put the veil on my head and asked me to look at myself in the mirror. I couldn't recognize myself. I could see a change in me, I looked like a queen, the regality oozed through. While the beauticians oohed and aahhed, I pondered, was I to change after marriage? Is this why he is marrying me?

Sameer

The snake and her bandwagon of vipers were not so pleasantly surprised, till the pandit arrived and I sat at the mantra in front of the fire, and the priest started chanting prayers. They were hoping against hope that my bride would flee. To be honest, though I had resorted to all means to keep her chained to me yet even I had been nervous, she could have easily ran. Now that she was unchaperoned. But no she didn't and to the horror of the snake and her vipers, my bride made her appearance and she looked divine. Thank god, I had knocked on a few drinks before I came here, or else I wouldn't have been able to hold steady still. She knocked the breath out of me. Divine is the word and now as she walked towards me accompanied by my naanu who had volunteered to bring her to the mandap to me, eyes downcast, my heart swelled in pride. This woman is to be mine forever. My eyes went to the corner, where her tayaji and taiji stood, their eyes had grown big like saucers and they assessed her from head to toe, squinting at her jewellery and clothes and getting incensed all the more at her good fortune. I knew what I was to do, protect her from such souls, today I had to invite them out of compulsion so that the snake and her vipers couldn't get the better of Naina. But today is the first and the last day.

Naina

For every phera that we took, my heart thudded in my chest. When he filled my maang with sindoor and tied the holy chain of mangalsutra, I knew I am to be bound to him for life. Somewhere I was resigned to it but I don't know what came over me, but I sneaked a peek at him and saw him smiling. Not his usual devil smirk, rather a soft smile that adorned his face now as if to say, I will nurture you for life and cherish you with my love. But then how could it be? I averted my eyes and looked at the fire instead. I knew something, I would give my best to this relationship and I am not going to sit at home. I will work and I would fight my case until he says yes. After the wedding we were led inside to the living room where his family bestowed us with blessings and gifts. Naanaji was ecstatic and my god, it was as if he had bought the entire jewellery showroom, he kept on piling the sets one after the other while my mother in law kept blessing us and giving me hugs every now and then. We ate in silence at the table after the ceremony. My tayaji and taiji were also invited and eveytime they tried cornering me Sameer butted in whisking me off to see some friend or relative or business partners. Though he had promised that outsiders were not to attend. Yet a few of the most important business partners and close friends from his side came. The news of our wedding were kept off the media glare until we officially tied the knot but once done, the press came too. I saw my husband, command the situation and answer the questions patiently. One after the other questions were fired away, while he took his time to answer, he would look at me every now and then and smile. It puzzled me but somewhere in my stomach the butterflies fluttered and my heart leapt in glee. I told myself "don't let your hopes shoot high Naina! He is a player! He is just messing with you!" but the silly heart wouldn't listen. And now I was sitting in his room, in the middle of the bed, the room had been decorated with hydrageas, with the pink and quite ones while a few candles lit at the corner flickered. Sunaina had led me to the room and she had said something which had made me uncomforatable.

Sunaina: all the best Naina, I know it would be your first, but you are in good hands, and I can tell you one thing for sure, its definitely not the first time for your husband.

Her words pierced my heart and I had turned around to see Sameer squinting at me rather us suspiciously.

Sameer

When I walked in to the room, it was a sight to behold. She sat there, my wife on my bed, sorry correction our bed. Her face was covered with the viel and from where I saw, she was fidgeting with it. She was scared. Was I that scary? Or was she scared about the impending, I had changed into a comfortable set of red silk kurta and pyjama but my ladylove still wore her wedding revelry and I wouldn't say that her getting nervous was totally out of context since I was getting indecent thoughts already. But first lets have some fu, with that proceeded towards the bed and sat with a thump, I saw her move away. This is didn't like, and out of reflex, I held her by the waist and pulled her to me.

Sameer: so Naina, where do you want me to start?

She shivered in my arms, and I could see the blush through the viel

Naina: what do you mean?

Sameer: I mean do you want me to do the honours or would you do it yourself?

She stuttered while she spoke

Naina: wha....ttttt d...doo...y..you....me....mean?

Sameer: oh c'mon love did you forget my promise from last night? Did I not say sometging about making love?

Naina: how does it matter?

Sameer: it doesn't matter?

It was time for me to be surprised

Naina: no it doesn't since it is anyways not your first time like Sunaina said.

There the snake goes again, she could have kept her venomous fangs to herself but she had to go ahead and ruin it for me. So this is what she had whispered in my love's ears. Never mind, I am Sameer Maheshwari, and this is my wife Naina Maheshwari, I know how to charm and I would and anyways I wasn't planning to do anything tonight. With Naina, I know I needed time, time to love and cherish her, it wouldn't just be about bodily needs but about us being one in every sense. But I wouldn't forgive that snake for trying to poison my first night. But like I said I am Sameer and I knew how to turn it around so I turned towards her, lifting her veil, holding her chin up I leaned towards her, she closed her eyes in surrender, while I whispered in her ears.

Sameer: hmm, not my first time, true, Naina I never tried hiding my philanderer status. It was known to the world. You saw right today the press too hinted at it when they questioned our alliance? So it's a known fact but sweetheart, if that is known fact then it is also known that Sameer Maheshwari is a man of his words and once he makes a commitment he stands by it for life so today when I married you and made you mine, I promised myself to you and with all those women, it was more about needs and less about feelings, and while you anticipate for me to do all things that I promised last night I would, I wouldn't Naina because with you its not about needs, rather its about cherishing you with my affection, endowing you with love and I would wait for my turn and then I wouldn't leave an inch. Till then you get changed and come back here to me, I would hold you in my arms and we would sleep. Now go get changed.

That's the next part, I know I am late but then had some surprise guests over hence couldn't update. Next week's update would be a little late too since my friend from Luxembourg is coming and I have promised her some me time together. But would update on Sunday.