The first day

The wedding was grand.

Kaveri looked beautiful in her wedding sari next to a happy Kumar. Her best friend felt very happy to see her dear friend glowing.

The ceremony went in a daze. It was held by Kumar’s parents and was held far away from her home. A strange place and full of strangers. She looked shyly at Kumar who was looking like a warrior who had earned his trophy. She realized that she knew only Kumar. Or does she???????

Finally everything was over and they were publically declared Man and Wife.

They had a long journey ahead since their first night was to be at her place. She slept through the journey with Kumar holding her hands. 

She missed the rain that fell hard. She also missed the stolen kisses that Kumar placed on her face. She missed the first kiss of a man.

Kumar woke her up gently upon reaching her home. This was the first time her amused brothers saw a shy Kaveri.

Dinner was done with not much talking. Kumar seemed to be a man with fewer words. It was her younger brother who recalled this much later.

Finally they were alone in her room. The room that she had lived 23 years of her life but today it was to be shared with Kumar. It was decorated with jasmine flowers for the newly wed. It was just like in her dreams. The scent of the flowers had a seductive effect on her but Kumar did not seem to need any stimulant. Here was the moment he waited from the minute he had set eyes on her. Kaveri was surprised to find a changed and charged Kumar. She had listened to whispered talks about the famous first nights but had no idea what to expect.

It was a storm that awaited her.

Was she raped? Did she enjoy it? She only remembered the marks that she had to cover the next day.

It was after the storm that Kumar spoke.

“Do you remember seeing Sam my friend?”

Kaveri replied that since there were so many of his friends how could she remember him alone?

“He came to the wedding with just one purpose. He has lived in this city for many years and knows many people specially the prostitutes. He wanted to check on you”

Kaveri listened with amusement, never taking this talk seriously but she replied.

“And did he find me amongst them”

Kaveri saw the look of relief in Kumar’s face when he replied in negative.

Later when she recalled this incident she cursed herself for not having taken it seriously.

Falling in love

Kaveri was always waiting for Mr. Right.  She loved dressing up and wearing makeup. Her best friend was just the opposite and seldom cared for her looks. Kaveri could not afford to do that since she was always waiting for her Man.

He appeared. A shy man who fell head over heals in love with Kaveri. It was during a month’s training on Kaveri’s first job. A new place and new faces. It was easy to fall in love. The exhuberant, carefree Kaveri finally found Mr. Right. They roamed around amidst friends getting to know each other. Kaveri the chatterbox and Kumar the quiet one.

Being the youngest in a family of five she was always the pet and got what she wanted. This Mr. Right would be another of her need. Besides he was of the same community. There was nothing her parents could say against him. An educated man ready to take care of Kaveri.

And thus the wedding was fixed.

Get out! Get out! Voices in her head.

Someone was telling her to get out of this relationship.

Ominous feelings came clouding over her and she almost agreed to the voices. But then she thought about her dear Father. The Gandhian who never bowed in front of anyone. The one who never hurt even a fly. How shall her Father explain this to his relations. The wedding invitations were already out.

No, she has to go ahead. Those voices are to be ignored.