She was alone in the Haveli, her in-laws have gone for a marriage party at a distant place, and even the maids were taken, why not? After all they too have the right to celebrate, to be happy, to take part in religious festivals, in marriage ceremonies, in cultural functions, but she? Yes she has no right to be happy and to participate in any celebrations, because☹
But she has no regrets, because she has not been taught to protest, she has not been taught to go against the wish of elders, they are against the dignity of her family. She was standing lost in her thoughts, she was a girl of 21st century, though she was never exposed to city life, but she was educated, somewhere she new everything happening with her was morally wrong, it was even legally wrong, but her upbringing can never allow her to protest.
After 2 days, still her in-laws have not returned, it was an lazy afternoon, she was in her room reading a book, it was actually her English Poetry book of class 12, she has always kept the book hidden in her belongings after she came to her in-laws house, or else in a remote town, who will allow her to have access to story books, all her life she loved reading, but yet again her upbringing can never allow her to even voice out that she wants to read story books, cause reading is so not girly, education is all a boy thing. The book contains a poem, of a Valliant Knight "The Highway Man" she has always dreamt that in her life there will be a Prince Charming, who will someday come and take her away to his dream land, love her, kiss her long hairs, she truly used to think about all these when she was in her 11th, but then one sudden day she faced the reality, she came to know that her dreams has no existence, that he doesn't have the right to dream about any man, how could she? How can a married girl, dream about another man apart from her husband?
That day evening there was a knock on the Haveli door, she went to open the door, she was bit disappointed, as now she will even loss the independence to read books, and live in a land of fantasy which she loves to do nowadays, but then she is not supposed to feel that because she is from a decent family, and the reputation of a family depends on the way the girls of the family behave. So with a bright radiant smile she went to open the door. As soon as the door was opened was standing a young man, handsome dashing standing with a broad smile, quite attractive in his early twenty's with a bag pack at his back and a American Tourister trolley on his left hand, seeing the man she identified and welcomed him in, she has seen him numerous time in photo albums, which her mother-in-law has shown her, to make her recognize the family members, so by seeing him she understood, he was Mr. Asim Garg.
After he came in, his eyes were searching his family members, he ignored her, as he has never seen her before, but she served him with snacks, and tea and also informed him that family members were out for a marriage ceremony and will return next day. That night after dinner Asim was angry, irritated and frustrated he was roaming in his room, reason was he called his parents to tell them about his sudden arrival, to surprise them as he has returned after 9 years from abroad completing his studies but when he enquired about the young girl his anger had no limit, he couldn't even think how much uncultured was his family and how heartless brutal can they be, but his self thought was broken with a knock on the door.
Shehnaaz: Haldi wala doodh sasuma ne kaha tha aap ko sone se pehele raat ko dene k liya.
Asim-Thik hai tum rakh do... (she was moving away after keeping it on the table) suno tumhara naam kya hai?
S: Shehnaaz
Asim-Nice name, tum jantii ho mai kaun hu?
Shehnaaz Ha..aap mere chotte devar jii ho
Asim- Tum kaab ayiii...mai 9 saal bahar tha
Shehnaaz: aap videsh mai the, sasuma ne bataya...aap so jaye bohot raat ho gayii hai.
