Ishq ki Kahaani

Illiterate: Questions

Siya sat on the bed of her husband's room, the room that was which was now also hers. She wasn't sitting with the lehenga spread across the bed, and neither was there a veil covering her blushing face. There was anticipation for his arrival, after all, he had made a place in her heart, but she knew that the feeling and attraction were not reciprocated.

Siya gazes down at her bridal attire before standing to look at herself in the mirror. Tears form in her eyes as she thinks back to what her father used to say to her when she was little.

Flashback:

"Dada! Why is maasi crying?"
"Because she is leaving her home and her parents."

"Why is she leaving?" asked the confused 8-year-old.

Her father cuddles her closer as she watches the farewell.

"Because she's married mere bacche, so she has to leave with her husband."

"Aarre! Why can't her husband come here? I will bring my husband home."

This earns the little girl a hearty laugh, "Okay bacche, we'll bring him to our home and live like one big family."

Flashback Over:

Siya was taken out of her daze when the door to her room opened, she turned away to wipe her tears, not wanting him to see her crying. Rudra walked in, tired from the rituals and just wanting to change and sleep. He watched his wife standing in front of the mirror and he approaches her carefully.

"Siya, are you okay?"
"Ji, aap thik hai?"

(Yes, are you okay?)

Rudra gazed at her before humming. "Tum shower le lo, phir mein shower le lunga."

(You shower and then I'll go.)

"M-mu-mujhe pehle ye sab uttarna hai, phir jati hun."

(I n-n-need to take all of this off first, then I'll go.)

Siya gestures to her hair and heavy jewellery. Rudra takes out the dresser chair and gestures for her to sit before reaching for his phone, there were some urgent emails he had to send that just couldn't wait.

After a few minutes, Rudra looked up from the tedious email only to see his wife struggling with her veil, trying to unclip from her hair. He finds her struggle cute and amusing, it's not until she huffs and accidentally makes eye contact with the man seated on the bed.

She straightens when she sees her husband's eyes already on her. She looks away when she sees him getting up, and doesn't look back up until she feels rough fingers caress her shoulder. It was Rudra and she watches him through the mirror as he gently takes the pin off and gently lifts the veil off.

He then moves to her bun causing her eyes to widen and she turns to face him, "Mein kudh kr lungi."

(I'll do it myself.)

"Tumse shoulder pr se dupatta toh nickla nahi, baalon mein se pins kaise niklengi? Mein krdunga, hum dono thak gaye hain toh jitna jaldi so jaye aacha hai."

(You couldn't take the pin off your shoulder, how will you take the pins out of your hair? I'll do it, we are both tired, so the quicker we get the sleep the better.)

Rudra said, looking into her eyes, seeing as he was not going to let her do it, she turned back around.

Rudra took his time, taking the pins out of her hair before reaching for the comb and taking out all the knots gently. Siya blushed at his care and attention as peered at him through the mirror. Once finished with the hair, he moved on to her jewellery, noticing her soft skin turning red due to the heaviness of the jewellery.

"Abh jayo and get ready for bed."

(Now go.)

Whilst Siya was in the bathroom, Rudra looked around his room, in every drawer and cabinet to find a cooling, anticeptic cream. When he saw the rashes on her neck caused by the necklace, he felt the need to heal them. He had also taken out an extra blanket and pillow and put them on the sofa.

Soon Siya stepped out of the bathroom, towel in hand as she dried her hair, she moved to the balcony to put the towel out to dry when Rudra went to the bathroom. As she was waiting for Rudra, she notices the blanket and pillow on the sofa. Thinking it must have been for her, she sat down on it and looked around her new room.

She was gazing at the family photo on the coffee table when she heard the unlocking of the bathroom door. Rudra stepped out, and gazed at his wife sitting on the sofa.

So shy. So fragile. So delicate. So beautiful.

"Yahan kyun bethi ho? Sona nahi hai kya?"

(Why are you sitting here? You don't want to sleep?)

Siya looked up confused, "Haan woh. . . ."

He eyes wandered and she looked anywhere but him. Rudra understood what she was saying instantly.

"Yahan sofa pe mein, aur bed pr tum. Okay?"

(I'll sleep her on the sofa, and you on the bed. Okay?)

Siya looked at her husband like he'd grown two heads. She looks at his 6 feet tall structure up and down before looking across from one shoulder to another. She points to the sofa before expressing her concerns, "Aap yahan fit nahi aayenge."

(You won't fit here.)

Rudra chuckles at how cutely she said that before nodding to the bed, "Go to sleep there. And I don't want any arguments about it."

He wondered how this girl thought of his well-being first and not the fact that her husband is saying they won't be sharing a bed like normal couples. But then again, they weren't a normal couple This was an agreement. She needed protection, and he wanted to keep his mother happy.

Siya nods her head before moving to the bed, and Rudra manages to adjust into a most comfortable position on the sofa. He gazes at his wife as she closes her eyes to catch some sleep.

My wife, meri biwi. Mein kaise banunga ek aacha pati? Mein yeh saab kaise manage krunga? Mujhe khabhi shaadi krni hi nahi thi. Pr yeh ladki. . . .Siya, isne meri saari conditions maan li. Ek baar bhi protest nahi kia? Chalo jo hoga, dekha jayega. Pr iss ladki ko khabhi hurt nahi hone dunga. Apni biwi ko kabhi kissi cheez ki kami nahi hone dunga.

(My wife. . . .How will I become a good husband? How will I manage all of this? I never wanted a marriage, but this girl. Siya, she said yes to all my conditions. Didn't protest once? We'll see what happens. But I'll never let this girl get hurt again. I'll give everything to my wife.)

His thoughts caused him to forget all about the antiseptic cream he had taken out, And with that he took out his phone to look over emails again, unaware that his wife was in deep thoughts of her own.

Mere pati. My husband. Mein kissi ki patni hun. Mera ek pati hai. Aur woh bhi aisa jisne shaart ke zariye mujhse abhi se dooriya bana li hain. Mein kya karungi? Kya ab meri zindagi aise hi guzhar jayegi? Ek aise insaan ke saath jo khabhi mujhse pyaar nahi kr pyega? Mein aise konse bure karma kre hai jo mujhe aisi zinsagi nasseb hui? Bina maa baap ke, bina ghar waalon ke pyaar ke, aur abh bina pati ke pyaar ke? Ravi bhai parso chalye jayenge, phir mein kya karungi?

(My husband. . . . I'm someone's wife. And too to a person who has created distances between us through his conditions. What will I do? Is this how I'll have to live my life now? With someone who will never be able to give me love? What bad karma have I done that I've been given a life like this? Without parents, without the love of a family, and now without the love of a husband? Ravi bhai will leave in a day or two, what will I do then?)

The couple spent the night in wandering, sneaking glances at one another and trying their best to fall asleep. The room was filled with unasked and unanswered questions.