Deciphering His Love

56 |The One With The Pregnancy Test

"Register marriage?" Lakshmi exclaims loud. "Are you joking?"

"I wish I was." Shyaam whispers smiling.

"Do you want this wedding to happen or not?" Devi whispered sternly to him.

"I do." He says.

"Then keep that mouth shut for a while and let me do the talking." She says and looks to her mother with a smile plastered across her face.

"Yes, Ma! A register marriage!" Devi declares.

"But why darling?" Yashoda asks.

"We want-" Devi starts as she attempts to deliver the big speech, she memorized under the shower the previous night.

"Actually, she wants-" Shyaam interrupts and earns an evil glare from Devi.

"WE want-" she says looking at Shyaam before turning to everyone. "A register marriage, because it's so overwhelming, the fancy clothes, the guests, the decorations and the rituals. The amount of money being wasted. I mean I can get myself a good car with that money and go on a road trip with Shyaam."

"Are we?" He asks excitedly.

"Darling, let me talk." She says smiling. "And it's my wedding day so shouldn't I get a say on how things should be done?"

"It's my wedding day too, but no one is ready to listen to me." Shyaam whispers.

"What I'm saying is, weddings are exhausting, time consuming and ridiculously expensive! We want to save the money we spend on the catering and the clothes and the jewelry and the other stuff. We want to use that money on something else like a nice trip to Bali or a week at a nice seven-star hotel." Devi says. "Let's just sign the papers, exchange the rings, tie the thali and get it done with!"

"Darling, darling! But we have a way to do things!" Lakshmi says. "It's part of our culture. We need to follow it whether we like it or not. Each ritual and each tradition has a meaning that's beyond what you and I can decipher!"

"I agree with you Lakshmi, but it's their wedding. Not ours!" Yashoda says. "Why are we forcing them to have a wedding with rituals when they don't want one in the first place?"

"Exactly!" Devi exclaims. She turns to Shyaam beaming. "I love your mother already."

"Why don't you marry her instead?" He whispers in defeat.

"Baby we are getting married. Isn't that exciting?" She asks. She inches closer to him and whispers with a playful smile. "I know the wedding won't happen the way you want it to happen. But don't worry, the honeymoon will happen as per your wishes."

"I like that." Shyaam whispers as he holds her hand.

"So, when can we have the wedding?" Shree asks.

"I actually thought about it. What about Monday-"

"That's literally tomorrow!" Lakshmi exclaims. "How can we have a wedding in such short notice?"

"It's a register marriage, Ma!" Devi says. "What do you plan to do with many days' notice? I already made the required legal arrangements. It's just a matter of signing the papers!"

"Wow, I see that you are so eager to get married to Shyaam!" Madhav says. "It's settled! Tomorrow, Shyaam and Devi will be getting married."

* * * * *

"Madhu, careful not to get any paint on Meow!" Madhav says as he watches Madhu do painting with her watercolours. She was seated on the cool tile floor with a big white paper and a palette of watercolours. Meow was running around Madhu non-stop.