Malathi charitham (The history of Malathi) (Kalarikkal series - 2)

11. Married

"Pranav, I think its a bad idea. You will regret it", she replied.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Every man has some expectation from their future wife and I might not fulfill some of it", she said.

"Do you know what I expect from you?" he asked her.

"I do not", she replied.

"Then how do you know that you won't fulfill it?" he asked.

She looked at him, though he had tried to give her money, he was known in the department for being an excellent contractor. All the projects he had done were of good quality. And in the brief run-ins with him, she had seen how he behaved and how he approached any issue. For once she decided to trust her instincts.

"Almost every man in Kerala has this expectation. And I trust you as a friend and I am saying it to you, so please keep this to yourself; I am not a virgin", she said to him.

Pranav was startled, "Why? Something happened to you?" he asked in concern.

"No, I was in love with someone and it happened..." she replied.

Seeing his flustered look, she said to him "Why don't you think it over and inform me tomorrow" and she walked back. His proposal had disturbed her. She had liked him as a friend and he was slowly becoming someone she looked forward to meet and the feeling that he will rescind his proposal made her uneasy and she did not know why.

The next day, during the tea break Pranav came to meet her and they once again went to the shade of the Neem tree.

"I wanted to ask you something. Did that guy, the one whom you loved, cheat you and leave? If that's so, I have people who could, you know, bring him back to you", he said.

Malathi smiled and said, "No. It was a mutual agreement between us to part ways. He is now a happily married man with children. I have no expectations from him".

Pranav breathed a sigh of relief and he said, "Then that would be the last of what I will ever ask about him. Malathi, your past is what makes you the person I like. Thank you for your honesty. I was never a part of your past just like you are not of mine. So I cannot judge what happened in that, the decisions that you made, I believe you took them for a reason. All I want to know is, can I be a part of your present and future?"

Malathi was taken aback, the unexpected reply had made her mind bloom like jasmine flowers. She nodded her head and said, "You may".

Pranav smiled at her and in the wind the Neem tree blossoms showered on them.

***

"Amma, I want to talk to you", said Pranav to his mother Sridevi who was sitting with his father Prakashan on their bed.

Prakashan got up and said, "When will you mother and son include me in conversations?"

Sridevi smiled her gentle, sweet smile at Prakashan as he left shaking his head. Pranav came and sat next to his mother and said in the same straightforward way that he was used to, "Amma, you had asked me to go and see some girls for marriage alliance. I like a girl and I want you to meet her with everyone this Sunday". He then went on to describe her background to Sridevi.

"So why did you like her?" she asked him.

"Well, I found her calm and quiet, but tough and she is a pretty serious person as well", he replied.

"So she is just like you. Then I reject!" she replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I can't stand one more person like you in this house! " she said in mock anger.