The Enchantress

Chapter forty eight

Before they realized it, Viraj was already here with a car and it was time for Mahamaya to leave to her husband's house. Indrayani and Mahesh didn't want to let her go. Mahesh was especially tensed for this. Mahamaya touched his shoulder and tried to relax him, "Pappa, I trust him."

The single sentence from his daughter made him relaxed. He trusted her, trusted her too much because her sixth sense was very accurate and precise. He smiled and nodded. Seeing him relaxed, she felt happy too. Mahesh looked at Viraj sternly and said, "A son-in-law is higher on the relationship status ladder than a father-in-law but remember, if my daughter faces any trouble, I won't hesitate to do something about it. You might be in the uhh wait what you have, oh yes the Mafia, you might be in the Mafia but if my daughter gets even one scratch, I won't hesitate to kill you."

She had never seen her father so serious and it looked so funny to her. Even Viraj was on the verge of laughing but he controlled himself and told Mahesh, "I know Pappa that you love her but she is not only your daughter anymore, but also my wife. You had given her responsibility to me when we were marrying in the kanyadaan ritual and I had accepted my role as a protector and caregiver of my wife. I promise you Pappa, whenever you want her here, I myself will drive her all the way here, no matter how many hours it takes or what the weather or time is. In fact, I would have taken you to our mansion if it was not full of criminals."

Mahesh's jaw slackened as it almost fell on the ground. This man talked about criminals like they were mosquitoes, lizards or something. He shook his head in disappointment but smiled. He had never imagined his daughter would get such a husband but Viraj just somehow knew how to speak and convince someone and Mahesh liked that because somewhere, he was convinced too that his daughter was in safe hands.

Mahamaya felt happy when Mahesh smiled as Viraj asked, "Do I have the permission to take your daughter and my wife with me, Pappa?"

Mahesh's heart melted again. Even if Viraj was brought up to be a scary Mafia Boss, Mahesh realized that Viraj was still very much soft hearted and even a gentleman at heart. He finally felt satisfied and nodded, wondering what kind of a diamond his son-in-law was if he didn't get influenced by his family and lifestyle. 

Viraj almost reminded him of Bhakt (devotee) Prahlad, who despite being son of an Asura (demon), was a devotee of Sri Vishnu and even when his father Hiranyakashyapu killed Vishnu devotees and broke his temples, Prahland kept chanting Sri Vishnu's name which finally led to Sri Vishnu taking the incarnation of Narsimha and then slaying the demon Hiranyakashyapu. Such innocence was heard of in the Satyug (age of good) but finding such a person in kalyug (age of darkness, present age) for his only daughter, Mahesh felt like thanking his stars and also for cursing himself for being so adamant on not letting his daughter marry Viraj,

Then, Viraj bowed to his father-in-law and then to his mother-in-law and told both of them, "I will go and come back."

In India, it was believed that whenever someone was leaving, they should never say I am leaving, but rather say, I will go and come back. 

Mahamaya hugged both her parents as Viraj wheeled the rest of her luggage out. Mahamaya said, "I can help too. There are too many bags."

He smiled and said, "Do not worry. I know you can but I want to."

Mahamaya felt speechless and something warm emerged in her heart. She couldn't believe she had judged him this badly but she remembered that this was India. If a person was a criminal or did something bad, the entire family and all the relatives would be shamed. He was in the Mafia but his behaviour was the exact opposite. She wondered how.

She blankly followed him as he was loading her luggage in the boot of his car. Mahesh and Indrayani had followed the couple outside too to wave off their departing daughter. Mahamaya suddenly remembered back to the dream. 

She couldn't feel what Iravan was feeling but she could feel what Mohini could feel. She felt warmth, surprise because when everybody was busy thinking about their lust and feelings for her, he was the one who had thought about her instead of himself. Mohini was reminded of Shiva, who had overcome lust and burnt Kaamdeva, the God of love because Kaamadeva had tried to rush the meeting between him and his then to be wife and now wife Parvati. Mohini had believed that only Shiva could burn lust like that but she was surprised to find another person exactly like that.

"Where are you lost, Madam?" a teasing voice broke her thoughts as she was thrown out of the dream. She looked around with wide eyes till she realized that it was Viraj who had spoken that and she shook her head in no, embarrassed. 

Viraj chuckled and opened her car door for her and Mahamaya blushed before she sat inside the car. Viraj went all the way over and sat on his side of the seat, before saying, "Let me start the car and then I have a surprise for you."

Mahamaya felt excited but surprised too as she asked, "We didn't even start our marriage yet and my aaho (husband) is already giving me surprises? Nice, I like it."

That made Viraj chuckle as he started the car. Mahesh and Indrayani immediately waved, big smiles on their faces. Mahesh had heard the conversation and he felt happy internally. Now, it felt like he had no reason to worry but his heart was that of a daughter's father's. No matter how much capable a daughter is, the father's heart would always worry about her. 

Indrayani came to him and clutched his hand because she knew what he was thinking. She was thinking the same thing. She was also worries about this marriage proposal but didn't word them out because she trusted God to never let injustice happen anywhere in the world. Mahesh nodded, smiling at Indrayani to assure her that he was okay as the two entered their apartment again, already feeling like the apartment had something missing after their daughter had left.

After the car had travelled sufficient distance, Mahamaya asked excitedly, "Aaho (husband), what is the surprise, tell me please?"

Viraj replied, "Oh, it's in the last seat row of the car."

And that was the cue when they both heard a loud noise, "BOO!" Mahamaya's eyes widened as she looked behind to see that at the very end seat row, which was beyond the back seat there was another row because the car was an eight seater, there was a cute five years old girl with two pigtails and she was so cute. Mahamaya felt herself melt as she mumbled, "Tara."

Viraj felt happy that Mahamaya had remembered the name as he confirmed, "The one and only."