Misaligned Stars

The bride in the dark house

Mr Mahajan's driver left the three of them on their door - Yashoda, Karan and Monami - the newly married couple still tied together in their gathbandhan.

It was a winter evening so it was already dark. It was an unusual sight of a bride entering the gates of a dark house. As they all crossed the gates and proceeded towards the main door of the house, a group of people starting assembling in front of the house. Some were surprised, some had heard that Karan had married Monami but were still unsure till they saw the bride and groom themselves. They all starting murmuring.

Yashoda was tense. She had been quiet all through the way and given that Monami's driver was present , no one said much during their trip back home. Monami felt terribly guilty and bad for Yashoda. A mother whose only son got married wasn't happy at all. Monami had wished a few times in past few weeks about getting together with Karan, but she had never imagined it will hurt any of their parents.

Karan wanted to go inside home as soon as possible. His mom was upset, he needed to explain to her why he decided to marry Monami. He loved Monami, she loved him, she will come around soon. But Monami - what's wrong with her, how could she be ok to marry Rishabh? If it wasn't for her zid, he wouldn't have gone so extreme, anyways now she is safe with him. She loves him , or at least likes him a lot - her tears on the night they kissed, they were sure signs that she felt for him. She is angry now but as soon as he would take her in his arms, she would melt.

He looked at Monami with a smile, but Monami was not showing any signs of melting. She seemed genuinely angry.

Monami saw Yashoda shaking as she tried to open the door with her keys. "Maa are you ok?" . Karan came forward to help his mother.

Suddenly there was a commotion.

"Karannnnn......." came a cry! "Karannnnnn..............."
The voice came closer as the face peeped from the behind the people who were gathering around Karan's house.

Everyone recognised the voice of Reena. She was crying hysterically. She ran towards Karan and hugged him.
Reena: "Karannnn......., tumne sach mein shaadi kar li? Sab mujhe keh rahe the par maine vishwas nahi kiya. Maine bola mera Karan dhoka nahi dega mujhe. Hamari engagement hai na agle hafte, maine to sabko diwali pe mithai bhi khilai thi.....Tumne aise kaise madam se shaadi kar li? Kyun Karan?"
Karan was silent. He was holding Reena's face and listening to her vent her anger.
Reena continued: "Maine kuch galat kiya tha kya? Main tumhe achchi nahi lagti? Tumne kaha tha tum chahte ho tumhari patni bas tumhari maa ka khayal rakhe - tumhe lagta hai main nahi rakhti unka khayal? Madam kaise rakhengi? Mujhme kya kami hai Karan??"
Karan interrupted: "Koi kami nahi hai Reena, please sambhalo khud ko. Dekh abhi main kuch bhi bolun tujhe samajh nahi aayega because you are hurt and I am really really sorry for hurting you but main tujhe sab samjhaunga. Ki maine ye faisla kyun liya. Kyun mujhe laga ye sahi hai, hum sabke liye. Reena tu aaj khud ko sambhaal le, tu jaise hi sunne samajhne ki haalat mein hogi main sab bataunga tujhe."

Meanwhile Reena's father pleaded to Yashoda, "Behenji pichhli baar mujhe laga maine aapse baat karne mein der kar di aur Karan Monami ne ek doosre ko chuna tha, par Iss baar to hamari baat ho gayi thi na. Meri bachchi ke baare mein nahi socha aapne? Shayad meri beti ka muqabla nahi hai Malkin ke aage, par aapki zubaan par bharosa kar ke humne aas padosi, rishtedaar sabko Reena aur Karan ki sagai ke liye nyota diya tha. Kamal bhai ke ghar mein hamari izzat aise uchchali jayega m, kabhi sapne mein nahi socha tha" he was crying.

Everyone was shook seeing a respectable elderly man cry profusely. Yashoda was shivering in embarrassment. So Monami tried to hold her but she pushed her back lightly. Monami tried to intervene "Please uncle, maa ki koi galti nahi hai. Wo to chahti bhi..."

Yashoda stopped her, "tum kuch nahi kahogi Monami. Bade baat kar rahe hain tum peechche raho"
She apologised to Reena's father with folded hands "Maaf kijiyega bhaisahab, jo hua uske baad main sirf maafi hi maang sakti hoon" Yashoda said with bowed head and teary eyes.