She's Taken

Decision

1 week passed

Dharini's POV

I came home from school and went to my room. Drishu was sleeping; she wasn't feeling well, so she had taken a leave from school. I changed my clothes, went to the washroom, and then sat beside Drishu. I placed the back of my hand on her forehead to check her fever. Her forehead was still burning. She might not be able to go to school tomorrow either.

I could hear Mumma talking to someone with great enthusiasm. Who could it be? Curious, I went to check and saw Mumma on the telephone. As soon as she spotted me, she quickly motioned for me to come to her. I went to her, and she instantly hugged me, wrapping one arm around my shoulders while clutching the telephone receiver tightly with the other hand. Soon, she said her goodbye and put the receiver down.

"Rinii," she called happily.

"What happened, Ma?" I asked, eager to know the reason behind her happiness.

"They said yes."

"Who said ye..." Then I got it. Mishra Sir's parents had called.

"I'm so happy, Rini. My little princess will become someone's queen soon," she said, kissing my forehead. Tears of happiness spilled from her eyes.

I couldn't control my urge to ask. "But they were supposed to inform us in 2-3 days, right?"

"Yes, and when they didn't, your Papa and I thought it was a no from their side. But then Nalini informed me that some of their relative's daughter-in-law had a premature delivery, so they had to rush to their village to see them. Thus, they didn't get time to call us back. When your Papa comes home this evening, I'll give him this news, and then we'll call them to fix a date for the engagement."

"Oh," was all I could say.

She quickly went to the kitchen and brought a piece of jaggery to sweeten my mouth. She seemed so happy. That's what I wanted. That's what mattered to me.

Flashback

That evening, after our conversation, Sir came to my home and spoke with Papa. I hid behind the curtain, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Hello, Uncle," Sir greeted.

"Hello, son. What happened? You should've called me; I would've come," Papa replied.

"No, Uncle, I want to talk to you about Dharini."

"About me?? Will he tell Papa that I went to meet him alone?" I thought, feeling betrayed.

"Actually, I wanted an educated and independent wife, and Dharini is still in school. If I get married to her, will she continue her education? My parents told me that it would be my decision, but I don't want to educate her forcefully. So what should I do?" he asked.

I think I judged him too soon.

"I want both my daughters to be educated and independent, but you know our society doesn't like girls to be independent. Those who are earning do so for two reasons: either their in-laws support them, or they have poor financial conditions. I would be more than happy if you want my Rini to complete her education and be independent. Who am I to stop you or oppose you?" Papa said, his eyes gleaming.

"Okay, Uncle and Aunty," Sir said, taking blessings from both of them. "Ma will call you." Then he left.

End of Flashback

****
Anav's POV

A week had passed since my parents and I visited Dharini's home for the first time. After speaking with Dharini, I had immediately informed Ma and Baba of my decision, and later that evening, I went to her home to talk to her parents. When I returned home, I saw Ma and Baba’s packed bags and realized they were leaving.

Before I arrived, they had received a call from Yogita Bua, informing them that Sanjana Bhabhi was in preterm labor and Sanjay Bhaiya was not in the village; it would take him at least a day to reach. When I told them my decision, Ma and Baba's faces lit up with joy. They hugged me, gave me their blessings, and then left for the village.

They assured me I was overthinking. They said Dharini seemed like a simple and innocent girl. After we marry, I can encourage her to continue her studies and support her in becoming a successful woman. I guessed I would not regret this decision later.

Every day in school, I saw her, and now I viewed her differently. The young woman sitting on the fourth bench of the second row was going to be my wife soon. I knew she probably thought I had rejected her, but it wasn’t my place to tell her otherwise. My parents would inform her parents.

Today, Ma called and told me they had informed Dharini’s parents of my decision. Her father had consulted a priest for suitable dates for our engagement, and the priest suggested next Tuesday. Thankfully, the annual function was approaching, so not much studying was happening due to preparations. I could apply for leave, and Dharini wouldn’t miss much either. My conscience noted I was already caring for her.

I recalled Rajeev’s reaction when I broke the news of my engagement. When I told him I had finally said yes to Dharini and we were getting engaged next Tuesday, he reacted as if I were talking about his engagement to Pratiksha Ma'am. He never missed a chance to fill the sibling gap in my life.

While I was happy, I was also worried. Was this happening with Dharini’s consent, or was she being forced to marry me? If she didn’t want to marry me, there was no way I would go through with it. I needed to meet her before our engagement, or even before the news of our alliance spread. If she didn’t want to marry me and we broke it off, people would assume she was at fault. Given the increasing cases of teenage girls eloping, I couldn’t let people question her character when she was innocent.

*****
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