Marriage In Echo

4

Jai Shree Krishna
Chapter 4

With a heavy heart and weary limbs, Tiya dragged herself through the motions of getting ready, her movements slow and mechanical as she forced herself to carry on with the day's chores. Each task felt like a monumental effort, the weight of her grief pressing down upon her with suffocating intensity.

As she stood before the mirror, her reflection blurred by the veil of tears that threatened to spill from her eyes, Tiya's hand instinctively went to her belly, the memory of her lost child still fresh in her mind. A wave of sorrow washed over her, engulfing her in a sea of pain and longing as she struggled to come to terms with the emptiness that now resided within her.

"Maa, I'm going out," Tiya murmured softly, her voice trembling with emotion as she informed her mother-in-law, who sat at the laptop, engrossed in her work.

Her mother-in-law glanced up, a flicker of concern crossing her features as she took in Tiya's subdued demeanour. "Sure, sweetheart. Take care and stay safe," she replied, her voice filled with warmth and genuine concern.

Though her heart ached at the sight of Tiya's pain, her mother-in-law couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope stir within her. Perhaps, she thought, going out would provide Tiya with a much-needed distraction, a chance to momentarily escape the suffocating grip of her grief and find solace in the outside world.

And as Tiya stepped out into the world, her eyes still clouded with tears but her resolve unwavering, her mother-in-law offered up a silent prayer to Mahadev, hoping against hope that the fresh air and change of scenery would bring some measure of peace to her beloved daughter-in-law's troubled heart.

As the car glided through the bustling streets, Tiya's thoughts swirled with a mix of apprehension and determination. The passing trees blurred into a green blur, and the honking of horns filled the air, but Tiya remained lost in her own thoughts, her mind consumed by the impending meeting with Sanjana.

Eventually, the car pulled up in front of the café, and Tiya stepped out onto the pavement, her heart pounding in her chest. She smoothed down her clothes, straightened her posture, and took a deep breath to steady her nerves before striding purposefully towards the entrance.

Once inside, Tiya ordered herself an espresso and settled into a seat by the window, her eyes darting nervously around the room as she waited for Sanjana to arrive. Twenty minutes passed in tense anticipation, the minutes ticking by slowly until suddenly, Tiya heard the distinct sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor.

She looked up from her phone to see a woman approaching, dressed in a sharp white business suit, her bob haircut framing her face in a sleek and polished manner. Behind dark sunglasses, Tiya could see a pair of deep red lips curved into a confident smile as the woman extended her hand towards her.

"Mrs. Tiya Shekhawat, I believe," the woman said, her voice smooth and composed. Tiya rose to her feet, her heart pounding with a mix of nerves and determination, and nodded in affirmation.

"And you are Sanjana," Tiya replied, her own voice steady and confident as she met Sanjana's outstretched hand with a firm handshake.

As Sanjana approached, her gaze concealed behind dark sunglasses, she sized Tiya up from head to toe with a critical eye. Beneath her simple flared jeans and a high side slit white and red kurti, Tiya stood with an air of quiet determination, her pale skin and big brown eyes betraying a sense of vulnerability masked by her outward composure.

Sanjana's eyes lingered on the nuptial chain adorning Tiya's neck and the small speck of vermillion on her hair partition, and she felt a pang of discomfort stir within her at the sight of these symbols of marital commitment. Suppressing the unease that threatened to bubble to the surface, she pushed her sunglasses back onto her head and regarded Tiya with cool detachment.