Vows of Convenience

Chapter 08

Adhrit

She's standing there in a dark red suit holding my sister's baby in her hands. Adoringly looking over him. The scene unfolding in front of me looking oh so perfect.
Her being so comfortable with the little baby and trying to get familiar with my family.

I know that my grandfather isn't very fond of her and refrain from even talking with her if not necessary, not even making any efforts to make her feel welcome and his dislike is justified in his mind because according to him she and her father trapped me and our family for money and social status. Never letting me forget how she doesn't care for our marriage, only wants to spend my money and stay coped up in her room not even bothering to lift a finger for smallest of tasks.

So I gave her whatever she wanted not even trying to get to know about her and kept my distance. But these last couple of days interactions with her are challenging my existing prospective of her. Making me question my thoughts and actions towards her.

A new thought has taken a large place inside my mind that maybe she's not like that. There must be a reason that she had agreed for this sham of a marriage. What if I would have given her atleast a chance to prove me and all the assumptions of my grandfather wrong and what if when she does exactly that. Then what?

I think about what my niece said earlier after meeting her. Calling her a princess. Well, she wasn't the only one to think like that. I remember our wedding clearly with details. I remember how beautiful she looked wearing that red lehenga. How regal her stance was. How she didn't even look at me once during the whole ceremony, looking straight ahead and keeping the mask of indifference intact and how she didn't shed a single tear on her 'vidai'. She just touched her father's feet and took blessings denying him the chance to even embrace his only daughter before she left to someone else's house to an unfamiliar city with entirely unknown people. Did she not want this ? If she didn't then why she didn't say anything ? Why not refuse this unwanted alliance ?

I saw her earlier today, putting on the sacred chain around her neck. As if it was screaming at me to acknowledge what is right infront of me. I couldn't bear to stand there any longer while she searched my face trying to look inside me. So I left. Standing in my bedroom, I was rolling my wedding ring with my thumb, pondering over these sudden thoughts. Why haven't I seen her wearing it before today ? Does she wear it everyday? Maybe not or maybe like how I haven't got the ring off of my finger, she too couldn't fathom the idea of just putting that chain away as if it doesn't symbolise the drastic changes we have had and are still facing.

I helped her with untangling that black beaded chain when my nephew thought it would be fun to just pull on it. The task felt unsurprisingly familiar. Looking at her wearing the dark red dress and my hands around her neck helping her with the chain. The sacred chain which I myself put on her neck during our wedding ceremony. It brought back memories of that very day. I found her eyes on me and I could see that she was thinking about it too.

When I dived my hand inside her hair, I didn't expect it to be so soft and fragrant. The sweet scent of orange blossoms emitting from it held my mind captivated and when I touched the back of her neck, the skin so velvety smooth made me forget what I was trying to do and my hand lingered their for a moment more than necessary. Like a teenager trying to prolong the touch in disguise of helping her. I know how pathetic that sounds even to my own ears. Her breath hitched when I pulled the chain back resulting in it tightening around her neck a little. She turned her face looking at me, her rich brown eyes slightly enlarged not even blinking and mouth slightly parted looked tempting as sin. And then she licked her lips and I got thirsty all of a sudden. I can see the proximity affects her as much as it affects me.

"Let's have dinner everyone, it's getting late." My grandfather's voice brought me back to the present not letting me dwell on my thoughts any further.

We were all seated at the table having dinner. My wife on my left and beside her Ashu is sitting playing with her food. My sister and the creature known as her husband along with my friend are on the other side of the table infront of my niece. Dadu is sitting on the head chair at the other end of the table.