Bairi Sanam: The hate of a lover

Chapter XXXIV: Swikaar

Tejasvin

I woke up and my eyes moved to the bed the first thing in morning. When I didn't see her there, I panicked a bit and throwing away the blanket I began looking around the room for her. I checked the bathroom as well as the closet, but she wasn't there, so I started moving out the room when I noticed her figure from the corner of my eye sleeping on the floor. I sighed in relief finding her there and moved near her. She had removed the bedsheet from the bed and spread it underneath her and was peacefully sleeping on the ground in her bridal attire with all her jewellery still on.

I realised that she might've have felt uncomfortable sleeping on the bed as she wasn't used to it. Taking off the blanket carefully, I picked her up in my arms and laid her down on the bed. I began taking her jewellery off one by one and kept thinking to myself how she slept wearing all this through the night. I removed her nose ring, revealing her delicate nose that looked beautiful even without this piece of jewellery. I then gently freed her neck from the heavy necklace and put it on the side table. I was cautious of my movements so that she doesn't get disturbed in her sleep.

I did not understand our bond. I don't know why I felt tempted to replace the groom. I don't know why I felt tempted to marry her. I don't know why her honour meant the most to me at that time. All I knew right now was that she is my wife, regardless of how this marriage happened and all my responsibility is towards her now.

I went and sat by her feet and freed them of the anklets. Holding her feet gently, I looked up at her face. "I will spend my entire lifetime asking for your forgiveness for marrying you like this," I said under my breath with a heavy heart.

She must've felt so betrayed and I don't blame her even a bit for feeling this way but I can't even talk to her until her anger dies down. Her anger is valid too so I can't do anything but give her some time. I got up to shower and get ready to answer all the questions that my parents must have for me.

Ketaki

I felt soft mattress underneath me as I shifted in my sleep, and it made me wake up.

How did I end up on the bed? And where did all my jewellery go?

I sat up in bed and my eyes fell on the side table where all my jewellery was placed. It must've been him who put me in the bed and removed all the jewellery off. I couldn't change because I didn't have any clothes with me, and I was too tired to care about removing any of my accessories. I shifted for some time on the bed as my body wasn't used to the softness of the mattress, so I ended up sleeping on the ground. 

I scanned the room and didn't find him anywhere but heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom, so I deciphered that he was in there.

I heard a knock on the door and got up to open it. As I opened it, I found his mother standing there with some clothes in her hand. I adjoined my hands instantly and bowed my head down not being able to look in her eyes. A few days ago, when we met, I was supposed to marry someone else and now I was standing in her house married to her own son. 

She must've been thinking so ill about me right now just like the entire village. I bent down to touch her feet, but she stopped me midway holding my arms.

"My daughter never touches my feet. I expect the same from you," she said with a faint smile on her face. I couldn't help but smile back at the warmth she was radiating. It's been forever since I've received a mother's love.

"I need to talk to you," she said and my smile vanished that instant. She gestured me to move inside the room and we both sat at the edge of the bed coming in.

"I'm sorry for how Tejasvin married you," she began speaking. "My son has always been rational with his decisions. I don't know what made him do this in such a haste." She placed her hand over mine that was resting in my lap. My eyes collected few tears remembering the painful series of events and when she placed her hand on mine, few of them escaped and dropped on her hand. She made me lift my face up by placing her hand underneath my chin. She cleaned off my tears and I felt a sense of motherhood coming from her.