An Affair In Summer

10. 'Marriage and Divorce'

Dev was pacing his room when Sonakshi walked in and then stopped at the door with a grin on her face. The man was so stressed out for absolutely no reason.
"Can I come in?" She asked knocking on the open door.

Dev stopped and looked at her nervously. "Yes, please come in. Did Shivani talk to you?"

She sighed, "Yes." She searched his eyes wanting to know what he wanted. "Dev are you sure?

He took a deep breath and looked at her again. "Sonakshi I don't want you to quit the job until they are back in school or else my life will turn upside down again. You've been great help and yes I'm being selfish right now. We'll get married only to shut people up and to calm Shivani down, she's stubborn."

"Like you?" she was still grinning. "Anyways continue."

"After a few months we can get a divorce."
Sonakshi felt the color of her face turn pale. He was talking about marriage and divorce in the same breath. Absolutely insane.

"A divorce?" Sonakshi gulped. She had always wanted to be married to one man all her life. Here she was going to finalize a divorce even before a marriage.

"Ok not a divorce, an annulment."

"But... I need to sit down." She took a step back and fell to the bed, and watched Dev kneel down before her. "We'll get married at a church and when the marriage isn't consummated it won't be a problem. It'll take some paperwork but I'm sure my lawyers can handle that."

She brought her hands to her face and rubbed. Her arms still hurt when she lifted them but the pain was bearable now. She hated the idea. Talking about getting married but not consummating it. This wasn't a joke but it sure sounded like one at the moment.

"Sonakshi I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't even want to think about marrying a man who has three children but..."

"Oh no." She looked at him again. "No, that's not it Dev. I love your girls and they are no problem but all this is happening so quickly that I feel like I'm dreaming. I don't want to marry and then just end it. I've never wanted to." She sighed. "And if we do marry and then end it, it would shake Sia a lot."

She was thinking about his daughter more than herself at the moment, Dev accepted. "In that case," he stood up and sat down beside her. "You don't have to end the marriage. I won't make a difference to me. But I can't promise you everything, Sonakshi."

She looked to the other side sadly. "Do we have to do this?"

"No. But Shivani will make sure it happens someway or another, today or tomorrow."

"Fine, we'll marry and then settle for an annulment."

"Thank you. I'll get ready and you should too because we have to announce our marriage in less than two hours." When he stood Sonakshi took his hand, he looked back at her still pale face. "Are you ok?"

She stood up and hugged him. "This is all my fault." She closed her eyes and told herself she had to keep herself from falling in love with him now, because it was going to happen only to disappoint her.
************

"I don't know what to wear." Sonakshi turned and looked at Shivani. "I have to wear something that will cover my arms and back because of the bruises, and I would look like a fool if I wore something full sleeves in this hot weather."

"Well I have a solution."

"Shivani I blame you for everything right now." She looked at her angrily.

"You'll thank me later." She kissed her cheek. "I'll be right back."

Shivani came back with a black suit hanging on her arm. "You can wear this, it's appropriate and it will cover, and it will match with what Dad's wearing."