Echoes of Forever

"Bahu?" Maa's voice trembles with excitement.

My pulse thunders in my ears as anticipation courses through my veins. The implication of what this meant suddenly crashing into me at full force.

She said yes.

"Ok, chalo sab. Kaam pe lag jao. There's so much to do. Ankur beta, I'll give you a list of things that we need to bring as shagun for the roka."

"Add jalebi to the list Maa!" I blurt out, my voice a little too loud.

Ankur bhaiya narrows his eyes at me. "Tu Mrinali se shaadi kar raha hai ya jalebi se?"
*******************

Marriage.

A societal expectation. That's all it is to Mrinali Mathur. After witnessing failed relationship after failed relationship, where "soulmates" have turned out to be anything but, she's become scared and distrustful of both love and marriage.

Out of a sense of obligation to her family's happiness, she resigns herself to the idea that she'll simply accept her marriage for what it is.

Just another duty.

She'll co-exist with her new family, keeping her distance, emotionally detached. If she doesn't get too close, she can't get hurt.

But her husband, with his big smile and even bigger heart, is threatening to crumble the very foundations of the walls around her trepid heart.

Like they say, the higher you build the walls, the harder you fall.