Raman's POV

"Aagaya puttar? Chal chetti moo hath dhoke aaja. Mai nashta laga deti hun"

(You are here son? Quickly get your hands washed. I will keep the breakfast ready)

I heard mom say as I entered the living room.

"Jee maa"

(Yes Mom)

I said and started to looking for the one that stops my heartbeat.

Not finding her around I assumed she must still be upstairs in our room and I reached the room in quick strides.

I was welcomed by the sweet fragrance of shampoo and a faint smell of an enchanting female cologne. I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent to my heart's content.

It excited me all the more to see her freshly showered form.

I had always imagined waking up for the sight of her freshly showered form since the day we got engaged.

She would look enchanting in my imaginations and I was sure the real form would be more than what I had imagined.

I impatiently roved my eyes all over the room to see my dream come true.

I soon realised my dream had to wait a little longer as she was not to be seen in the room.

She must be in the washroom I thought

The scent says she has already showered. So she can't be in the washroom I argued

She could be in the dressing room then I assumed

Possible! She must be getting ready I realised

I softly knocked at the dressing room door.

No response...I knocked again

No response again...

"Ishita" I called out

No response...

"Ishita" I called out this time a little louder

No response again

That got me worried...

Why isn't she responding?

Is she even in there?

Should I check?

Would it be appropriate to go in when she is getting dressed?

What if she has fainted because of the exhaustion?

I contemplated the situation in every possible way and finally concluded that her safety was more important and so slightly pushed the door.

Surprisingly the door was not locked.

I went in calling out her name and checking every corner of the dressing room.

She wasn't there.

I checked in the washroom too but found no clue of her.

Where was she gone?

Balcony I remembered. She could be there!

I raced to the balcony but to my dismay she wasn't there either.

"Maa" I screamed descending the stairs.

"Kee hoya puttar? Arey tu abhi tak fresh nahi hua? Itna pareshan kyun lag raha hai?"

(What happened son? You haven't freshened up yet? Why do you look so worried?)

"Maa woh Ishita kamre me nahi hai"

(Mom I can't find Ishita in the room)

"Arey wo to chali gayi?"

(Oh! she has left)

"Chali gayi? Kahan?"

(Left? where?)

I asked baffled

"Arey itna haaiper(hyper) kyun ho raha hai puttar? Wo Pammi ke yahan gayi hai"

(why are you getting hyper? She has gone to Pammi's place)

"Pammi Aunty ke yahan? Itni subah subah?"

(Pammi aunty's house? So early in the morning?)

"Haan wo Pammi ne koi pooja rakhi hai. To usne humein bulaya tha. Maine kaha ke mujhe itne sare kaam niptane hai to maine Ishita ko bhej diya Simmi ke sath"

(Pammi has a pooja in her house. She invited us. But as I was busy I sent Ishita with Simmi)

"Oh" I said my heart sinking on not being able to see her freshly showered form.

But still I could at least see her.

So I said "mai abhi atha hun" (I will be back now)walking towards the door

"Oye ab tu kahan ja raha hai?"

(Where are you headed to?)

"Pammi aunty ke yahan"

(To Pammi aunt's house)

"Kyun?"

(But why?)

"Woh puja hai na. Aap hi to kehte ho ke humein koi bhi puja miss nahi karni chahiye"

(You know the pooja! You always say that we should not miss any pooja)

I said not letting my real intention out

"Tu kya karega puja me jake. Wo to ladeees(ladies) ki puja hai"

(What will you do there? Its a puja for ladies)

"Oh"

Now that means I have to wait longer to see her.

"Maine nashta laga diya hai. Tu hath dhoke aaja. Hum sath me baith jayenge"

(I have set the table for breakfast. Wash your hands. We will eat together)

"Aap kha lo maa. Mai thodi der bad kha loonga. Abhi bhook nahi hai"

(You eat mom. I will eat later. I am not hungry yet)

I could hear my stomach growling but I wanted to have my first breakfast after marriage with her.

"Bas bas. Sab janu hun mai. Ab shadi hogayi to Maa parayi hogayi. Tujhe to biwi ke sath khana hai na"

(I know I know. Now that you are married Mom has become a stranger for you. You want to eat with your wife right?)

my melodramatic mother started her rant

"Aisi bath nahi hai maa. Maine aisa kab kaha ke mujhe apke sath nahi khana. Mai to bas ye bol raha tha ke mujhe abhi bhook nahi hai. Apko bhook lagi hogi aap kha leejiye. Warna apki tabiyath kharab ho jayegi"

(Nothing like that mom. Did I ever say that I don't want to eat with you. I just said that I am not hungry yet and I didn't want to make you wait as I am worried it could spoil your health)

"Tabiyath to teri kharab hone ka dar hai mujhe. Tere pet me choohon ki koodne ki awaz mere kanon tak sunayi derahi hai aur bol raha hai ke bhook nahi. Maa hun teri, sab samajhti hun"

(But I fear for your health. I can hear your stomach growl and you say that you are not hungry. I am your mom, I understand every little thing)

Maa said pulling my ear

My stomach growled loudly making me even more embarassed

"Chal chal aaja nashte keliye. Waise bhi Pammi ne to Ishita ko bina khilaye nahi bhejna hai. Tu na filhal nashta karliyo. Badme jab Ishita ayegi to uske sath Chai shai pee lena"

(Come have breakfast. Pammi won't let Ishita come back empty stomach. You have your breakfast now. Later when Ishita returns you can have tea with her)

I nodded obediently and reached the table for breakfast

The words of my professor started to ring in my ears yet again 'Expectations lead to disappointment'

As I forcefully stuffed the morsels of breakfast into my moth, I recalled the list of my expectations and their outcome

Expectation:Wedding Night the best night of my life - Outcome: Disappointment

Expectation: Waking up to her freshly showered form - Outcome: Disappointment

Expectation: Walking back home to see her beautiful face - Outcome: Disappointment

Expectation: First breakfast after marriage with Ishita - Outcome: Disappointment

hmphh...When will you learn your lesson Raman? I mentally smacked myself

No more expectations for the day I decided sadly

The God above must be punishing me for breaking Ajnabi aka Viren's heart! I sulked

What if the day did not begin on a good note? You will at least spend rest of the day with her! Be happy with what you have I instructed myself and smiled when the phone in my tracks pocket started ringing

"Hello" I said picking up the call

"Hello Mr.Dulhe Raja! Kya chal raha hai?"

(Hello Mr.Bridegroom! What's up?)

"Breakfast"

"Ohho...First breakfast with wife...Wah Wah...Kya baat hai!"

"Jale pe namak kyun chidak raha hai? Only breakfast No wife"

(Why do u rub salt on my wounds? Only breakfast No wife)

"Hein...ye tragedy kaise hogayi? Nayi naweli dulhan breakfast table se gayab?"

(How did this tragedy happen? Newly wed bride missing from the breakfast table?)

"Naye naweli dulhan, teri honewali dulhan ke sath Pammi aunty ke yahan gayi hai"

(Newly wed bride has gone with your soon to be bride to Pammi aunt's house)

"Ohhho...Bechare patidev...Biwi ke intezar me khana halak se uthar hi nahi raha hai"

(Ohhho...Poor husband...the food doesn't seem to go down ur throat waiting for the wife)

"Bas bahut hogaya haan...Teri shadi ke agli subah I will make sure ke Simmi tere sath na ho...Phir mai bolunga yahi dialogues"

(I have had enough now. I will make sure that the first morning after ur wedding Simmi won't be there with u...Then I will use ur lines on you)

"Saaley..."

(Saaley is an Indian swear word. It also means wife's brother)

"Gaali kisko de raha hai be?"

(how dare u say that to me)

"Gaali kahan? Maine to tujhe rishte se bulaya. Tu mera honewala saala jo hai"

(when did I swear? I was just addressing you with the relation we share. You are my would be brother -in-law)

"Nautanki saala"

(Indian style of saying Drama Queen)

"Ab gaali koun de raha hai"

(Who is swearing now?)

"Maine gaali kahan di. Mai to pyar se tujhe bula raha tha...Saala"

(I didn't. I was just addressing u with love...Saala)

"Itna hi pyar araha hai na mujh pe to mera ek kaam kar de please"

(If you love me so much then do me a favour please)

"Oh...to tune apne matlab se mujhe call kiya? Matlabi"

(Oh...so u hv called for a reason...selfish)

"Yaar doston ke beech kaisa matlab. Tu to mera jigri yaar hai na?"

(what being selfish among friends. you are my closest buddy na)

"Bas bas maska mat laga. Bata kya kaam hai?"

(enough of buttering. now tell me what you want?)

"Wo actually na business ke silsile me mai kuch investors se mila tha kal. You remember maine kaha tha ke kal mera ek life-changing moment hoga?"

(Actually I met a few investors yesterday. You remember I told you yesterday was going to be a life-changing monent?)

"Han yaad hai"

(Yes I remember)

"Haan...to meeting achhi rahi aur investors kafi impress bhi hue hain mere business proposal se. Bas wo guarantors ki request kar rahe the to maine tera naam bata diya. Tera naam sunke bahut impress hue, after all you are the CEO of the Year. Bas wo ye confirm karna chah rahe the ke sach me tu mujhe janta hai ya nahi"

(The meeting went well and the investors are quite impressed with my business proposal. They requested for guarantors and I proposed ur name. They were glad on hearing ur name, after all you are the ceo of the year. now they just want a confirmation if u really know me or not)

"Ok...to mujhe karna kya hoga?"

(Ok...so what am i supposed to do?)

"Karna kuch nahi hai bs unse milna hoga?"

(Not much but just meet them)

"Theek hai mil lunga. Par kab?"

(Ok...but when)

"Aaj"

(Today)

"Whattt?" The glass of water that I was rotating aimlessly during the convo fell with a thud and splashed all over

"Aaj milna hai"

(You have to meet them today)

"Tu mazak kar raha hai na?"

(Are u kidding me)

"Nahi yaar. Mai mazak kyun karunga?"

(No. Why wuld i?)

"Yaar aaj mai kaise?"

(Buddy how can I meet them today?)

"I know Raman ke kal hi teri shadi hui hai aur tu bhabi ke sath time spend karna chahta hai. But sirf adhe ghante ki bath hai yaar. Agar zaroori nahi hota to mai tujhe kabhi nahi bolta. Please yaar"

(I know Raman u r newly married and want to spend time with ur wife. but its a matter of half an hour. i wud have never insisted if it wasnt important)

"Theek hai" I agreed with a heavy heart

"Thank you yaar. Aaj tune sabith kar diya ke har ek friend kitna zaroori hotha hai"

(thanks friend. today u proved how important every frnd is)

"Aur tune sabith kar diya ke har ek friend kitna kamina hotha hai"

(and u proved how mean every frnd is)

"Sohbath ka asar hai boss. Hoon to akhir tera hi dosth na"

(Its the effect of the company i share. after all i am ur friend)

"I am warning you, kuch bhi kehne se pehle sochle. Investors se keh dunga ke mai kisi Abhimanyu Raghav ko nahi janta"

(Look i am warning you. watch your words before u let them out. i may go ahead and tell the investors i know no abhimanyu raghav)

"Sorry sorry...Mai kamina hun aur tu kamaal hai..."

(sorry sorry...i am an idiot and u r great)

"theek hai...theek hai...bata kab aur kahan milna hai"

(ok...ok...tel me wen and wer do i meet them)

"Tere office me milna hai"

(in ur office)

"Kab?"

(when?)

"Tujhe abhi nikalna hoga"

Did he just say that!?

To be continued

Bechare Raman ke sare expectations disappointment me badal gaye! Aur aapke???