As soon as I closed the blanket covering myself. I blushed!

For a moment I forgot what am I doing? I'm smiling? Blinking my eyes I thought for a while! Why ❓

This smile just because of that songs he played a while ago? Or just Coz I love those songs...

Pulling the blanket down to uncover my face, only to get scared 😖 widening my eyes I covered myself to avoid his gaze which was on me..

Why is he looking at me like that? My breath wasn't normal, my palms started sweating furiously. I felt suffocated hiding myself inside this blanket!

Does anyone need blanket in this summer? After a while lights were turned off, I felt revealed and uncovered myself to take cool breeze coming from the windows..

Then I turned to other side and started playing with my fingers thinking of his actions in front of my friends..

And in temple why did I even behaved crazily with my friend!? I don't know what happened to me at that moment.

And that rose petals! I recollected that moment.. I felt special.. This was new to me. Am I really special to him? Or he's just faking?

What's in his mind? And what's going in my mind?

What am I thinking? Stupid get some sleep. Tomorrow there's puja.. My mind taunted me mockingly..

No-no you shouldn't think about him "Coz of him, I'm already facing insult from his mom and sister", now I should stop thinking. If not I'll be late tomorrow, and started yawning..

The next day is an auspicious day, "Sri Ramnavami."

"Hearing the knock from outside", I stirred in sleep and finally got up rubbing my eyes and turned taking my phone to see the time.

My mom didn't knock again as I indicated showing my mobile torch, as an indication I woke up.. I can see her shadow moved away. I turned off the torch and what surprised me is?

He is resting down on the floor!

But why ❓when he can have the bed, why to sleep on the floor? He just sleeping without spreading any bedsheet just a pillow under his head..

I never saw him keenly till now.
But today, i saw his oval shape face, his soft hair which was ruffled making him look more manly, lengthy eyebrows, sharp nose! His ears---!

What am I doing? Sisira! Have you lost your mind? I taunted myself to get up.

Wait--?

Mosquito on his cheek?

Shh shh go away... I tried to shove it off.. When he stirred in sleep I moved back when his hand automatically went to his cheek rubbing there.. And again he slept..

Again mosquito landed on his nose now! God how much these mosquitoes drink the blood?

Don't they get tired or think about getting fat?

Again he stirred in his sleep and this time it went away..

Before getting up I saw him once again. He's so near to the cot.. So I kept the pillow not to get his head hit to that..
After placing pillow as barrier between him and the cot. I went back folding the bedsheet and kept it aside..

After finishing our regular works of cleaning etc I went to take bath in the common bathroom.. And came out in regular wear..

My mom stood there waiting for me and even got ready..

Mom?
She sighed me to wear the sari she selected and I got ready in it with no struggle..

My mom made me sit and started drying my wet hair and made braid decorating with flowers..

Mom! "Where is Dad?"

He went to your room to see whether your husband got ready or not..

Ohh ok..

Mom? Is this all necessary?

Yes being newly wedded girl you have to wear all this, she made me wear those gold bangles, necklace and a long chain..

My mom pestered a kiss on my forehead, which made me smile. As we went outside, my dad is busy in adjusting sravan's dhoti.. I laughed looking at him, to which he immediately looked at me feeling embarrassed..

My mom hit my head to my giggles and told me to keep quiet. I nodded ok glaring at him coz he's smiling at me showing his tongue which made me fist my hand to punch👊 on his face..

Looking the door, we together went taking garlands, and clothes as offerings to God and goddess..

As soon as we reached the temple, we saw the goddess and God idols are neatly decorated and everyone were busy in their own works..

Some priest are busy in getting puja saman, and people are gathering and sitting in their places to watch the kalyanam of the idol couple..

Idol couple?

How can they be?

When Sita maa has to go through such a pain for her no mistake still she suffered herself just coz of her husband..

Every one say I want a husband like Ram. But Isn't true that the same God has left his wife in forest?
Isn't he the reason for her pain?

If he thought like a king and gave that punishment!
Before becoming a king, he first married sita maa.. His first duty is to be a good husband rather than a king..

But no he left his wife just coz of some washerman commented bad about him?
So his self-respect became more than his wife's respect? I'm getting angry thinking how much pain sita maa has suffered that too as a pregnant woman.. I just don't like this Ram.. He's not---!

When mom patted my back, I came out of my world and saw priest calling us to take seats..

I sat next to sravan and puja started..
My eyes were watching the idol couple. Even I don't like Ram! I love Sita maa.. For her patience and her never ending love towards Ram.. But in return what did she got?

Humiliation, distanced from husband and thrown in to forest?

When I felt my hand being poked, I turned to see my husband sighing to take akshitas, I nodded and showed my palm when he added akshitas in my hand to start vinayak puja at first..

After that priest gave us kankanam (holy thread) to tie on our right hands.. He took one and started tieing to my right hand and I did the same.

After abhishekam, we did as the priest said to us..
Everything went quiet well, but I got overwhelmed when I held those wedding lockets which were applied with turmeric and kumkum..

Everyone started chanting shouting "Jai SriRam", and in that moment positive vibes surrounded us..

After completion of God and goddess kalyanam. Priest took the kumkum from the feet of the Ram Sita idols in betel leaf and gave it to my hands to apply it..

I was about to keep it in my filling but stopped listening to priest words, " It should be applied by your husband when you both sat for this puja", I nodded and looked to him who already took it in between his thumb and forefinger.

"I'm looking at him when he applied it exactly beneath my bindi, I closed my eyes when he blew air and felt awkward what he's doing? Then his palm protected my eyes from getting it into my eyes.."

I turned to see priest giving a smile looking at us, I looked down and got up as my mom told me to take blessings from them and we took the talambralu and vastram in my pallu as blessings..

"Listen you guys need to sleep on floor tonight, and eat food without having onion", OK?

We both nodded our heads..

As we headed to have prasaad, we took our seats, and volunteer started serving food to everyone..

As soon as they placed the banana leaf and a glass on the table and another person started filling the empty steel glasses with water..

Hey! I didn't get another glass he asked to that volunteer and he nodded I'll get another one and went away pouring the water to the rest of unfilled glasses in our row..

I took the water glass and poured a little bit to clean up the leaf...
I even saw him taking my glass and started cleaning his banana leaf also. I didn't mind 😏 and once they started filling the leaf plate.

At first they added the payasam/paravanam a sweet first and followed with pulihora, pickle, gravy curry, in the first round..

Hi sisira! I saw uncle and wished him with smile, "hey get that prasaad" Uncle said to another person..

Uncle noo I had it's enough I said, but he filled my plate with another cup of sweet. You like this sweet every much right.! I know, he said adding little more..

Your wife na likes this prasad very much, since childhood I'm very well aware of her, uncle said proudly as if I'm winner in eating this dish.. I couldn't see my husband face, who is smiling covering his lips..

I know he's teasing me, after uncle left I took cup of sweet and kept in his leaf. No need to laugh ok! He kept it back in my leaf and smiled telling have it.. I won't laugh..

It's my habit to keep the first morsel of food aside like my dad habituated me we should take our first bite after keeping it to any other living being.. I took that morsel and got up as the wall is right behind me. And so I kept the little food on it and went back to take my seat..

As I'm having that prasad. I saw his gaze on me and turned to him. He didn't said anything but started having his food..

After finishing my food I went to wash my hands near the tap. I was about to open but my pallu is getting under the tap I couldn't even hold it as my one hand is busy in holding the"vastram" and "talabralu" Given by priest that was kept in front of idols. These are like blessings..

I tried to catch my pallu but I turned to see sravan already held it with his left hand, and sighed me to wash my hand.. After that he left my pallu and went to wash his hand and came back to me and smiled..

My face is expression less like usual.. I don't know why I don't like him.. As my dad waved at us called his name, he still watching me as if he didn't hear!

Dad!

What Dad? Huh! He questioned me..

Dad calling you!, I sighed showing my hand towards him and sravan turned his face and went to dad who's is talking with some of his friends..

After reaching back to home, I kept those vastram and akshitas in puja room and went to my room like usual..

I turned around hitting my head. "Don't you know to lock the door before doing your personal?"
Before he could reply, I left from there to kitchen where my mom gave me panakam (special drink) made on this special day..

This man! I chided him in my mind 😏but my mom caught me..

Whom you're taunting?

No one mom, I'm just--!

Ok leave it and give this panakam to your husband!

Mom! Let me finish mine first.. I said and started drinking it slowly..

Now go!

Mom! He's changing I'll go later ok..

Ohh ok.

After few minutes I went back to my room and stood in front of my door! "Should I open it? No-no knock first", before I could even Knock my hand on the door I slipped making me lose my balance and the drink fell on his t-shirt..

"I'm sorry", I was about to knock the door!

"What happened?" My mom entered at the right moment, wah what a timing I cursed myself and got ready to get scolded.

What❓😧 what are you looking at my face? Go and get the wet cloth and clean it if not it leaves stain on his shirt..

"It's ok maa, no problem I'll clean it myself", he said looking at me..

Mom! He said na he'll clean it no problem I said whining. To which I got a glare from her in return..

Go? Why are you still standing here? My mom literally banged me, that I ran back to kitchen and kept the glass there itself and went back with cloth which I dripped under tap right now and went back to them..

What are you looking? Clean it up!

Ok but stop yelling at me, she chided and stood in front of him and looked at sravan with anger..

Now I should touch him? Turning my gaze i can see my mom eyes are still watching me!

Ugh 😒 no other choice I thought, my eyes moved to see him who's face is neutral with no emotion. Finally gathering strength I moved my fingers and pulled his shirt without touching him and started wiping the stain..

"Prabha?" Dad started calling her..

"Haa coming", my mom shouted back and went away..

I sighed in relief and turned around to see my mom isn't there, it's gone now. I said moving around, " Wait " Still here it's there he showed another stain on his chest area..

Why don't you clean it yourself?

"Didn't finish yet?" My mom came back walking towards kitchen..

Yah finished mom I said wiping the other stain. My breath got hitched when he blew air on my face! I didn't concentrate on it and continued my work..

When I saw his hand moving towards me, I started moving my head back thinking he's gonna touch me. But he hit my earring with his fingers playfully and said, "looking pretty today."

Rolling my eyes, ok it's finished I said and went back.. That whole evening I avoided going in front of him..

Evening we all had little breakfast. And mom made bed for us in puja room..

I should go first and occupy my place and should sleep before he comes, and went to that room only to find him already laying down there..

______________________________

So here's another update..

Hope you like it..

With love,
Yours pradhana..

12/04/2020, 8:10pm