'I call her the devil cause
she makes me wanna sin
and everytime
she knocks I can't help but let her in.'

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Welcome

Sadhvi's POV

I wanted to wash my face, my mascara was running off after so much of crying I did while parting from my family... I deserved at least that much.

From the passenger seat of the car, Jagriti, Avrudh’s younger cousin sister who was seven months pregnant handed me a wet face wipe. I wiped all the near possible smudging of my make-up and sighed.

I wanted to pee. Bad.

Somebody remedy that too.

I didn’t get the chance to empty my bladder from the past seven hours and now it was about to explode. If this prolongs I am going to become an incontinence patient and the treatment will be done by me itself.

Beside me Avrudh was looking out of the window, he wasn’t good dealing with people crying, I calculated.
The whole time the man stood there with this fist clenched staring at me with blank face and now he was too confused to react.

Even though I was still on a verge of crying remembering my family, I smiled.

He is cute.

Avrudh sighed and turned to look at me, I moved my eyes downcast feeling caught, then he moved his hand in front of me.
Confused, I looked at his hand and then slowly at his face; he nodded towards the tissue in my hand. I was searching where to keep it earlier.

I handed it to him and he slipped it inside the pocket of his navy blue sherwani. I was so lost in myself this whole day and afternoon that I forgot to compliment him, he was looking incredibly handsome.

So delicious as if Sabyasachi model.

He tried to offer a small smile to me, that infamous Avrudh's little smile gazing his lips and I just blinked at him—I will be fine.

I looked out of the window, too much I was sitting aware of his eyes on me now. Avrudh held my hand which was previously resting on my lap and interlaced our fingers.

If anything I wanted to pee even bad now.

Dear lord.

I looked at our joined hands and at him, he just patted there on my dorsum of hand and smiled small at me once again.

That mere gesture spoke loads to me. I said just now to myself that he wasn’t good with handling emotions but he sure knew how to handle mine. He threatening a route to my heart with this consistency.

He gave me time because I needed time. Now that I was a little better he was expressive once again not hiding, holding on to me tight.

I was suddenly informed in my head, this man, here sitting beside me holding my hand is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me. He is going to join me in my joy and my sorrows holding my hand being my supportive wall.

 I wanted be someone exact. Will I be successful or not that’s for our fates to tell.

We arrived at the Dhillon’s family house and all the relatives gathered outside the house to welcome the bride.

I was the owner of the attention, it was both a complaint and compliment.

Avrudh exited the car telling me to wait, he jogged upto my side and opened the door for me. He held his hand and pulled me out.
I couldn’t be more happier, the outfit I was wearing was heavier than me.

Mom and Bua ji stood there waiting for us to arrive with their million dollar smiles, then raised the pooja thali in front of us, putting vermillion on our foreheads and moved the plate in front of us in five circles.

They stepped aside for us to enter when Jiya didi and Jagriti blocked our way,
“We are not moving until we get our price”

Avrudh smirked meeting their face,
“I was waiting for these beggars”

My eyes widened when Jiya and Jagriti gasped. I giggled to myself but mom heard it and leaned close to me wrapping her arms sideways around me.

“I didn’t hear you calling Meheka beggar when she asked you for price in return of your shoes”

I smiled even bigger but because of feeling shy ducked my head.

Avrudh held my hand and pushed his other inside his pocket,
“It is already 6:30 in the evening and Sadhvi is very tired, please show some mercy.”

Jiya didi grumbled something under her breath but didn’t move, she looked Avrudh dead in the eyes,
“See, I will leave you on discount. Just give us twenty five thousand each, we will leave you”

“Twenty-five? For what? You did nothing during the whole wedding”

“Oh hello, I was there that was enough grace for you” Jagriti said pushing Avrudh by shoulder

Avrudh looked down at my side of head and then at them,
“You are not going to move, are you?”

Both Jagriti and Jiya didi made a click sound shaking their heads,
“I don’t carry this much money in my pockets. Go ask your billionaire husbands” Avrudh taunted

“Avi, give them beta”
Kanika Aunty said leaning over me to slap Avrudh’s back.

“Twenty thousand total” he bargained

Jiya didi’s eyes widened, “NO way!”

“Listen take it or leave it”

“You gave Meheka twenty five, and she was alone at that, we are two.”
Jagriti re-taunted

“Thirty or no money” Avrudh looked them dead in the eye

And Bua ji laughed, “Give them, thirty and get out both of you. Stop wasting time.”

Leaving a sulky pair of sisters behind me and my husband moved forward.

We entered the house and on to the threshold I was made to kick a vessel filled rice grains, followed by dipping my feet in a bright red dye, mahawar they call it, walking on a white sheet I was leaving cool looking imprints behind.

I was first taken to the pooja ghar inside their house, we offered our prayers and I was then taken inside Avrudh’s bedroom to get me changed.

It was only 7 in the evening since the wedding was an afternoon affair; the timing was 11.54 a.m. for us to tie the knot according to our birth signs.

I was a Pisces and Avrudh was Scorpio, even our zodiacs were a perfect match.

I don't really believe in such stuff but I am not going to lie, I like it secretly.

Jiya didi took me inside his room and I was completely in daze with the beauty of his room in his family house.

In the centre of his room was his king size bed with blue-grey bedspread and set cushions and pillows, to the right from where we entered inside had his personal bookshelf covering almost whole of the wall.

 To the left I saw a big window and sitting space joined to the window, to the far left there was a dressing table with a mirror of my height. Walking more to the left you will find a closet opening a door inside the bathroom.

Jiya didi dragged me to the dresser and asked,
“Go to the bathroom, you are a free bird now”

I released a breath and ran inside lifting my skirt like a five year old but stopped, “Can we get this veil and few jewelry off or else I wouldn’t be able to”

Jiya laughed whole heartedly,
“Oh honey I know” she said and helped me taking my veil off then those kaliras.
.
.

Done with my business, soon enough I was found standing in front of the dresser in nothing but my blouse and skirt, remnants of my bridal outfit.

I even took my nose ring off. Well the artificial one.

Never got my nose pierced. It looked too painful.

Lifting my skirt up till my anklets were visible I was rushed inside the bathroom with a giggling Jagriti outside who was folding my things.

After freeing my bladder which felt like I was sitting there for hours I washed my hands and looked myself in the mirror.

My hair tied in a bun, jasmine flowers wrapped around it, my hair partition filled with vermillion, a beautiful red bindi in the center of my forehead, all the heavy jewelry I was wearing reminded me of now being a married woman.

I was married. It was just two months ago when I was single and now it felt like an eternity has passed.

I smiled to myself knowing not a thing about what comes ahead and walked out of the bathroom.

I had a hand on my stomach and I was mid-way releasing a breath, beaming that I got to free my bladder finally when I bumped into my husband.

With wide eyes I stared at him

Fuck! I wasn’t even dressed adequately to stand in front of him.
My chest was exposed, the skin around my stomach was all in open for him to look at. Despite all the jewelry and remnants I was wearing I was feeling naked.

Avrudh stared and stared he long. His eyes moving from my face to my chest and then to my stomach.

Don’t comment on my small chest Avrudh. Please.

I wanted to hide back inside the bathroom.

“Oye! No touching or even looking before all the rituals are complete, get off” Jiya Didi warned from the bedside.

She had my bag up on the bed but didn’t opened it—she waited for me to come.

I tried to walk past him but he wouldn’t budge just stared

I gave him a face, “Move” I said through my lips without sound

He just stared, shaking my head I walked past.

What was going through his mind was a mystery I was least interested in knowing.

Jagriti entered with a hand pulling her scarf to cover her belly and patted Avrudh on the back and went inside his closet to get his change of clothes out.

Avrudh shaking his head went inside the bathroom and with his change of clothes in her hands Jagriti walked upto us.

I and Jiya were taking my change of clothes from my bags. We settled on a leaf green silk sari with five inch golden borders and crimson red pallu.

Avrudh walked out of the bathroom, without his kurta and my eyes bulged out my sockets. He was god in the form of human. Holy Holy.

He did this intentionally because I flashed him 1 percent, I so wanted to believe.

He never walked out the closet but his eyes never left me and I was suddenly once again been aware of my lack of clothing.

“Avi, get out!” Jiya didi said

He nodded talking his clothes out of Jagriti’s hands and walked out with a smile on his face winking at his sisters. He walked out topless.

Dear god.

The outside people know we were not alone inside right?

They helped me to change into the sari, quickly re-did my hair and helped in changing the accessories as well. We decided to leave the gold waistband I was wearing, it was matching with the sari as well.

My strap length hair now open, face and eyes with new make-up and wearing new jewelry we walked outside.

The men of the house were inside the study, drinking and having snack time.

The ladies took Avrudh and me to the pooja ghar once again and made us to sit down.

Soon Bua ji came with an enormous tray and jiya didi on tow with a vessel which I am guess was filled with milk.

“Everybody knows the rules. But I am going to tell them anyways, I am going to immerse these sea-shells and Sadhvi’s ring inside this vessel filled with milk”

As if well rehearsed, Jagriti, jiya didi and mom sat down around us making teams.

Mom asked me for the ring and I gave it to her, Jiya didi filled the tray with milk and Jagriti was putting rose petals now.

“Whoever finds the ring has the upper hand over the other”

Jiya didi clapped her hands together saying, “Best out of three!”

Bua ji repeated after her, collecting all the shells and my ring in her palms giving them a good shake she scattered them inside the tray and stirred with her hand.

Avrudh looked at me, his eyes challenging but smiling. I smiled at him accepting the challenge.

“1…2…3… go”

The first round was a success for Avrudh and he winked at me showing me the ring, “I am going to win anyway” he said out loud earning a laugh from everyone

I gave him a stink eye.

The second round was a success for me, Jiya didi clapped her hands and held my shoulders tight, “We need to win the other round too… is it clear soldier?!”

“yes sir, sir!” I saluted laughing a little dramatic, by now the men of the house were also equally interested in our competition

Everybody laughed, “Okay so third and the final round people, hold your heart we are going to see who is going to lead who and… the … winner is Avrudh!” Jagriti beamed hugging Avrudh’s neck who bowed at me

Avrudh sat their with eyebrows raised showing me my ring in between his fingers
I stuck my tongue out a little

Beside me Jiya Didi sighed saying,
“It’s okay I just sacrificed one soldier, but we will be back” the suggestive comment made me smile. My sister's arrival was awaited after all.

Avrudh took my hand with so much pride as if the guy won a lottery and slipped the ring into my finger followed by a teasing kiss.

With a face full of grudge I pulled my hand back but beamed nonetheless.

Everyone laughed.

Moving from this we went to open the red thread tied tight around our wrists. We were to open the knot of each other’s thread with the same hand only.

Avrudh and I sat face to face, there was decent distance between us when he got a hold of my knees and pulled me a little closer, I gasped.

He laughed only earning a slap from his mother on the back of his head,
“Naughty!”

When I won this ritual mom announced, “Sadhvi will be the peacemaker, releasing all the tension guys!”  

Mom kissed my forehead and helped me standing up.

We moved towards the next ritual where the wife touches her husband’s feet.

I smiled looking at him, his eyes held a mischievous glint, with his hand he motioned me to come touch his feet. Bua ji slapped him on his back everyone laughed once again, the entertainment we were providing looked very interesting.

I opened my mouth, someone surely was enjoying this

Shaking my head and realising the man got a goofy side of him too, was earning a lot of slaps today, I bend to touch his feet when he held both my wrist and brought them to his chest.

Flat over his muscles.

He pulled me close and I looked at him with wide eyes when he kissed both of my palms, “If you were going to take one more second I was this close to killing you” Bua ji said

“A wife is a better half, your equal, there are more ways to show respect to someone who is equal to you, touching feet is an old tradition.” She completed

I held Avrudh’s eyes when I realised he was still my hands captive.

I didn’t wanted to pull back either.

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'I searched
a thousand forevers
for you,
only you'
-Perry poetry
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With love,
Ankita 🐿️