Chapter 3
He was still asleep when she left the room to complete the morning rituals. She wore one of her plain sarees again. It was a struggle for her to get these things on, she thought and now she had to work in it as well. And how was she going to make these sweets. Since when can she cook. He mother never cooked and neither did she. Pari cooked mostly in their family otherwise the cooking was left to one of the domestic workers. She was never interested and now she was at a loss.
Her mother in law gave her scathing look when she saw her. Pari looked close to tears again. She looked like every time she saw her.
"Bahu, is this what are wearing. Even our servants look better than you. And in this house, the women cover their heads. "
In this house, the women all look miserable, Aarti thought but she obeyed and put on her pallu.
"Let's go to the kitchen"
Pari came to stand close to her and whispered.
"Didi, why did you to wear that old ugly thing. Don't you have anything decent? You are making Ma even angrier than she normally is. And Di, I will try and help you, so listen carefully and try and do what I say."
She nodded.
But Aarti's first cooking experience at her in-laws house was a complete and utter disaster, despite her sister's attempts at help. Vidhi and Pari had to cook so that that the family and remaining guests had breakfast. This of course provoked her mother in law against her even more. Not to mention all the old aunties that kept making disparaging remarks about the young women of today. She hated this. This was not what she had been prepared for. She has prepared to be a career woman, not a house slave. She wanted to go back home.
He was sitting at the table when she came out of the kitchen. He was so disturbed by her that he tossed and turned for the most of the night. His libido raging while the source of his discomfort was peacefully sleeping. He had only fallen asleep during the early hours of the morning. So she managed to sneak out of the bedroom without him knowing. When he got to the bathroom he saw the lingerie discarded in the dirt bin. It made him chuckle.
When he saw her, he got extremely annoyed. Again with this horrid look. Why did she do this? Surely she had to have better clothes. Her family were well off and must have provided her with better quality clothing. What must the people think of him, of her? That sarree was as plain and outdated as the one she had worn at Prateeks wedding. As soon as breakfast is over, they would have a talk.
"Bahu, what is this?!"
"It's what you told me to make, Ma."
"No, it's not. This is not even edible. It's disgusting. Did you mother teach you nothing."
"She taught me lots of things, but cooking was not one of them." she replied honestly.
"Bahu!"
"Ma, you asked Aarti a question and she answered you. What more do you want. There are other things on the table that that is edible. No one will starve because my wife can't cook."
"Yash, I told you that she is not the right girl for you. Look at her, look at this mess she made with this food. But you insisted. This marriage will never work. As far as I am concerned, she might as well go back home now."
Aarti couldn't believe what she just heard. She didn't want to be here. She knew what he mother in law said were not untrue, but she didn't have to say these things in front of everyone. Aarti was angry and embarrassed. She was about to say something when Pari touched her arm slightly. So she stopped herself only for her sister. Pari so desperately wanted to fit in here and she would not make it harder for her. So she simply turned around and went back to her room.
"Bahu! Aarti Bahu!" Her mother in law shouted after her.
Yash got up as well.
"Yash, where are you going?"
"I have suddenly lost my appetite." He would have to have a serious talk with his mother about the way she behaved towards his wife. Pankaj and Prateek might accept her tyranny over their wives but he would not. He owned a few homes of his own, he could move there at any time.
She was sitting on the bed crying.
"Are you ok, Aarti?"
"No, I am not ok. And it's all your fault. I didn't want this marriage. All your mother said is true. I don't fit in. I don't wear sarees, I don't cover my head, I don't cook, I don't clean. I hate it here. I don't want to stay here. And if your mother continues to talk to me like that I swear ..."
"Aarti, calm down. You are married to me. I will make it clear to Ma that you are not to cook or do housework but in one thing she is right. What is it you are wearing?"
"A sarree."
"Aarti please, you really don't have to wear such cheap plain things. Don't you have others? Even I was embarrassed by the way you were dressed. Surely you have better" She hadn't even unpacked yet and he went to her suitcase and he managed to find a few beautiful sarrees in there. He took a green one out of the bag.
"Wear this."
"You can't dictate to me what I can and can't wear."
"Aarti, I am the CEO of a multi-national company. I have an image to uphold and my wife can't walk around in clothes that our servants won't even wear. Be reasonable."
"And why must I wear a sarree."
"You don't have to wear sarrees every day, just today while the guest are still here. Please.'
"I don't want to."
"Seriously, I am so over your childish behaviour."
He went to her and pulled her up from where she was sitting. They looked at each other each challenging the other with their eyes. Then he had an idea and he smirked.
"Fine, you wear your plain jane sarees. And every time you wear it, it will give me great pleasure to take it off you."
"What?!"
"Yes, after last night, I am dying to see your beautifully enticing body again. So do me a favour and wear these ugly things as often as you like, I will take that as your personal invitation to undress you."
He was standing dangerously close to her now. She had lowered her eyes, but she could smell his breath on her, his fragrance was all around her making her head spin. It was the same fragrance that greeted her this morning and made her rush out of bed.
Her hair in its bedroom state again.
"Did I tell you that I love your hair like this? It's perfectly messy, it looks like you've just been made love to."
Her hands automatically went up to neaten her hair but he caught her hands.
"Allow me" he let go of her hands and pushed her hair back slowly on either side. She felt the heat of his fingers as it grazed hers. Her breathing got heavier, she could feel his gaze on her and she couldn't meet his eyes. She tried to compose herself with great difficulty."
"I ... I will wear it."
"Hmm?"
"The ... the other ... The other saree."
"Don't do it on my account" he said. His voice was hoarse.
"Excuse me, I want to go change my clothes" her voice was barely a whisper.
"I could help you" he said his hands still playing with her hair.
"No, it's not needed." She quickly moved to the side, picked up the sarree and ran to the bathroom. She stood leaning against the closed door for a long time to get composure, before she could change her clothes. She cried again, again in mere frustration. She was so confused.
He stood rooted to his spot. He wanted to scare her into doing what he wanted her to do. But what he wanted more than that was her. Once again she left him hungry and frustrated. He had never felt like this before. The kind of desire he felt for her was new for him. The desire to protect her was also new to him. He had never before thought of moving out. He loved living in this joint family. He loved his parents and his brothers. Vendant and Vedhhika were the apples of his eye, but in one day since he married this woman, he had considered it. What was going on in his head?
It was probably just his libido talking. He had not slept with anyone since the time he kissed her at the wedding. And that was long for him to go without a woman. Truth to tell he had the opportunity, Ishita as usual had tried to use her wiles on him to get him to change his mind on about marrying Aarti, but at that time she had just irritated him. He wasn't even aroused. And his wife parading her delectable body in front of him last night did not help. That must be it. Once he had her, then this craziness in his head and in his nether regions would stop. He had to make it happen soon. Or rather he had to let her make it happen soon. She wanted him too, it was plain to see, but he wanted her to come to him, he wanted to penetrate all those defences she had around her. And he wanted her to forget that boyfriend of hers. It was the first time he made such a ridiculous offer to someone to work for one of their companies. Luckily, Randhir could vouch for the fact that he would be an asset to the company. He just wanted him far away and he did what he had to sweeten the pot.
He was still in the room when she came out. She looked beautiful. She went to the dresser and applied light make up. He came behind her.
"I have something for you."
He had a jewellery box with matching earrings and necklace.
Put the necklace on her and then he came to stand in front of her and put the earrings in her ears.
"You look absolutely stunning Mrs. Scindiya."
She blushed.
He pecked her on the nose.
"Come lets go back out, at least till everyone is gone. Hopefully it won't be too long. You don't have to cook anymore, but if you don't mind serving while the guest are here."
"I don't mind" she said.
"Let's go then." he said taking her hand.
The rest of the day was uneventful. He stayed close to her and she did the rest of her duties as best as she could, trying not the antagonise Ma dearest any further. Even Pari was smiling.
"Thank you" he said when they retired to their room later.
"For what?"
"For trying."
"I live here now, I suppose I don't have a choice. I don't want your mother to have a heart attack because of me."
He chuckled.
She had unpacked her clothes in the section of wardrobe that had been cleared for her. She took her pyjamas and was about to walk to the shower.
"You know we have a water shortage here right?"
She looked at him, confused by his random statement.
"I have the perfect solution for saving water."
Where was he going with that?
"If most people shower together in this country I guarantee that the water shortage will be sorted in no time. We can do our part for our country starting right now."
"Ugh, you only have one thing on your mind Yash Scindiya. Why don't you get it from that saree girl that was with you at the wedding?"
"Saree girl"
"Yes, the way she was draped around you, you'd think she was a saree."
He laughed out loud.
"So you noticed me at the wedding then."
"Yes, I noticed how you were not a part of the wedding. I noticed how you were on the phone the whole time with your suit, probably also Armani. Ever the business man even at your brothers wedding. That's not the kind of husband that I envisioned for me, but things don't always work out the way we want is it."
"Did you want your Prashant Khuranna?"
"Yes, I did. Eventually when I was ready. But you took that option away from me. You exiled him to South-Africa"
"Exiled? Exiled? Must you always be so dramatic? I exiled no one. I merely allowed a very good offer to be made to him and he accepted. I didn't force him and I certainly did not exile him. And if he wanted to stay here with you he would've.
"He asked me to marry him and move with him."
"Why didn't you."
"Because I couldn't take away his dream job."
"Were you in love with him?"
"I loved him. We were together since college. I don't know if I was in love with him."
"Do you miss him?"
"Yes. Did you love the saree girl?"
"No"
"Why did you marry me?"
"Because I want you."
"I see, for sex? And if you get that? Then what? I go back home?"
"You are my wife"
"And what does that mean?"
He didn't know what to say. She went to the shower.
She was his wife. He fought against his mother for her but he married her for physical reasons. Nothing more. How does one build a relationship on that? What if she gives in to him, then what? Will he go back to his sarree girls because the novelty of his latest conquest had worn off? She would be lying if she didn't acknowledge that she wanted him too in that way. He made her feel things that she never felt before. In all the years she had dated Prashant she had never felt like this. And yes, she loved him, but she was not that disappointed that he left. They were probably more friends than anything, they had so much in common, and it felt comfortable to be with him. Bouncing ideas off each other. The made out but it never went much further than kissing, she would always stop it there, and he never complained. But her husband had made her body react in a shameless way in the short time that she has met him. And she knew if he followed through, she would not be able to stop him. She hated her lack of self-control where he is concerned. She knew she was not the type to get involved in a physical relationship without feelings so she had to think about what these feelings she experiencing was. She just couldn't fall in love with this insufferable idiot.
He couldn't answer her question. What did it mean that she was his wife? What happens after the marriage had been consummated. What happens when his desire for her wore off? Which is what normally happened with him. Though with other women he never took such a drastic step. He never ran after anybody. He never needed to. But she was different to the women he has been with. She was almost childlike, she was gutsy, sexy and it would seem successful in her own right according to his sources. With every day, he wanted her more, and right now he didn't want to think about what would happen after that. He would take this relationship a day at a time.
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