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A few years back, I had decided not to get married until I got a job. I completed my masters in English, did a B.Ed, and started searching for a suitable job. I was yet to find one, when my father summoned me one day, and asked me to get married to a boy of his choice. I was devasted to know that my parents had secretly been advertising for my marriage, whereas I always knew that they were ready to wait until I earned for myself. My father had planned it well. " I have an ulcer in my mouth. I may die soon. "
And for him visiting a doctor was less important than getting me married to an engineer boy who had liked my photo. I escaped to my masi (aunty) and cried throughout the night. She supported me but had no say over my parents. Moreover, my father was sort of blackmailing me.
On the very day when the boy's family (excluding the boy) was coming to visit me, the reports to my dad's mouth ulcer came out to be perfectly normal. I could only glare at them. I even left home for an interview despite my mom's shouts, much as a protest.
Anyways, I returned home before my to-be-in-laws arrived. And I didn't like them at all in the first place. Specially the lady who claimed to be the boy's mother was just beyond my cup of tea. The boy's uncle had come along with his mother, and my father had taken him upstairs after dinner for some private talk sessions. The dinner was another episode. The lady made atypical noises while eating, and I felt giddy. What uncivilized people! I looked at mom who was equally disturbed. After dinner, she sat on the sofa and instead of asking for a towel, wiped her hands in her saree, her face too! I almost fainted while my mother was horrified. This was the family of an engineer?!
Later, we heard the uncle coming downstairs with my father, speaking something about me. " Your daughter is skinny. Plus brown. Our son is a prince. I'm sorry, we cannot say a yes. "
Skinny was fine, but dark skinned? I was the fairest in family and friends. Nevertheless, it was an excuse, and for the first time in life I felt extremely happy when someone called me what I was not. They left tagging me with a NO. Because disapproving a bride was a groom's right, and not vice versa!
I stared at my dad after they left. He stared back at me. " Thank god they didn't like my brown girl! "
My anger took the form of laughter while the three of us decided to stop searching for my groom for the time being. My mother warned, " I would rather die than get my daughter married to that lady's house. "
We wondered how someone from such a family could produce a self made engineer even.
I slept sound that night, and many more nights. I got a job at a school in between. But the distance mattered sp much that I had to drop it. Anyways, I was at least happy that I had time.
One morning suddenly, a boy stood at the front door of our house, along with another boy, who stood some distance behind. I had opened the door, and asked whom they wanted. They told my father's name while he had already arrived behind me. His eyes rolled. " You? ", he asked the boy behind. " But your parents had not wanted to take the marriage talks forward.. "
In a split second I realised I had not even seen the photo of that boy, and the one who stood before me was far from being a prince. He was rather a very ordinary and shy person for whom his friend (mostly) spoke, " But his parents won't marry uncle, he will! ... Can we come inside? "
They came inside, while I stood puzzled, so did my parents. My mother nevertheless served good food, and all his friend spoke in gist was that, he was extremely interested in marrying me since he had seen my photo. He stayed in Mumbai, and had asked his parents here to come and meet us, but was devastated to know that they had rejected me. He had coming running along with his friend directly to our place.
The funny thing was that, everything was spoken by his friend and not him. Though he kept rubbing his hands and time and again stole glances at me, I found him a lot more interesting than his blabbersome friend. And hence I had to speak, " Don't you talk? Is he your lawyer? "
The room statued for sometime, as all four pairs of eyes were fixed on me. I however was least bothered and kept staring at him, who too looked back, totally like an idiot. " I heard you are an engineer. Does your friend work for you as well? "
The oversmart friend now sat like a wet cat, and my parents sat expressionless. " No... Actually... " , the boy started after clearing his throat for a million times. The voice was sexy enough to not be used I believe. " Actually... I am not much good with words.. " " Do you think he is? " , I pointed at his friend. My mother asked me to control and I laughed within on being able to embarrass that chick. He sat with a gourd face now. The boy shoved uncomfortably. " So, Mr Engineer. You choose people through photos? Do you think you can handle my tantrums? You seem to be a gentleman! But I'm a drama queen. "
My dad smiled at this. Very evidently, he too didn't want me to get married here. But I somehow wanted to get more of him now. " Listen. Yes I liked your photo. And wanted to meet you. But couldn't come in person any sooner. Hence sent my mother and uncle. I wanted them to reject you anyway. "
All three of us fell from the sky. " Exactly. I knew, if they reject you , you'll be perfect for me. They have never known my choices. "
I kept staring with my jaws dropped. " You will come to Mumbai. You'll get the best jobs there. I need to marry you at any any cost. More because, I cannot marry someone else, now that I've met you... "
The room could reverberate the sound of a pin dropping, I swear!
+++
Today's my third anniversary. Of marriage. With the man who was far from being a prince, with the man who rubbed his hands and smiled shy at a single glimpse of mine still, with the man who had a voice I could die for, with the man who loved my photo once, and now, me...a million times more.
Who said, arranged marriages could not be heavenly?
__K. (of a girl I know...)
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