Chapter 2- The Beautiful Bride

Thousands of feelings already running in his mind and here grandpa came and opened one more window of thoughts. Earlier he was only worried about himself that what should he do or say but now one more worry added " her perspective". Now he was thinking that what she would be thinking of expecting him to do. He never felt this much tension in his whole life. With his every step to his room his heart was experiencing a new sensation. He was nervous, thoughtful, but excited too at the same time.

Once again, he halted on the door of room and thinking about next. He smacked himself on forehead and muttered under his breath," Kabeer, are you nuts? She is your wife dude. why thinking so much? Just go in."

Thinking this he gathered all his self-confidence and courage and opened the door after a slight knock. Here she sat in the middle of the bed with all her glory. He looked the room and that one glance gave him chills. It was his first wedding night and Room was decorated accordingly. Flowers, candles and drapes presenting a beautiful dreamy scenario. But he felt his self-gathered confidence crashed somewhere near his feet. Taking deep breaths, he walked to the bed.

She was waiting for him with a veil on her face. For the first time he looked at her attentively. Her beautiful deep maroon and golden attire was shining in the dim lights of candle. She sat in the middle of the bed wrapping her arms around her legs and locking her fingers on her knees. A normal but filmy typical posture of a bride. His eyes fell on her hands. She had a handful of bangles maroon and golden colour. A very beautiful and elaborative designer mehndi was adorning her hands. More than this he had nothing to see as she had a long veil on her face.

" Oh god, now I have to lift her veil like movies." He again thought. For once he thought to let her be and sleep at his place but even that was not possible coz that madam sat in the middle of the bed. He took some steps and sat in front of her. He felt a little tremble from her side. " oh. So, she is nervous too."

"Come on Kabeer, you can do it. What everyone says, if they know that the Kabeer Mittal, the business tycoon most popular and eligible bachelor of Ahmedabad, was nervous, when lifting the veil of his beautiful bride.", In his mind he was so engrossed in his own thoughts,

"what I suppose to do now. What would she be expecting from him? His friends suggested him to cross all the boundaries. Is he really here to make love with her? Oh, oh oh wait a minute, could a physical intimacy have addressed as love making when there is no love between the couple at all.”

But then he threw all these thoughts out of his mind, and finally decided that all the arrange marriage in world works like this way only. He pushed himself to smile and lift her veil. As soon as he lifted her veil and his eyes fell on her face, he was blown away," beautiful" a word came out from his lips in a daze. Her beauty was taken his all sanity and words in just one glance.

“wow Grandpa. How do you find such a beautiful girl.” he muttered again.

When his friends and everyone in party was praising her beauty, he thought she must be beautiful. But now he was like, whatever they all were saying was just nothing before her. Her every feature was so perfect like a beautiful sculpted piece of art. Her milky white skin was shining in that maroon veil, eyes were covered by her eyelashes, and those shivering eyelashes were saying that she was nervous too, her cheeks were naturally pink, and most beautiful her lips, that were coloured in deep matte maroon shade of lipstick, which was making her look very bold and he felt a sudden urge to taste them. He admired her senselessly for some moments.

After sometime, he lifted his right hand slowly to touch her cheek. Somewhere he was in trance, wanted to check whether she was real or he stepped in some kind of dreamland. Slowly he lifted his hand and just before he could touch, he felt a slight shift in her position and she lifted her eyelashes for less than a second. But even in that small time he could register a shock and then a tear in her eyes. He could see how she tighten her hold on her knees and clutched her fingers even more tightly. So he pulled back his hand and kept his hand on her hands.

" Muskaan...", he asked very softly.

Maybe it's his soft voice or something else but she opened her eyes saw him. Just then a lone tear made a way on her cheek. He so wanted to wipe that. But first wanted to know the reason of that. so, he asked worriedly," what happen Muskaan, why are you crying?” Then he thought something and left her hands," I am sorry Muskaan, if you feel bad. I promise I will not do it again. But please, don’t cry."

Muskaan looked at him. He was almost panicked. She replied very hesitantly," no, it’s nothing like that. I just…"

Kabeer asked softly, “what happen Muskaan? You need something? Are you missing your family? See, you can share with me everything.”

“no, not missing anyone, but just… ummm, when you address me as Muskaan, I got emotional”. Slowly she replied.

Kabeer confused," you got emotional, when I say Muskaan. But why? Isn’t your name Muskaan. What else I can say, if your name is this only.”

“yes, this is my name, but since yesterday after our marriage, someone said me Mrs. Mittal, someone sister in law and daughter in law. but no one said me as Muskaan. so, I just.” softly she replied.

Kabeer thought how her identity changed overnight and she was dealing with it bravely. and here him, all sulking and thinking about himself only. And now not even understood how to calm her.

Kabeer asked her slowly after thinking for a moment, “are you ok? Do you need something?”

Muskaan again very hesitant but he was giving her courage to speak," yeah actually... umm, I need... I need some water. I am thirsty. Herein room there was a bottle, but then it’s over and.."

Kabeer shocked on her statement. How she spent a whole day only with one bottle of water," shit" he muttered a line of curse to himself and then replied," oh... I am so sorry Muskaan, I bring it right away. I am very sorry for this." he immediately stood and started to leave. But after two steps came back and asked," Muskaan, tell me if you need something else too. I will bring that for you."

Muskaan looked at him, thought for some moments, and he waited patiently for her to say. And he again got a shock of his life when he listened her soft voice," yes, actually… I have… I have not eaten anything since morning. I am feeling hungry now. " She completed in one breath.

Kabeer was shocked, “what… what do you mean since morning.”

Muskaan was scared listening his loud tone and asked hastily, “see, its ok. Just bring me some water. I don’t need anything else.”

Kabeer asked again, “but why haven’t you eaten anything since morning...?”

Muskaan replied, “how come I. there were a series of rituals since morning, then no one asked me for.”

“can’t you tell yourself, if no one asked”, he was very angry till now.

“yeah, I tried to say mummyji but she…”

Kabeer clutched his hands into tight fists as he knew the careless attitude of his so-called mother. And in anger and frustration of being a failure husband on the very first day of marriage his voice went a pitch higher," are you nuts, if she didn’t listen, can’t you say someone else."

Muskaan got scared on his angry tone, “to whom... I don’t know anyone here. And in evening guests were coming to see me. See, don’t trouble yourself, just bring me some water I am all ok with that."

And he left immediately without wasting anymore time.

After some time when he appeared again, he had a small tray in his one hand and a water bottle in other. He kept the tray on table and gave her water bottle said softly," umm. Muskaan, have this juice... and here is water, till then I bring you something else to eat."

“but, its ok. I am fine. “she tried to stop him.

But Kabeer just ignored her blabbering and started to leave again," Muskaan, you must be tired. Just be comfortable. I am coming in a while."

Muskaan nodded a yes and shifted a little.