Mésalliance (Completed)

Chapter 4

"What is a wedding, mother?" a seven-year-old Madhu questioned Revathy, watching a movie scene. Revathy thought for a while, "It's the union of a man and a woman. We celebrate it like festivals."
"Is it like going to school?" Madhu asked widening her round eyes and a pout. 
Revathy laughed at her, "It's not that easy like a school. We call a wedding an institution."
"Is it a bigger school?" Madhu asked keenly.
Revathy was amused by her daughter who was engrossed with the topic, ignoring the movie. She lifted Madhu onto her lap, "Yes. You will know a lot about the other person and his family in your wedded life. You may fight sometimes but it's for good."
"Would we fight like wrestlers?" Madhu gaped, "I am tiny to fight."
Revathy laughed, "Who is going to marry a baby like you? It takes years to marry you. You won't fight with fists like the fighters, you debate with words."
Madhu thought about her words for a while and questioned, "How did you marry my father?"
Revathy laughed, "Our parents fixed our wedding. It's called arranged marriage," explaining her life. "If you choose your husband, it's called a love marriage."
"Don't you love my father?" Madhu frowned. Revathy giggled at her seriousness, "Why not? I married him, then I loved him. You are the gift for my love towards him."
"Will I get babies too if I love my husband?" Her daughter asked keenly with a huge grin.
Revathy smiled nervously, "Yes, you will get a dozen of them if you love your husband." 
Madhu whined, "I wanna meet my husband. I want babies soon."
Revathy gaped at her 'not so' innocent talk, "Madhu, you are still a baby. You need to study a lot to become an adult, marry and have babies."
She pinched the tiny nose of Madhu, "Your husband will always love you. He will support your dreams and solve your problems."
Madhu listened to her mother keenly.
Revathy concluded, "You shouldn't leave such a caring person. Love him as he does and treasure him as your life."
*********

Madhu rubbed her eyes tiredly. The sharp pain in her forehead increased a lot. Her father wasn't convinced about the wedding and she tried her best to conceal her feelings.
"Coffee, double strong as you asked," Madhav handed her a cup. The cafeteria wasn't that crowded in the early morning and they settled comfortably.
"Your eyes are red," she commented to a sleepless Madhav, getting the cup. He shrugged at her, "I will sleep at home. The doctors will discharge him today."
It gave a wave of relief to Madhu. She breathed deeply and placed the hot cup on her forehead.
She accepted the legal condition to marry an unknown guy from Mumbai. She would immigrate there to live with him in less than thirty days. Her fate faltered drastically.
"Shall I buy breakfast?" Madhav disturbed her thoughts. "You seem to be hungry."
"Not hungry," She told him. "Life is unpredictable."
"Hmm. Hmm," He agreed with a nod. "Nobody in our house anticipated that letter," he continued what Madhu wanted to convey. "You are baiting your life for us which is saintly according to me."
Madhu snorted, "You still mock my life."
"No," he denied seriously. "No other girl would do what you do. You are spoiling your life for us to live. I am thankful for this."
Madhu smiled at him, "I don't have any other go. I can't live with the burden of guilt, you know."
"This shows your goodness, Madhu," he smiled  "I arranged with the lawyer for them to visit us here as father can't travel in this health condition."
"I understand," she replied blankly, "When are they coming?"
Madhav shrugged, "We can expect them within this week as we are out of time."
"Great!" She commented, sipping the coffee.
She would sign the marriage documents to marry her contact partner, not her husband.
*******

A day later Vikram accepted the marriage conditions, and he contemplated in the waiting area of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. They had to travel to Bangalore as the lawyer cited the health issue of Praneet. He couldn't choose the worst between marrying the heir and living with his grandma.
"Shall I return home?" Krish scratched his head. Vikram yawned and closed his eyes without a reply.
Krish scowled at his friend, "Thanks for choosing!" He knew that Vikram hated every moment related to the wedding. He didn't want to pry into the life of Vikram which might irk Sooraj.
"Is the couch comfortable?" Sooraj questioned Krish calmly. Krish nodded his head up and down and blinked at the sudden question.
"Why did you join him?" Sooraj asked. He feared that Krish would suggest an escape route to Vikram, spoiling everything. Vikram interrupted, "It's both of us to Bangalore or none. What's your choice?"
Sooraj snorted. He ceased away from another word, fearing that Vikram might retort from the marriage.
"Dad," Niyati reached them with a frown, "Our flight is in Terminal A. Let's go." She didn't care about her brother but acknowledged Krish, "You had a better job than him."
Krish shifted his eyes between the three, regretting being the fourth wheel in their family.
"He isn't listening," Sooraj shrugged and walked away. Niyati eyed the guys in disgust and followed her dad. Krish placed his hands on his hips, "I am not coming."
Niyati and Sooraj hurt him.
Vikram slumped on the couch, "They are taunting me as well. I need you for emotional support." He compared himself with his granddad in respecting his friend. He reasoned with the marriage pact.
"For you, I will take bullets but not facing your dad," Krish whined, sitting beside Vikram. "And that rat, Niyati is killing me with her scowl," he imitated her frown at Vikram.
Vikram laughed at his friend.
"Shall we detour to Goa?" Krish snorted at Vikram. "I don't want you to fall into the trap of marriage!"
Vikram yawned, "Do I have another go?" and rubbed his eyes.
"All the best!" Krish snorted.
The announcement for their flight reverberated from the speakers. Vikram stood from his seat and glanced at Krish, "Shall we?"
Krish bobbed his head and made his way behind.