"Sometimes we tend to overlook things that are so very apparent to the naked eye. Instead we dwell into things that take us deeper... Into a quicksand and away from the truth."

-Elegiac_Damsel

__________

30th November

Sampurnaa's pov:

Maa (her mother in-law) and Suparna removed the gold jewellery and handed me floral jewellery instead. They redid my hair and then took me to a room which had been decorated with flowers; including the bed.

"Sampurnaa. This is your room from now on. Indrayan and you are beginning a new chapter, don't push one another away... Give it a chance and all will be well." my mother in-law told me and left.

Suparna told me 'All the best' and followed her aunt out of the room.

I went and sat on the edge of the bed, observing the room. There are flowers everywhere , literally! I decided to look around the room till the time 'he' came in.

There was a wall wardrobe with two compartments; one had my clothes in it as I had sent them in advance. There was a study table too and a small bookshelf. The study table had a framed picture of my family.
I opened the door that led to the bathroom. There was a separate showering cubicle, separated with glass and there was a lot of space for changing after a bath.

I closed the door and went back inside the bedroom. This time I looked at the wall against which the bed was.
There was a picture of the two of us, probably taken during Durga Puja.
I was keenly observing the entire room when I heard a soft knock at the door.
I went and opened it. It was my husband!

'Tumi? I thought it was someone else, judging from the knock." I told him

He entered inside the room and I closed the door as the air conditioner was on.

"I literally had to pay my cousins Rs. 10,000 for entering my own room!" he complained

I laughed.

"Isn't that obvious that you would have to pay? It is our 'first night' according to them." I told him air quoting the two words

He sighed.
"Yes... I understand their point of view... But seriously! They began demanding from 50,000. Eventually, I brought it down to 10 after a lot of bargaining."

I laughed again.

"You mind if I go and freshen up first?" I asked him after sometime.

He nodded and asked me to go ahead..
I grabbed a pair of shorts and a tee to go with it and went of to the washroom.
...

I am done freshening up. I have work tomorrow... Fortunately only for 6 hours that too from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
I can spend the evening with my in-laws then.

I entered the bedroom while folding the saree that I had worn. Indrayan had already changed.

"I went and used the common washroom on this floor." he said and I nodded

There was an uncomfortable silence. I just don't know what to say after this!

"Are you comfortable sharing the bed? Or do you want me to sleep some where else?" he asked me, breaking the silence.

I hid a smile at that. He really does care about my comfort and discomfort.
"I don't mind sharing the bed. I'll be comfortable with you. Moreover, if I begin pushing you away from the very beginning, I may not be able to overcome my existing fear. You are my husband and I would like the two of us to share a normal life in the near future." I told him sincerely.

"So, which side of the bed do you want?" he asked me

"Left side of the bed if it is alright." I replied without hesitation.

He nodded and gestured me to sit down on the bed. I obliged.
"This is my gift to you by the way." he said and asked me to hold my hand out

It was a beautiful pair of earrings.

I smiled and thanked him.
"It is really beautiful. I too have a gift for you... But it isn't as expensive as this."

"Does the price really matter?" he asked me amused.

I shook my head and walked to the study table where I had kept his gift.

"It is nothing special... Just an official shirt. Boudi went and purchased it with me... Since I did not know your size." I told him while handing the wrapped shirt

"Thank you! It is actually shocking for me that Adrija accompanied you to shop for me. I mean... She has never gifted anything to me, till date." he complained.

I laughed.

"You have work tomorrow right?" he asked me

I nodded in affirmation

"I have work from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. I will leave home at say 10 a.m. Since it is a Sunday today... And moreover, it isn't very far from here."

"Are you sleepy already?" he asked me

"Surprisingly, no. Maybe because of the new bedroom... But I am really not feeling sleepy."

"Can we talk then?" he asked me

"Yes, of course we can."

I sat down on the bed across from him.
"Let's talk then."

...

Indrayan's pov:

I had totally forgotten that it was our first night tonight. Maa came down 5 minutes after my cousin had dropped the bomb on me. She asked me to go and I had to pay for entering my room! Rs. 10000 made its way out of my pockets and into their hands.
When I entered the room, I decided to knock. It is Sampurnaa's room too now... And I need to respect her privacy.

We began talking about normal things and even decided on which side of the bed we both would be taking.
I gifted her the pair of gold earrings that Maa had asked me to choose on my own as a wedding gift for her. She gifted me a shirt that was off white in colour. Perfect! I can wear it at the court!

I proposed talking to one another for sometime as we both weren't really sleepy. She agreed and sat down on the bed, across me with her legs folded.

"Let's talk then!" she said

"What is your dream destination?" I asked her

"Switzerland. I have always wanted to go there for my honey..." she stopped there and blushed red

I laughed at her reaction.
"Point noted. Mine is Australia." I told her
"Your turn?"

"Do you smoke?" she asked me

Does she have an obsession with booze and smoke?
"I don't smoke now. I did smoke when I was in college... But then the cigarette packs began writing how dangerous tobacco could be." I told her truthfully

"What is your dream? Professional? Personal? Anyway??" I asked her

She thought for a moment and then replied, "For now, I just want those men to be punished! And if you ask about professional goals, then I have already been able to gain popularity due to the string operations and the case... The last goal that I have is perhaps to get the voice of the public to their representatives. What's your dream?"

I took a moment to think.
"Professionaly, I am already a criminal lawyer which has been my dream... If you ask about personal dreams, then I wish to live a normal life... With a family of my own... Of our own to be honest... In the future. As of now, I'd simply want the case to wrap up. Those guys need to be in prison ASAP."

She smiled.
It was already 12.30 a.m.
She yawned and lied down on the bed.

"Sleepy?" I asked her
"Not much! I can talk while lying down too."

I lied down beside her, both of us facing one another.

"Do you think I will be able to overcome everything? Will we get to lead a normal life or will that incidence haunt our lives forever?" she asked me

She is asking me a question that I haven't given much thought to. Judging from the current scenario, it will be a boon if we both can simply forget that we met one another professionally!

"For us to know that, isn't it essential to live life and give one another a chance first?" I asked her

She nodded.
Her eyes were drooping now, so I could make out that she was feeling sleepy.

"You'd better go to sleep, Sampurnaa. You have to go for work... I have a leave tomorrow. We'll talk once you are back from work in the evening." I told her

She hummed softly in reply and I closed my eyes too.
Thoughts flew out of the window as fatigue overwhelmed my mind and senses.

I drifted off to sleep.
...
1st. December

I woke up to find the other side of the bed empty. The flowers that had been used for decorating the room and the bed were now decaying away slightly. They were the only evidence that confirmed the fact that marriage wasn't an illusion... But a reality.
I got up and sat straight on the bed.
The clock on the wall said the time to be 7 a.m.
I got up and went inside the washroom for freshening up. The showering cubicle was wet with water which indicated that Sampurnaa was already up and about, after a bath. There was an extra toothbrush in the toothbrush holder and another toothpaste tube. There were new toiletries beside the ones I use.

All this felt so surreal! Everything literally screamed that now I was a married man and that the room wasn't just mine.
...

I got out from the washroom after freshening up and changing. The bed was made and the flowers had been dusted off the bed and swept to one corner of the room.

"Since when does the maid come so early?" I wondered aloud

"The maid isn't coming today. She just messaged Maa that she is unwell and that she will not be coming for a week." Sampurnaa replied to my question

I turned back and found her standing with a broom in hand.
"Good morning!" she said casually with a smile

She was dressed in a saree and the thick streak of vermilion was still there in her parting. The free end of her saree had been tucked into her waist as she was cleaning.

"Why on earth are you cleaning?" I asked her

"Because the maid isn't going to come. Her exact words were: 'There were many guests at home for the last 15 days and it was a lot of work. I fell sick and hence am taking leave for a week.'" She said air quoting.

I sighed.
"I'll help you. Give me the broom." I told her

"Go and help Maa instead. She needs to cook for everyone. Dad is already helping her cut vegetables... Maybe you could do the dishes." she suggested

"Sampurnaa! There are 6 bedrooms in this house! How will you clean this alone? And another thing, you already took a bath... Why are you cleaning now?" I asked her

She sighed in an annoyed way.
"I'll take a bath again. And I wasn't planning on cleaning the entire household. I need to go for work also." she clarified.

"Hand me the broom. You can do the dishes instead." I told her and she finally gave in.

What a first day as a normal couple! Domestic problem and an equally domestic duty!

...

2nd December

Sampurnaa's pov:

Yesterday was a huge chaos! Mama and Mami along with the two youngsters left for Kolkata as they have already spent more than two weeks here.
The maid did not arrive and we all had to do the cleaning together. Dida was the only one who was exempted and that too only because we didn't want her to work and overstress herself.
I went off to work at the time I had been asked to, already tired out due to the extra housework that I had to do early in the morning. The house was pretty much quiet when I returned in the evening and we decided to eat out as a family since everyone was anyways tired from the housework.

...

I woke up in the morning today at 6 a.m.
The maid isn't going to come for a week; which obviously means more work. Moreover, the hearing is at 10 a.m. today which means that we have to leave the house by 8.30

Indrayan was sleeping when I woke up so I left him as it is and went to brush my teeth and freshen up.

I changed into home clothes as I had to sweep and clean the household.

...

I was sweeping our room when he woke up.

"Good morning!" I told him cheerfully

"Good morning! You sweeping again?" He asked me

"Isn't that perceptible?"

He nodded.

"It is 7.30. Better get ready now... The hearing is from 10. You remember right?" I reminded him

He nodded and assured me that he would be down by 8.15.

I walked away after I had finished cleaning the room. Honestly, housework is the best workout! But it is really tiring too!

...

I just went down after taking another bath and changing into a saree. I reapplied vermilion and wore my bangles and watch.

"Good morning Maa! Good morning Dad!" I wished them as I took my place at the dining table. They wished me back.
Indrayan walked in two minutes later and took his place.

"Are you going to take me with you to the court, I mean?" I asked him

He looked at me like I was a stray space object.

"You are asking me this! Really? Obviously! Our destination is the same, Sampurnaa!" he replied

I nodded and we left the house after breakfast.

...

"You had gone to meet Raj Matthews at the prison right? What did he tell you? I forgot to ask you during the course of the wedding." I asked him as he drove towards Colaba

"Well... He said that Mr. Aadesh Tripathi...." he gave me an overview of all the facts that the man had revealed.

"He said that he knew Arpita Karune?" I asked him shocked

He nodded and replied, "Yes. I was shocked too... But the reason seemed to be pretty acceptable to me."

Is it? I somehow don't believe that!

"You need to give some time for finding loopholes. I am sure that there is something more to all of this." I told him my point of view honestly.

He nodded and then we both fell silent.

"By the way, why on earth are you wearing a saree? You are going to court and then to the studio... Why a saree then?" he asked me

"Maa instructed me to do so at least till Ashtamangala."

"I have another question. Are you purposely avoiding to take my name?" he asked me

Dang it! Is it that obvious?

"Umm... Actually yes. Maa told me that wives don't take their husbands' names." I told him reluctantly

"Do you know that date today?" he asked me out of the blue

I replied correctly

"Exactly my point! We follow the Gregorian calendar and  this is the 21st. century! If I can call you by your name, then you must do the same."

"But... Maa told me that if the wife addresses her husband by his name, then that shortens his lifespan." I informed him

"God! Death, life and all that happens is something pre-decided. Just call me by my name... And if something holds you back for personal reasons... Then you can address me however you want."

I nodded and the rest of the ride to the court was silent, as both of us prepped ourselves mentally for the drama that was sure to ensue at the court.

....................

To be continued...