Maryada: Vidya-Gaurav FF - Updates. p. 145 (6/29) - Page 4

Chapter 4 – The first First Night

The day turned out to be a long one, much longer than he had initially given it credit for. They had gone to the temple for Dharshan the same day and had decided to stay over at a local hotel. His mother had obviously arranged for the same room for him and his new bride and even though he couldn't blame her for it, he still couldn't make himself do it. He remembered the earlier reluctance in his bride's eyes and felt more than justified in seeking other quarters for the night. The awkwardness of the first night could wait until they reached home. Besides, his father, who couldn't take a half day off to attend his first son's wedding, was bound to make an appearance at some point, just in time to take all the credit for everything his mother slaved for.

***

She was alone in the large room with the biggest bed that she had ever seen. She closed the door behind her and sat on the bed for a while. She hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until later when she looked at the clock and realized that more than a half hour had passed and she hadn't moved. She didn't know when he was planning on coming into the room. When she had seen such scenes in movies, she had always thought that this wait was somewhat romantic; now she realized that it had only seemed so because the man had actually looked interested in the prospect of being married. She still couldn't imagine how this could be remotely romantic for the girl, especially when the groom was essentially a stranger.

The wait was interminable... She walked over to the head of the bed and sat against the pillows, not knowing whether she should continue the wait or just go to sleep like she wanted to. Who would she ask? Why don't people think about letting others know of these things? Didn't anyone here know that this was her first time getting married? A wave of homesickness overtook her suddenly and she squeezed her eyes shut so that she wouldn't cry. She didn't know how long she sat there or when her squeezed eyes relaxed slowly into the ease of slumber…

Her mother was calling to her, but no matter how many times or how loudly she answered, she couldn't hear her. Her throat became hoarse from her repeated replies until another deeper voice joined hers to answer, "We are here, maa." She sighed in relief for a moment because her mother finally seemed to have heard. And then her eyes snapped open… she was alarmed when she didn't know where she was and turned in her haste, only to promptly fall off the bed… She sat up quickly and hit her head against… she looked up and saw that it was him, leaning over the edge of the bed now to look at her, rubbing his head, just as she was rubbing hers.

"Are you okay?" she heard him ask.

Before she could answer, she heard her mother again… except it was not her mother… it was his mother.

"Yes, Maa. We are here. I will be right there." He answered as he got off the bed. She closed her eyes with a sigh as she realized that it had been him earlier.

She managed to pick herself up off the floor by the time he opened the door, the reality of her surroundings sinking in more quickly than she wanted to.

Devyani walked in completely dressed and and Vidya felt self-conscious knowing that she had overslept.

"Don't worry. I always wake early. I just wanted to make sure that I woke you both so that you have enough time to get ready." Her mother-in-law offered reassuringly.

She nodded and smiled, but was otherwise at a loss for words. Once again she was saved from having to answer as her Devyani took a cursory glance around the room and then a more pointed look at the bed before turning around and walking out.

When Gaurav closed the door after his mother and turned around, she looked at him for a moment to make sure that it was indeed him… it made her feel strange, like someone had snuck into the privacy of her room during the night without her permission… but of course, she couldn't think like that anymore… although, she couldn't help but wish that there was some predictability around these things. Was she allowed to do the same? Wander around and come into their room anytime during the night as she pleased?

"Are you alright?" He asked again now as he caught her staring.

She quickly nodded and turned towards the bed, giving him her back. She pretended to fold the sheet while trying to listen to his movements as he walked about the room. Within a few minutes she heard the door open, but rather than closing again, there was a pause. She stopped her pretensions at folding and held the sheet close to her as she stood still.

"I will wait for you downstairs." She startled when she heard his voice, even as intently as she had been listening for it. There was but a moment of hesitation and then she nodded. The door closed soon after and she sat down on the bed, finally letting out the breath that she had been holding in…

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(for those of you non-Maryada watchers, this scenes is very (very) loosely based on this scene:

http://www.india-forums.com/tv-show/686/maryada/video/104535-maryada-8-4.htm (go to the clip that is 3 of 4)

Oh, the awkwardness... Poor Vidya. My heart goes out to Guarav too. What an uncomfortable situation.

lovely update .. feel for the both of them .. none wanted to be in this situation but fate has put them together and it'll be interesting to watch what happens next.

i am nervous/ apprehensive for THEM! god your FF's really put the reader there eh?

This is such a sad situation.. living with a total strange, who isn't doing much to help but I guess its not his fault either!
What keeps a father so busy from showing up to his child's wedding.. is this going to get more gloomy ?

This is really random, but the dress the lady (mother?) is wearing in the clip..is that sari or a skirt with the dupatta tucked in😕

Thanks for the update Devi!

Originally posted by: arabianpaki

This is such a sad situation.. living with a total strange, who isn't doing much to help but I guess its not his fault either!
What keeps a father so busy from showing up to his child's wedding.. is this going to get more gloomy ?

This is really random, but the dress the lady (mother?) is wearing in the clip..is that sari or a skirt with the dupatta tucked in😕

Thanks for the update Devi!

Chapter 5 – The Entry

Even though his mother, Uttara Maasi, Sweety and Imli were always around her and she was never really alone, he tried to not stay too far from Vidya until they all got home. Poor girl… as it was, when she entered their home, she was bound to discover that all was not as it seemed. He wondered now why his mother thought that bringing an innocent like her into their home would be a good thing. But then again, his mother was unique that way… she knew that she lived in a house of cards… and he alone knew that she was never, even for one moment, free of her fear that it would all come tumbling down at the slightest breeze of agitation. He wanted to tell her that it wouldn't be all that bad if something so fragile fell and destroyed itself… that she could build something stronger for herself, but it would be to no avail, he knew…. She would stay… she would stick it through till the end until his father sucked the last breath of life out of her with his careless neglect. And she would pretend to smile though it all, somehow convincing herself that this was her happiness. With the same self-deceiving optimism that she showed for most things in her life, she had thought to fix his as well… with this result... He wanted to remind her time and again that he was not fifteen anymore… he had made choices… and not always ones that guaranteed him any degree of happiness… but they were at least his own, made of his own free will. Besides, he hadn't felt happiness or contentment in an incredibly long time... and frankly, he doubted that he would even recognize what it felt like anymore.

It was late in the afternoon when they reached home. The house was crowded with what seemed like the whole city. He sat in the car for a few minutes after they parked and finally took a deep breath… it would have to do to gain him enough resolution to face what lay ahead. He looked at his bride then and saw that she was looking at their mansion of a home in something akin to bewilderment. It wasn't amazement as much as trepidation that he noticed in her expression, however. It made him feel relieved. That meant that she was not some silly girl who was taken in by everything that glittered. The more dazzling something seemed from afar, he had found that it was that much disenchanting up close.

"Vidya beti, are you ready?" He heard his mother ask and Vidya turned around to face her. Just for a moment, her eyes found his. Without thinking, he gave her a nod of reassurance. She lowered her eyes to his mother then and nodded.

***

She imagined that she could get lost in a house such as this one. It would likely take her an age to get from one end to the other. She thought that twenty people could live here easily and never run into each other, although not nearly that many people actually lived here.

They entered the house with much fanfare, although the crowd around her made her feel that much alone without her family. It felt as if it was not real, as if she had missed a legitimate sanction to enter this house. Her mother-in-law, Uttara massi, and Imli stayed by her side the whole time as they walked in and for that she was glad. Aditya was running around everywhere, giving attention to anyone who wanted it, which was apparently everyone. He had a social and approachable manner about him that endeared him to the young and the old alike…which was quite different from the disposition of the man that she had married. She tried to be discreet as she scanned the room to look for him… and found that he was standing to the side of the main room talking to an older man. Devyani was by her side in that same instant and told her that she was about to be introduced to Gaurav's grandfather. She was taken directly to her husband's side and allowed a closer look at the man they all called Bauji, a tall and imposing figure with heavily kohled eyes and a long beard. He had a look about him that made her anxious at first, but then he smiled and she found herself more at ease. There was a loud commotion by the entrance then and she heard Aditya's voice call out "Dad!" loudly and they all turned around. Devyani rushed away from their side quickly and Vidya looked back at Bauji and Gaurav, not knowing what she should do.

"It's time to meet Gaurav's father." Bauji told her with kind eyes, although there was something about his tone that she found odd. She looked over to Gaurav and found a similar hesitation in him as he caught Bauji's eyes. Then he turned to face her with a shuttered expression and said the same, "Yes, it's time to meet my father."

There was a crowd around the entrance already as people clustered around to greet who she knew was an important man, the district's senior superintendent of police, Gaurav's and Aditya's father, and now her esteemed father-in-law. The crowd parted as Devyani came towards them quickly to bring them up to the front. When Vidya gazed up to get her first look at SSP Brahmanand Jhaakar, she stumbled back a step without being able to stop herself. She was glad when she found that her new husband was perceptive enough to move up behind her and straighten her without making her faux pas glaringly obvious.

She heard her mother-in-law make all the official introductions, but she could not help the apprehension that overtook her as she took in the presence of this man. He had an imposing height and demeanor just like Bauji, and he smiled easily, but unlike his father, she saw no kindness in his eyes.

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To this day I could never understand why Devyani got Gaurav married to Vidya...I felt really bad for her - I hope in this FF Vidya will be stronger than how she is portrayed in the serial thus far.

Devi,

Aww.. i really feel for Vidya.. in the show and in here...!! Great update dear...!! n Btw... Thanks a ton for a Maryada FF... 🤗