The lamp flickered with the same unease as Paro's heart. She didn't know the first thing about what was going to happen in less than 15 minutes. Her tentative footsteps hesitated infront of the shut door. But she was pushed in by the gaggle of girls, unceremoniously.
The door locked behind her leaving her in a dark room. The warm glass of milk almost slipped out of her hand, as she gingerly treaded to the light switch. The freshly boiled cows milk had that strong odor that triggered a gag reflex in her. Suddenly, she remembered all those nauseating sessions when mami forced her and nandini to drink their glasses of milk. The two would almost always succeed to feed it to Moti - their three legged stray dog friend. Mami wondered why Moti had started looking quite rotund and well filled out in recent months.
Paro turned on the light and found the room empty, much to her relief. She set the glass on the night stand before furiously itchign her neck. The choker brought back bad memories of that entire month when she refused to take it off even in the hospital. She had developed a serious distaste for chokers but Thakurain insisted she wear it one more time for this occasion.
She undid her jewelry and quickly changed into her comfortable cotton ghaghra and choli with a window as wide as the desert. Rudra liked her in simple attire. Knowing how eager he usually got around her, never failing to grab her hand, roll down with her on the sand dunes or pin her to the wall, she figured he'd be in a hurry to get on with the night. The thought ran a chill down her bones.
What was supposed to happen tonight? She knew the last time there were alone, Rudra had grabbed her and rolled on the bed. The time before that he had grabbed her rolled on the sand, much to KakiCumMasi and her majdoors dismay, who watched in utter amazement at the two rolling bodies in the front yard. Occassionally, Rudra held her wrists and pinned them to the wall, snorting like a bull, blowing wisps of breath on her forehead. Was this all he was planning to do tonite? But that would only cover 9:30 to 10:00 pm slot, what were they supposed to do from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am? Sleep, she guessed, and drink that god forsaken smelly cow milk. yuck!
Rudra walked in and was pleased to see his bride ready and primed for him. She was breathless with heaving chest as usual. He liked that about her and if she didn't, he would have pushed her to the wall to get her chest heaving. He noticed her wrists and immediately lunged forward to grab them. He regretted the moment he did that because he knew he had startled her.
Once again they were on the bed in full repose. Paro looked him in the eye and made a face to convey she was bored of this routine. He let go of her arms and pulled away her dupatta, and got blinded by the lights flashing from the million mirrors on her choli. He quickly undid the choli, before Paro could cry Uski Phiskey Whiskey and she lay there under him, clotheless from waist and above.
Now, this is new, she wondered. She was an eager student and he was an ardent teacher. Another half hour passed and as the household began to sleep, and the room got steamier, the silence of the haveli was broken by a single loud scream
Madhumakhiii