Meera awoke to the sun shining on her face. For a moment she forgot where she was. She stretched her body and realised her back was aching. She had slept on the hard floor. She could hear gentle snoring above her...
Meera looks towards Dharam sleeping peacefully and pulls a face. She covers her ears and complains, "I'm suffering here and look at him, snoring like a rakshash!".
She gets up but she suddenly stops on her tracks and stares in front of her at the mirror. Standing in front of her is her own reflection and her gaze moves to her hand which is clutching the black and gold string of beads around her neck. A flashback unfolds in her mind, taking her back to the night when Dharam had put it on her.
Although she had convinced herself there was nothing between her and Dharam when he put the manglesutre on her, when he put the sindoor in her hair, when they had done their saat phere she had felt her heart pounding. Was it because of the excitement of betraying the hated Modis. Was it the fact she would get revenge on her hated goody two shoes sister who had dared slap her in front of everyone?Or was it for a different reason entirely... Meera looked over at her sleeping husband. Meera tried to put these silly thoughts to the back of her mind. Of course she hated Dharam. Last night he had pushed her, he had insulted her. How dare he Meera muttered angrily...but then she remembered how he had swept her into his arms and carried her to the middle of the floor and let her go!!!!! Damn he smelt good. Still Meera bristled with anger. She was determined to teach him a lesson he would never forget.
Dharam began to stir in the bed. Meera panicked! Not knowing what to do she lay back down...
She scrunched the blanket tightly with her fists, bringing it over her head ever so slowly to hide herself from him. Though, she wanted to teach him a lesson for yesterday's actions, she was feeling feeble and a tiny bit helpless under his presence. Meera wondered why she was feeling like this because she has never been afraid of anything or anyone before.
Meera clenched her eyes shut and gripped the blanket tighter as she heard the bed creak. The sound of Dharam's footsteps began to get closer and closer towards her and then it stopped. Hesitantly, Meera opened her eyes to see Dharam do arm exercise. "Oh no! Why doesn't he just go", she muttered to herself.
Dharam paused his morning routine as he heard some sort of a muffle. His gaze immediately shifted to the petit bundle on the ground that was his wife. He chuckled at the thought of her, she was a living proof of their victory over the Modi family. They had won the game. However, his mood quickly turned grey at having remembered the girls nature. It bugged him to see someone other than his mum who could talk to him so fearlessly. Even his own son didn't have the guts to do the same as she did and this is why he lost his temper yesterday. She had to learn who he really was, she would be wise to do so.
Two brown eyes directed his attention away from the thoughts and he indulged into them. How could he forget those eyes... He edged closer to her as she squeezed them shut again. Cursing at herself for being caught, Meera kept her eyes glued. She could feel her heart thud loudly as she carefully peeked to see what he was doing. A burst of electric like shock spread across her face as soon as her eyes met Dharam's eyes, just inches away.
She immediately got up and created a distance from him but he was quick to grab the gajra that was attached on the back of her hair.
"Ow! Let go of me!", she moaned, trying to free her hair from his clutch. Although, it wasn't hurting her, she didn't like this treatment. She didn't like feeling weak.
"Be quiet and quickly get dressed. You have a lot to do today."
"No you shut up! I am not doing anything you understand, Mr Dharam Suryavanshi."
"Oh champa, stay in your limits and do as you're told. Understood? Otherwise you won't have a head to put this chameli on!", he tugged at the gajra to emphasise his point and then let go. Meera pierced her glare at him, face flooding with anger. Dharam smiled smugly seeing this reaction because this is what he was after. To see her suffer.
"I always have tea first thing in the morning. Go downstairs and make me a nice hot cup of tea.", he demanded at her. Meera stayed where she was, refusing to obey him.
"Go!", he shouted.
"I don't know how to make tea.", she lied.
"Oh of course. I forgot you're the princess of the Modi family. Don't worry, I will teach you."
Dharam got up and gestured at her to come. Unwillingly, Meera too got up and followed him to the kitchen where he got the necessary ingredients out and showed her the process of tea making. She pressed her finger to her temple out of boredom at having to observe this. Noticing this, Dharam clicked his fingers on her face.
"Listen! You're my wife now, it's your job to make sure I get my tea on time. I'm not going to show you everyday so you better learn right away otherwise you know what I'm capable of right?", he warned. This was the last straw for Meera, all the hatred of last night that she had tucked away was boiling furiously inside her. She had to teach him a lesson!
As if by coincidence, she spotted a large basket full of red chillis next to her. She knew what she was going to do to get even. "You should add some honey to that tea. It's good for health.", she advised in an attempt to drift his attention away.
"Well then you must have this also, it might add some sweetness to that thicki tongue of yours.", he chuckled loudly and spread his hands out at her for high five. Meera ignored this.
"Hey you can never leave this tali empty.", he said as Meera rolled her eyes and softly slapped his hand to shut him up and shift his focus elsewhere.
As Dharam turned around to get the honey, she grabbed some chillis and crushed them quickly before dumping them into the tea.
The tea simmered and then boiled. Meera tried hard to disguise her smirk. She got the sieve and poured the tea, making sure all the chilli seeds were removed. Dharam handed Meera the honey and she stirred it into his tea, the spoon clanging on the sides of the cup. Dharam glared at his wife. "Hurry up. I need to get ready. You need to get dressed. We have visitors coming to see you". Meera handed Dharam his cup. "You have some too" he barked at Meera. She slowly poured herself a cup and pretended to sip the tea slowly. All the time her eyes didn't leave his. Dharam raised the tea to his lips. He took one gulp and..."arrrggghhh". Crash. The cup fell to the ground and smashed into a thousand pieces. Meera could not contain her laughter. A furious Dharam grabbed Meera by her wrists. Suddenly Meera felt like a frightend little girl again. Dharam could sense her fear so he let her go. "You think your so clever don't you" he hissed. "You have met your match Meera Modi. Don't you forget it. Your under my power now. Look at the state of you. You look a mess". Meera suddenly remembered! She had no clothes. No make up, not even a tooth brush! She also didn't have any money! Oh no she didn't want to belittle herself by asking Dharam for anything. But she had no choice. As if he could read her mind Dharam spoke..."ask one of the servants for a spare toothbrush. I'm taking you shopping. No bride of mine is going to look like you do at the moment. You look like a churail". With that Dharam laughed out loud. Meera felt insulted and stared at Dharam boldly. Hey shorkurie Dharam clicked his fingers. Go. Now. I'm going to have a shower and get ready. We need to go quickly". Meera went up to their room flashing Dharam a cheeky smile as she left. Dharam watched her leave with his mouth half open! "That girl is going to be the death of me" he muttered to himself. "She does have gorgeous smile though"! Dharam pinched himself! "What the hell am I thinking? She's crazy"...however there was something about her don't give a damn attitude that he found strangely attractive. Meera sat slowly on the bed. I wonder where Vidhya is she thought to herself. She resisted going to look for her as she wanted Vidhya to suffer wondering where Meera was. "She can wait" Meera decided. Meera hoped the Modis had discovered she was gone now! Not that they would care. All they cared about was their precious Vidhya.
Meera was getting ready for the day as many people were going to come to see her and Vidya today. She knew what the hot topic of conversation was going to be today but she didn't care. She knew Vidya would and it made her feel better to know that. It was Vidya's turn to feel the same humiliation she had gone through in the Modi house.
A door banged and soon after, Dharam entered out of the bathroom, vigorously rubbing a short towel on his damp hair. She refused to share space with him in front of the mirror so he stayed behind her and continued to dry his hair with the towel. Dharam heard her mutter something under her breath.
"Ay chokri, if you can't keep that mouth closed then talk freely. No one is going to eat you here."
Meera stayed silent, she did not want to engage in a conversation with him. She was trying to adjust the glass bangles through her wrist but it was doing no good. In that moment, the soft patting sound of the towel stopped followed by a pregnant pause whereby a sudden sense of being watched, washed over her. His sharp eyes were observing the reflection of his wife on the mirror, he was getting used to the girl's uncanny nature and although, he was relieved to not have to listen to her nonsense, this strange silence slightly bothered him at the same time. He noticed her eyes steal a glance towards his and then crash immediately after they collided with his.
"I'm not wearing this.", she expressed in frustration and chucked the bangles on the wall. Dharam's peace was short lived as he strode towards the wall to retrieve the broken strands of the bangles. They were his mother's and his temper boiled to know this girl had not thought twice before chucking them like a child.
"What do you think of yourself! This are not some toys for you to play with, they were my mother's bangles which she had treasured for this long!"
"So what? What can I do if they don't fit me? Besides, it's not my style, you should be happy that I am even wearing this saree for you and your mum."
"Don't talk to me like that! Don't forget this is my house!"
"That doesn't mean I will stay put like a furniture. If you think you're going to pressure me then think again Mr Dharam because I am not here to listen to anyone's orders. Don't forget, I can reveal this little secret of ours to everyone if I felt like it."
Dharam's temper was still simmering but he decided to press it down because he couldn't have the secret exposed. Their plan had just begun, it couldn't end so soon. Meera smirked, knowing she had hit his weak spot but Dharam wasn't the one to stay silent either. There were more bangles on top of the dresser so he grabbed her hand and thrust them through her wrists. Meera tried to wrestle her way free but it wasn't working, he was adamant on getting them through at any cost.
"Ouch!", she cried as one of the bangles broke and pierced her skin. Drops of blood oozed out and so did her tears. Dharam let the bangles crash on the ground and froze seeing her cry. For the first time in his life, he felt guilt settle in him. It wasn't so much the blood or even the tears that made him stop because he had seen more blood and tears throughout his life but the sight of Meera like that unsettled him. It was an alien like feeling.
Without thinking, he took her hand and sucked at the cut wound to take the pain away.
*Cue for romantic music*
Their eyes met as he sucked at her wrist. For a split second he felt a strange sensation he had never felt before but he was surprised at this feeling and quickly let go of her wrist. "tidy this mess up" he muttered half embarrassed at his actions. He couldn't believe what he had just done. I will send the servant with a bandage for you". He turned and hobbled out of the room in shock. Meera stood with her mouth agape. What the hell had just happened? She was even more shocked that she had enjoyed Dharam being so intimate with her. She gently touched her wrist thinking his lips had just been there!
Soon they were in the car on the way to the mall. Meera had managed to sneak out without bumping into Gaura or Vidhya. They sat in an uncomfortable silence. Meera kept on glancing at Dharams hand as he changed gears but was too scared to look at him. Dharam sat staring steadfastly at the road. After a few minutes Dharam put the radio on to kill the silence. "Dheere dheere meri zindagi main ana" both squirmed with embarrassment. Dharam turned it off. He sighed then spoke. "How's your wrist?" "Fine". "Did you eat breakfast?" "No". Dharam pulled over at a roadside Dhaba. Meera was disgusted. "You expect me to eat here?"
Dharam sat down on the table of the dhaba and looked around the place with warmth, it reminded him of his village. His smile vanished when he saw that Meera was not sitting down.
"Are you going to sit down or do you need a special invitation?"
"When I said I am not going to eat here, I meant it. So what is the point of sitting down?", she replied back sharply.
"Oh! All this nautangi isn't going to work with me so sit down quietly."
Meera shook her head and turned around to return to the car. However, Dharam grabbed her hand pulled her down in matter of seconds, making her crash next to him. Meera who was taken aback, clutched his kurta top with one hand to steady herself while Dharam held the other with his. Some people glanced at the two but they were unaware of onlookers as they were too engaged with each other's eyes to notice. For them, it was as if time had decided to take a break, leaving them locked in this moment.
"Ahem ahem..!", a short, heavy built man coughed to bring the lost couple back into the real world. Dharam and Meera broke apart at once, their cheeks flushing with a hint of crimson. Neither seemed to understand why...
"What can I get for you. We have everything from rice, daal -
Dharam broke in, "We will both have potato sabsi with some parathas".
"Potato sabsi and paratha it is. I am sure you will leave here satisfied".
Meera didn't protest against Dharam's decision only because she was not going to eat here. If he's stubborn, she's maha stubborn. Soon after, the waiter arrived with just one very large plate containing the food. Meera scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and looked at Dharam who also wore a similar reaction.
"What is this?", Dharam questioned the waiter. The waiter smiled and kept the plate between them on the table.
"At this dhaba, we like to eat together and seeing as you two are together -
This time Meera interrupted the man, "How are you sure we're together? We could just be friends."
The waiter let out a little laugh. "Madame, from what I saw, you two looked like more than just friends."
Meera and Dharam exchanged awkward looks as the waiter laughed again.
"Okay okay, you can go now. I'll call you after we're done.', Dharam said and the waiter left feeling amused.
"Why did you let him go?", Meera asked feeling annoyed.
"What do you mean why? Do you want to share a plate with him as well?"
"We are going to eat from one plate!", Meera expressed, gaping in bewilderment. Dharam nodded.
"No way! That's gross!", Meera whined and pulled a face.
"Can you stop being difficult and start eating."
"I wasn't going to eat in the first place and now I'm definitely not eating."
"Oh queen Elizabeth. You're not made of gold that you're showing such attitude. Quietly start eating without creating drama or else -
"Or else what? I'm not scared of you and I already made it clear to you that I am not eating -
Meera's eyes became wide as Dharam shoved a morsel of some roti and sabsi into her mouth before she could finish her sentence. Meera chewed unwillingly and quickly gulped down the food. This time, she took the food on her own accord before he did it again but as soon as she was about to take the second bite, Dharam took her hand and put it down. She was about to argue but then, he took a napkin and pressed it under her lip to wipe off the food that had stuck on.
"Lift you chin up.", he ordered. Though, he did it himself using his left hand as he couldn't wait for her. He pressed his fingers under her chin before gently lifting it to wipe the food off. A warm sensation coiled inside her under Dharam's touch. She wanted to run away somewhere from this strange sensation. It was too foreign of a feeling.
They both are in silence, deep in thought. Meera was remembering his words last night... There can never be any relationship between us...so why was he acting this way towards her? She was confused... Maybe he's just a big flirt and acts like this with all the girls? Meera stood up and without saying a word walked towards the washroom. Dharam watched her go staring at her petit figure as she walked. He couldn't stand the spoilt Modi brat so why did he act so stupidly in front of her? He remembered the words she spoke to her sister last night, about being alone and abandoned all her life. He wondered what she had meant by that. Maybe there is a reason for her behaviour he reasoned to himself. She certainly seems quite vulnerable...Dharam caught himself again. Why would he care what this junglee said or did? She certainly wasn't his type of submissive woman. No there could never be anything between them.
Meera returned to the table. Shall we go she asked him in a flat voice. Dharam threw a pile of cash on the table. As they turned to leave the rain and thunder came crashing down in them soaking them to their skin. A loud thunderclap echoed in the sky and Meera screamed and hugged Dharam tightly. He instinctively felt his arms tighten against his new bride. He held her tight to his manly muscular chest while she quivered like a flower in the breeze. He gently guided her back to the car holding her hand.
Both sat in the car soaked through. Meera looked even more beautiful Dharam thought to himself. Her curls stuck to her forehead and her face was covered in rain droplets. Meera looked at Dharams wrestlers torso out of the corner of her eye. His kurtha was stuck against his muscles. The kurtha was transparent and she could see every hair, every muscular curve and even his nipples! She felt embarrassed for looking at him like this and averted her eyes.
Once the car set off they began bickering again. "Who would have thought the shernee Meera Modi would be scared of thunder Dharam laughed! Meera was infuriated. How dare you talk to me like that. You don't know how to talk to a lady. With this Dharam burst into hysterical laughter. Call yourself a lady! Hahaha that's the funniest thing I've ever heard! You are no lady. You are uncivilised, uncouth, rude, arrogant and spoilt. Meera was fuming! Coming from you that is hilarious she screamed. Stop the car. I want to get out. I'm not sitting in a car with you.
To meeras surprise Dharam pulled the car over, got out, walked over to her side, yanked the door open and pulled her out. Meera slipped and fell in a muddy puddle. Dharam threw a fat wad of notes at her. Then he got into his car and drove off.
The car was blurring out of sight as Meera stood up fuming with anger at having been humiliated by none other than her latest enemy. He might actually replace the Modi's and top her list of the most hated person. It irked her to imagine Dharam smirking at the sight of her standing there alone but she was Meera, she wasn't going to run after him. Besides, he had done her a favour by giving her money. She was going to make him regret this decision.
An ice cream van attracted Meera's attention and then there was no stopping her. Ignoring the rain, she ran across the road and under the van's shade.
"I will have one please.", she ordered her favourite flavour of ice cream cone. As she waited, she looked at the sizzling rain pour down and fall apart upon meeting the ground, it was distracting in a soothing way. Closing her eyes, she placed her hand outside the shade, palm open to feel the rain on her skin. For some reason, it felt strange because it was as if something soft yet hard had crashed on her hand and was now intervening with her fingers.
Meera's eyes shot open in an instant and they were not very thrilled to see the person opposite.
"I had no intention of coming back. In fact, it wasn't difficult to forget you but mum needs you to be there.", Dharam said.
"Oh God. You can't live me in peace can you?", she spoke, irritated.
"It's not fun tolerating a spoiled brat either okay. Thank your lucky stars that I'm even being nice to you otherwise you don't know what I'm capable of."
"Oh hello! Stop acting like you're some saint and doing me favours. Don't forget, it's you and your mum who needs me."
"And what? You think the Modis will take you in if you decide to leave us? Don't forget you have no one but us now."
Meera stayed silent because she knew he was right.
"Come on now, let's go.", he demanded and yanked her hand forward but Meera pulled back and tried to wrestle it free. Although, she had no other plans, she was not going to listen to him every single time.
"I am not coming."
"Ay nautangi, you better bite that tongue of yours because my ears are going to explode."
"Then let them explode but I am not coming."
They were in the middle of the road when Dharam turned around and pulled her against him, their locked hands acting as a barrier between them.
"Listen close. I am not joking when I say I can do worse because I can! You really haven't seen the worst of me but if you keep yapping like this then that will also be accomplished.", Dharam warned.
"And even you have not seen the worst of me! I don't know if this is your way of making others scared but it is not working with me you understand!"
The rain crashed around them and wrapped them with it's wet threads as they stood there connected by their piecing hot glares. The splashing sound of the rain was replaced by a pounding heart beat which vibrated into their hands that were strongly locked together.
Back in the car Dharam glanced at Meera. Soaking wet and covered in mud she looked a sight. Instead of making a sniping comment as he was tempted to do Dharam bit his tongue. He could sense Meera was fuming and didn't want to antagonise her more. His mother was preparing hers and Vidhyas welcoming ceremony at home. Many guests were invited and he didn't want to sour meeras mood further. Meera looked at Dharam and glared. "Why do we have to have this stupid ceremony? Our marriage is fake anyway. There is nothing between us". Dharam felt a bit uncomfortable with her statement but defensively replied "it's tradition. Even I didn't want this ceremony but mother insisted. She has arranged for some new clothes, cosmetics and jewellery to be brought for you so do not worry about that".
Upon reaching home Meera sat in her seat waiting for Dharam to open her door. However he just purposefully strolled into the house leaving her sitting there. "Hmmmphh she muttered to herself. Uncivilised man has no manners. He hasn't got a clue how to treat a lady". Meera walked through the door. Suddenly there was a collective gasp. There were around 20 faces staring at her soaked and covered head to toe in mud! Damn the ceremony had already begun. Vidhya also sat looking at Meera. Dharam watched her and tried to suppress his laughter. Meera could see his eyes mocking her. "I will be back in a moment" a mortified Meera cried and ran upstairs. She found her new clothes on the bed. Quickly she showered, dressed and went back down stairs. Dharam stared at her as she walked down. She was wearing a beautiful embroidered turquoise sari and looked absolutely stunning. "Hi I'm Meera" she smiled boldly at the women. Gaura didn't look impressed by meeras boldness. Sit down and be quiet she muttered "and cover your head!" Meera sat down as ordered and placed her pallu over her head. She looked sideways at Vidhya and gave her an evil smirk. Vidhya looked away.
The ceremony was so boring filled with old ladies declaring how beautiful both brides were, giving cheap gifts. It passed in a blur for Meera. Finally the guests left. By now Meera was shivering and sneezed a few times. Dharam asked her if she was ok. Meera lied "I'm absolutely fine." As meeras sister Vidhya knew she wasn't fine but pretended not to be concerned. Around the dinner table the family ate in silence. Dharam noted how pale she looked. Meera looked miserably at her plate but she didn't eat a morsel. "I need to lie down" she muttered and slowly walked upstairs. Dharams eyes did not leave her for a second as she left. Gaura noticed how her son was staring at his wife and smiled to herself.
Upstairs Meera lay down on the hard floor shaking. She was burning with fever after her antics in the rain. She quickly fell into an uncomfortable sleep. She didn't notice Dharam enter the room. She didn't feel him check her forehead and stroke her hair with concern. She didn't realise he had lifted her onto his bed and covered her with a blanket. She wouldn't remember him giving her water and medicine. When he was satisfied Meera was comfortable Dharam lay down on the floor at her feet and tried to sleep. Only he couldn't as his head was whirling. He kept on thinking about the moonlight falling on meeras beautiful face while he stroked her hair. He realised that she was so vulnerable and lost. What the hell is going on he thought to himself. I hardly know this girl. Why does she bother me so much??? Why do I feel so strange around her? He tossed and turned but eventually fell into a fitful sleep.
Jhanak
