Judge : Mr. Siddhant Modi?
Sid : Yes.
Judge : Mrs. Riddhima Modi?
Riddhima : Yes.
Judge : I understand that the two of you have filed for divorce of mutual consent on grounds of irreconcilable differences. Is that true?
Sid : Yes.
Riddhima : Yes.
Judge : And what exactly are these irreconcilable differences?
Both of them remained silent.
Judge : The court realizes that it might be difficult for the both of you to speak up of your own accord and will therefore ask you certain questions which are the common grounds for divorce.
Sid and Riddhima nod their heads.
Judge : First and foremost, how long have you been married?
Sid : 8 months.
Judge : Is that true Mrs. Riddhima Modi?
Riddhima nodded her head.
Each time the judge addressed Riddhima as Riddhima Modi, Sid felt as if someone was driving a knife into his heart, or what was left of his heart.
Judge : Have you consummated your marriage?
Riddhima shifted uneasily in her seat. Sid held a blank expression.
Sid : No.
Judge : Is that true Mrs. Riddhima Modi?
Riddhima gave an almost imperceptible nod of her head.
Judge : I would like you to speak up Mrs. Riddhima Modi.
Riddhima (in a small voice) : Its true.
Judge : Well, then, this becomes a case of annulment and not divorce. Now, the court would like to know the reason why you have not consummated your marriage till now.
Riddhma sat with her head bowed down in her seat while Sid sat there like a stone but both of them did not respond.
Judge : Mrs. Riddhima Modi, do you find Mr. Siddhant Modi lacking in his duties towards you as a husband, especially in matters of physical intimacy or even otherwise?
Riddhima : No!
She blurted out. Sid, however, showed no reaction.
Judge ; Mr. Siddhant Modi, is it because you find Mrs. Riddhima Modi inadequate in her wifely duties, especially lacking in physical intimacy that you wish to divorce her?
Sid : No.
He should have said yes, but their lawyers had agreed that nowhere in the divorce petition would it be mentioned that Riddhima had cheated on him or that she loved Armaan for the fear of Riddhima's reputation; as per Dr. Shashank's request. So nowhere in the trial were they going to mention anything in that regard. They'd been taught to say some reasons and problems that their lawyers thought would be solid grounds for divorce.
Judge : Mr. Siddhant Modi, have you ever known of your wife committing an act that would be disrespectful to the institution of marriage and would qualify as cheating on you?
Again he should have said yes.
Sid : No.
Judge : Mrs. Riddhima Modi, have you ever known of your husband committing an act that would be disrespectful to the institution of marriage and would qualify as cheating on you?
Riddhima : No.
Judge : Mrs. Riddhima Modi, has your husband, Mr. Siddhant Modi, ever verbally, mentally or physically abused you?
Riddhima : No.
The judge had continued with a whole bunch of routine questions regarding finances, job insecurities and professional rivalry. Sid and Riddhima recited the answers they had been taught where appropriate. A little while later, the judge summoned the rest of the people back into the courtroom.
Judge : After its session with the petitioners in question, Mr. Siddhant Modi and Mrs. Riddhima Modi, the court stands unconvinced of their reasons for divorce or in this case, as it stands, annulment. Whatever reasons they may have for filing for divorce, the court does not believe them to be irreconcilable. The Republic of India holds marriage, as an institution, in very high esteem. Therefore, the law system does not grant divorce in situations where there is scope for revival. Therefore, on this day the 30th of October, 2010, this court orders Mr. Siddhant Modi and Mrs. Riddhima Modi to complete one year of their marriage together as husband and wife. During this said period, they will undergo rigorous marriage counseling and therapy sessions to help them sort out their issues and help them work on their marriage. Any defection during the counseling and therapy sessions will be considered contempt of court and the defector will be prosecuted. Also, any attempt to interfere with or manipulate the court proceedings will also be considered contempt of court and will warrant severe action. However, even after completion of the said four-month period, if the petitioners decide that they still wish to go ahead with the divorce, they may file for divorce again and they will be granted divorce as per the discretion of the Judiciary of India at said point of time. The petitioners may appeal against this decision. This divorce petition stands dismissed.
Voice : What would you like to drink Sir?
Sid opened his eyes and came out of his reverie and saw an airhostess hovering over him.
Sid : I'll just have water please.
Airhostess : Certainly Sir.
She handed him a glass of water and he took it and sipped from it. He looked out of the window. It was going to be one long journey. He looked around him, the seats beside him and the plane itself was pretty empty; at least the business class. Somewhere in the back of the plane, in the economy class, he could hear the faint sounds of irate kids crying. Kids, a proper family ' those were dreams he had long given up. He switched on the screen in front of him and randomly picked some movie to watch. But even before the title credits had rolled, his thoughts were back to his own life, which had been no less than a drama.
Dr. Shashank : Don't be absurd Armaan.
Armaan : But Sir, how can Riddhima live with Sid?
Dr. Shashank : Let me remind you Armaan that Siddhant and Riddhima are still married. You just heard the judge in there. She very clearly said that their divorce petition had been dismissed. So they are still husband and wife and can very well live together. Also, if you paid attention in there she very clearly warned that any kind of interference and manipulation with the workings of the court will lead to severe action. Please Armaan, do not complicate the situation further.
That managed to effectively silence Armaan. However, the fact that he wasn't pleased with the situation was evident on his face as a muscle twitched away in his jaw. Not paying him any more attention, Dr. Shashank shifted his attention onto the other two people who were standing outside the courtroom; their lives had just spiraled out of their control. Why was this happening? Shashank thought to himself. Sid was such a nice boy. He'd been through so much already. Somewhere deep within, Shashank held himself responsible for the mess Sid's life was in. After all, hadn't he more or less arm twisted Sid into saying that he'd marry Riddhima? Riddhima.. He did not even want to think about the mess Riddhima's life was in. Knowing how his daughter had ruined Sid's life, he'd decided that there was nothing more he could do for Riddhima except of letting her go her own way. So he had done the last thing he thought he'd ever do for her and given Armaan a nudge towards her, willing only for her to be happy in life; if it was with Armaan, then so be it. Then he'd decided to stay out of her life. But maybe, that was not how it was meant to be. He approached where the two of them were standing.
Dr. Shashank : Siddhant..
Siddhant looked at him.
Dr. Shashank : Riddhima..
As he turned away from both of them, he rested a hand on Riddhima's shoulder. Riddhima looked at her father with troubled eyes, then at the man standing next to her who refused to look at her and then at the man who was staring at her as if he wanted to look right into her soul.
Hello everyone!!
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