SS. Contract marriage

Nachiket had just come back to India after completing his stint in the united states. His dadaji had gifted him a hospital. 

D - beta this hospital is my dream for you

N - trust me dadaji i will never let you down

D - yes i know that. After 6 months i want to see you married. 

N - this is now your nightmare for me?

D - no. You need a life partner. These friends and parties are not life.

N - i am dating Rupali. You know that 

D - i don't think it will last anyways

N - dadaji you can take away the hospital or throw me out of the house. I won't marry. Not rupali not anyone

D - if you don't marry within six months i will marry you off to a girl of my choice. You choose now

N - not fair. 

M - beta your late again

R - maa i love my job. Its only 10pm

M - i should have gotten you married when you finished college. This hospital is become your husband

R - finally maa. You accept you son in law

Ragini laughed and started eating dinner

M - you are 30 not 18. Atleast shower first

Ragini smiled

R - food wont mind if i shower later

M - Dr. Ragini Patel, if you don't marry in 6 months i will marry you to a boy of my choice.

R - yeah. You will tie me to him in the mandap

M - it's my final warning. Don't take me lightly

R - maa...please

M - no more excuses

Ragini knew maa was serious this time

Nachiket and Rupali were out on a date. There was a family having dinner on the other table 

Ru - look at that family

Nachiket looked and smiled. There were kids with their parents and grandparents. A happy joint family. 

Ru - i hate joint families 

Nachiket choked on his drink

N - what do you mean?

Ru - you know me. Don't expect me to live with your dadaji and sister in one house

N - Pam is your friend. Also dadaji is super cool. He wont interfer

Ru - don't worry we will get him good househelp but we won't live together. I can't be all bahu types 

N - then we can't be together.

Ru - what? Are you serious. 

N - yes. My dadaji is my life 

Ru - fine. But you will repent. You will never find a better life partner than me

N - that time will tell

On the other hand Ragini was again late from work. She was not getting any transport back. Her mom always warned her about this happening late at night

Nachiket was driving home thinking about his breakup when he saw a crowd gathered which blocked the traffic. He got off to have a look. A lady was hitting a guy. He recognised her. They studied together in medical school. He called out to her

N - Ragini Patel

R - Nachiket khanna?

N - yes. Kya kiya is bechare ne?

R - mujhe chedne ki koshish ki isne

N - leave him. Bechara mar jayega

Ragini walked away

R - i got late after work. Need to go home or maa will worry

N - let me drop you. 

R - thanks so much

They reached Raginis house. 

N - nice to meet you after so many years. Your such a big gynac. I am proud of you

R - same to you mr hotshot dil ke doctor. You want to come home and meet maa

N - some other day.

R - Sunday for lunch.

N - really

R - yes. Get dadaji along

N - you remember him?

R - he was the coolest. I am looking forward to meet him. Here take my number. 

They exchanged numbers and bid goodbye 

Saturday night Ragini was just getting into bed when her phone rang. It was Nachiket 

R - hey. How are you?

N - good. I spoke to dadaji. He is excited about lunch tomorrow. What time should we reach?

That's when Ragini realised she forgot to tell maa about the lunch.

R - uhhh. 2pm?

N - dadaji needs to eat by 12.30pm for his medication. Can we reach by 12noon?

R - sure. See you tomorrow. Bye

Ragini cut the call and ran to her moms room while Nachiket shook his head and cut the call

M - raat ke gyarah baje tu bata rahi hain

R - maa please kuch bana do naa

M - ghar pe saara samaan nahi hain. Kal sunday hain. Shops open only by 11am beta

R - hey bhagwan! Nachiket ke samne mera kachra ho jayega

M - chal mere saath kitchen mein dekhte hain kya ban sakta hain

They sat up late and figured out a menu. Ragini got up at 7am and went to a far away shop that opened at 8am. When Nachiket arrived at noon they were still cooking

R - namaste dadaji. Hi nachiket

D - namaste bete. So good to see you.

M - namaste

N - hello aunty. Khushboo bohot acchi hain. My hunger has doubled

Ragini asked them to sit. She got them some juice and dhoklas.

D - very tasty. Mazaa agaya. Bohot time ke baad gujarati khana khaya hain

R - maa ne banaya. She is a great cook

D - you dont cook

R - not really. 

M - hospital se fursat ho toh kuch sikhe

R - but i cook with instructions from maa at times

D - nachiket khana accha banata hain

R - really. I thought you guys have help at home

N - we do. But i do cook at least twice a week. Its a hobby

M - seekh kuch Nachiket se

R - kya maa

All started laughing. 

Lunch was a simple affair. The guests loved it. For dessert maa served halwa.

N - this is the best!

D - haan. Sabse zyaada yahi accha hain

M - ragini ne banaya

R - with maas instructions

N - its perfect

Nachiket and dadaji were ready to leave when Ragini was called for an emergency C-section.

N - ragini you need to be there asap. Come with us. I will drop you

Ragini dressed up and they all left. After the surgery Ragini received a message on her phone from nachiket

"Thanks for lunch. Dadaji hasn't stopped talking about it. Next sunday our place. See you and maa. Be there by noon"

Ragini smiled and sent him a message accepting the invitation. Maa and Ragini had an amazing time eating Punjabi food for lunch at Nachikets house. Nachiket made pasta especially for Ragini

R - you remembered

N - yes. You always ate pasta when we ate out in our college days

D - ragini beta shaadi ke baare mein kya socha hain?

R - koi ladka toh mile

M - humare samaj ke saare ladke shaadi kar chuke

R - maa woh shuklaji ka beta hain naa. 25years ka

M - chup kar. Har baar shaadi ki baat pe mazak. 

D - agar aapko thik lage Nachiket aur Ragini ki shaadi kara lete hain

N & R - what??

M - idea accha hain

Ragini and Nachiket were embarrassed to look at each other. 

N - dadaji yeh aap kya...

D - chup kar. Ragini tere liye perfect hain 

R - mujhe Nachiket se akele mein baat karni hain

Ragini and Nachiket moved out to the lawn to talk

Ragini and Nachiket were standing in silence.

N - i am sorry dadaji said that. I didn't know he would think of us together

R - its ok. Maa tries to fix me with random guys all the time. She jumped at the occasion today as well

N - so what do we do

R - i need a favour. Can you just pull this a bit longer. Like ask for some permission to date. 

N - sounds fair 

R - then after a month we can say no

N - sorry. You already know you don't want to marry me then just say no now

R - we are chalk and cheese. Obviously we would say no. But if we pull on the drama then they will aleast think we tried 

D - ragini bete tum toh badi smart ho

N - dadaji aap

D - iski maa ne kaha mujhe yeh shaitan hain. Shaadi se bhagti hain. Aur tu galat ladkiyan chunta hain

N - toh ab humari naa aapko pata hain

M - is baar nahi

R - maa aap bhi

M - haan chup kar

D - hum tumhari shaadi kara rahe hain next week

R & N - kya

D - modern style mein. 6 months contract marriage. Uske baad tum ek dusre ko chod do agar nahi nibha paye. Hume bura nahi lagega

N - kya behuda mazak hain

R - maa nahi agree karegi. Hain naa maa

M - i agree

R - what?

D - ab tum dono jao apni first date pe. Nachiket ragini ko raat ke dus bajne se pehle ghar nahi chodna. Main aur Ragini ki maa tumhari shaadi plan karte hain. Driver inhe ghar chod dega baad mein

Ragini and Nachiket walked away

N - what just happened 

R - this is so...uuurrgghh...i dont want to marry you

N - me neither...lets go do our own planning

They left

D - ab yeh dono dimag lagayengi

M - nachiket accha ladka hain. Khush rakhega ragini ko

D - aur pyaar toh in dono mein ho hi jayega