pooja

Mayukh POV:

I came back to my room after having a small drink with Bhai, Uncle and Dad. I smiled to myself reminiscing the evening Nikita and I had spent together.

I walked inside my room and locked the door and found her fast asleep on her bed. I washed my face and got changed into basic track pants and a tshirt and made my way to the bed.

I lay down next to her, she was facing me. She looked beautiful. Her lips.... So attractive. While I was deep in thought admiring her, her phone was on the table and it kept on buzzing.

I leaned in, kissed her cheek and went to get her phone from her side and lay back down on my side.

Cars Rental. Who's that?

I called them back. "Hello?"

"Hi Ma'am. It's Rajesh. Your driver today."

"Hello, She's sleeping but I'm her husband. Is everything okay?"

"Sorry Sir, yes everything is fine. I wanted to say thank you for the meal Ma'am gave us today."

"Meal?"

"At the restaurant. At dinner. I was able to pack some for my child also and she got to eat good food today. It was very delightful. Thank you."

Nikita did that? Is that why she didn't eat?

"Ah, no worries. I hope you all are well."

"Thank you Sir."

"Did she say anything to you when giving the good?"

"She just said she didn't have a lot of cash left kn her, and gave me the last 500 she had."

"Oh. Did she say anything about her eating?"

"No Sir."

One thought was bothering me, "Listen."

"Yes Sir."

"Your job, Car rental? What did Nikita do?"

"Sir, she booked the car na, for a week, with me."

Why did she book a car for a week?

"I see. Yes, I remember. I'd like to thank your manager, can you give me the number?"

"Yes Sir, I'll do that."

He gave me the no. and I got on another call.

"Hi. Is this car rentals?" I asked.

"Yes. How can I help you?"

"My wife had asked for a car rental for a week, starting today. Nikita?"

"Yes. Nikita Joshi, right?"

Joshi? She didn't change her name yet.

"Yes."

"Yes Sir, she had asked for a car and a driver arranged from today to this week. We were scheduled to give the car by 4pm."

"Oh, okay, did she say anything else?"

"No Sir, she just said to get a high end luxury car."

"Oh. I see. How much does that cost?"

"Sir it costed her 25,000/-"

What the heck? Why was she spending 25k on a car? Is she okay?

"I see. Thank you."

I cut the call. What was she doing? Why all this?

Why did she get a whole luxury car and stuff? I drifted to sleep while thinking about this.

~~~~

I was up around 9am, I did my bathroom business and showered and got ready in brown cargo pants and a black full sleeves sweatshirt. I made my way downstairs and found everyone gathered in the hall, lost in chatter.

"Ah Mayukh! Good morning!" Aunty said.

"Good Morning Aai." I took her blessings.

"Sit, come!" She said, as I sat down next to them, "We were just discussing."

"What's going on?"

"Arrey! The pooja is today. The auspicious time is from 1-3pm, so we've sent the invites for 1pm onwards."

"Okay, great! Is everything arranged? I'll help?"

"No don't worry. All is in control!" Baba spoke, "Food is organized, guests seating is organized, we have a few people coming around 11:30 with the Pandit ji to help us arrange the room for it."

"Great. What can I do?"

"Go and try your kurta. It's a lime green and beige one, so it'll twin with Nikita's saree."

"Okay, speaking of, where's Nikita?"

"She's taken Coco for a walk. She'll be back soon, and then you guys need to get ready." Aai said.

"By the way," Mom added, "are you guys flying to UK today? Or tommorow?"

"When are Bhai and Bhabhi leaving?" I asked.

"They're leaving tomorrow morning, so they can reach and relax."

"We'll also leave tomorrow then." I said.

"Perfect. Book your tickets." Mom said.

Everyone got up and got ready to shower and for the pooja. I went to our room and got my laptop and booked my tickets. I was curious and so I opened the car rental website to see what it was.

Why was she getting a car hired? For us? What does she think of us man?!

I was lost in thought after booking my tickets and about this when she suddenly entered. I looked at her. She looked hot as heck. Her yoga outfit highlighted her body so much.

Did she wear this?

"You went out like this?" I asked.

She shook her head, "I... I had a hoodie on."

"Okay good." I breathed in relief.

"Did you shower already?" She asked.

"Yes. We're waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Well, we have the pooja to do."

"That's at 1, why do I need to get ready now?"

"It's only 3 hours more, shower and get ready. I'll also get ready."

"Okay." She said and went into the shower.

After a while she got out and my breathe got caught in my throat. She was in a petticoat of a saree, with her blouse on. Her blouse wasn't tightened and her saree wasn't on properly. She looked at me and suddenly realised she's not alone and her eyes widened in shock.

"I'm... I'm sorry! I thought I was alone" she said.

"It's fine, I'll go."

I was leaving when she stopped me, "Wait."

"Yes?" I said, turning.

"I... I need help. Please."

"Tell." I said, coming closer.

"The... blouse... and saree..." she looked down.

I suddenly remembered the scenes from Bhai's sangeet, when I helped her with her saree. I quickly reached her and stood behind her and looked at her through the mirror.

My breath got caught in my throat as I felt her soft skin on her back. She was looking down.

Once I tied it, I went down on my knees and gave her the saree, turning her around. She draped it and the plates of it were hanging down. I, on my knees, arranged them to held the pallu in my hand and stood up. I moved her hair on one side and rested her pallu on the other shoulder, securing it tightly with a pin. She looked at me and her face reddened.

"You look beautiful." I whispered. She blushed.

"Here." I said, moving to my bag and taking out one set of jewelry, "for you."

She looked at it and her eyes widened, "this?"

It was the same set which she had left with me when she had left the hotel and come to Indore, when we got married. I saved everything because I didn't have the heart to give it away.

"How do you still... have this?" She whispered.

"It's my wife's necklace. Why would I not?"

"I... I wasn't your wife then."

"Yes you were. You've been my wife since I adorned that sindoor on you 2 years ago."

"Mayukh...." She said, moving away.

"MAYUKH!" I heard Mom's voice screaming, "Where are you???"

I shook and she did as well, "Aunty is calling." She whispered, "Go."

I came closer and kissed her cheek, "Aunty nahi, Maa." I smiled and walked away.

•~•~•

The decorations were in full swing. The whole house was adorned with flowers. Guests had started to come. The whole hall was rearranged so that the murti and pooja was happening in the top center, with people sitting in a L shape around it. The dining room was filled with a buffet and a huge shade was added in the garden so people can sit there as well. A lot of drinks and food were served.

A lot of relatives from all around MP and nearing states had arrived, including Mumbai Pune and etc. It was the first wedding in the Joshi house, and it was seen.

Everyone was adorned in a good outfits. The Pandit ji then asked to commence the pooja and so Nikita and Mayukh sat in their places.

Nikita wore a like green saree with beige embroiling the pallu and edges. Her hair was in a low messy bun adorned with a garland of flowers, with kumkum and a bindi on her forehead, her simple necklace and earrings and her usual small loop nose ring. Her neck was adorned with her mangalsutra as well, along with the mehendi from her wedding. Her saree was in a marathi style, called nauvari.

Mayukh was dressed in a similar green and beige elegant kurta, completing her.

They sat down and started the pooja, while Mayukh looked at his wife. He was indeed very lucky. The pooja was done successfully and soon it was time for lunch. Nikita and Mayukh walked and greeted all the guests and they both were in awe.

Mayukh POV:

"Mayukh! Nikita!" Seema Aunty, a friend of Nikita's family said, "You guys look wonderful."

"Thank you Maushi." Nikita replied.

"So how did you two meet?" She asked.

Both of us stuttered, we should have come up with a story, but I carried, "We met when we were studying Masters, we fell in love and then once we both got jobs, we told our families and got married."

"That's very sweet. I'm not surprised, otherwise I didn't think Nikita would be married in such a big house, your classes are so different."

Nikita's face fell, and I noticed that, I was starting to get an idea of the whole picture. The car rentals, hiring a fancy car, now the classes being different comment. I was slowly understanding but i wasn't sure.

"Aunty, classes don't mean anything. The person does. I loved her for who she is, not her class."

"Well of course Mayukh, but for someone like Nikita, class matters, we all want our daughters to marry into big houses!"

I was in shock by the mindset of this aunty, "Aunty you know Nikita is very talented. She has patented work in London."

"What's that?" The aunty scoffed.

"It's work that's new, original. Mind changing ideas, she has a copywriting work. She is working for one of the finest companies."

"That all is fine beta, but marriage is the only option in the end."

I noticed Nikita's face fall and she suddenly realised why she avoids coming to Indore entirely. "Well, nice talking to you, we have to meet others as well, thank you for coming." I said and took Nikita's hand and they walked ahead.

She walked with him to a corner and I held her hand, "Hey, ignore her. It's stupid."

"Easy for you to say, Mayukh." Nikita scoffed and walked away. What happened to her?

Finally after a long 5 hours, everyone had gone and everyone had changed into comfortable clothes and we were having dinner. Nikita sat in her simple salwar, deprived off any makeup, and was eating silently while everyone discussed the success of the event. I noticed my silent wife. I was sad but I didn't know what to do.

After a while, when I was watching TV with my dad, I noticed Nikita missing and went to find her, but I halted in my tracks when I heard noises coming from our room.

"... why did you do that Nikita?!" Yamini Joshi was arguing with her daughter, "Tell?!"

"I told you to think before you get us married. You didn't."

What? She's still not happy with this wedding?

"Why would I not get you married? He's a nice guy, better than Sameer. He's so caring."

"Yes he's caring, but he's rich. Do you even know what all Seema Maushi said to me today, in front of me? She said I was lucky to marry a rich guy, and that my end goal is wedding and that my bloody patented work doesn't matter!"

I heard her voice crack and it hurt.

"Beta, ignore her." Aai consoled her daughter.

"It's easy, very easy, for all of you to say this. It's not easy when you have to live up to a standard, when you have to show your in-laws that you're not an extremely middle class person."

"What do you mean?"

"That car. The Chaudary's didn't get it. I arranged for it."

"What?!" Her mom yelled, "how? When?"

"When we reached. I called him so that the Chaudary's aren't extremely aware of our situation. Having a driver would at least show that we have some good financial state."

Is she insane?! How can she even think this?!

"Are you mad Nikita?! Why would you lie?!"

"I didn't lie Aai, I bloody saved us from losing respect and possibly this marriage."

My anger was increasing within every sentence. I respected her for who she is, but this level of degradation, of thinking us to be so low that we only care about her class. I'm losing it.

"Do you know how much arranging all this cost Aai? It's almost 2 lakhs."

"Beta, we'll get money back, but this moment."

"Aai, Rahul's fees is in pounds, it's already so expensive. Him staying there is an entirely different expanse and now you want to add more here. Dad's job isn't that great either, and we already used a huge amount in buying this house."

"So why did you spend so much in that driver?"

"Because you asked for a huge pooja Aai. It could have been something simple and I'd have had it only for a day, but you insisted to bring everyone. How would it look for Mayukh's family to not have a driver around? Think of their image."

"Beta now, what's done is done. I don't regret spending on you."

"Whatever Aai. Anyway, this guy is there for the week, payment is done. Just treat him well."

I got angry at her words. Why does she think of us this way?! And worst of all, if she was feeling a certain way, why didn't she just tell me! She really thinks we are stuck up on our image.

I saw her walk out and so I walked way either. I don't want to talk to her right now. She's pissed me off. Successfully.

I saw Aai sitting on her bed, cleaning it before she got up. I hid and she got up fast and walked way and then I entered.

I walked into my room after saying goodnight to everyone and saw her sitting on the bed, scrolling through her laptop. I entered.

"When is our flight tommorow?" She asked me. I didn't answer and just walked away.

Once I came into the washroom, I was disappointed in her way of thinking. I was beyond angry at her. I'm not speaking to her.

I walked out and found her tying her hair. I lay down beside her and she turned to me and tried to talk, "May... Mayukh..." she whispered.

I turned away from her and slept off.