Arjun's PoV
Sivaprakasam uncle sent me and my mom a biodata, horoscope and a picture through WhatsApp a week later after we met him in that wedding. I couldn't even believe that dad could talk like this to someone on face. It was so undiplomatic of him. He literally hurt Anamika's dad's feelings. I know he doesn't like them much. Everyone in my family thinks that she eloped with her past love or something like that. Though they don't talk like that in front of me, I know what they all think. My family holds Anamika's parents responsible for this mishap. My dad thinks that her parents forced her into this marriage because we are rich. No one ever tried to disrespect her parents because I was always in support of them. I could see their shock and genuine sorrow which proved that they are unaware of anything that concerns their daughter. Though it is their mistake not understanding their daughter, it is also true that no one can get into someone's heart to know what they have in there, not even parents.
I stopped dad's sudden outburst and gave my word to Sivaprakasam uncle. I know I have to get married anyways. What is going to go wrong in giving him a chance? Besides all the girls, dad showed me screams of money and lavishness. I cannot put up with someone like that for a whole life.
I could not believe my eyes when I looked at the picture he sent us. It was her. ANIKA! It is unbelievable and impossible. How can I marry that little girl? She is in love with someone else.
Mom liked her in the picture. Of Course everyone will like her. She is beautiful. I couldn't say no to mom, I don't know why. I know I cannot marry her. She is in love with someone else. I cannot do the same mistake of marrying someone who is not in love with me again. Anamika and I married without love. I thought love will bloom after we start living and understanding each other, just like it happens in thousands of marriages in our country. I was patient enough to give her time to settle herself in her new surrounding. I had that physical attraction on her, I was 26years old man and I had no previous experience in sex, so I was eager, yet, I refrained myself when I saw doubts in her.
Anamika was a perfect girl. She was a perfect blend of cuteness and beauty. No one could point their finger at her except that she was not comfortable being with me alone. I thought she was shy but it turned out that she doesn't want to be with me. It was a complete shock for me when she asked me to go to her parents' place one day out of nowhere. Though, I took her to Tirupur only to lose her forever. She could have told me anything that was bothering her but she chose not to. Now I hate her for what she did to me. It was them who approached us for that marriage. She came into my life and caused chaos.
"Ennanga(an endearment a wife uses to call her husband), shall I go to Tirupur today? I feel like I want to see my mom and dad." she told me on that day, ironing my outfits for the day. I was getting ready for my office.
"Why today, Anu? Can you wait for the weekend?" I asked her, getting my belt from her.
"um... I don't know, I just felt like visiting them." she said looking down. She never talks to me looking me in the eye.
"Ok, I will take you." I told her as I felt that she is sad and maybe visiting her parents will make her happy.
"No, I can go by myself. It's ok. I know you are busy." she said hurriedly.
"It's ok, Anu. It won't be right to send you alone. I shall take you. Wait, let me make some calls to manage my absence today." I told her for which she just nodded.
"Are you ok, Anu?" I asked her in the car.
"I am good." she said.
"Why this sudden plan? It wasn't even two months until you saw them last." I asked her. We visited her parents' place two months before when we had to attend a relative's wedding.
"um... it's nothing. I had a bad dream. Just wanted to see them and make sure they are fine." she said.
"Haha ok, Don't worry, they will be alright." I told her, holding her hand.
"Thanks!" she said, pulling her hand away from me. This is not new, she doesn't like me touching her. That doesn't mean she will not let me, she will let me touch her but will soon free herself from me. I could not understand it at first but as time passed, I found it odd.
"Anu, Why are you not comfortable with me? It's almost a year now that we are married. I am ready to give you enough time, but you have to tell me what is bothering you." I asked her, breaking my inhibitions.
"I... I am sorry. I am scared." she said. I felt pity on her. She is not yet ready to start a life with me.
I feel like our culture and our upbringing is so strict that she is not ready to let the natural thing happen. Sex education is something we must give our kids to make them aware of which is good and bad. We were grown up thinking that talking about it is sin. Anamika is the perfect example of such a brought up. She thinks it is bad and that is why she is scared.
"Don't be scared, Anu. I want you to develop your trust in me. Do I look like a monster?" I tried to ease the situation. I am not a talkative person. Actually, I was ok with the silence between us and maybe it is my reserved nature that made me stay apart from my wife for a whole year even after marriage.
"No no! It is not your fault. Please don't say anything to my dad." she said.
"What? No. Don't worry. I won't talk about this to anyone. Take your time. I am ok as long as you make my mom and dad happy. I am happy the way you are." I told her to ease her. I switched the songs on for the rest of the trip to calm her down as she looked so worked up. I didn't know that would be the last conversation with her.
Mom took Anika's and my horoscopes to an astrologer to look for our matches and she came with wide smiles.
"Ennanga , the astrologer says that their horoscopes are made for each other. They have 12 matches out of 12 and he says that it is very rare. He said we are good to proceed." my mom told dad while eating our dinner.
"Good, I am ok if you are ok. I am not going to give any comments on his wedding, Yasho. I leave it upto you. All I want is his happiness." dad said. Yeah, dad is still mad at me for taking up Anamika's dad's side.
"Pa, please. Just accept that you are wrong in talking to him like that. Imagine what it would be like if they blame us for their daughter's disappearance. There are many chances for them to do that but they understood that it was not our fault and gracefully gave me divorce too. Even now, he wants my happiness just like you do. How is it fair to talk to him like that? If you think out of your shoes, you will know that I was not wrong that day. I understand your concern for my life. But I also understand his plight." I told him.
"Arjun, whatever it is, you shouldn't have talked against your dad in front of him." Rajesh told me.
"Please, Rajesh. Let me and dad talk about this." I shut him up.
"Ajju, he is my husband. It is not right to talk to him this way." Priya came in.
"Oh, for god's sake, please mind your own business. If you interfere in other's, you are bound to be put in your place." I told Priya.
"Amma, look at your son. He is not at all respecting my husband. He doesn't even talk to him. I was ok with that so far but now he is disrespecting him. I cannot tolerate it anymore." she squealed to mom.
"Shhh, Priya. Stop making a scene here. We will talk about this later. Let them finish their dinner first." Mom tried to stop her.
"Am I making a scene here? Why are you doing this to me, amma? You always support your son." She started whining.
"Quiet! This is dining table. Arjun, even now I am telling you, I don't like their family hanging on to us anymore. You got a legal divorce which means that you are free of your ties with that family. It is for your best interest that I am telling you to cut ties with them. I don't blame them or find fault in them. I know they are good people. But if they don't know the basic etiquette to clear ways, we should make them move away. I tried to do the right thing and you conflict with me. You are a grown man and I respect your decision. And about your issue, Priya, Rajesh's opinion on this matter is uncalled for.” Dad said and left the table.
Priya and Rajesh were upset and I know it was because of me. I was already worried that dad mistook me and Rajesh just spoke the wrong thing and I could not stand it. So I reacted and Priya over-reacted.
"I am sorry, Rajesh. But please refrain yourself from interfering in issues not related to you." I told him to stop this fuming further and left. I heard Priya shouting to mom and I least care about her.
I know dad is right from a parent point of view but it is not in my system to just eradicate someone who is not at fault. They are not clingy as dad says. Now getting back to the problem at hand, mine and Anika's horoscopes match perfectly. So now, mom is going to proceed with this alliance. What should I do now? Why can't I just say a no? I tried, I couldn't. Anika is in love with someone and she hates me. Hopefully she will say no to this madness to her parents. It is enough if either of us say a Big NO! Since I know that she will never say ok to marry me, I decided to go with the flow. Strange but true, I feel a bit of happiness and a bit of confusion on who she is in love with!