---
The haveli was hushed in the afternoon heat. After the heavy meal and Vedita's sweet halwa, most had retreated to their rooms. Vedita sat on the bed in their room. Her veil slipping off her shoulder and lips curved in a playful pout.
"Sabne toh mujhe kuch na kuch diya muh dikhai mein," she said, eyes glinting. "Par aap? Aapne toh kuch bhi nahi diya."
(Everyone gave me something on Muh dikhai. But you? You didn't give me anything)
Ved rested back folding his arms with mock seriousness. "Achha? Toh Thakur ko bhi dahej dena padhega ab?"
( Really? Now Thakur also has to give dowry)
She nudged him lightly. "Dahej nahi... nishani. Aapki yaad, mera pehla tohfa mere pati ki taraf se."
(Not dowry...a symbol... Your remembrance, my first present from my husband)
He caught her hand and tugged her onto his lap, encircling his hands around her waist securely. Her cheeks turned into a deep shade of red . His eyes narrowing with teasing warmth.
"Zid karti ho?"
(Are you persisting?)
Her blush deepened but she nodded.
With a quiet smile, he reached into the small wooden trunk by the bedside and placed two things before her. The first was a small silver sindoor box, its lid delicately carved with tiny flowers.
"Yeh," he said, brushing his thumb over the lid, "sirf tere liye banwaya hai. Tera ghar, tera rang... teri pehchaan. Taaki har subah, jab tu isse sindoor uthaaogi, yaad rahe-tu sirf meri hai."
(This... I especially get it done for you. Your home... Your colour...your identity. So that every morning when you pick vermillion, you'll remember- You're just mine)
Vedita's throat tightened. Her fingers trembled as she touched the cool silver. Before tears could brim, he picked up the second item-a slim, leather-bound book. Its pages smelled faintly of ink and age.
"Yeh shayari ki kitaab hai," Ved said softly. "Pata hai, shayad tujhe pasand aaye... aur agar kabhi main door hoon, tujhe mere lafzon mein mera saath mile."
(It's a book of Shayari. I know, maybe you'll like it...and if I'm ever away from you, you'll find my presence in my words.)
Her eyes widened-no one had ever thought to give her such a gift. She traced the embossed title with reverence, then looked up at him. Her smile breaking into something shy, radiant.
Before she could speak, he bent and kissed her lips, slow and claiming. She melted into his arms, clinging to him, until he finally pulled back with a low chuckle.
"Lo maine bhi apna tohfa le liya ab"
(Here, i took my gift too)
Her pout returned faintly.
"Aur abhi aap mujhe chhod kar kaam pe jaa rahe ho?"
(And now you're going to work leaving me?)
He tilted her chin up. His gaze was firm yet tender.
"Shaadi hui hai, Vedita... zimmedaariyaan bhi badh gayi hain. Par kal subah main khud tujhe tere ghar chhodne jaunga.... Phag phere ke liye .Shaam tak wapas aa jaaunga."
(We are married now, Vedita... my responsibilities have increased too. But tomorrow morning, I will personally drop you at your home... for the phag phera ceremony. I will be back by evening.)
Vedita looked at him
"Toh aap mujhe akela chod aayenge mere ghar?"
(Then you'll come leaving me alone at my home?)
Ved chuckled at that
"Arey... Akela kaha....tere bhaiya - bhabhi honge na tere saath"
(Oh... Where alone... You're brother and sister in law will be with you)
"Par aap toh nahi honge na... mujhe toh bas aap chahiye.." saying that she nuzzled her face in his crook of neck.
(But you won't be there. I just want you)
Ved smiled and kissed her head gently
"Main jaldi hi tujhe lene aa jaunga Vedita, thoda samay apne pariwar walon ke saath bita. Mere saath toh ab hamesha rehna hi hai, jab aayegi na toh ek pal bhi khud se durr nahi hone dunga." He pulled her closer, their chest hitting with each other
"Itne kareeb, hawa bhi aar paar nahi honge dunga"
He said biting her earlobe lightly
(I'll come soon to take you Vedita. Spend sometime with your family. You have to live with me forever, when you come, I won't let you away from me even for a second. So close... That even air won't be able to pass between us)
Vedita's lips shivered with their proximity. Without wasting another second he claimed her lips between his lips. Soon the kiss turned wild, desire taking control over them.
He slid her pallu away from her chest and trailed his kisses down her neck...
His hands making different patterns all over her body... Making her drench for him.... Just then
"Knock knock."
The sharp rapping on the heavy wooden door shattered the moment.
"Ved!" Arjun's voice carried through. "Bahut der ho gayi hai, chalna nahi hai kya?"
(It's too late, don't you have to leave?)
Ved closed his eyes, jaw tightening, desire warring with frustration. Vedita was flustered, she tried to straighten her pallu but he caught her wrist gently before she could move away. For a heartbeat, he only looked at her as though trying to read the depth of her soul.
Another knock. "Ved? So Gaya kya?"
(Ved? Did you sleep?)
Ved released a slow sigh, brushing his thumb over Vedita's knuckles.
"Raat ko baat karenge,"
(We'll talk at night)
She lowered her eyes nervously but he pressed a kiss to her forehead, murmuring, "Mat ghabra, ab yeh tera bhi ghar hai ."
(Don't be nervous, now it's your home too)
Then, with visible reluctance, he rose and adjusted his kurta before stepping out.
---
The evening breeze carried the faint smell of cow dung cakes and cooking smoke through the haveli courtyard. Vedita, with her dupatta pinned neatly over her head, moved quietly from one chore to another.
She fetched water with the other women, ground spices on the silbatta and carefully folded the washed clothes for her mother-in-law's trunk.
Though she was new to the haveli, her soft voice and quick hands drew a few approving glances from Dadi and even Ved's mother.
Later, she joined Suman in the kitchen. Together they crouched before the chulha. The fire casting their faces in a warm glow as they stirred the bubbling daal and rolled hot rotis. Suman whispered softly,
"Aaj pehli dafa koi mere saath aise baith ke madad kar raha hai. Tumhare aane se kam se kam mujhe toh saath mil gaya"
(Today for the first time someone is helping me sitting like this. With your arrival at least I got company)
Vedita smiled gratefully, the warmth of true acceptance softening her heart. But she was confused too.
"Kyu didi, Renu didi bhi toh hai? Waise main toh mil nahi payi hu unse abhi tak.”
(Why didi, Renu didi is also here? By the way i haven't met her yet)
Suman just sighed
“Haan hai toh, par woh jayada baat nahi karti kyuki main...”
(Yeah but she doesn't talk to me much but I...)
Vedita looked at her confused
“Aap kya didi...”
(What you didi?)
Suman just shook her head and looked away
“Main abhi tak maa nahi ban payi isliye ”
(I couldn't become a mother till now, that's why)
It broke Vedita's heart. She wanted to comfort her , say something but no words came out. She just didn't know what to say....
Suman continued, her gaze fixed on the fire, as if speaking to the flames.
“Pati aur patni ka rishta sirf bachon se hi poora hota hai Vedita. Jab tak godh na bhare, tab tak sab adhura hi lagta hai... aur aadmi ki zaroorat bhi toh hoti hain.”
(The relationship between a husband and wife is only complete with children, Vedita. Until the lap is full, everything feels incomplete... and men have their needs too.)
Vedita listened, her mind reeling. A sudden, sharp understanding pierced through Vedita’s confusion. She remembered the stories that her own bhabhi told. How a woman's purpose was to bear a son, to continue the family name. This wasn't just Suman's sadness; it was a truth woven into the fabric of their lives.
“Par didi... pyaar?" she asked softly.
(But didi... love?)
Suman let out a bitter, humorless laugh.
“Pyaar? Pyaar toh bas ek sabd hai. Asli rishta toh yehi hai unke liye ki hum unki zaroorat poori karte rahe... ghar ke liye, aur unke liye bhi. Hum aurton ke liye pyaar nahi bana hai”
(Love? Love is just a beginning. The real relationship for them is we keep fulfilling their needs... for the house, and for them too. There's no love made for women)
She looked at Vedita, a hollow sadness in her eyes.
“Tumhari nayi nayi shaadi hui hai, Vedita. Tumhe samajh nahi aayega. Par jab thode samay bitega tab tu samajh jaogi... ek aurat ki zindagi bas inhi sab cheezon ke liye hoti hai. Bachhe aur aadmi ki jismani zaroorat. Uske alawa sab bekar hai.”
(You are a newly wedded, Vedita. You won't understand. But after a while,you will understand... a woman's life is only for these things. Children and a man's physical needs. Everything else is useless.)
Vedita looked at her with sadness when a tear finally escaped and traced a path down Suman’s cheek.
“Sabko yahi lagta hai, Vedita. Isi liye, jinhe bachche nahi hote, unki koi izzat nahi karta. Shaadi ka maqsad hi yahi hai.”
(Everyone thinks so, Vedita. That's why, those who don't have children, no one respects them. That's the whole purpose of marriage.)
Vedita stared into the fire, the warm glow suddenly feeling cold. The bubbling daal and the rolling rotis seemed insignificant now. She thought of her own future with Ved, a future she had imagined filled with love and happiness. But now, all she could see was a purpose she hadn't known existed—the sole reason for a woman's marriage. It wasn't about finding a companion; it was about fulfilling an expectation. A heavy, unshakeable burden.
“Phir hum... sirf bachche paida karne ke liye hi pati ke nazdik jate hain? she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible.
(Then we… only get close to husbands to have children?)
Suman didn't answer, but the silence was confirmation enough. The fire crackled, and in its fleeting light, Vedita’s innocent view of marriage was forever changed.
-------
When the dinner was finally laid out, the men of the house sat first as tradition demanded. Ved's chair remained empty. As the women settled after the men rose, Suman nudged Vedita forward. "Chalo, kha lo."
Vedita shook her head gently. "Nahi... main apne pati ke saath hi khaungi."
The women exchanged surprised looks. Sarla, her lips twitching with disdain, muttered, "Badi ayi Thakurain." But Ved's mother, though silent, couldn't help but notice the quiet devotion in Vedita's eyes.
---
It was well past dusk when the heavy gate creaked open. Ved strode in along with Arjun, the dust of the fields clinging to his kurta and his shoulders heavy with the day’s work. His eyes immediately caught sight of her…his Vedita waiting for them standing there at the threshold of the courtyard with a lamp in hand.
“Der ho gayi," he said softly as he approached.
(We got late)
A warm smile lit her face and she moved aside, letting the two men enter the small, brightly lit courtyard. The aroma of freshly cooked food hung in the air, a comforting contrast to the cool, dusty evening.
“Bhook lagi hogi na” she said, her voice was like a soft melody as she set the lamp down on a small table. She led them to a low stool, where two plates were already laid out.
(You must be hungry, right?)
Ved and Arjun washed their hands at the pump in the corner. The cold water felt like shock to their tired skin. As they settled down to eat, Arjun let out a satisfied sigh.
“Tumhare khane ka toh jawab nahi, Vedita, he said with a grin.”
(Nothing beats your food, Vedita)
Vedita laughed, the sound as bright as the lamp's flame.
“Ab kha lijiye isse pehle thanda ho jaye”,she said, a playful glint in her eyes.
(Eat now before it gets cold)
Ved, who had been eating quietly, looked up from his plate.
“Tumne khaya?”he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.
(Did you eat?)
Vedita shook her head.
“Mai aap dono ke baad khaaungi.”
(I'll eat after you two are done.)
Ved put his morsel down and made her sit beside him. He took a piece of roti, dipped it in the lentil curry and held it out to her. "Nahi," he said, his voice firm but gentle.
“Abhi khao”
(No. Have now)
She hesitated for a moment, her cheeks flushing slightly, then ate the morsel from his hand.
Arjun, who had been watching the exchange, let out a low whistle and a teasing smile spreading across his face.
"Dekh raha hu Ved," he said, "apni Vedita ka kitna khayal rakh raha hai. Yeh mat bhoolna ki tera ek bhai bhi hai!"
(I'm watching, Ved is taking care of his Vedita so much. Don't forget you have a brother too!)
Ved simply ignored him, his gaze fixed on Vedita as she ate. The dust, the long day and the weight on his shoulders all seemed to vanish, replaced by a quiet sense of peace. In the lamplight, with the aroma of food and the soft sounds of the night, everything was exactly as it should be.
---
The room was bathed in the mellow light of the lamp. Vedita sat with the sindoor box and book beside her which Ved gifted her in the morning but soon enough Ved pulled her into his arms. His lips traced along her temple, her cheek, before claiming her mouth in a hungry and needy kiss.
Her breath hitched, hands trembling as they fisted into his kurta but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned closer, shy yet bold, answering his kiss. His palm slid to her waist, drawing her against his chest, his touch possessive yet careful, as if she might break.
"Vedita..." he murmured, voice husky, lips brushing her throat as he pressed hot kisses down the tender skin. She gasped, tilting her head back unconsciously, her braid slipping to the side.
For the first time, his hand moved lower, tracing the curve of her back, pulling at the heavy dupatta in his way. The desire in his eyes was unmasked, and she felt her own body respond in ways she had never known.
But just as his lips lowered further, she whispered, almost breathless, "Rukiye... abhi... abhi toh bahut jaldi hai..."
(Stop... it's too early..now)
He froze, confused, searching her face. "Jaldi? Kis baat ki?"
(Early? For what?)
Her lashes lowered, her cheeks burning. "Bachche ke liye..." she whispered so faintly he almost thought he misheard. “Shaadi ke baad... aurat aur aadmi bas... wohi karte hain na... taaki bachcha ho?
(After marriage... a woman and a man just... do that, right... so they can have a baby?")
The words struck him like a pause in time. He pulled back slightly, staring at her, the innocence of her belief colliding with the fire of his own longing. "Vedita..." he began, his tone a mixture of disbelief and tenderness, "tumhe yeh kisne-"
But she just slipped beneath the quilt beside him.
“Ji main thak gayi hu Aaj bahut, kal baat karenge ”
(I'm really tired today, we'll talk tomorrow)
For the first time, she slept quickly, exhaustion claiming her as she nestled into his chest, his arm instinctively curling around her waist.
Ved lay awake longer. Her words from earlier - "shaadi sirf bachche ke liye hoti hai"- echoed in his mind. He stared at the ceiling, his jaw tight, his fingers unconsciously stroking her hair.
"Kaise samjhaun ise... pati-patni ka rishta sirf farz ya santan tak seemit nahi hota. Yeh pyaar bhi hota hai... sukoon bhi."
("How do I explain this to her... the relationship between a husband and wife isn't just limited to duty or having children. It's also about love... and peace/solace.")
Only when her steady breathing calmed his storm did he finally close his eyes. Sleep claimed him, their bodies tangled in each other's warmth.
---
•What do you think about this chapter, share your reviews?
•How will Ved make her understand the things now?
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