Nitya was sitting in the bridal room of the wedding venue. Her wedding dress felt too suffocating and she had thought of running away more than once.

She was initially happy that she would leave her father's house. She didn't have anything against her father. But she hated his habit of drinking and forgetting everything else. He didn't care about anything in front of his drinks. Not even her and her mother.

And so, she was happy when the proposal of marriage came and agreed immediately. But after her engagement with her would-be husband, she got to know that he too had a bad habit of drinking.

And since then, the idea of marriage didn't seem very good to her. But she couldn't deny it. And so she had no option than to get married.

Her chain of thoughts were broken when she heard the door open. Her mother entered with a smile on her face.

“Barat aane wali hai. Ghabrahat ho rhi hai?’

Her mother asked, caressing her chunri clad head. She nodded and held her mother's hand. She frowned and felt her forehead and looked at with worry.

“Mumma! Aapko fever hai abhi bhi.”

“Shaadi ki taiyarion ki thakawat se ho gaya hoga. Thik ho jaayega.”

“10 din se jyada se ye fever hai aapko. Aap na kal hi jaake doctor ko dikha kr aana.”

“Arre-”

“Nhi! Promise kro!”

“Achha thik hai tu ye chhod-”

“Nhi! Promise me!”

“Thik hai baba promise.”

Nitya smiled and kissed her mother's hand. She kissed Nitya’s forehead and went out to check the arrangements of the barat’s welcome.

Nitya was home for her Pag Phera ritual. Just as she had expected, her wedding night was a disaster. Her husband didn't turn up until she was in deep sleep. And when he did, he was completely wasted and slumped on the bed without even changing his clothes.

He woke up late this morning and she was all ready to leave for her home until he freshened up, so they didn't get any time to interact properly.

“Aap doctor ke paas gye the?”

She asked her mother who nodded and said.

“Vehem bhar raha tha faaltu ke. Viral hai, infection hai pata nhi kya kya. Itna lamba parcha de dia dawai ka haath mai.”

“Mumma! Aap apni health ko kabhi serious nhi loge kya?”

“Arre tere papa se kehkr mangwa lungi dawai. Tu gussa nhi kr.”

“Hmm! Good girl!”

She hugged her mother and the two gossiped until they heard her father's voice.

“Sushila! Mera drink glass kaha hai?”

Nitya scrunched her nose and her mother ran towards the kitchen in worry. Nitya followed and saw her father standing in the kitchen looking for his glass.

“Aap aaj bhi peeyenge? Aaj toh rehne dijiye na. Damad ji aa rhe hai-”

“Ek peg se kuch nhi hota. Tum glass do.”

She started washing the glass which was kept in the sink when she remembered the doctor's visit.

“Wo mai doctor ke paas gyi thi.”

“Kyu? Kya hua hai tumhe?”

“Ji wo bhukhar tha kaafi dino se. Unhone dawaiya likhi hai. Mujhe samajh nhi hai dawaiyo ki. Aap mangwa dena.”

Her father scoffed and said.

“Kuch nhi rakha dawaiyon mai. Doctoron ne dhanda bana rakha hai. Bhukhar hi hai na. Ho jaayega thik. Tum glass do.”

Nitya didn't like the way her father dismissed her mother's health.

“10 din se bhukhar nhi jaa raha tha papa. Doctor ne dawai likhi. Infection ya viral ho skta hai. Laa dena dawai.”

“Thik hai bhai. Ab mujhe mera glass dogi tum.”

He sounded irritated now and her mother quickly passed him the glass after wiping it with a dry cloth. Nitya sighed seeing his behaviour and she saw her future in her mother.

Her husband was on time. He greeted her parents by touching their feet and taking their blessing. Their eyes met and he smiled seeing her properly probably for the first time since their wedding.

Nitya looked away feeling timid at his intense gaze. All four of them were sitting in the living room talking about random things. Well, her husband and father talked while she and her mother listened.

Aarav, Nitya's husband, was looking around and his eyes stopped at a particular area. It was a shelf against the wall.

“Wow! Is that the finest scotch in India?”

He asked and Nitya looked at her husband. Ofcourse, he'd know that. He and her father were too much alike. Her father immediately brightened and nodded.

“Haan! Aap shauk rakhte hai.”

“Jee! Bhut!”

“Toh phir ho jaaye ek ek?”

Nitya immediately straightened and waited for him to deny since he had to drive back. But who was she kidding?

“Bilkul!”

She discreetly held his hand and his gaze shifted to her.

“Umm…aapko drive krna hai. Rehne dijiye na.”

She requested softly but he smiled, patting her hand.

“Ek se kuch nhi hota.”

Even his words sounded like her father's. 

“Nitya! Mere saath zara dinner ki taiyari krwa de. Inn sasur damad ko baithne de saath. Chal! Aaja!”

Her mother took her away. When they were in the confines of the kitchen and the men had made their drinks, her mother spoke.

“Mai nhi jaanti thi ki damad bhi peete hai.”

“Haan wo…umm…kabhi kabhi le lete hai.”

She lied not wanting to worry her mother. Her mother chuckled sadly and said.

“Tere papa bhi kabhi kabhi hi lete the shuru mai. Phir dheere dheere wo kabhi kabhi peena, kabhi kabhi na peene mai badal gaya. Tu baat krio damad ji se. Abhi shuruwat hai toh chhutna mushkil nhi hai. Baadme aadat banti jaati hai.”

Nitya nodded knowing that she couldn't tell her mother the truth. She was already not well and taking more stress wouldn't be good. But she was too pissed at her husband.

They were in the car driving back to her marital home. The steering wheel swayed a little resulting in the car swaying and Nitya looked at her husband wide eyed.

“Aarav? Aap thik hai na?”

“Haan haan! Ek do se kuch nhi hota. Aur phir I have to be alright…”

He held her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers before kissing the back of her hand and saying in a teasing tone.

“...afterall aaj hamari wedding night jo hai.”

‘Wedding night kal thi hamari. Par aap hosh mai hi nhi the ki aapko ye realise ho ske.’

She wanted to scream but she bit the inside of her lip to control herself from lashing out. She looked out the window and closed her eyes.