My unplanned marriage

“What is this? What are you wearing” G was asking angrily. I was sweeping the floor of the verandah of my ancestral home wearing a torn and faded Salwar suit of my half sister when G had arrived, unannounced. We were engaged only yesterday.  She was probably free because it was a public holiday and just wanted to surprise me by visiting without prior information. “I am sorry. I didn’t know that you were coming” I stammered.

G had a thoughtful expression on her face. She asked me to go and change in to a shirt and trouser and took a chair in the verandah itself. She refused my step mother’s request to come inside. We came out of the house and she motioned me to sit behind her on her Honda bike. “I have to take the permission of my mother to go out” I told her and ran inside to ask her.  I came out 5 minutes later after her dire warning that she shall not open the door if I was late and sat behind G who was waiting with the bike already started. I didn’t know that I shall not be seeing that house for a long long time.

Within 15 minutes, we were sitting in a quite restaurant. G had lit a cigarette and asked me to share my life story with her. I told her about my mother’s death and my step mother’s cruelties. G was in turn sympathetic and outraged. She also told me about her mother’s death and her father’s decision not to marry again and raise her like a son. I had never felt so close to anyone. It was hard to believe that I knew this girl only since last evening.

“You are not going back to that hell again” she declared suddenly. “Come with me to my place. You have to come ultimately so there is no point in going back to your mother’s place.”  I was taken aback. “Your father shall never approve. India is not yet ready for livein relationships.”I objected.

G lit a new cigarette and started thinking.” I had come to buy a wedding saree for you. Let’s go shopping and I shall think a way out”. With that, she called the waiter for the bill.

As I selected a gorgeous pink colored saree for myself, complete with blouse and petticoat, G was busy making phone calls, only nodding her approval. As I asked the salesman to pack the saree, G came to me smiling “make some more purchases. You need to have some more sarees and innerwears. As I had said, you are not going back. I have already spoken to my father and all arrangements have been made. We are getting married in the temple today as all courts are closed due to Republic day. Legal formalities shall be completed later”. With that she took my hand and we went to the lingerie section.

G had already informed me yesterday evening that after the silicon implant, my size shall be 36c and I made all purchases for that size only hence no one took note of a boy asking for blouses, bra and panty. As I was selecting a beautiful nightgown, G took me aside. “Don’t waste money on night wears. I am not going to allow you to wear anything at night”. My mouth gaped open and I could see that her eyes were twinkling.

We were married the same afternoon, on 26^th January, 2009. I took the surname of G and became Moni Chaudhary from Kuldeep Gupta.