Chapter 6: Return journey
-----------------------------
The beautiful morning came. A new sun with rose, bringing a new day to our life.
Paree was again lost somewhere in the house. People started to wake up. Eldest brother came to me and asked where I was the whole night. I answered that I was at the pandal only sitting there
whole night. He laughed and asked to freshen myself up. The bride and groom and all other will be leaving the bride’s place in few hours from now.
The marriage house slowly started to rumble and drowse itself in the noise of the crowd.
The morning at village is awesome, filled with fresh air. I could smell dews and fresh grass and some heavenly smell.
Someone served the groom’s party, the tea and breakfast. But Paree was nowhere in sight. My eyes were searching for Paree everywhere.
Suddenly I sensed a slap on the back of head.
---“Ouch!!!!” I looked back. Found Paree standing there, totally freshened up. She looked like a rose Lilly freshly drowsed in dew. A vibrant smile all smeared over her face. Not a single sign of
tiredness.
Paree in a scolding voice ---“Could not you wait for me for breakfast.”
---“How could I know? You were nowhere in sight.”
Paree ---“Could not you ask anyone about me?”
---“Ok ok, now sit down, and let us finish the breakfast.”
After finishing the breakfast, Paree again went to the bride’s room. Time had arrived for the bride and grooms to leave. That part of the whole ceremony was a real tearjerker.
I looked at my watch; it was about 10 o’clock in the morning, I was sure that we will not be leaving before 11 or 12 noon.
So, when the bride came out of the house for her journey to her husband’s home, tears began to flow from every pair of eyes present over there.
I was quietly standing at one corner. I felt a tug on my left arm. As I looked, I found Paree standing behind me with her face partially hidden behind my shoulder. She was holding my hand very
tightly, probably to suppress the tears flooding her eyes. I heard her sobbing and constantly rubbing her nose on the back of shoulder.
I turned my face ---“Hey!!, don’t cry, see, she is your new sister-in-law going to your house only.”
Paree ---“You won’t understand.”
I just put my left arms over her shoulder and cuddled her, rubbed her shoulder to give some comfort to her. She was still having my cream shawl wrapped on her.
There were two cars present at the venue to take us back.
Paree wiped her tears and whispered in my ears ---“I have to go in the bride’s car and you go with Subroto da’s friends in the other car. I do not want anyone to raise any eyebrows and smell
something fishy.”
I thought myself that she was right, if we get close to each other in broad daylight then people might smell something fishy about us, which we both can’t afford to have. As our relation was a
very very forbidden one.
Our cars started perfectly at the stroke of 12 noon as I expected. It will take about 3 to 4 hours to reach our destination. I was in the front seat, in the back two of Subroto’s friend were seated.
They were conversing among themselves about something which I paid no heed.
One time I heard one of them naming Suchismita.
One ---“Suchismita, was bit different from yesterday night, don’t you think so?”
The other ---“Yes I also observed that she was bit out of herself yesterday night. She is normally very playful person. She can’t keep quiet for a second, but yesterday night we did not hear her
voice for a quiet long time.”
---“Very different behavior. What might have caused that?”
---“How can I know?”
One of the friend called me ---“You are Ulupi madam’s Son right?”
I nodded positively and also inside my heart I thought they might have smelled something fishy.
---“Your mom was my college teacher. She used to teach us, she is very strict.”
I laughed out ---“Brother, she is strict even at home.”
We all laughed.
---“Subroto is your Mama (Maternal uncle) right, by relation?”
I said --- “Yes, but there is a huge age difference between my mom and all siblings of Subroto.”
______________________________
Oh, god, thanks, they have not smelled anything unusual.
---“Suchismita, is your aunt, right?”
I nodded affirmatively.
One of the person offered me a cigarette ---“You are in college so you do smoke. Come on do not be shy, treat me as your elder brother and not as a Mama even if we are your Mama’s friend.”
I politely denied his offer of cigarette.
---“I have quit smoking.”
---“Oh no, I saw you puffing yesterday night, alone on that road while I called you for dinner. Don’t be shy.”
Oh! My god, he saw us together?
I gathered some courage ---“No, actually I quit smoking only yesterday late night.”
Both laughed out their heart ---“So, probably you have found someone in the bride’s house who asked you to quit smoking.”
One asked me do I drink or not. I answered affirmatively. I drink only vodka and rum. They said to me that they have arranged for a party at the evening and they will take me with them to join the
party.
The conversation went on.
I came to know the name of Subroto’s friends. One was Samir who was of 28 years and another Mriganko who was also of same age. Both are doing some government job. Both were unmarried.
We got friendlier and they ask me to join them as a friend so that I should not feel lonely.
I also came to know that Subroto’s marriage was a love marriage later arranged. Bride’s name was Maithili, she was of the same age of Paree, might be few months older than her. They meet
each other in a family gathering and they fell in love. Later the eldest brother Sumanto saw her and approached her family to get them engaged.
Thus how the two love birds, Subroto and Maithili were joined.
In my mind I was thinking, I have got more than I expected, the dream girl my angel.
Time flew by; both the cars were moving in tandem, did not stopped in the whole journey.
At last the journey ended.
-----------------------------
The beautiful morning came. A new sun with rose, bringing a new day to our life.
Paree was again lost somewhere in the house. People started to wake up. Eldest brother came to me and asked where I was the whole night. I answered that I was at the pandal only sitting there
whole night. He laughed and asked to freshen myself up. The bride and groom and all other will be leaving the bride’s place in few hours from now.
The marriage house slowly started to rumble and drowse itself in the noise of the crowd.
The morning at village is awesome, filled with fresh air. I could smell dews and fresh grass and some heavenly smell.
Someone served the groom’s party, the tea and breakfast. But Paree was nowhere in sight. My eyes were searching for Paree everywhere.
Suddenly I sensed a slap on the back of head.
---“Ouch!!!!” I looked back. Found Paree standing there, totally freshened up. She looked like a rose Lilly freshly drowsed in dew. A vibrant smile all smeared over her face. Not a single sign of
tiredness.
Paree in a scolding voice ---“Could not you wait for me for breakfast.”
---“How could I know? You were nowhere in sight.”
Paree ---“Could not you ask anyone about me?”
---“Ok ok, now sit down, and let us finish the breakfast.”
After finishing the breakfast, Paree again went to the bride’s room. Time had arrived for the bride and grooms to leave. That part of the whole ceremony was a real tearjerker.
I looked at my watch; it was about 10 o’clock in the morning, I was sure that we will not be leaving before 11 or 12 noon.
So, when the bride came out of the house for her journey to her husband’s home, tears began to flow from every pair of eyes present over there.
I was quietly standing at one corner. I felt a tug on my left arm. As I looked, I found Paree standing behind me with her face partially hidden behind my shoulder. She was holding my hand very
tightly, probably to suppress the tears flooding her eyes. I heard her sobbing and constantly rubbing her nose on the back of shoulder.
I turned my face ---“Hey!!, don’t cry, see, she is your new sister-in-law going to your house only.”
Paree ---“You won’t understand.”
I just put my left arms over her shoulder and cuddled her, rubbed her shoulder to give some comfort to her. She was still having my cream shawl wrapped on her.
There were two cars present at the venue to take us back.
Paree wiped her tears and whispered in my ears ---“I have to go in the bride’s car and you go with Subroto da’s friends in the other car. I do not want anyone to raise any eyebrows and smell
something fishy.”
I thought myself that she was right, if we get close to each other in broad daylight then people might smell something fishy about us, which we both can’t afford to have. As our relation was a
very very forbidden one.
Our cars started perfectly at the stroke of 12 noon as I expected. It will take about 3 to 4 hours to reach our destination. I was in the front seat, in the back two of Subroto’s friend were seated.
They were conversing among themselves about something which I paid no heed.
One time I heard one of them naming Suchismita.
One ---“Suchismita, was bit different from yesterday night, don’t you think so?”
The other ---“Yes I also observed that she was bit out of herself yesterday night. She is normally very playful person. She can’t keep quiet for a second, but yesterday night we did not hear her
voice for a quiet long time.”
---“Very different behavior. What might have caused that?”
---“How can I know?”
One of the friend called me ---“You are Ulupi madam’s Son right?”
I nodded positively and also inside my heart I thought they might have smelled something fishy.
---“Your mom was my college teacher. She used to teach us, she is very strict.”
I laughed out ---“Brother, she is strict even at home.”
We all laughed.
---“Subroto is your Mama (Maternal uncle) right, by relation?”
I said --- “Yes, but there is a huge age difference between my mom and all siblings of Subroto.”
______________________________
Oh, god, thanks, they have not smelled anything unusual.
---“Suchismita, is your aunt, right?”
I nodded affirmatively.
One of the person offered me a cigarette ---“You are in college so you do smoke. Come on do not be shy, treat me as your elder brother and not as a Mama even if we are your Mama’s friend.”
I politely denied his offer of cigarette.
---“I have quit smoking.”
---“Oh no, I saw you puffing yesterday night, alone on that road while I called you for dinner. Don’t be shy.”
Oh! My god, he saw us together?
I gathered some courage ---“No, actually I quit smoking only yesterday late night.”
Both laughed out their heart ---“So, probably you have found someone in the bride’s house who asked you to quit smoking.”
One asked me do I drink or not. I answered affirmatively. I drink only vodka and rum. They said to me that they have arranged for a party at the evening and they will take me with them to join the
party.
The conversation went on.
I came to know the name of Subroto’s friends. One was Samir who was of 28 years and another Mriganko who was also of same age. Both are doing some government job. Both were unmarried.
We got friendlier and they ask me to join them as a friend so that I should not feel lonely.
I also came to know that Subroto’s marriage was a love marriage later arranged. Bride’s name was Maithili, she was of the same age of Paree, might be few months older than her. They meet
each other in a family gathering and they fell in love. Later the eldest brother Sumanto saw her and approached her family to get them engaged.
Thus how the two love birds, Subroto and Maithili were joined.
In my mind I was thinking, I have got more than I expected, the dream girl my angel.
Time flew by; both the cars were moving in tandem, did not stopped in the whole journey.
At last the journey ended.
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