Friends Forever!

My wedding had been one hell of an experience for me. Though we were in love and were very serious about spending our lives together, we both were very clear on our terms of marrying only with our parents' consent. My family happily gave their nod but the trouble was from his side. With a lot of convincing and patience from our end, Shyam's family finally agreed to get us married. Even though Shyam belongs to the community where Dowry is a must, my in-laws did not ask us for anything. All that they wanted was us to marry according to their customs which my family agreed without any qualms.

My late Father had not been very responsible when he was alive which meant we had no much savings. Our wedding date was fixed just after a month which left us with very little time to arrange the monies. The whole period between our engagement and wedding was very stressful for both of us. There were no sweet talks but only arguments and discussions about how to mobilize money between us. Shyam had couple of payments from his clients and some savings which helped us to some extent. The first breather came to us from the office I was working for. Since I was with the company since 2 years, the management did not hesitate in sanctioning a reasonably huge amount as a loan for my wedding. I had a chit of about 2 Lacs which I was paying since couple of months. It was no where nearing maturity and lifting the chit at that point of time meant losing a lot of money. We both were not sure which source we should be trying to arrange the monies which left us both worried. We were filled with negativity as we weren't sure what we should be doing. The relatives did not prove to be of any help. I was in my office pantry lost in thoughts as to what to do when a colleague (now friend) asked me what's the matter. When I shared my situation with her, she immediately offered help without any second thought. I was kinda in shock as we were not exactly very close friends but still she offered to help me. It was that moment which gave me the much needed strength and optimism to get up and walk again! It did not stop there. My other friends did not back off in helping either and it made me feel lucky and blessed for having such amazing friends.

The saying, 'A friend in need is a friend indeed', is so true in my case. I cannot thank my friends enough for being there for me during the most important phase of my life. We were able to clear off 85% of the monies in 1.5 Years. The thing which makes us proud is that we bore our wedding expenses on our own without depending on our parents. 

The post is written for Housing.com which believes in the inimitable power of optimism.

Go Play!

'I've asked you a hundred times to keep your hair plaited! Why do you insist on leaving it open?', yelled my Grand Ma at me. 'But I want to leave it open Granny. I like it that way', I said in an irritated tone. My Mom gently brushed my shoulder asking me to keep quiet.

'Today's generation don't listen to elders at all!' murmured my Granny and went in. She got a bottle of coconut oil and a hair band. 'Come here right now', she ordered. I quietly went and sat down. She poured half the bottle of oil into my hair and put a tight plait. 'See, how beautiful you look now. You will spoil your hair if you leave it just like that.' she said kissing me on my forehead. At that very moment I wanted to shout at the top of my voice that I don't like plaiting my hair but I kept quiet. I din't wanted to embarrass my Mom. 

'Mom, why does Granny always want me to keep my hair plaited? And look how much oil she has poured on my head. I will have to put a full bottle of shampoo to rinse this off my hair!' I said to my Mom after we came back home from my Granny's place. 'She cares for you baby. She doesn't want your hair to get spoiled.' I din't wanted to argue with my Mom, so I went into my room. 

'Granny, please let me do whatever I want with my hair. I promise I will take care of it.'

'How will you take care of your hair? If you do not keep it plaited, your hair will become frizzy and you might even have hairfall', she warned.

'I won't Granny. I will keep it nourished with Dove.'

'Dove? How will that help you?

Granny, Dove really helps in keeping hair moisturized and nourished. Touch my hair and see how soft it is.'

'It is soft because I oil your hair regularly.'

That's true Granny but it's also because of Dove. Let me show you' I said removing the band from my hair.

'Watch this Granny', I said swaying my head as my hair bounced enjoying the new found freedom.

My Granny gave me a surprised look.

'You want me to plait my hair right? Let me show you in how many different ways that can be done.'

I showed her all the different kinds of hairstyles I knew and she looked at me in awe.

'Oh my little princess, you look so beautiful.' she said.

Just a moment Granny, I said and got a curler and straightener from my neighbor Pinky.

'I sat down and straightened my hair. 'It will burn your hair!' screamed my Granny.

'It won't Granny. Touch my hair and see how it feels.'

Then I curled my hair from the mid section something I wanted to do from so long!!! My Granny gave up on me and left. I took my phone, played the song "Shake it like Shammi" and danced swaying my head and shaking my body like Shammi. I felt on the top of this world playing with my hair and dancing! I suddenly heard someone bang the door. I opened the door but no one was there. My Mom called out my name loud! I got up from my bed startled and realized that it was all a dream. My hair was still the same. And no, I was not playing with it.

I will never be allowed to play with my hair!

This is my entry to the Indiblogger contest Dove Go Play hosted my Dove.

Watch the #DovePlay Video here:

Five Sentence Fiction – Strength

"What's wrong my love?", she enquired gently placing her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her and broke into tears.

"We...  we lost everything, including this house", he said crying out louder.

She held him in her arms and said, "We did not lose everything, our love is still going strong and it will find us a way out of this."

He looked into her consoling eyes for that is all the strength he needed to get up and work again.

This five sentence fiction is written for the prompt "Strength" at Lillie McFerrin Writes

Frozen

They kissed and caressed each other as if their bodies were hungry for love since long. He unbuttoned her blouse hurriedly pushing her on the bed. Engulfed in passion and lust they forgot that they'd left the door open. She opened the door only to find her husband lying naked with her best friend. She froze at her husband's infidelity and the brutal betrayal by her best friend.

This five sentence fiction is written for the topic "Frozen" at Lillie McFerrin Writes.

A Long Separation!

I've been married for almost 8 months now and we did have our share of fights some real big and a lot over silly things. There were days when I would just tell my husband that I long to go to my Mum's place, pack my bag and just go to stay for a weekend. Yes, the separation would be painful for both of us but we could deal with it as it would only be for a day or 2.

So, now last week by hubby darling was gone for an official trip for a good 5 days (and 6 nights) to Bangalore. This was the first time we were away from each other for so long. 5 days seemed like 5 months. I stayed at my Mum's place when he was away. This separation from him made me realize how habituated I've become to his presence. I've never felt this way before even when he was in Bangkok for a good 3 months during our initial days of courtship. I sulked and so did he hoping the days would pass soon and we could be with each other. So, when he came back from his trip after 5 days, my hubby dearest told me how much he missed me, a thing which he shies away from saying generally.

You might now argue that it's silly and we feel this way only because it's our first year of marriage. Maybe when we have kids tomorrow, we might not miss each other so much. He shopped for me when he was in Bangalore and perhaps tomorrow he will shop for our kids. But however it might be tomorrow, I know now that my life without him will be as meaningless as Prabhu Deva's action flicks.

A Second Chance

"I am in love with you Anika!", exclaimed Nirav.

"Have you lost your mind Nirav? I was married before! I am a divorcee! Did you forget that?"

"I don't care Anika. I love you too much to judge you!"

"But I do Nirav," screamed Anika slamming the door on Nirav's face. She wasn't expecting a proposal from him. She had dealt with enough shit in her previous courtship and wasn't ready for anymore. After all  she knew all men are the same. Was Nirav trying to take advantage of her? Or did he think she's an easy catch for him since she is alone? Or does he think she's a damsel in distress and he could save her? Whatever it was, Anika just wasn't ready.

Nirav walked towards his car depressed by Anika's reaction to his proposal. He thought she would just say she needs time but such a reaction was totally unexpected. He felt dejected, hurt, broken and above all guilty for having hurt his love. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Anika and he did exactly that. Maybe he should have waited little more before expressing his feelings for her. But now, the cat was out of the bag, He could not take back what he said and what she had heard. He did not know how to make her feel better. He tried hard to stop those stupid tears from flowing but he did not succeed.

The office seemed empty without Anika. It was nearly a week since she came to work and that left Nirav restless. He urged to see her and considered going to her apartment but decided against it. After all, she might be hurt and taken aback by his sudden outburst of feelings for her which he had hidden for quite long. He finally gathered the courage to call her.

Anika ignored Nirav's calls. She sat in silence and recollected all that had happened at the party. The dance floor, the food, the cocktails and the heavy music, a perfect office day celebration. Everyone were dressed in their best clothes. Nirav paired a black casual shirt with a blue jean. Anika looked her best dressed in a pink knee length dress and minimal makeup. She had always been more comfortable with Nirav than anyone else in the office. In the two years of time they knew each other, there friendship deepened with time. Nirav was always in love with her but he knew Anika needed a lot more time to start living life again. After her divorce with Arnav, she'd suffered a major depression  Arnav was an overtly suspicious and insecure man. He controlled Anika's life for a good 3 years with his constant nagging. His insecurity grew with each passing day and Anika could take no more. She filed for a divorce and chucked him out of his life.

After the heavy dancing, the music became softer. Anika stood at a corner with a couple of colleagues laughing uncontrollably at a joke. Nirav approached her and in a filmy style asked, "Can I have the pleasure of a dance with you my lady?". Anika tried to hide her blush and bent her head grinning when Nirav grabbed her by her hand.

Anika's heartbeat tripled when she felt Nirav's warm hand curl around her back. He looked into those shy-filled beautiful eyes which otherwise were always confident. Anika tried avoiding his gaze but could barely control herself. They danced forgetting everyone else lost in each other. It took a while for Anika to regain her senses. She pushed Nirav away and rushed outside the hall. Nirav went behind her to the parking lot. He urged her to stop but she got into her car instead and drove away. Nirav followed her to her house. He rang her doorbell and she opened her door. Her smudged mascara and red eyes made Nirav's heart sink. He could swear she cried and that was because of him.

Anika's train of thoughts was disturbed by the doorbell. She peeped through the keyhole and found a man at the door. She opened the door and the man handed her a small box and left. She went in and opened the box to find a dazzling platinum ring. With it was a note saying, "Life deserves a second chance and so do you. I am at your door. Will you please open the door for me?"

Anika fought back those tears and opened the door. Nirav walked in without asking her permission. That made Anika furious. "You can't barge into my house like that without asking me!"

"Well, you can't barge into my heart without asking me either Anika!"

Anika was flabbergasted.

"Now, will you please close that door so that the neighbors don't hear what we talk?"

Anika closed the door.

"Nirav, please, I don't wanna talk to you. Please leave."

"But I want to. I've had enough now Anika. I know it's hard for you to get over Arnav but when will you start living your life again? I don't want to fool around with you. I want to be with you, every moment possible, hold your hand, look into those beautiful eyes and find love in it. For me. I want to be the man of your life. I don't promise that we will never have fights, but I want to fight with you and then make up to you by doing something crazy. I want to be the reason for your smile. I want to bring back happiness in your life Anika, the happiness that you deserve, the happiness that you have long forgotten."

"Nirav, I just can't trust a man again."

"You have to Anika. Not for anyone else, but for yourself. Not for getting hurt again but to be loved. Let go off your past my love. It isn't worth your grief. If you do not love me, then I will walk away right now without bothering you anymore. But if you love me and you are holding yourself back because of your past, then please let it go. And I promise to be by your side, forever."

"Nirav..... I, I..."

"Yes Anika. Tell me, do you love me?"

Nirav waited for Anika to open up but she kept crying.

"I am leaving Anika", he said turning back to leave when Anika hugged him from behind crying out loud.

Nirav turned back, held her beautiful face in his palm and kissed her forehead. He took the ring from her hand and put it in her ring finger. "I've another one for myself", he whispered in her ears taking out the ring from his pocket.

"You bought platinum love bands?" She asked.

"Yes. This is to let you know that our love has begun and will never end. It will not tarnish or fade away with time just like platinum which is the most eternal and precious metal. Also, to tell you that I will love you selflessly forever and ever till my last breath", saying that he gently brushed his lips against hers.

Looking into his eyes, she held his hand and put the ring in his ring finger. She pressed her lips against his and kissed him passionately for what seemed like an eternity.

This is my entry for the contest, Platinum Day of Love, on Indiblogger. 

From Smelly to Smiley

No smell in this world can escape my husband's sharp nose. He will catch any smell in the air and never hide his disgust if the smell is pungent.

We had an argument over a petty issue one morning over breakfast and it turned into a big fight. I was so mad that I considered taking an auto to work than going with him. All would have been fine if I'd gone to office with him. But I din't. And that rose his temper. He did not call me till lunch.

My impatience grew and finally I gave him a call post lunch. Two rings and he disconnected the call. Damn!

I thought he might be held up with some important work.

I called him again during my tea break at 4:30.

No response.

I instantly knew what was in store for me. I will have to deal with his anger back home. I gulped my tea in 2 big sips and went back to my seat. He was the one who always made up for a fight but I guess it was my turn now. I looked for some tips online but none caught my fancy. Then suddenly, the old saying about men popped into my head - "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach". And then I knew what I should do to cool him down.

I took permission to leave early from my boss, left the office at 5, picked up groceries from a supermarket and went home. I went to the kitchen, made all arrangements to prepare a lip-smacking dinner. I made fried chicken, pudina rice and raita. Chawal ki kheer is my husband's favorite sweet dish when I make it. Hence, I thought that should make a perfect dish for dessert. I put some milk to boil when my phone rang. It was my friend. I spoke to my friend for sometime and went to take a shower.

I put on his favorite perfume, wore a simple pink saree, a strawberry flavored gloss and few bangles. As I sprinkled some perfume on my hand and smelled it, another smell caught my nose. SOMETHING WAS BURNING!

Goodness gracious! It was my kheer!

I rushed to the kitchen and stared at the burnt container in horror! I dumped the container in the sink and opened the windows to get rid of the smell. But it din't help. I heard the doorbell and peeped to see who it was. It was my husband!

"Oh my! This smell. What am I gonna do!"

And then, I knew what I should be doing! I went to the kitchen and unsealed the newly brought bottle of Ambi Pur - Lavender and sprayed it all over the house. In a span of few seconds, the burnt smell disappeared. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door to find my impatient husband losing his cool and ready to shout at me. And then, he saw me.

He checked me out for a few seconds and came in silently. I shut the door and went to the kitchen without saying anything. I pretended to do some work when I felt his arms around me.

"The house smells as awesome as you my love." he said planting a kiss on my neck.

"I am sorry for not answering your calls today.", he said handing over a gift wrapped box to me. "And I am sorry for picking up an argument over a petty issue."

"I am sorry too", I said giving him a tight hug.

That way, a bit of cooking, a bit of looking good and Ambi Pur freshener helped me make up to my hubby darling! :)

This is my entry for the Indiblogger contest, Smelly to Smiley from Ambi Pur India

From Ms. Mahalingam to Mrs. Reddy

I am married!
To the man who has shown me what it is to feel "loved".
To the man who has made me fall in love with myself again.
To the man who has shown me I am worth a lot more than what I'd thought.
To the man who believes in me more than I do.
To the man who became a friend when I wanted one, lover when I felt unwanted, critic when I needed a reality check and now who is my husband promising to never leave my side till his last breath.
To the man who never gave up on me and kept trying.
To the man who loves me for what I am. .
To the man I can daringly be my worst with.
To the man who knows me more than anyone else does.

To the man who laughs with me at my stupid jokes, grabs my hand when I cross the road, holds me in his arms when I feel cold, dances with me to a song only we both know, and above all loves me without conditions, truly, madly, deeply like the Savage Garden song! ;)

A Tale of Inhumanity

Silently, I witness hundreds of passerby's daily, some using me as a temporary home to rest, some as a place to booze and some as a brothel. Being an abandoned old cottage for so long, I enjoy watching people using me as a number of things not knowing that I hear every word they utter and I watch everything they do.

This night wasn't normal though. She seemed to be barely 14 or 15. Her hands were tied behind and her legs were tied too with a rope which left bruises on her fragile skin. Her eyes were swollen. She was fully clothed but only for sometime. I had seen these 5 men before. They had come on a number of occasions with a bottle of alcohol cleaning me temporarily and boozing whole night.

She screamed as hard as she could and cried for help. No one came to her rescue. The big hefty man slapped her hard several times and she passed out. They did not showcase a hint of humanity. They tore her clothes mercilessly and took turns forcing themselves on her. She could hardly do anything to save herself. I could feel her agony and my heart went out for her. Her bare body was bruised and I witnessed red marks all over. I blinked my eyes several times thinking it's a nightmare but it wasn't. The men's laughter pierced through my ears and I wanted to crush their bones for hurting an innocent girl but I could barely move. I never felt as helpless as this before.

One of the men untied her legs and held the rope in his hands staring at her and smiling a crooked smile. The big hefty man instructed him to strangle her. She begged them not to kill her but her plea fell on deaf ears. She was strangled to death. The five men left the place leaving the lifeless naked body on it's own not turning back.

I had never witnessed such a brutal act before and cursed for not been able to help that poor little kid. Her body began decomposing and was noticed by a villager after few days. Taken aback by this inhuman act, he called the police from his mobile and narrated what he saw. The police came in a few minutes and examined her body. She was covered, photographed and then taken in a stretcher to the ambulance parked outside. Police questioned the villager asking him if he knew anything. I shouted at the top of my voice that I could help them find the culprits but my voice was unheard. I was after-all a cottage. An old, abandoned cottage.

This post is part of the contest Tell a Tale on WriteUpCafe.com

The joy of owning a dog.....

Dogs, the companions who are by your side all their life only expecting love and nothing else. I always had this craving towards owning a dog and when the long cherished dream became a reality with Dusty's home coming, I regret for not having bought a dog long ago.

The love and affection that a dog has for it's owner is beyond the love between humans. The innocent gaze of your pooch, the wagging of tail, the endless licks, the morning walks can't be exchanged with anything else. You can be quietly sitting on a chair with a book or a newspaper and your dog will patiently sit beside you occasionally licking your feet. They wait for you for hours looking at the door only to jump on you when you come home. Once, we all, except my Mom, had gone to a nearby place and had been a little late than usual. Dusty sat near the door waiting for us to come silently and refused to come in even when my Mom called her! Such is a dog's love for it's owner!

From the time Dusty came into my life, I feed the dogs in my colony with small treats whenever possible. Never a day passes when we do not talk about our princess! She's on our mind all the time and I feel my life would be so incomplete without her!