"Abhimanyu...." I took measured and calculate steps to eliminate the distance between us, "Why have you been so distant to me?"

"Shree...." He exhaled laboriously, his words left me wondering about the depth of pain he was in. It hindered my progress towards him. His back was facing me; he had his fist curled over the iron railing. This marriage happened only because of my parents."

"How can you say that? I am your wife."

"You are my wife for the whole world to see. I wish to keep no-strings-attached" to it. I hold no responsibility for you." His lips were uttering what was in his mind and now I didn"t want a glimpse of his profaned brain.

"What?" A mere whisper slipped past my lips, my eyes brimmed with tears, I wanted to shout, clamor and hurt him with my actions but I was fixing the broken pieces of my heart that were being crumpled under his feet.

"No strings attached? What do you think you"ve done? We are married for god sake; you do hold responsibilities towards me." I forced him to see eye to eye but his eyes were shut long back. If not, then we wouldn"t be here.

"Do not force yourself on me. I have done it for our families." He exasperatedly snapped, "I should"ve told this to you in the beginning itself."

He didn"t want me whereas I had already accepted him, he didn"t even want to share his heart with me and I was ready to present my soul bare to him. I believed there was no point of persuading him to accept me when he clearly didn"t look abreast at me.

"I want an answer now." I bit back a whimper that was choking my throat and looked straight at his back. "Will we ever find love in this?"

Tears spilled down on my cheeks and I had this clenching pain in my heart. My hopes, my dreams all of them could be shattered by his answer and still hoping against the hope, I expected him to not disappoint me.

I opened my mouth to say something but his words were the final nail in the coffin.

"I don"t know." With that, he left leaving me shattered and heartbroken, I kept zooming in at the space where he was standing a few seconds ago. I sunk down to my knees and sobbed for the way my life had turned up.

A question kept rebounding in my psyche; will we ever going to find love in this relation or will it end up before the commencement?

___________

The book has been veryspecial to me and the love and affection I've received for it, is phenomenal. I don't think how much thankful I can be for this love. Do votes and comments please :)

 "If the world falls apart, if judgment comes upon us tomorrow, if dreams snatch your sleep. That"s not the end, consider it a beginning. The new beginning!!"

"Good morning everyone, I am RJ Monisha and you are listening to Moody Mornings only on Radio Mirchi 98.3 fm, it"s hot. Yes, it is really really hot, I meant the weather outside. Jaipur is burning with 42 degrees, guys. What could bethe best recreation at this time? Let me guess, nothing is gonna match up to the bliss of basking in the cool water, isn"t it? So, pick up your cell phone, dial the number 233390 and let me know the first weird thought that you get after noticing the weather and win a chance to get stretch out in the Marine Life water park. So, hurry up and till then, listen to this beautiful song dedicated to the most awaited rain." With that, Barso Re Megha Megha poured in my room through the speakers of home theatre and I lazilystretched my body to the fullest, preparing for the daily session of power yoga.

I was always in preference to the power yoga and cardio than any other exhaustive work out. It somehow relaxed me and was the safest option to be fit without any consideration of having an uncoordinated stretch of limbs that could end up in ailing. I spread out the mat on the marbled floor and increased the volume of the speakers as the song changed to Naina Thag lenge.

Risking it, I jerked the blinds away from my windows and sun outside, glowing at its full glory, smirked at me. Despite the windowpanes, I could feel the glaring of sunbeams that made me thankful of the air conditioner without which it was hard to survive in Jaipur whatsoever. The heat emitting from the ground could morph a metal into liquid state.

I got back to my place and set off a few basic Asana that I had mastered over the course of four years of practicing yoga.

Soon, I was done and exhausted with that. I snatched up my clothes from the cupboard and bunched up my hair in a messy bun, the frizzy locks bounced on my shoulders. I neatly folded the mattress and slid it under the pet bed. I did the routine and changed into the flower printed jumpsuit as it was Saturday and being in the corporate world, it was a perk to have Saturdays off.

"Mom!" I yelled sprinting downstairs and sequestered my position on the double set sofainstalled in the living, "Coffee!" I switched on the television and channeled to NDTV Business to get into the swing with the latest update.

"It is good too sometime to jog inside the kitchen to make coffee for yourself." I smiled as the mocking reached my ears, I could never fail in putting a name on that voice. I didn’t deter from scanning the news. Shankar who worked as a menial in our home served me the coffee shortly. He was here to assist us since the day dad

got his transfer in Jaipur. Being a high official in the department of customs, dad had several privileges and Shankar was a part of them. In fact, we had three servants in total who were always in commission to get the orders that mom hardly gave to anyone except trimming the lawn, buying groceries and sometimes, assist her in the kitchen.

"Don't worry. I have people to serve me." I jeered as my response to the mocking of Siya. Furthermore, I could hear her scoffing

As she reached closer with the toast clipped between her lips and snapped her fingers before me, "These are not going to go with you, ma"am."

"What do you mean?"

"You will know what I mean shortly." She winked at me and gestured me to shift aside. I did as commanded in a daze and furrowed my eyebrows together while she was at peace, destroying mine. My eyes wandered from her to Shashi who was mopping the floor. I tried to make a hunch maybe

she knew anything but it was a vague thought. She was a servant, after all.

"I want to know now." I prompted, without any delay. Siya casted a glance at me and shook her head, "I told you that you will be informed shortly."

"If you didn’t tell me now, I am going to question mom." I rolled my eyes, and she snickered, covering her mouth. "I strongly suggest against it because Di, you will end up being in an awkward position. Trust me on this."

"Do you want me to be restless for the whole day until mom tells me?"

"I presume you will have to wait for more than a day." She smirked, "Since dad is not in the town, you will have to wait until dad is back which will take a fortnight. So, presumptively, you will have to wait for fourteen days."

I sulked, coiling at one end of the sofa. This was my evil sister; she deliberately sprouted the seeds of curiosity in me and now left them unattended, bare and open. She was significantly manipulative and shrewd, and I had to shame in acceding that I was always the guinea pig for her given the fact that she was younger to me by five years. She would help me in providing the news around, and I would pay her for that that was supposedly contributing her in raising funds for her higher education in case dad refused to support her, but I knew it was a plain white lie, she was investing the whole sum of money in her recreation and only peanuts used to pop by her piggy bank, if she had any.

"Okay fine, how much do you want this time?" I was on point. She bit her lip, pondering and threw the remote on the table before turning to me, completely. "Five thousands, only."

Her voice was a combination of accomplishment and exuberance. I scrunched my face at her demand and nibbled on the toast, crumbs of it fell over my dress. I swiped them off, "I think I prefer to wait for fourteen days."

"What?" Shock amalgamated in her voice. I grinned inwardly, knowing it very well that she would cave in. "Okay, two thousand?"

Albeit her proposal was speculative, I tended to break her more. "One thousand, not a penny more than that."

She seemed to take it into consideration and nodded a while after, "One thousand rupees and the new perfume bottle that you"ve purchased that has notes of smoke in it."

"No way!" I refused blatantly, "I am not going to put a bargain on that. You"ve already gifted yourself with my Dolce & Gibbana perfume for an occasion unknown to me, not anymore."

"Oh, yes. You are." She jerked her shoulders, reading me. "I know that this news is more important to you than a perfume bottle. It is related to your future. Besides, you"ve got plenty of money. You can visit the mall anytime." She emphasized on the future".

"I don"t want to waste money."

"Waste money?" She tried the word as it was foreign to her. "Di, money is not some sort of limited resource that is going to waste if you spend a little. Consider the fact that mom dad are immaculately saving money for us. So why do you have to bother for something as trivial as tagged saving"? I am your only sibling; you should spend it on me."

"I don"t see any reason to spend money on my sibling."

"Recall the part where I said the news is pertaining to your future." She wiggled her eyebrows at me, suggestively.

"Okay fine. What is it?"

ESV sniffed in a corner at my incompetency of standing root against her. This evil witch is burgling you overtly and you"re a wimp to that."

ESV was my subconscious voice. Very much akin to that of yours, except it had a tendency of providing me with the badass, savage replies for anything and plenty of quirks irrespective of the probability of the fact that I might not just want them, at all. Therefore, I called it Evil Shree Voice aka ESV.

"Okay, the news is..." She started off when I wrapped my palm on her mouth and impeded, "Not here, idiot! Come with me." I pulled her on her feet and sprinted upstairs to my room. Once inside, I locked the door firmly and veered at her, "Now."

"Okay," She roamed her eyes around and pranced to my dresser to get hold of the said perfume bottle she demanded and positioned it as a mike. "So, the news is that the most eligible bachelor of our society has sought your hand. For the wedlock, of course! What I gathered from the sources, his aunt took a fancy to you and she has asked mom to think over it, your alliance with the said bachelor."

"What?" This wasn"t something I had bargained for. My eyebrows reached to the hairline in surprise and I blinked just hear...wedlock?"

"You did."

"What the hell! Who"s dying to swallow my maidenhood just when I have turned twenty three?" I had so many cousins who were of nuptial age but this aunt" noticed me only? It was an uninvited issue for me.

ESV sniped at me, Were you planning to celibate? Count me out if that"s what you"re chalking out." I shooed her away instantly. "What"s his name?"

"Abhimanyu." Siya announced as if he were an emperor which only compelled me to roll my eyes. "Who is this? Is he someone that we are familiar with?"

"I think I have an idea." She jogged her memories, doing a freefall on the bed, "He"s Shikha aunt"s distant nephew and Roma aunt"s sister"s cousin"s son. All that I"ve managed to pull together involves that he is directing his father"s company as CEO and he was present in Aditi di"s wedding. Oh, maybe that"s where Shikha aunt has thought that you both could be a potential match."

"Shikha aunt sought this match?" Shikha aunt was my dad"s cousin, a close one actually. In back of my mind, I was still cracking the puzzle. Roma aunt"s sister"s cousin"s son!! Isn"t it a bit too complicated? Well, we had this happy go lucky big fat family and our family ties were a bit complicated for generation three to remember. I belonged to this generation three.

"I am not sure." Siya raked her fingers through her hair and inspected them, "Perhaps, Mr. Groom himself has selected you for him and chose Shikha aunt to only deliver the proposal."

"What rubbish!"

"Hey, this could be possible." She flopped on her stomach and rested her chin on her cupped palms. "Did you see him?"

"No! I didn"t." I dragged my knees closer to my chest and cinched my arms around them. "Did you?"

"If he had been hot, I would have definitely." She replied, nonchalantly that it made me giggle. I swatted her arm and she grinned as well. "So, what have you thought?"

"About?"

"About this alliance, duh!" She banged her head on the bed at my stupidity probably.

"What"s in there to think?" I chewed on my lower lip, furrowing my eyebrows at her exaggerated reaction.

"Did you feel tingles and anything of that sort in your belly?" She was more excited than me. Her eyes twinkled and I huffed, "Are you dupe? How can I feel tingles for someone I haven"t seen?"

"No, I mean generally you should feel tingles when it concerns your marriage. Right?"

"No! I don"t think so. Anyway, how did you know all of these and that too in great details?" I inquired, popping my fingers. It was when I noticed that the color faded off her face and she gulped, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Um...I...actually...eavesdropped?" She punctuated it as a question itself.

"You did what?"

"See, I didn"t want to but I was just passing by and I happened to hear it and I thought it was something interesting to know and then, I ended up hearing it all." She blabbered followed by a long drawn sigh.

"You are being impolite, Siya. I am so disappointed in you." I was pissed at her for her crudeness. ESV pondered it to be a good manner to interrupt, Is it because she told you about the hypothetical wedding?"

"No, it"s not because of that."

"Ah, what?" Siya twisted her eyebrow at me and I gave her a hard glare. "Do not try to swerve me from the topic."

"I am sorry for that." She mumbled, sitting up and dangled her legs down. "It wasn"t on purpose. I was really not intending to hear it but mom was speaking so loud on her cell phone that it just penetrated in my ears and I heard it all. I really didn"t plan it."

"Try telling that to mom." I snubbed and she glared me, "This is wrong, di. I did a favor to you by informing you about the whole thing and you are conniving to frame me."

"I never asked you to eavesdrop, so don"t even try to make me your ally. Intended or not, it is still a felony and I must tell you that if mom knows about it, you will be dead. D-E-A-D."

"Thanks for making me feel better." She twitched her lips and got up, "You should say thanks to me but I think you are in opposition. Just hand me my fees and get done with me."

An evil thought surfaced in my mind as I tamed my hair, "I don"t have the changes now."

"Hey! You are lying." She accused me, "I know you"ve money."

"Why will I lie?" I played again. She made a puppy face, cutest in the world and whined. "Di, please. Don"t play now, I know you are lying." And with that, she crawled on me tickling my sides until I was in stitches.

"Okay okay, stop!" I whizzed in giggles and pushed her away. She folded her knees and sat on the bed awaiting. I skated down on my feet and took out my clutch from my reticule.

Counting a thousand rupee, I thrust in her hand with a fair warning. "Treat me if you"re going to eat something or else hide it in your piggy Jar."

I think she will have a mini version of WB with the sum of money and in a few years, she will be crediting loans to developing countries." ESV quipped, mocking me silently sipping her coffee and I nodded my head having the same mind because it was making holes in my wallet. Satisfied, Siya squealed for her newly earned money and ran out of the room, making me smile at her antics. I blew air in exhaustion and did a face plant on the bed.

"And you need to make your choices smartly because each and every choice that you make is secretly conspiring to alter your future."

"Yes Mr. Kumar, I"ve already prepared the prototype and the presentation is already done. I"m just looking forward to hit the deadline." I rapped out, attaching the media with the conference call. We"re having a grand project launch on the ensuing Monday and the last past week had been a total pain in the ass for all the employees. Even though I"d worked my brains off in the office today, I was to attend this conference call that pertained to the project.

"That"s good and what about the lab tests? Any malfunctions?"

I rolled my eyes and debated, "Sir, I am in developing department. I just manage the coding and front end programs."

"Oh, yes." He nervously rubbed the throbbing nerves on his forehead and laughed, "I am forgetting things quickly these days. I think I am developing Alzheimer. Having each finger in every pie is not easy."

"I can understand Sir, but do not worry. We"ve got this handled." I assured him, putting a period on his worries. The conversation evolved over the course of two hours and I had an acute back pain by the time, it ended up. I arched my back, pressing my hand on lower reign and closed my eyes shut when the pain shot up to my spine. I hoisted a few pillows and propped them under my back. I yawned and skidded down on my side on the mattress, exhausted to my limits. It was a fatigue day. Due to the project launch, we were busy and sitting straight six hours before the computers developed an acute headache.

"Butu!" Mom hailed from downstairs and I scratched the back of my neck, grudgingly. "What?"

"Come down, now."

I ruffled the sheets aside and dragged my feet into the floor. My body was in knots as each and every nook ached. ESV was not ready to lend a hand as well. How many times have I reminded you to impede your mom from calling you, Butu? It sounds like she is fondling a poodle."

If truth to be told, I didn"t nurture a liking for the obnoxious pet name my family gave me. It was a bane. It was infamously circulated in my friends circle and I used to receive a lot of teasing regarding having a boyish pet name. What I failed to contemplate was the reason of their teasing, whether they disliked it because it was boyish or was it because Butu itself was a very dupe name.

However, I was over this about ten years ago and now it was just a part of my measly existence. Despite everything, I liked it when mom and dad called me by this name, it sounded like a melody to my own ears.

I hopped down the stairs and paddled straight to the kitchen as the bittersweet aroma of coffee beans - probably being crushed in the coffee machine - hit my nostrils. I noticed mom preparing for the dinner as it was half past seven and we were early diner.

"Yes?" I asked as I opened the refrigerator and extracted the bowl of vanilla ice cream from the freezer. It was a leftover of the last night when Siya bought ice creams for us, of course! From the money that I squeeze out for her. I put the bowl on the table and veered around to grab the scooper.

"Here!! Your coffee! If you want cookies, they are in the second cabinet. Don"t shuffle the whole cupboard for it." Mom handed me the coffee mug and I nodded. I scooped a huge globe of ice cream and dropped it in the hot coffee. It started to melt right away. "Why? Have you rearranged everything?"

"Actually, I was removing all the empty and half filled containers. So I placed half of the things in other places." She spun to me and rebuffed. "Butu! How many times have I told you to not add ice cream in hot coffee? Its composite effect will make you ill."

"And how many times I"ve to tell you that..." I contradicted, having a large swig of it and closed my eyes relishing the taste, "that it tastes like heaven, mom!"

"Grow up; you are not a kid anymore."

ESV jumped on the table before me and nodded vigorously, Yes. Grow up and flaunt your sexy moves to make guys breathless. I"m waiting for the day, they"ll swoon upon me."

You"re a bit uptight sissy. Tonight, we shall do something for good part.

"Kids always remain kids for their parents." I mocked, defiantly ignoring her glares and proceeded to finish my coffee.

"Of course, kids will remain kids even if they graduate to become parents but that doesn"t mean kids start being childish for their own lose." She quirked immediately and I chuckled. "Oh mom! Why do you think so?"

"There"s a Rishta has come for you." She blurted and I spurted the coffee, falling in the fits of cough.

"Come again?"

"I believe you"ve heard me and even if you"ve not. Siya must"ve apprised you, so I surmise." She inserted smoothly and I widened my eyes. "I think I will have to talk to your dad regarding your sister and her indecent habits."

"She didn"t do it on purpose." I made a protest.

"Of course! You will support her because she had informed you, right?"

"........."

"Anyway, now when you know, I think it"s good to have the talk one on one. Abhimanyu is a good guy. I have met him in Aditi"s wedding. He seemed decent. I believe he will be the best match for you."

"Mom, hold on. How can you jump to this conclusion having him met for the first time only? I mean obviously no one will behave inappropriate with someone who is meeting for the first time and I think this is not sufficient to provide him the character certificate." I wiped the coffee stains on the table with the kitchen towel and disposed it in the trash can, "Plus, this is another fact that I am just twenty-three."

"So?"

"So, it means that I am not ready." I shrugged.

Mom put the ladle on the side and turned to me, "I was twenty when I got married and I used to think that I am not ready too but then everything started to take place."

"Okay, I will like to pull you out from the timeframe of twenty six years back." I laughed sardonically, "And, dad was always in your support. You continued your studies after marriage and dad never objected. Wait, why are we discussing dad here?" I paused. "Mom, the bottom line is I am not ready."

"80% girls of India quote the same even seconds before their marriage. You're no exception." She stood firm on her believe. "As far as age is concerned, your dad is not going to get you married tomorrow. We will do an immaculate background check of the boy, and his family and then we will proceed with the alliance."

"Does he belong to some criminal lineage? Why do you need to do a thorough background check?"

"Didn"t you just say that how I can be sure that he is good when I have met him for the first time only?" Mom said as a matter of fact and I blew air out of defeat. "Mom I said that as.... You know... okay fine, do whatever you want. Just make sure I have the last call."

"Of course!" She said as if she couldn"t believe I asked that and turned to focus on her dinner preparation. "Do not worry, Butu! Everything will go smooth. We will have you to have the final call and trust me, when you will get married you will be happy. I was of your age when I had you and then it made to me that I was always willing for it..." She began to stretch her axiomatically old weaved story.

ESV yawned, Let"s zone out!"

".....and I always believed that I've raised you on ethics, so you'll be not having any problem in your home...."

"What is it then?" I made a meek attempt to protest and mom overheard it.

".....then when you"ll have your kids, you"ll thank me for getting you married soon and...."

I hardly captured my chuckle at this.

"....you"ll see and know the happiness of getting your kids marry...."

Wait what? Here it's not sure if I'll marry and she's concocting her grandchildren" wedding.

ESV snorted, Typical Indian mom!"

"Mom, I think the curry is burning." I diverted her mind and tramped out of the kitchen for innocence"s sake. The question was sustaining, Am I ready?

***

"Thank God!" I muttered as I noticed the lift was working. Escaping a hard bounce on the furnished floor and a crude dash with liftman, I stepped in and punched for the seventeenth floor button. Within five minutes, elevator deported me on the said floor where my department was. I stepped out, prancing to the corridor, which mostly remained crowded but it was rather quite now.

"Shree!! You are late baby and to your bad luck, boss was asking for you." Rhea apprised me barging inside my cabin when I was peeling off the jacket from my shoulder and was arranging my stuff, simultaneously. I nodded and started my system, logging in with my account. "I don"t recall any meeting today."

"Yes, you are right but he was here in your cabin a while ago and has strictly asked to send you in his cabin." She shrugged her shoulders and pressed her lips in a hard seam. "I have no idea, why?"

"I am late today and he elected this day to have a hearty conversation with me. Trust me; I am getting my termination letter today." I rambled, pooh puffing my appearance and swept the creases off my dress. Rhea followed my each moveand showed me thumbs up. "Chill, he wasn"t in bad mood."

"I am going to chill only when I finish this off." Rest two minutes, I spent in crossing the alley which ended in the entrance of his cabin, were the most crucial minutes of my life. I revised the terms and conditions of the contract and formed a few retorts to present if he tried to dominate me.

"May I come in, sir?" I knocked the door twice before asking. I still risked to crane my neck at the entrance first even after receiving his permission and noticed him looking at me through his file. As I entered and occupied my seat across the glass table, he closed the said file and swiped it towards me. "Have a look at it, Ms. Jaisingh."

I cleared my throat, shooing the retorts that were filled in my mind. "Sorry sir, I was late because I had a flat tire and the elevator was slow." ESV discarded her nose bloated tissue. It is of no use. He is going to throw you out of the company. To hell with this paunchy monster, he is going to kick you out for being ten minutes late? Did he slip out of his mother"s vagina at the given time?"

Shut up, right now! I yelled with nuisance at her.

"Oh, that"s absolutely fine. Have a look at it." He smiled at me and gestured towards the file, I casted a glance at the thick file contemplatively and tentatively touched the sheaf. ESV put on her Sherlock Home"s glasses, What does this me and gestured towards the file, I casted a glance at the thick file contemplatively and tentatively touched the sheaf. ESV put on her Sherlock Home"s glasses, What does this file has? Is it some sort of criminal records?"

"What is it, sir?" ESV patted me and smacked a kiss on my cheek as I voiced the query.

"Just read it once, you will know everything."

"Okay." I turned the first page of the hard cover. I was amazed to file has? Is it some sort of criminal records?"

"What is it, sir?" ESV patted me and smacked a kiss on my cheek as I voiced the query.

"Just read it once, you will know everything."

"Okay." I turned the first page of the hard cover. I was amazed to read the contents once I started; I was promoted to the New York branch of the Apex Holdings because the delegates from our collaborative company were impressed with my performance. I was surprised because many people pegged away to reach where I was stepping on. I believed I"d not done anything remarkably exceptional; it was more than I could expect.

"I am promoted to NY, sir?" My voice was the reflection of the surprise that my face failed to show.

"Well, this is the fruit of your toil and dedication, the work you"ve done from two years in our special provision." He notified. "I had suggested you name for the promotion but they asked me to consider it again and proposed your assistance in NY branch in research department since you"d explained the stock variable programs beautifully."

"So, I am expected to join there as research assistant? Is that what you are implying?" A tick formed on the end of my eyebrow. I didn"t expect him to shift me in research department based on my presentation which was a result of cramming the assumptions and stock problems for a whole week.

"Senior research assistant and in a few years, you will be the HoD." He tried to influence me for the best. I blew a sigh and nodded, sliding the stack towards him, "I totally understand that, sir but I think I will need time."

"You sure?"

"Yes, sir, definitely." I replied with convenience, "I want to have the opinion of my family over this."

"Okay," It looked like he was disappointed, "In that case, have this file." He extracted another file and presented before me, "It consists of all that is informative for you and read it thoroughly. I believe you will take the right decision."

I gathered the file in the confines of my arms and nodded, standing apprehensively. "Sure, sir. I will definitely take the right decision."

I whirled around and took a step to exit from his cabin. My hand halted on the metal knob as he called out, "Ms. Jaisingh, mark my words, it"s the best opportunity to groom up your career. Take a wise decision dear."

"I"ll keep that in mind, sir." I opened the door and shut it gently after emerging out. I blew the sigh that was stuck up in my throat for a long time. No wonder, it was a great opportunity to groom up the career but not a great opportunity to grow and learn. I wasn"t in software industry to be stuck up in computer lab, I was here because it provided me solace to code and finish front end programs, it was fun and I enjoyed my job. New York was a great deal of growth and promotions but fun and solace when you were expected to collect the data were never a part of it.

I opened the door of my cabin and threw the file gently on the desk beside my computer. I raked my fingers through my hair and stared at the file absently perching on the was a great deal of growth and promotions but fun and solace when you were expected to collect the data were never a part of it.

I opened the door of my cabin and threw the file gently on the desk beside my computer. I raked my fingers through my hair and stared at the file absently perching on the swiveling chair.