Once Again…???!!! – Chapter 3: the Erudition – 5

Disclaimer: The characters in this novella are purely fictional. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. 

As it was Swati Kiran’s first night as husband and wife, Tara’s husband Ranga had made an elaborate arrangement at Hotel Viceroy, the latest five-star hotel in Hyderabad.

Hotel Viceroy was located at one corner of the famous Tank Bund looking over the Hussain Sagar Lake, which was once an important water body, providing fresh-water to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Unfortunately, it was in a pathetic state today smelling like sewage. Even though the lake was polluted from the sewage, the annual immersion of Ganesha and the foul smelling carcasses, the water in the lake was calm and still,

Ranga ensured that Swati Kiran’s suite was facing the calm waters of Hussain Sagar, with the reflection of lights from the different bridges, telling many stories of the historical twin cities.

Tara and Ranga came by to drop Swati and Kiran at the Viceroy. After checking them in, Ranga winked at Kiran and said, “Have a great night!”

Swati and Kiran entered their suite. There was one humungous king size bed, that was covered in light red velvet sheets. Strewn on the bed was the softer jasmine flowers and the pink rose petals. The room had a faint smell of lavender.

Neatly arranged on the dresser table was a pink silk nightie for Swati and a silk dhothi and shirt for Kiran. Seeing the new clothes, Kiran smirked. His inner voice was laughing, thinking about the requirement of the new silk clothes on their wedding night.

“What is the need for these new clothes tonight”, he casually commented and took the new dhothi and entered the bathroom. He hoped that Swati understood the underlying meaning in his comment.

Kiran had a quick shower and changed into the new silk clothes in a jiffy.

Swati went inside the bathroom. Kiran’s heart raced. He wanted to talk to Swati and tell her how much he loved her and how he was envisioning their life together.

He wanted to talk about their future days and nights together. How he wanted them to be the ideal couple, of two bodies and one soul. How they had to work as a team to make their world, the best. How he was willing to accommodate and bend himself like the willow to all her requirements, to ensure a bright and lovely future together.

Kiran’s heart skipped a beat when he heard the bathroom door click. Swati came out. She had not changed her clothes. She was still wearing the silk saree from the evening. Kiran was surprised. Why didn’t she change, his mind questioned. Swati came and sat on one corner of the bed.

Even before Kiran could ask as to why Swati did not change to the nightdress, she said, ‘I’m not mentally prepared for this’

‘That’s ok. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I understood. What are you not mentally prepared for?’ Kiran treaded carefully, as he did not want any mishaps, this first night of theirs.

‘For anything’, came the instant reply from Swati.

‘That’s fine. It’s all absolutely okay. We can take time to understand each other. That is quite okay’

‘I’m not sure when I will be ready’

‘Take your time. There is no rush. We have our entire life ahead. We have to make it, the best’

‘You are so good. Though I’m not ready, if you want to have sex, here you go’.

Swati stood up and faced Kiran. She took the corner of the saree that was neatly placed above her left shoulder and threw it down, showing her torso, clad in a figure-hugging blouse, in the dim light of that room in the Viceroy.

Kiran was in shock. He did not expect this. Ammu has always instilled the best of virtues in him and had taught him how to respect women. His moral instincts very clearly instructed that a woman was not a commodity of fantasy. He believed that even if it were the wife, if a man forced himself on a woman without her full consent, it is constituted as rape. How could Swati think of him so lowly?

Kiran managed to come out of the shock. He lowered himself and took the corner of the saree and placed it back on Swati’s shoulder covering her chest.

‘Swati, how could you think of me so lowly. Sex is a part of life and not the be all and end all of life. Until you are ready and voluntarily invite me, we will not consummate our wedding. I can wait patiently till you are ready’

Swati hugged Kiran so lightly for a quick moment. It felt as if she was sobbing. Kiran was not sure. He did not even know if he should ask anything, anymore that night.

Swati lied down on the bed facing the wall, in the foetal position. Kiran could not see her face. He got up from the bed and sat on the chair in that room in Viceroy. He was wondering as to why Swati behaved the way she did. Did she not agree to this wedding out of her own free will? Was she forced into this? Was it merely the initial fear of a new life? Or, was he just over thinking a simple incident – a denial.

Kiran sat on the chair and looked at the ceiling and the still ceiling fan. They had not switched on the fan as the air conditioning in the room was turned on and was blasting cold air, in the room. As this was a new hotel, it was in perfect, mint condition.

This night certainly did not go the way he expected. His expectations were shattered. He wanted to share his dreams and aspirations with Swati. Alas, here they were in two corners.

With many questions flashing in his mind, Kiran was confused. After that long tiring wedding day, he fell asleep on the chair, without his knowledge. He certainly was unaware of all that which were going to unfold shortly.

And, their wedding was not yet consummated.

END of Chapter 3: the Erudition
Once Again…???!!! to continue…

Once Again…???!!!