BOUND-IN-LAW

CHAPTER 3

Prepare yourself; your wedding is in two hours, right?

Before I could blink, the day was here. The fact that this was my wedding and would be taking place in a few hours was still something that my mind was struggling to comprehend.

As she yelled at me to get ready, my mother was frantically rushing around making sure everything was prepared.

I felt the nerves start as soon as I stood up to the saree that was put out next to me.

Rohan and I are getting married today. By the time this is all through, I'll be his wife.

I felt butterflies in my tummy as well as tingles at the concept.

Tanya, my older cousin, pushed through the doors with a worried expression on her face.

You still aren't prepared, right? We have to go get your hair done, Priyanka, hurry quickly!" she screamed.

She was about to turn away when she rushed over to me, grabbed the saree and my wrist.

"I'll assist with this, hurry up, we need to visit the beauty salon!"

I thought there was a chance I wouldn't make it to my own wedding because of how everyone else was panicking.

***

When Tanya received a call, we were already on our way home from the parlor, talking about the future and my nerves.

Even though it wasn't on speaker, I could still hear the raucous, hysterical sobs as I put it near her ear.

Her smile disappeared and was replaced by a worried expression on both of our faces.

Tanya looked over to me and said, "Aunty, calm down."

My eyes widened as I recognized that she was speaking to my mother. I covered my lips with my palm and looked at Tanya.

What had occurred?

She inquired, "What's wrong?" and I told her what was wrong.

Even though I could still hear my mother's wailing, I could make out her labored speech.

The news was terrible.

Tanya also covered her lips as she turned to face me, her eyes filled with pain, and I knew it was terrible.

She started, "Priyanka," her voice breaking. She began to whisper, "Rohan," but she stumbled.

Right there and then, I was aware of what had transpired.

***

"Ma!" I smashed through the door and sprinted toward the crying I could hear.

In a fit of wrath on the way there, I had thrown all the bangles and the gold necklace onto the floor in addition to messing up my perfectly coiffed hair.

Any longer, there was no purpose. After Rohan left, who could I possibly show that to?

As I entered the room and saw my mother sobbing on the bed while being consoled by my aunts and cousins, tears began to fall down my cheeks.

Tanya had informed me that Rohan's parents had contacted mine to inform them of the mishap he had encountered while returning home with some roses for me.

And the terrifying information that...he passed away right there.

I walked carefully up to my mother and sat down, sobbing into the hand covering my mouth so as not to make a sound.

We soon found ourselves crying and cuddling each other.

It was entirely my fault. He went out and got me some roses.

"Bless Rohan. Just as my father entered the room, taking his glasses off slowly and staring lifelessly at the ground, she choked up as she started to speak.

I was aware of how much he cherished Rohan and treated him like his own son.

My mother was looking up at him when I noticed a lone tear slowly rolling down her face. I reached out and quickly wiped it away as she continued.

She yelled, "What are we going to do?!" Tanya gave her a comforting back rub.

She turned to face me and tenderly touched my hair. "They would have had an unwavering love and care for one another. But he's left now.

Rohan is very poor. My soon-to-be son-in-law has passed away, but what about my daughter? The only sound in the room was our tears as she buried her head in her hands.

My father's voice sounded harsh and cracked like he had been crying. "Leela, we'll explain to everyone. Avoid crying.

No one will comprehend, I'm sure. Suddenly, she screamed. "Everyone has been invited, and they all anticipate a wedding tonight. You are aware of the disgrace our daughter would experience as a result of not getting married? Many of our relatives traveled here from outside for this, but now everything is ruined.

She added, sniffling, "You know how it works here, in this town. "No one will care if a woman's marriage is called off, regardless of the circumstances. They'll assume the girl must have a problem because the marriage was abruptly called off and she won't receive any further proposals.

He let out a sigh and wiped his face in agony.

"You shouldn't worry needlessly. Nothing like that will occur. There is time.

She ignored her husband and said, "Rohan was such a gorgeous boy. I find it unbelievable.

Just as one of my aunts handed her a phone so she could call a distraught Geena aunty—the woman who would become my mother-in-law—she burst into sobs once more.

My mother quietly sobbed as she exited the room. It was quite difficult to see.

It still boggles my mind that Rohan is gone. Rohan, my.

Cry was all I wanted to do. However, I pushed away my own emotions to remain strong for everyone else since I couldn't stand to see everyone depressed.

I made an attempt to say, "We can get through this." My words were stuttering as my voice trembled.

After coming over and taking a seat next to me, my father gave me a side hug and kissed the side of my head.

He said into my hair, "Yeah, we'll fight through this together," as I turned to give him a solid hug, burying my face in his chest and fighting back tears.

***

The funeral was the following day.

It wasn't in a positive way at all; it was gloomy and weird. I wasn't sure how I should feel. It was too much to bear that the man's body, who I had last spoken to a day before with a grin on my face, was in that red casket being lowered into the earth.

I started to feel sick and had a terrible feeling that I couldn't even put into words. Although we felt anything but, the weather was beautiful and cheerful as though laughing at our misfortune.

It was gloomy and silent, and the scene was uninteresting. Nobody made any noise. Not even when we returned home to an abandoned, dejected dwelling.

We sat there motionless, like zombies who had lost all energy.

With her lips pursed, Tanya mumbled, "I'm going to take a bath."

Everyone started to gently rise up and move once she stumbled out the door, perhaps returning to reality.

No one was grinning as before, yet everything continued as usual. I couldn't comprehend how someone could accomplish that.

I observed as my parents, all of my relatives, and I gradually started to act in the same manner as previously, albeit with less zeal.

All I was able to do was remain still as I sat on my bed.

How do I go on, exactly?

He wasn't my spouse, and I hadn't even begun to love him. He was a good man, though, and what had happened to him wasn't fair.

He was someone I wanted to try.

We also had a chance.

Before I realized it, two months had passed. My life was routine, and all I did was assist my uncle with his tiny store, hang out with my cousins, and assist my mother in the kitchen.

Every day, I continued to think about Rohan. I didn't ask anyone else if they had been thinking of him as well; before I could blink, things had returned to normal. Alongside his parents, I felt like I was the only one who was still in tears.

My cousins and other relatives who had traveled from abroad felt nothing but sympathy for me after the disastrous wedding. My parents understood I wasn't ready, so they didn't bother looking for a suitable husband for me.

That method was preferable.

The second worst thing that had ever occurred to me was this.

When the door rang, I sighed and went to get myself some coffee. My mother ran to the front door before I could move when I saw her out of the corner of my eye.

My parents' voices and a few other familiar voices could be heard, but I bit my lip and remained in the kitchen.

Although there was a part of me that yearned to find out who it was, the quiet, almost frantic murmurs made me feel guilty and uneasy.

I had a gut sensation that they were all talking about me for some reason. My hands were wet, and I could feel my hold on my coffee cup slipping.

My mother entered the room at that very moment and peered hopefully at me.

We must speak with you, Priyanka, "honey."