Begetter

Moulya woke up, without opening her eyes fully, her hand reached the mobile and enabled the data connection. This was the daily routine, switching of mobile data before going to bed and enabling it well before she got up from bed. She knew it was Sunday, she had the luxury of sleep extra hour but events of yesterday night came back to her, she closed her eyes and tried to sleep again, but sleep evaded her.

She unlocked her mobile, she had unread whatsapp messages from Bhavith.

Bhavith: "Good morning dear! What happened yesterday?"
Moulya replied: "Hey morning"
Bhavith replied instantly: "Couldn't sleep yesterday night! Tell me what happened! Did you talk to them?"
Moulya: "Yes, after the India match we spoke! Most unexpected thing happened! I don't know what is going to happen next!"
Bhavith: "Tell me what happened?! I'm already sweating here!:'( :'( "
Moulya: "Mom wasn't a problem! It was totally dad!! Never expected it from him!"
Bhavith: "What!!!!! You told me he wouldn't be a problem!"
Moulya: "Yesterday after match, we all were happy that India won, especially dad! I asked if I could talk to both of them for a while. We sat down to talk while brother was sent to sleep. I told them about us, first dad was just laughing, told mom that I was pulling their leg! But later when I told them I was serious, it was only mom talking to me, asking about details of you and your family, dad didn't speak a word. Mom didn't oppose but she didn't support either, I think she was also little shocked, many times she addressed dad but he was just looking at me!"
Bhavith: "Oh god! I don't know what to say... what happened then?"
Moulya: "Mom was asking all details from when and how.. But dad never spoke a word! Never seen him like that... I love him so much.. I don't know!"
Bhavith: "Don't worry dear, he will talk to you today for sure! What happened then?"
Moulya: "I hope so! After a while mom asked me to goto sleep! I looked at dad and he said 'I hope you can get over this non-sense!' and he went to his room!"
Bhavith: "Oh my god... I seriously didn't expect this from your dad... Did he talk to you today?"
Moulya: "No... I just got up, didn't face him yet.. I don't know what to say when I see him...!"

Yesterday night after Moulya was sent to her room. Hrudhvi, Moulya's mom turned to her husband: "Svanik, what happened to you? are you ok?"
Svanik: "I don't know, let's goto sleep!" saying that he went to their bedroom
Hrudhvi followed him : "Svanik, we need to talk regarding this! This is our girl's life!"
Svanik: "I don't want to listen, I don't want her to marry some goof!"
Hrudhvi: "You don't even know that guy, he could be her match! First listen to her!"
Svanik: "Why should I? She has decided already hasn't she? How dare she come and tell us that she wants to marry some idiot!"
Hrudhvi: "Svanik, Did you even listen to her?! she was asking our permission! she wasn't demanding!"
Svanik: "I don't care! We brought her up from childhood, took care of her, when the time comes I'm not going to give her to some stranger. I'll choose the right person!"
Hrudhvi had a sarcastic smile on her face. Svanik: "What are you smiling about? and why aren't you supporting me!"
Hrudhvi, poured him a glass of water and spoke softly: "My dear husband! You are the most wonderful and the most worst person in the world. You gave her freedom, you have her choice in everything and yet when she is choosing something you are saying no?!"
Svanik spoke calmly: "She is still young to me... The world is not like she things, at her age all she thinks is love, life has to be dealt more practically than what you think when you're in love, Hrudhvi, of all people you know this better!"
Hrudhvi: "I know! But you brought her up like that, teaching her to look at life practically! When all of her friends decided to pursue engineering, it was only you on the whole family who supported her to purse law! You told her to take decisions in life and stick to it! Now when she is deciding something very important in her life, of all the person in the world, she expects your support!"
Svanik slowly : "How are you taking this?"
Hrudhvi: "Dear, we grew up in a century where love marriage was a 'bad thing', when some one was in love in school or college, people literally looked upon him as a 'bad person'. But things have changed, generation evolved, I wouldn't be surprised if our boy brings a "girl friend" home tomorrow and another one the day after. The world today is going in express speed, in fact they expect the same thing in love!"
Svanik: "Exactly my concern, what if she doesn't know what is love and this guy is not the right guy for her, marriage is not something to be taken easy!"
Hrudhvi: "Correct! but keeping quiet and saying "nonsense" is not the way we should react, Moulya respects you a lot, your approval is important for her! Talk to her, make her understand. Understand what she has understood about the guy and their family!"
Svanik: "So you are saying "YES" to this? What would people think?!"
Hrudhvi: "The 'People' will always talk, if its love or arranged marriage, be it anything, they will talk. Remember svanik, we should respect the 'people' to an extent they respect us back but the life should not become depending on them or act based on what they think about us! All our life we have done things only with one goal, to keep our children happy, and this is also a point where we should consider their happiness. And I have a feeling that our girl will not choose wrong"
Svanik: "I don't know... May be I'll talk to her in the morning!"

Svanik slept late that night, he least expected his girl to put him in such situation. He loved her very much and would hate himself if she was hurt because of him.
Moulya, came out of her and saw her dad reading newspaper in his usual chair, he looked up at her but didn't smile
Svanik: "Kido... we need to talk... freshen up and come!"
Moulya became very nervous, she was happy that her father spoke to her but the tone he spoke wasn't comforting. She freshened up quickly.
Svanik: "Shall we go for a morning walk up to the park?"
Moulya just nodded her head, she was nervous and afraid to talk.
They started walking, both were silent, svanik decided to break the ice.
Svanik: "Kido... I'm sorry how I reacted yesterday, It was shocking actually, I didn't expect it!"
Moulya, looked at her father, her eyes were brimming with tears.
Svanik: "I was so shocked that I didn't listen to you yesterday, Why don't you tell me about this guy till we reach the park? what's his name?"
Moulya: "His name is Bhavith. We both know each other from school, he is pursing CA! You have met him!"
Svanik was surprised: "Have I? when?"
Moulya: "During our school day function, I introduced him to you..."
Svanik thinking hard: "Hmm... Was it the guy who fell down from cycle in that cycle race?"
Moulya: "Yes, he is good at studies and a very nice guy... He is waiting for his CA finals results...! He will surely pass... he cleared CA Intermediate in first attempt!"
Svanik: "That's impressive.. So when did you both...?"
Moulya: "We were good friends for long time... It was last year when he proposed me...!"
Svanik said sarcastically: "Oh I see...! My girl has become big, accepting proposals!"
Moulya remained silent. Svanik spoke: "Kido.. I have always taught you to be practical in life... see the reality than fall for fantasy!"
Moulya: "But this is not fantasy, we both love each, our love is.....!"
Svanik cut her off: "I know the end of that line... That line has come across many generation and I'm sure it will keep going for many generations to come! No one can preach you love Moulya, what you see in movies is not love!"
Moulya: "But what you have with mom is love, correct?!"
Svanik: "Yes.. But you're too young to understand that! Listen kido.. life is not always smooth and easy... you don't and will not understand at this young age!"

Svanik and Moulya, reached the park, they both started walking around the park in silence again. After two rounds in the park, they started walking towards home, Svanik spoke again.
Svanik: "Kido... I know I told you to take decision in life and stick to it no matter what if you feel that it is right! But this is marriage, you have to weigh your decision!"
Moulya: "I know dad, I know what you have taught me in life... I'm not asking to get married right away, Bhavith will get a job soon, I'll also start practicing law for a year.. I told you both now, so that you are aware what I like to have in my life! Bhavith's dad is working in Bank, his mom is a home maker and his brother is doing engineering first year. They are also upper middle class like us."
Svanik: "So I'm supposed to just say OK?"
Moulya: "No, I want you to meet their parents and talk to them regarding this!"
Svanik was happy that her girl was little intelligent to know the details and was not blindly falling in love and respected him and Hrudhvi to ask their permission.

Svanik: "Before I say anything, I would like you to listen to me... will you?"
Moulya: "Yes.. sure!"
Svanik: "Understand that being in love is completely different from marriage... In love, everything is perfect! What he says, what he does, everything...! It is because you spend only a quality time with him, few hours a week. So that few hours you want make effective use. So you don't see the flaws. It is these small flaws which causes huge problems. How one respects elders... how one talks and mingles with other... Take your mom for example she doesn't like it when you talk with your mouth full or if you leave wet towel on floor? You know that right?"
Moulya: "Yes.."
Svanik: "In love marriage, they see each other as Ms/Mr. Perfect, they don't see or know these flaws so after marriage when they see or realize this, it will be annoying, its because they both don't know how they are at home or how their personal space is! I know people will adjust ultimately but suddenly they will get a feeling why is he/she acting like this, the "Ms/Mr. Perfect" feeling slowly starts diminishing. Understand, that is when you need to hold on to your love the most. Love is a beautiful thing, but don't throw it away for silly reasons...! You do know that there are many love marriage which ended badly, the reasons may not be major but it is crucial you value your love more than anything. It is very easy to fall in love and be happy, but in marriage you need your love to be strong to withstand testing times. Because in love it doesn't matter when you both like different things and choose different things, but in marriage you have to put your minds together to make life's decision, if things go wry, you can't just walk off, you need to put your heart in it to fix it!
Moulya eyes couldn't hold back her tears.

Svanik: "I still remember the day you were born, it is the most happiest moment in my life. I wanted to give you the best in the world, but I understood that being a dad is one of the most loveliest & difficult thing in the world. I love you but it is my responsibility to show you the correct way even though it hurts me. Dad is someone who will want to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again. Dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but instead lets you find your own way even though it hurts him very badly. Dad is the person who makes sure you do what your mother says, even though he knows the kid will be scared when he raises his voice. I will always have faith in what ever you do and even if you fail. I have told you things which i'm not sure if you will understand or not, but as a father I want to make sure that my child doesn't lose her way in life. That's all!"

They both entered home, Hrudhvi saw moulya crying, she was worried. She looked at Svanik and saw his eyes moist! Now she was really confused what had happened. Moulya was about to go to her room when Svanik called her : "Kido... Call Bhavith home, we will talk.. then later we meet his parents!".
Hearing this moulya came and hugged her dad, he laughed on patted her and looked at Hrudhvi and said "It's going to be OK!"

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Life after Marriage

March 8th 2008, a day which Anay won’t forget… or it won’t let Anay forget what his life has become. It was on this day Anay married Kavana.
Almost a week after the marriage, only today Anay was alone with Kavana at his home. Anay’s parents had left for yet another one day temple visit for which the newly wed couple didn’t go. Anay wanted to discuss so many things about life with Kavana.
Voice inside Anay’s mind (Voice 1): “This is my night alone with her… a good chance to talk about life and get to know her more…! Day after parents will be back and I won’t get a chance to talk freely like this.”
Anay tries to start conversation with but some how he couldn’t find the right topic to start the conversation.
Voice inside Anay’s mind (Voice 1): “Why am I feeling nervous about…! I am married for almost a week now and now I am feeling nervous to be around her! I even went out with her after our engagement!”
Another voice inside Anay(Voice 2): “Mr. Anay, if you must know this is the first time you are ALONE with a girl at NIGHT at your home, so being a little nervous is not a bad sign you see!”
Voice 1: “Relax dude… she is your wife, you are her husband, you can talk anything with her!!”
Voice 2: “Yeah right… you can talk anything and bore her to death… remember this is not a DATE where the girl goes to her place after dinner, this girl is here to stay with you… FOREVER! so don’t talk like
brainless!!”
Voice 1: “may be you should talk to her about how you both can to do the financial planning… you know buying house or gold or doing savings for future together… since you already have this in your agenda on things to discuss with her…”
Voice 2: “Haa haa… are you even serious?? has it even slightly crossed your mind that on the first night alone, she will be expecting something more romantic rather than this finance talks…! Dude seriously talk romantic stuff!”
Voice 1: “If you act more matured and responsible now, she will feel secured with you and ultimately will share her thoughts to you… that is the way to go, you did all your romance while you were engaged.. went to movies… to dinner… to beach.. all the while I told you to talk these responsible stuff… but you kept acting like you were one of these cool DUDES flirting with her! Now you are married and this time she can’t reject also, talk the responsibility stuff…!”
Voice 2: “Alright…! What will she think about you if you suddenly talk about responsibilities !! she will think the Anay before marriage was a fake!”
Before Anay could make up his mind, kavana spoke to him: “Anay… I am feeling sleepy, shall we go to bed?”
Anay: “Yeah! I’ll join you in ten minutes.”
When Kavana left to bed, anay started gathering his thoughts on what topics to talk to her.
Anay to himself: “Okay I have spent the engagement time very romantically indeed.. dinners.. beach .. movies.. acted ‘cool’.. flirted enough…  if  I hadn’t done it, then my bachelorhood would never have been complete! so that’s settled… We did get to know each other when we were engaged… but as friends… we understood each other likings and dislikes, settled on many silly pet names… but in the end she went to her place and I came back to mine that was a big difference, both of us never understood how we should react to the new environment we were going face… my parents… her parents… these people are integral part of our lives too!”
“May be I should just casually start with my office joining date and talk to her about her office joining date… then move on to office timings… first start with weekends… tell her that we will have great fun weekends… she already knows parents will be going back to hometown in two weeks time and after that she will have to take up more responsibility on handling home stuffs and say ‘of course I’ll help you in everything!’ and she will have to prepare his lunch and dinner  everyday…”
Voice 2: “How do you feel when you are back from office?”
Voice 1: “I work for more than 9 hrs a day… obviously I’ll be tired!”
Voice 2: “You are planning to make her work at home as well as in office… won’t she be tired ??”
Voice 1: “Ohh…..! Okay weekdays I’ll manage in the canteen… she can cook in weekends!”
Voice 2: “Never in your life have you woken up before 10 AM, then why should she wake up, she works the same time as you do!”
Voice 1: “Oh come on she can do it…!”
Voice 2: “you want to maintain your independency even after marriage, then why should she give up hers?”
Voice 1: “How will you know this before you even talk to her…! She loves you a lot she might do this for you!! go and talk this now… at least start the topic…!”
With so much prepared in his mind Anay entered to bed room only to find Kavana deep in sleep and he took only five minutes to get to bed after she went! Anay lied down next to her…
Voice 1: “People should sue the movie directors who show wife bringing coffee to husband in the morning just after bath, neatly dressed and with wet hair… they are imprinting false ideas into people’s mind!!!”
Voice 2: “Don’t get so worked up… being married is not actually like you think… it doesn’t make you ‘complete’… it doesn’t end your need to connect or belong or never be lonely… just a week after marriage your everyday problem has clouded your romantic feeling for her… understand that no couple complete each other they only complement each other… every marriage goes through peaks and valleys, your relationship will be tested then, this is when decision making to love is important… last but not the least even after marriage you need to have the ‘lonely’ time… It is an opportunity to listen to yourself and discover your likes and dislikes. Quiet time alone will help you appreciate any harsh criticisms that arises from within you, remember self-acceptance is an important component of self-confidence!”
Anay didn’t know when he fell asleep but he woke up earlier than usual, the clock showed 7:00 AM. Kavana was still sleeping, her pointed finger nails still had mehandi in them, her light brown eyes were still closed, her plump lips had a strange curl to them, her soft deep breathing making the world seem to stand still. Anay realized how much he loved her, he got up without waking her up.  On a Saturday morning he went into kitchen and prepared two cups of coffee.
He woke her up and handed her a cup of coffee: “Good morning!”
Kavana: “Up so early? and coffee too?? that’s so sweeeeeeeeeet!”
Anay: “Get up… I have big plans for the day!”
Anay took her out for lunch and movie, he did flirt but he also put across his ‘views’ to her. They had a good evening and were on bed to sleep.
Anay to himself: “I did try and do things in a better way than imagined… lets see what happens from here on…!”
Voice 1: “If she understood you, she will be awake before you and give you a cup of coffee when you are awake meaning she is ready to take up responsibility… or else your life is going to be a total screw up!”
Voice 2: “oh come on… we talked so much on this… give her time to adjust and understand!!!”
Anay tried to sleep putting the voices behind, he wanted to catch up on the sleep he missed today morning. Next day, he woke up at 10 AM and he noticed that his parents had returned from the trip. He sat on the sofa half asleep, a cup of coffee was handed over to him……. by his mother!
Voice 1: “Ah… at least your life isn’t going to be totally screwed thanks to your mother!!”
Anay knew he should give Kavana more time to adjust, but his mind was trying to fight off this idea, he had an abdominal lull and even his mom’s coffee was tasting bad…!
All this might have reflected in his face, he heard his mom say, “Coffee was prepared by Kavana, not by me!”
Anay didn’t reply back to his mother instead he took another sip of coffee and it tasted much better!


March 3rd, 2012,
Four years after his marriage, Anay is father to a beautiful girl. It was a Saturday morning, he woke up and went to kitchen to prepare two cups of coffee.
Voice 1: “You should have never prepared the coffee fours years back… you are still making the coffee!!”
Anay ignored the voice and woke up Kavana and gave her a cup of coffee.
Anay: “Good morning!”
Kavana: “Good morning!”
They both were seated next to each other on the couch with their feet up.
Kavana: “You know I never thought you will make me a coffee a week after our marriage and I really love your Saturday morning coffee’s!”
Anay smiled at her said : “You do it every other day which makes it even more special!”
Anay took another sip of coffee and it still tasted good…!

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