A Loveless Arranged Marriage Chapter 9. A surprise arrival

  Previously, we saw that Deepa, Shahina, and Suguna were having a party, which caused Deepa to arrive home late. When Rishi came home, he felt a bit anxious due to Deepa's absence. Then came Valentine's Day, when Arvind and Akshaya shared their plans for the occasion. When they asked Rishi about his plans, he told them it was a secret, thus concealing his lies from his friends. A few days passed, leaving only four days until the end of the month. On that day, Rishi faced immense work pressure due to errors found on the client side of their previous project. This led to stress and a fight between him and Deepa. Just then, someone rang the doorbell. Let's see what happens next.

  Rishi said, "Who the heck is ringing the bell now?" He walked towards the door and peered through the peephole, only to be shocked by the sight of his mother, Ishwari, standing on the other side. Stunned, he hesitated, unsure of what to do next. Meanwhile, Deepa, still upset from their earlier fight, asked in an angry tone, "Are you going to open the door or not?" Rishi signaled to her, mouthing, "Please remain silent; my mom is outside," but Deepa didn’t understand what he was trying to convey.

  Seeing Rishi’s unusual behavior, Deepa thought to herself, "What’s wrong with him?" Curious, she went near the door and peered through the peephole. She was equally shocked and exclaimed, "Hey Rishi, your mom is standing outside!" Rishi whispered back, "That's what I was trying to signal you about!" Deepa, still annoyed, whispered, "You and your signals. Okay, forget it. What do we do now?"

  Rishi, still whispering, replied, "That's exactly what I’m trying to figure out." Deepa suggested, "Alright, let’s pretend we were both standing on the balcony. We didn’t hear the first doorbell. After a moment, we hear the bell again, and you go to open the door. You act surprised to see your mother, and I’ll still be on the balcony." Rishi agreed, "Okay," and Deepa hurried to the balcony to execute their plan.

 As Deepa was heading to the balcony, Rishi stopped her and reminded her about her luggage in his bedroom. In a hurry, Deepa rushed to pack her belongings. Rishi helped her, and during this time, he called out loudly, "Ha, I'm coming!" Deepa managed to transfer her things to Rishi's room just in time. Once that was done, she quickly made her way to the balcony.

  Rishi, now calm, opened the door and acted surprised. "Mom! What a surprise!" he exclaimed. Ishwari, slightly annoyed, asked, "Why did you take so long to open the door?" Rishi quickly explained, "Deepa and I were standing on the balcony, so we didn’t hear the doorbell." With that, Ishwari entered the house.

  Rishi called out to Deepa, continuing their act, "Deepa, come to the hall. You’ll never guess who’s here!" Deepa walked in, giving her best surprised expression. "What a surprise, mother-in-law!" she said. Ishwari smiled and asked, "How are you, dear?" Deepa replied, "I’m fine, mother-in-law. How about you?" Ishwari responded, "I’m doing well, dear." Rishi then added, "Alright, mom, you two catch up. I’ll take your luggage to your room." He carried her luggage to the room, but as he was putting it away, he noticed Deepa’s t-shirt on the floor. In a quick move, he hid it inside his shirt.

  Rishi returned to the hall and sat down beside Deepa, leaving a little space between them. "Mom, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?" he asked. His mother replied, "I wanted to surprise both of you, that’s why I didn’t say anything." Noticing the time, Ishwari then asked, "Haven’t you started cooking, Deepa?" Deepa responded, "Not yet, we were just about to." Ishwari offered, "In that case, I’ll cook for both of you." Rishi protested, "Mom, why take the burden? You must be tired; Deepa can handle it." But Ishwari insisted, "I’m not tired, and it’s my final decision. I’ll do the cooking today." Rishi sighed, "Whatever," and Ishwari asked Deepa to assist her in the kitchen.

  While they were cooking, Ishwari casually asked, "Deepa, does my son help you in the kitchen?" Deepa smiled and replied, "Yes, mother-in-law, we do most of the cooking together." Ishwari then asked, "Hmm, how do you feel about him?" Deepa was taken aback, thinking, "Why is she asking this now?" After a moment, she replied, "At first, I thought he was quite reserved. But as I got to know him, I realized he has a kind nature, understands everyone, and cares deeply for others. However, when he gets angry, it’s difficult to calm him down." Ishwari smiled softly but said nothing more. They continued cooking, and after some time, they finished preparing the meal. 

  They all started having dinner together. While eating, Rishi asked his mom, "Mom, you didn’t tell me how long you're planning to stay?" His mom replied, "Not more than three days." Rishi, a little disappointed, said, "What, Mom? Just three days? Can't you stay a little longer?" Ishwari smiled and replied, "I thought about it, but I don't want to disturb you both. Plus, I have some work in the village, so I booked my return on March 1." Rishi stayed quiet after hearing that. They finished their dinner, and all three sat down to watch a movie. Once the movie ended, they started heading to their respective rooms. Deepa almost walked into Ishwari's room by mistake, but Rishi quickly stopped her.

  Later, Rishi and Deepa entered Rishi's room. Once inside, Rishi handed Deepa her t-shirt and said, "Deepa, here’s your t-shirt." She asked, "Where did you find it?" He replied, "In your room when I was putting away the luggage." She sighed and said, "Hmm, thanks." Rishi then added, "Also, I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have taken out my anger on you." Deepa replied, "If you're truly sorry, then next time, try to control your anger." Rishi nodded, "Hmm, okay."

  The next day, after his workout, Rishi headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. However, when he arrived, he found his mom already cooking. "What are you doing here, Mom?" he asked. She replied, "Isn’t it obvious? I’m cooking." He sighed and said, "Yeah, I can see that, but why are you doing it?" His mom answered, "Rishi, you and Deepa are both working and managing the household. While it’s admirable that you handle everything, I’m here now, so until I leave Mumbai, I’ll take care of things." Rishi, still concerned, said, "But Mom, why take on all the work?" She smiled and replied, "Even Deepa asked the same, but I told her this is no burden for me." Rishi left the kitchen, silently accepting her decision.

  Later, as Rishi was leaving for work, Ishwari asked Deepa, "Aren’t you going with Rishi?" Deepa replied, "No, actually Rishi works in Colaba, and I work in Mahalakshmi. Plus, my start time is half an hour after Rishi’s, so we don’t go together." Ishwari responded with a thoughtful "Hmm," and after some time, Deepa also left for work.

  While at the office, Rishi informed Arvind about his mom’s arrival. After hearing the news, Arvind said, "Hey Rishi, I’ve decided to come to your place tonight." Rishi replied, "Okay." 

  At night, Deepa, Rishi, and Ishwari were watching something on television when the doorbell rang. Rishi got up to open the door and found Arvind and Shahina outside. He called out, "Mom, look who’s here!" Ishwari asked, "Who is it?" Arvind, playfully, replied, "Guess for yourself." Recognizing his voice, Ishwari smiled and said, "Arvind! I didn’t expect you to come." Arvind and Shahina entered the house, took Ishwari’s blessings, and then sat down on the couch. Rishi headed to the kitchen while Ishwari, Arvind, and Shahina began chatting. At the same time, Deepa received a call and stepped out onto the balcony to take it.

  Ishwari asked, "How are you, Arvind?" He replied, "I’m fine, Mom." She then turned to Shahina and asked the same. Shahina responded, "I’m fine, aunty." Arvind then asked quietly, "How are they, Mom?" Ishwari, a bit confused, asked, "Who are you asking about?" Arvind, lowering his voice further, clarified, "I’m asking about my mom, dad, and the rest of the family, as well as Shahina’s family." Ishwari replied, "Everyone is doing fine. It’s been two years since everything happened." Shahina nodded quietly, and a brief silence filled the room. Noticing their sadness, Ishwari decided to change the subject and asked, "Alright, let’s forget about that. Have you two thought about starting a family?" Arvind quickly replied, "It’s still a bit too soon for that, Mom." Just then, Rishi returned with juice for everyone, and Deepa also joined them.

  While they were sipping on their juice, Ishwari said, "It’s 8:45 now; let’s have dinner. Arvind and Shahina, you’re both staying to eat with us, right?" Arvind smiled and said, "You don’t even need to ask, Mom." Afterward, they all sat down for dinner. While eating, Arvind complimented Ishwari, "Mom, I have to say, your homemade food is delicious." Ishwari smiled in response and they all continued their meal. Arvind then asked, "Mom, Rishi told me you’re only staying for three days." Ishwari nodded, "Yes, I have some work back home, so I can’t stay longer." Shahina then suggested, "Aunty, tomorrow is the weekend. How about we all take a trip around Mumbai together?" Ishwari asked, "A trip?" and Arvind chimed in, "Yeah, instead of wasting the day, we could explore the city. What do you think, Mom?" Ishwari thought for a moment and then agreed. Arvind, excited, asked Rishi and Deepa, "What about you two? You’re coming, right?" Rishi teased, "If I say no, will you leave without me?" Deepa smiled and added, "I’ll come too."

  After dinner, Arvind and Shahina left the house, and the rest of them went to their respective rooms.

 The next day, everyone in the house was getting ready. At the same time, Rishi heard his phone ringing; it was Arvind calling him. When Rishi answered, Arvind informed him that he was waiting outside the society. Rishi ended the call by saying, "Wait for 5 minutes; we will be there soon." After hanging up, Rishi called out, "Mom, Arvind is waiting outside the building for us. We can go now."

  They all started to leave the house and came out of the society building, where they boarded Arvind's car. In the back seat, Deepa and Ishwari took the window seats, while Rishi sat between them, leaving a little space between himself and Deepa. Arvind and Shahina occupied the front seat, and they decided to go to the Gateway of India as their first destination.

  When they arrived at the Gateway of India, it was crowded. They all got out of the car, and Arvind went to park it. The day was quite sunny. Once Arvind joined them, they started to explore the Gateway of India, amazed by its grandeur. They took several photos around the area. Afterward, Rishi asked, "Hey Arvind, can we take a trip to the Elephanta Caves?" Arvind replied, "That's fine for you and me, but ask Mom, Shahina, and Deepa if they're okay with it." When Rishi asked them, they all declined.

  Then Arvind turned to Shahina and asked, "Hey Shahina, where should we head next?" After a moment of thought, Shahina replied, "I suggest we go shopping in the Colaba Market." Arvind responded, "Colaba Market?" and Shahina continued, "Yes, since Crawford Market is closed today because it's Sunday, and Colaba Market is the nearest place." Ishwari chimed in, "Yes, Arvind, I also enjoy shopping."

 They all decided to go to Colaba Market. After 12 minutes, they arrived, and it was quite crowded. Arvind parked his car on one side, and they began shopping. They visited the shops one by one, starting with a handbag store that boasted a fancy collection of bags. They spent half an hour there, and eventually, Deepa and Shahina bought handbags for themselves.

  Next, they went to a men’s shirt and t-shirt shop, where they tried on various options for Rishi and Deepa. However, they left that shop due to a limited selection. In the next store, Rishi bought a shirt, and Arvind picked up a T-shirt for himself.

  When they exited the shop, it was 1:55 p.m., so they decided to have lunch. They found a nearby restaurant where they enjoyed their meal. After lunch, Rishi asked Ishwari, "Mom, don't you want to buy anything for yourself?" Ishwari replied, "No, Rishi. I was thinking of getting a necklace and earrings for Deepa and Shahina."

  After that, they headed to a street vendor where Ishwari looked for earrings and a necklace for both Deepa and Shahina. This took them at least an hour. They also bought some snacks before wrapping up their shopping and heading to the car park. On the way, Shahina asked Arvind, "You mentioned needing to buy a belt for yourself, right?" Arvind replied, "Yeah, but I decided to get it in Dharavi." Shahina responded, "Okay."

  Once they reached the car park, they all boarded the car and began their journey back home. After an hour, they arrived at Rishi's house and headed to his flat, where they rested for a moment. After some time, Rishi brought tea and snacks for everyone, and they enjoyed some fun conversation. Eventually, Arvind and Shahina left.

  The next day, in the evening, Deepa returned home after work. She entered the house and sat down directly on the sofa. When Ishwari saw Deepa come in, she brought her a cup of coffee. Handing it to Deepa, she said, "Deepa, here’s your coffee." Deepa accepted the coffee and thanked her.

 While having coffee, Ishwari asked Deepa, "Deepa, during your marriage proposal, did you accept it against your will?" Deepa thought to herself, "Why is she asking this now?" She replied, "Of course, it was my will, mother-in-law." Ishwari repeated the same question, and Deepa wondered, "Why is she asking the same question again?" She nervously replied with the same answer.

  Ishwari then pressed further, "Deepa, don’t hide the truth by lying. I am a bit suspicious about your marriage. I know my son agreed to the marriage because of me, but what about you? From the start, the way you both behave and your decisions regarding the honeymoon—it all seems off. Whenever I call Rishi, he always has an excuse, like you went to the store or that you were sleeping. Even your mom mentioned that you make the same excuses when she calls. It makes me wonder whether you are living as a married couple or just pretending to be one. Please tell me the truth."

  Deepa was shocked and stunned for a moment. She replied, "Mother-in-law, what are you saying? There’s nothing we need to hide from you. We are not acting; we love each other."

  Hearing Deepa's response, Ishwari said, "I thought Rishi was only acting, but were you also? I don’t know what you both decided, but I am not going to stand against it. You know one thing, Deepa—I am not angry right now; I feel guilty about the mess I created for both of you." After saying this, Ishwari went to her room. Deepa remained on the sofa, confused.

  After some time, Rishi arrived and noticed that Deepa was upset. He asked her, "Hey, Deepa, what happened?" She replied, "Nothing, just a small headache." At that moment, Ishwari came out of the room and said, "Hey Rishi, did you buy the things I asked for?" Rishi replied, "Yes, Mom," handing a bag to her. Ishwari began checking the contents of the bag. Throughout this, Deepa watched Ishwari, thinking, "How can she act like nothing happened here?"

  Once Ishwari finished checking, they all had dinner together. Afterward, they went to their rooms. While Deepa and Rishi were in their room, Rishi noticed Deepa still looked upset. He asked, "Hey, Deepa, is something wrong?" Deepa replied with a fake smile, "Nothing. I’m just having a small headache, that’s all." He responded, "I don’t believe you’re just having a headache."

  Deepa replied in a serious tone, "I have a headache. I'm going to sleep; that's it." Then she lay down on the bed. Rishi replied, "Okay, fine. I won't disturb you." He then went to sleep on the floor. That night, Deepa couldn't sleep; her mind was filled with Ishwari's words.

  The next day, as Rishi and Ishwari were leaving the house, Ishwari told Deepa, "Deepa, take care of yourself." Deepa responded with a curt, "Hmm," without meeting her gaze. After that, both of them left the house.

  Thirty minutes later, Ishwari was sitting inside the train. Rishi and Arvind stood outside, waving their hands as a gesture of goodbye. Ishwari also waved her hand, but deep inside, she thought to herself, "This is my last goodbye to you, Rishi." Then the train left the station. After that, both Rishi and Arvind headed to their jobs, and everything went back to normal.

  Two days later, Rishi received word that his mom had arrived at their native home. Three days passed, and in the morning, Rishi and Deepa were having breakfast. Rishi's phone was on the dining table when it started ringing. He glanced at the screen and saw that Madan was calling. When he answered the call, Madan said something that shocked Rishi, leaving him frozen for a moment. Tears began to well up in his eyes.

  And with that, Chapter 9 comes to an end. Let’s see what happens next in the following chapter. Until then, stay tuned