The Bride - Part 8

The Bride - Part 8

Yogita continued, "that night crying when I fell asleep, I dreamt of Kusum. She was telling me that she still wants to be a bride. She loves the smell of mehendi. She loves getting flowers. But what was the use if she was going to die next day? I was there and she told me to help her. She blamed me for her death. Only if she hadn't seen me, she would have been alive now. I woke up crying. I didn't know how to help her. 4 days later, I heard of an accident in which a new bride had died. That night again Kusum came in my dreams and she seemed happy that she had got to be a bride for 2 days. I was shocked. Since then, this has happened 8 times to various brides. Your family's tragedy would have been the 9th one. But now you are safe."

"How is that? And how do you know all this?"

"She talks to me after she has done taking a life. She travels with the flowers she sells to the ladies and enjoys being a bride herself along with them. She feels if she couldn't enjoy her marriage, no one should."

"But that's wrong."

"I know that! But what can I do? Whom can I tell that? She still blames me for her death. So yesterday she cried for my help."

"How did you reach our house?"

"I could hear her. Yesterday late night she was felt chocked and she told me you were going to cremate those flowers next morning. She cried out loud for my help. I tried to ignore. But as someone in your house was continuously chanting some mantras, she felt suffocated. I could hear her suffocation. I didn't want to see or rather hear her die again! Her voice led me towards your house and so I could pick up those flowers."

"So what did you do with the flowers?"

"I threw them in the river."

"Is there a way that can stop all this?"

"There is. But I don't know if it would be possible for you."

"Whats that?"

"Only the newly wed bride will have to come within hours of the wedding and do a ritual at the cemetery for her soul to rest in peace."

"But if the bride involved will not be alive, how can she do the ritual?" asked Priya.

"That is the catch and so Kusum's soul is still around. But now that your sister has survived, you can help out. Is it possible for you'll to do that?"

"I don't know. I'm doubtful."

Jyoti and Priya look at each other. "Will we be able to help?" they thought.

"Why doubt?" asked Yogita. "I have some hope from you. You have come a long way to reach me. I've already done you a favor by saving your sisters life. You owe me." Yogita's eyes filled with tears.

"But you were the one who came to save your sister yesterday! Everything would have come to an end today. Your suffering too!"

"I had to! Her voice wouldn't let me do anything. I can no longer be involved in the deaths of the brides."

There was a pause.

"I can't say anything right now," said Jyoti.

"Everybody sees their own good. No one cares for others. People are selfish," cried Yogita.

Jyoti and Priya didn't know what to tell her. They felt sad for her. She had to go through a lot of emotional stress in a young age. They were a ray of hope for Yogita.

Just then Priya's cellphone rang. It was Nalini Kaku.

"Hello Kaku!"

"Jyoti! Where are you girls?"

"We are just here near..."

"Come home now. Anu has been asking for you." Anu snatches the phone from her mother and continues, "Didi, where are you?"

"Anu! We are on our way."

"How long are you going to shop?"

"Shop? Oh, yes. We are coming home soon," replied Jyoti quickly thinking Nalini Kaku may have told Anu that they had gone shopping.

"I just put mehendi on my feet. Its looking fabulous. Come soon."

"Yes. Can you give the phone to Kaku?"

"Oh! She just left the room. Someone called her out."

"Oh. OK!"

"I'm hanging up now. Come soon. Bye."

"Bye," and Jyoti ended the call. She tried to hide her disappointment.

"So didi, can you help me?" asked Yogita.

"We have to go now. But we will try our best to be back," assured Jyoti.

Jyoti patted Yogita's back and she left from there. Priya followed. Yogita's swollen eyes were hard to forget.

The two sisters couldn't speak to each other on their way home. They were unable to give an answer to Yogita whether they could help her. They hoped Nalini Kaku allows Anu do the ritual after the wedding.

Soon they reached home. The wedding arrangements were on in full swing. Jyoti was delighted to see her husband, who had come from Bangalore to attend the wedding. Whenever she got a chance, Jyoti tried to talk to Nalini about Yogita.

"I'll talk to you later. I'm just so happy that Anu is fine now! God bless her!" exclaimed Nalini.

But she was so busy that the topic somehow took a backseat for a while. Everyone just prayed for a happy marriage.

In the evening, a car stopped in front of the house and out came Aaji! Everyone was happy to see her and started inquiring about her health. Jyoti and Priya instantly looked at each other. They suddenly remembered that they had forgotten to ask Yogita about what may have been the reason for Aaji's hospitalization.

"Wow! The aroma of the ladoos is so good!" exclaimed Aaji while entering the house.

"No, not now. You take some rest," said Nalini. "Did you easily forget what the doctors said?"

"I know! But there is no harm in eating just one?" said Aaji.

"You have to keep a check on your weight, that is what caused your high BP. You kept on eating the wadas and namkeens, praising the aroma that filled the house."

"I was also sad that my Anu will be going so far away from me," sobbed Aaji. Anu gave her a big hug.

So that was the reason for Aaji's collapse! thought Jyoti and Priya and they gave a sigh of relief. They thought, we totally forgot about Aaji's eating habits and thought the flowers were responsible for it. When couple of bad thing happens, we always try to link the incidents to one another. Well, the cellphone rang after Anu had purchased the flowers. That is, Aaji's collapse had nothing to do with Kusum.

"Kusum! We still have to talk to Nalini Kaku about the ritual!" exclaimed Priya.

"Yes, I know. But I'm not finding a chance to talk to her!" replied Jyoti.

"The wedding is tomorrow and we have to do the ritual soon."

Jyoti and Priya involved themselves in all the wedding celebrations, but at the back of their mind they were unable to forget Yogita's pale face.

Late evening, after the Sangeet and other celebrations, seeing Nalini sitting quiet and tired in a corner, Jyoti approached her and tried to tell her about Yogita and Kusum. Nalini was shocked to hear the story. She said a small prayer that the family was saved from a disaster. She felt sad and a tear did manage to make way through the corner of her eye. Jyoti thought this was the right time to ask her about the ritual.

"Do you think we can send Anu for the ritual?" asked Jyoti.

"No way! I don't want the new bride to go and do a 'soul resting' ritual!"

"Please Kaku! It will be helpful for others too."

"Not possible Jyoti! What if the ritual back-fires and some other evil things happen? Who is to blame then?"

"Lets take it positively and do it."

"OK, even if its fine with me, do you think Anu's in-laws are going to allow their new daughter-in-law to go to a cemetery right after marriage? I don't want to hear a thing now!"

"But Kaku the incidents will continue with other brides."

"I have got nothing to do with that. I'm really thankful for you and Priya who tired to get to the root of the cause for Anu's behavior, but I'm sorry. Please try to understand. I'm Anu's mother. I want a happy life for her. I won't allow her to do the ritual." Nalini gets up. "Don't think much about it now, beta. Just go to bed." She patted on Jyoti's head and walked to her room.

Jyoti didn't say a word. She was very well aware of her family's beliefs. She couldn't argue and convince. Perhaps her mother would have also thought the same way for her.

Jyoti walked towards her husband who was waiting to talk to her since he had arrived. She took her son close to her. She had almost ignored him for last 2 days. She cried in her husbands arms that she was unable to do anything for Yogita.

Priya felt the same. But she was a strong girl and thought it would be good to forget everything.

The wedding was a lovely event for all the family. Anu and Prithvi made a wonderful couple. It was a fabulous day. In the evening, the bride was given a tearful goodbye. Anu still remained unaware of the last 2 days events. Her parents and Aaji were delighted and prayed for her happy married life.

Jyoti and Priya were thinking about what Yogita had said, Everybody sees their own good. People are selfish. So true!

The marriage was success. The evil shadow was no longer lurking on the family.

Life continued. All were back to their regular routines. In a few days, Anu and Prithvi reached safely to the US. Priya was back to her work in Mumbai. Jyoti was back in Bangalore with her family. Aaji continued with her eating, TV, spiritual and superstitious beliefs. The flower-vendors continued selling flowers and so did one flower-vendor, selling crimson red roses to brides.

THE END.