Having rejected twelve suitors , Mini Vasudevan told her parents one day, “I don’t know what type of  a man the girl inside me wants….”  Then she gave an open cheque to her mother to find a groom for her.  “If you like him, he is OK for me. Don’t let me see him, Ma” had said the talkative fresh  Psychology graduate, 21.

The mother, Sheila, had one  Monty Rajan already  in mind, who lived just four streets away. She  even wondered why Monty hadn’t come for bride seeing. He was a Lecturer  in an engineering college. His parents, the Manoharans,  were fed up with  this stubborn youngster, 29,  because  he had refused six maidens  outright.  When he  said ‘no’ to the seventh  even without looking at her face, the parents suspected that there was something wrong

“All right son, we now know what kind of  a  wife you want. We will find her for you, don’t worry…” the mother had announced……………

Little did his parents know that he had turned into a woman hater of sorts some twenty years back.  An excellent basket player,  Monty was the captain of the junior  basket ball team of his school at the age of 9.     London  Mission was playing the final match that day with St. John’s school, a co-ed institution. Till half time, the score was 20:30. Then Monty became alive with  vengeance and reversed the score board.  Every ball he threw earned a basket.  When the final whistle blew the score was 63: 60. Hurrah, London Mission school had won.

All spectators rushed  and hugged Monty.   One furious girl of St. John’s  however, jostled  through the cheering crowd, pushed  Monty down, sat on his stomach and thrashed him left, right and centre.  “Stop it, stop it, Sujata” a teacher shouted from a distance.

Shaken up,  Monty jumped to his feet and disappeared  out of sight……

Mother Sheila had been successful. Within a week,  she had spotted daughter-in-law.  “Oh, is it?  What’s her name, Mamma?”

Sheila was a little surprised.  Didn’t sonny want to know any other details?  However, she didn’t  press her point since  Monty appeared to be in a condescending mood.

“Mini, Mini Vasudeven.”

“Oh, Mini.  Then it’s OK, Mamma. I am  not interested in seeing her.  If she is OK in your eyes, she is OK for me..….”

Polly Manoharan didn’t show  her shock  outwardly. Monty agreeing to marry Mini  itself was a giant step. Why annoy  him with   unnecessary questioning.

There was astonishment in the other house as well. “How come, neither the bride nor the groom wished to see each other before marriage…” The matter was left there.  “ Mini has agreed to the marriage, that’s all that mattered…”  the parents opined.

It was a hassle free  and complaint free  wedding.  Here again Mini and Monty didn’t see each other’s face, not even through  the corner of the eyes.

The very day was the nuptial night in Manoharan’s   house..  Monty was inside the bridal chamber awaiting his  ‘new wife.’

Mini walked in delightfully, her head hung low.  For the first time in years, Monty saw  a woman  from close quarters.  He couldn’t help it.  “She is beautiful,” a voice said.

“Be seated” Monty said  like Mini was his student. He was sitting  at one end of the large bedstead.

Mini might have become his  wife all right, but she was a woman.  Taking revenge on a woman had been his goal all these years.  He hadn’t the nerve to hit back Sujata inside the basket ball ground.  And here was that marvelous chance.  What could he do to hurt Mini deeply so that he enjoyed the sweetness of revenge?

“Have you any previous sex experience?” he asked of her bluntly. “This ought to batter her hard,” he felt.

Any Indian bride would have  covered  her head and wept at the question  and charged out crying, “I can’t live with this man…. I can’t ….”   That’s what Monty too had expected.  But not  Mini. “No,” she said firmly.  After  two seconds she asked, “And have you?”

Monty was startled.  Little did he anticipate  a rejoinder of words. ” She’s supposed to weep, wasn’t she?”

Recovering from the rebuff he replied, “Of course not.”

Mini continued. “Any love affair?”

“Oh no.”

Suddenly he became aware  that he was  being cross-examined by a woman. Inflating his lungs he retorted, “Listen. I  …  I asked …  first and you said… you said  ‘no’  and I accepted … your word.  What’s … what’s the idea of ……  delving into my … my …. past. Eh?”

Mini noticed that Monty avoided looking directly into her face as he said his lines.  Was he a shy man? Then she felt that Monty had some personality problem. What’s it?  He continued to look down at the floor.

“Are you a disappointed lover? Did any lady in your college ditch you?”

Monty remained silent.

Mini was now inching towards the other end of the bed.  She was some 3 feet away from him. “Were you discarded by someone?”

Monty began to stammer.  “ I .. er… am  .. in fact…no.. er… in fact ..”

Mini  saw beads of sweat on his forehead.  Her next question threw him even more off guard. “You hate women don’t you?  You think all  women are   bullies and sadists, don’t you?”

Monty’s voice changed all at once. He gurgled like a 9 year old boy, “Don’t come near me, don’t …” he cried recoiling his body backwards.  He couldn’t retreat.  He was at the dead end of the bed.

“I am your wife.  I have every right to come near you.”

The mauled up school boy engineer crouched and  pressed his knees

tight,

“Look at me” Mini cooed waving an open palm.  “Look at me.  Look right into my eyes..”

If her marriage was to click, she must drive out the devil that was living inside him.  And she must exorcise that ghost now. She would not sit and cry over marrying a woman-hater.  Nor would she allow herself to be dubbed a woman who couldn’t keep her man.   “Look at me…”

Monty  curled into a smaller boy.  He  crushed his  knees to shrink his body. “Don’t,” he appealed to her.  His lips quivered and he let out a shrill cry.  “Don’t slap me.  Don’t hit me.  Don’t Sujata.  Don’t kill me Sujata. Don’t..,”  Monty covered his face with both hands trying to contain all the thrashings.

Mini was now at touching distance.  She remained quiet for some time, gazing steadily at Monty’s wet face.

When nothing struck at his face, Monty opened  his eyes slowly and looked through the gap of his fingers.  He saw a smiling woman and not a pony-tailed school girl. “Who are you?” he demanded of her.

“I am Mini Vasudevan.  No, I am Mini Rajan.. Your wife.  I have come to protect you from Sujata.  I have driven her out of your life for ever.   I will be your body guard from now on.  This is our nuptial night, remember?”

Monty  took his palm away from his face slowly.   For the first time he saw Mini’s face.  “Hey, she is good looking, kind, nice and  most beautiful.., ”  he told himself.

“Sure, you are not Sujata?” he asked again examining her face more critically.

“Surely not  I am Mini.  Sujata is dead.  We got married some 10 hours back.  Remember?”

In a subdued voice Monty asked, “ Will you be nice to me and not beat me?  Promise?”  He extended an upturned palm.

Tears welling up in her eyes, Mini said, “Of course, my Lord.  I promise to be nice and  kind to you all my life.”  She placed her palm on his and repeated, “I promise…”   Mini  was so touched that she bent low and kissed his hand as well.

Monty kept  staring at his bride for a long time, drowning  himself in her beauty.  He never  imagined that the fair sex could be so arrestingly radiant and gorgeous.  He even complimented himself for marrying  a jewel.

Time stood still.  He gazed and gazed and remained glued to Mini..  “May I touch you?”  he requested.

“Certainly, my Lord, ” she said as joyful tears rolled down her cheeks and  she edged closer making it easier for him.

With a hand on her shoulder, Monty  all at once  felt that  a heavy load had rolled off his chest.  He was no longer afraid of women.  His eyes closed gradually  and he laid his head on Mini’s lap with a feeling of absolute safety  and security.  Soon, he lapsed into a contented sleep.

Mini studied her husband’s face.  How calm and serene it looked now.  “Poor darling,  Sujata had scared him to death for years,” she inferred.  Then and there she resolved to be  the most affectionate wife on Earth.

Should she find out more details about this Sujata?  She ruled it out.  It’s a closed chapter now.  All her knowledge on psychology advised her against digging into his school days.  She stretched him on the bed and laid herself beside him. She too drifted into sleep with a sense of victory and achievement.

Monty was the first to open the eyes on the following morning at 6 a.m.  Touching his  wife boldly he asked, “Need some more sleep?”

Mini rubbed her eyes and sat up lazily. It took her a couple of seconds to get her moorings.  The happenings of her wedding night seemed like a dream.

“How about getting ready?  You are still in your wedding attire.  We have to go to our home along with Mamma and Pappa,” he conveyed.  Words flowed out freely from his mouth.  He didn’t stutter.  Mini loved  the sound of his voice.  “Our home?”

Mr and Mrs  Manoharan , who had also spent the night in the bride’s house greeted  the new couple. Immediately the father noticed that he was seeing a new son who had grown overnight into a  self confident man.  He walked with his head  straight and high.  “Hullo Mum,” he hailed her in a new accent while his arm pressed Mini’s hip tight.

The mother transmitted a telepathic message to Mini thanking her for converting her  son into a real man.

Mini swelled with happiness at the compliment.  Was her psychoanalysis so fruitful that the mother had spotted the difference at once?

“Congrats!” an inner vice told her. “You have won your very first case, Mini.  Great?  You  are now a confirmed marriage counseller.”.

“Oh, really?”

“Of course, friend.  What a marvellous performance?  But don’t adopt this technique with another man.  OK?”

Mini nodded with a grateful smile.

“You could have your real first night tonight, Mini.  Make that also a tremendous success.  OK?”

——-

Popularity: 3% [?]