"Listen to me," his mother said, calming him. "Don't get angry. Sit up. Yesterday, Rani's family called your father. You probably didn't know."
Rakesh scoffed. "Oh, I figured. That's why you called everyone into the other room and left me out. Not that I care about that marriage anymore. If you have something else to say, say it. Otherwise, leave. I want to sleep; I don't feel well."
"I know your body is fine; it's your heart that's heavy," his mother replied. "But what I'm about to say will change that. They have agreed to the marriage."
Rakesh froze. "What? They agreed? Are you playing a joke on me? Even if they did agree, they must be out of their minds. You're actually believing people who invited us to their home just to insult me in private? I don't know if they're crazy or if you are! Don't you have any self-respect left? I don't care what you think—I am not agreeing to this. Not just this marriage, I won't marry anyone. Just because they're rich doesn't mean we start dancing the moment they say yes."
Forgiveness vs. Pride
"I came to give you news, and you've given me a lecture," his mother said. "But I have an opinion on this. To err is human. If you sit around holding onto every mistake, how will you ever move forward? No matter how wrong someone was, if they realize their mistake and bow their head, they should be forgiven. And remember—you didn't bow to them, and we didn't go crawling back. They reached out to us, didn't they? Listen, they are coming to our house tomorrow. Please, don't be disrespectful."
Rakesh countered sharply, "What you call a 'mistake,' I call a crime. We were invited there and then humiliated. Try to understand—we are poor, but we aren't dogs."
"I understand," his mother pleaded. "But still, let them come tomorrow. See what they have to say. Then you can make your decision. Please."
Rakesh cut her off. "Fine. I won't be rude. If I wanted to be rude, I would have said my piece at their house the other day. I stayed silent then. It was only because you all forced me that I even told you how she treated me. Look, Mother, they can come if they want, but I have no desire for this. Give me time to think. I can't promise anything."
His mother stroked his head one last time. "Alright. Now, get some proper sleep. Don't stay awake. They'll be here tomorrow. Tidy up your room a bit. Now, go to sleep."
Rakesh switched off the light and lay back down.
A House Divided: Hope vs. Hesitation
The next morning, Rakesh's house was a whirlwind of activity. Everyone was busy preparing for the arrival of Rani's family. When hosting wealthy guests, hospitality must be impeccable. Since dawn, the kitchen had been filled with the aroma of various dishes; it felt as though a festival was taking place even before the wedding was finalized. Everyone was jubilant.
However, in a quiet corner of the house, Rakesh remained isolated and conflicted. He was still paralyzed by doubt. Was he making another mistake? Would saying 'Yes' lead to a life of misery, or would saying 'No' destroy the dream he had held for so long? Instead of joy, he felt a crushing weight of anxiety. The moment he had waited for his entire life was finally arriving, yet he felt no peace.