Sunday Story "My live-in Sasuraal" Season 1 - Episode 3 - Convincing Families

Read the previous part of this story- "An unusual live-in proposal"

“It seems you are in a mood to pull my leg, Aakash Trivediji.” Anika said with an ironic smile and tried to focus on her coffee.

“I am serious, Anika. I am really serious. What if you live with me and my family before our marriage? You can figure out whether you are compatible with them and then, we can decide whether to get married or not. Try to live with my family once, you will love them.” He convinced her promisingly.

Anika wasn’t someone who could be persuaded easily. She worked in a corporate law firm, and was known as a hard-core lawyer. But Aakash loved her immensely, he didn’t mind getting a bit snapped and thrashed by her that day. He didn’t want to lose her in life.

“Anika, I am begging for the last time. Can’t you see how persuasive I am to get married to you?” He finally lost his patience one day.

“I am still unsure of this arrangement. Can you live-in with me? Then, why do such a weird thing? And I genuinely feel that your family won’t allow such ideas.” Anika concluded.

They didn’t talk to each other for a couple of weeks, except a casual ‘Hi’ or ‘How are you?’ because they simply couldn’t live without knowing about each other.

Finally, Anika gave in and said to Aakash one day on a telephone call, “I am ready to live with your family. But are they ready to accept this kind of relationship? I don’t want to lose you. But let me tell you one thing. Convincing me for this live-in arrangement is easy, Aakash. However, adjusting and compromising for people I don’t know is challenging and taken for granted. I don’t know about you, but I will never let anyone take my presence for granted. I am responsible for my happiness and not you.”

Anika’s strong statement made Aakash think from another perspective. Is she a stubborn woman who would fight for every right of hers and argue with his parents for the silliest thing? Maybe, he had not known her properly even though they met thrice a week.

She continued, “Aakash, I hate being in the victim mindset. I have seen my friends getting married, making huge compromises and sacrifices and getting into the victim mode. I would hate that version of me. I have seen my parents fighting and coming together for me, and that hurts me the most. I had decided long back that I would wear the badge of an unhappy person while making others comfortable. I will take the full responsibility of my happiness. So, you or your parents don’t have to change them or try to change me for being happy. Let us go with the flow and figure it out gradually.”

Aakash’s perspective again took a big shift when he heard this. No, she was not a stubborn feminist, but a woman who had understood the meaning of a wholesome relationship. She never talked about how someone had badly treated her or cheated on, she had taken full responsibility for her actions all the time. She was surely a strong woman and he wanted her more in his life.

“I get it.” Aakash fumbled as he couldn’t think of the right words to speak after something heavy and true she had mentioned a moment ago.  He added in a hurry, “I will talk to my family about this. I will make sure they understand our relationship and give our decision a try.”

“Okay. I will also talk to my parents about it. They are very understanding, but I am sure they must have never heard of a concept called ‘a live-in relationship with the in-laws.’” She cracked into laughter as she said it.

Aakash joined her and sniggered; he was relieved that she was no longer mad at him and had taken her own stand while accepting his proposal.

                                                            -x-

Aakash sat in front of his parents in their bedroom. They lived in a huge house at Malad and there were around 10 members in the family.

“Beta, tell us one thing. Live-in is the same thing na, that a boy leaves his house and stays with a girl but they don’t marry? Then, why is she coming to our house?” His father asked innocently. He had knitted his brows and looked puzzled at what Aakash had mentioned about his relationship with Anika.

“You love her na. She also loves you. Then, why not get married? Why do you want to do a rehearsal of the same?” His mother asked in the same puzzled look as his father’s.

After 30 years of marriage, it seemed evident to Aakash that the husband and wife start looking alike and show a similar pattern of expressions. He exchanged looks at his parents and tried to explain himself again.

“She has never lived in a joint family. She has always lived with her parents, she has no siblings. Even her parents shared a strained relationship with each other when Anika was growing up. So, she wants to check whether she can live in a joint family or not.” 

His parents didn’t seem to be convinced. It was easy to convince a girl about this arrangement and confess his love, Aakash thought when he noticed his parents’ confused expressions. They took some time to discuss with each other, but still complained to him.

“Then, why not get married and check? What should we say to our relatives and the society when they notice an unmarried girl staying in one of our rooms? Don’t you think that would be weird?”

Aakash was dumbfounded at their questions. He needed a brainstorming session with a friend to come up with ready-made answers and so, he called Manav and asked him for bits of advice. Manav grasped the overall idea but could not understand why they had chosen for a weird set-up.

In the meantime, Anika shared everything about Aakash to her parents. They acknowledged the new idea but expressed a grudge, “What if you don’t like staying with them? Have you thought of the consequences?”

Aakash's family seems to be in a muddle while Anika's family warns her of the consquences. Do you think both the families will agree to this set-up?

Here's the link to Episode 4!