Arranged by the Stars

by Kamy Chetty

  He paused and remembered Ash’s comment about Lady Diana. But this didn’t sound like her. “No, this is not Ash. I know it’s not.”

  Latha placed her hands on his shoulders. “Okay then, let’s do this. I’m in. Let’s save Ash whatever it takes.”

  Kieran placed his hand on Latha’s. “Thank you.”

  “I was buried alive with her, it’s like we’re sisters.” She squeezed his hand.

  *****

  When they walked in to rescue Ash this time, there were no camouflage suits or painted faces. Kieran followed Rohan and Latha into the large house, which was decorated with lights and colour. He couldn’t help thinking that this should have been his day.

  He straightened the outfit he wore and took blessings from the elders who were at the entrance. In such an extravagant affair, it was doubtful that Sushi would ask him to leave. If she did, he had the wedding invite tucked in his pocket and was ready to make a scene if the need arose.

  The media didn’t exaggerate about how big this event was, Sushi had spared no expense to make sure that this was a wedding to be talked about.

  “Well Dr Kanna, I don’t remember your name on the invite list?” Sushi stepped up from behind him.

  Rohan and Latha were both circulating among the crowd, waiting for a chance to talk to Ash.

  Kieran took his time selecting a treat from a tray in from of them before he answered her. “I do have an invite in my pocket if you’d like to see?”

  She smiled at someone in the distance. “No need. She will marry Alok today. I don’t think there is anything you can do or say that can make any difference.”

  Kieran pointed to the garlands and the dancers who were entertaining the guests. “This isn’t her style, aunty.”

  Sushi straightened her spine and narrowed her gaze. “My niece is going to marry one of the richest men in the city. Nothing will stop that.”

  Was that a hint of fear he saw in her eyes? “Is that why you didn’t pass on my letters or flowers?”

  Sushi’s laugh reminded him of a high-pitched hyena’s cry. “What made you think it was me who returned those to you?”

  He watched her walk away before his gaze searched upstairs. Ash was up there, in one of those rooms. Getting ready to come down. He balked at the idea of her being nervous and happy about the wedding. He couldn’t grasp the concept of her marrying anyone but him.

  Latha was behind him as if she sensed his doubt. “Cold feet?”

  He shook his head. He wanted to say they should stick to the plan, but in reality there was no real plan. Unless she made a decision and chose him, then this was for nothing. He could go up there and wax lyrical about how great they would be together but if their night together hadn’t been enough to show her that, there wasn’t much point.

  As the music changed, Kieran broke out into a cold sweat. Everyone in the large room started splitting into groups and preparing for the bride to come down the stairs. This was the moment every bridegroom waited for. The moment when his bride walked down to him and took his hand, ready to take her vows and promise a lifetime of commitment to him.

  Latha tugged his arm and whispered good luck and then she was gone. Kieran’s gaze went to the spot where the priest and the groom waited for the bride. So that was Alok. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. But he didn’t expect the timid looking man who watched the fire with the intensity of someone afraid of his own shadow.

  How could the stars have matched them up? Ash would never survive living with him. The stars were so wrong. The beat of the drums got stronger. He expected Alok’s gaze to go to the staircase so he could see his bride. But he continued to watch the fire. It was Kieran who lifted his chin and waited in anticipation for his bride.

  When he saw Ash in her wedding gown he almost stumbled. Saying he was taken away by her beauty would be an understatement. It was obvious she had beauty, but there was something much more she had. She wore red and gold gown that covered her from head to toe, like it was made for her. He wasn’t sure why she was covered with gold from head to toe, but he suspected it would have had something to do with her aunt and this being a spectacular affair.

  He watched her pause at the top of the stairs and look down and he wondered what she was thinking. Did she think of him, even once? Was this day a bitter sweet day for her as it was for him?

  *****

  This was it. After today she was shackled to a life she didn’t want. As she stood at the top of the staircase and looked down all she saw was the possibility of what might have been.

  In the distance she saw Alok stare at the fire that would seal their fate. Seven steps around that fire with seven vows and they would become man and wife. She had never had the courage to ask him if he’d wanted this for himself. Knowing the kind of man he was, he would have agreed with whatever his parents had said. He was a man without a backbone.

  Her gaze scanned the crowd of people she didn’t recognise. Her aunt had made sure she hadn’t spoken to anyone from New Zealand. She wasn’t allowed to invite any of her friends to what should have been the most important day of her life. It was like she knew what had happened there. Like there was a huge stamp that said I was happy for once in my life in New Zealand, please don’t send me reminders.

  The veil scratched her skin, and she had to flick it away from her face so she could see, but it was so heavy, it kept falling back into place. Her aunt had insisted on her wearing every piece of gold she could find, so her arms were covered in gold bangles that clanged each time she moved.

  Despite the hideous overuse of jewellery and gold, everyone sighed and ummed and a-hhed, and told her how beautiful she looked. Again her gaze roamed the crowd. Her aunt urged her forward. In the distance she saw two figures that looked like Rohan and Latha, and she lifted her hand to rub her eyes and then remembered her mascara.

  “Ash, they’re waiting for you.” Sushi pushed her forward again, “Time is running out.”

  Yes, the stars were exactly aligned and she shouldn’t be late. She was tired of the reminder. She turned to her aunt. “Didi, if it’s meant to be, even the stars won’t stop this match.”

  Her aunt’s gaze darkened. “Don’t test me,” she muttered.

  Ash took a step forward and closed her eyes. Why didn’t this make any sense?

  “When your mother broke her promise, it ruined her family. Don’t repeat her mistake.” Her aunt’s voice was a guttural whisper.

  Slowly she put one foot in front of the other and when she was midway she stopped. The room was full of people she didn’t know, here for a wedding to a man she didn’t love. Her gaze went down to Alok who had finally looked up at her. She knew what was mirrored in his eyes and it wasn’t love. So why was she doing this?

  Frozen in that spot and not sure whether to turn back or move forward, she turned towards the gasps and then held her breath.

  The people in front of her parted to the side and a lone figure walked up to her. It couldn’t be medically safe for the number of times this man was able to make her heart stop.

  She watched him slowly make his way up the stairway. “Kieran. What are you doing here?”

  The room quietened and everyone waited for him to speak. The last thing Ash needed was for all of New Delhi to know what he was here for. But it seemed when you invited all of New Delhi into your home, then you had to live with the consequences.

  Kieran looked around. Ash shrugged. “I don’t think they will let us talk in private.”

  Whistles were heard from the crowd as they agreed with her.

  Kieran tried to quieten down the crowd. “When we were in Auckland, I asked you a question. I came here for the answer.”

  She stared at him wondering if he’d totally lost it. He was standing in front of a crowd of people not making any sense. This was so unlike him. She put her hands out palm facing up and lifted her shoulders in the unasked question. The clinking of bangles was the only sound that could be heard. Even the musicians had stopped their
tunes to listen to what he had to say.

  He took another step, until he was in front of her. “I want to know what the stars say about us. Do you not think we have a chance?”

  Her gaze went to Alok who had walked away from the priest and was now standing closer to them. “If I remember correctly, you didn’t wait for an answer. You left before I could tell you what I thought. What makes you think you deserve an answer now?”

  Kieran’s gaze went around the room. She could see him contemplate the options. She was surprised when he answered in front of the crowd. “Because I love you and I want to marry you. I don’t give a damn about the moon or the stars, but it appears you do.”

  The crowd gasped. It didn’t fix a thing because the threat of destruction was still there. “It’s not about the moon or the stars. It’s about a promise and about what’s right. I made an agreement and I have to honour it.”

  He turned to Alok and she felt a sharp pain at her side. Alok was not equipped to deal with a man like Kieran. “Leave him alone Kieran.” Why she felt the need to protect Alok was beyond her but she couldn’t help herself.

  He turned to her. “Why?”

  Ash walked down a few more steps until she was past him. “It’s not his fight. I made a choice.”

  He scratched his head and laughed. “You don’t get it. I am here fighting for you, while he stands there and watches. What does that tell you?”

  Ash shook her head. “It’s not his fight.”

  Kieran’s gaze was so intense she was forced to look away. “How can you say it’s not his fight when we’re fighting over you? After knowing that he will not come up here and fight for you, you will marry him?”

  “I promised to,” she said.

  Sushi walked down the stairs to stand beside her. “I think you should leave.”

  The vein at Kieran’s temple was beating at a rapid rate. “I think you should have stayed out of this.”

  Ash knew that nothing she said to Kieran would make him leave. “We don’t have much time. You need to leave.”

  He took her hands in his. “If this is really what you want, then I can’t stop you. But I will give you this.” He reached into his pocket and took out a blue velvet box and a small scroll wrapped in ribbon.

  Her first reaction was to punch him in the face. If he thought it was romantic to give her the same ring he was going to propose to someone else with, then he was clueless and then some. But then she looked down at the box and realised it was more than anyone else had ever done for her. Her gaze went to Alok and she realised it was more than he had done for her. He was still standing in the exact spot and hadn’t moved. He was never going to fight for her. The ring from Alok came from his family and no personal proposal.

  It would be so easy to say yes. Living with Kieran would be an adventure. But she couldn’t let history repeat itself. The blue velvet box was so enticing, even though she knew what was in it, she couldn’t stop staring at it.

  As if he read her mind he slowly opened the box. The stones one the ring winked back at her and her gaze wouldn’t leave the modest setting. He remembered. He hadn’t even liked her when she told him that she preferred sapphires to diamonds. Like Lady Diana. That had to be custom made. It wasn’t exactly like hers because it had emeralds too, but this meant―

  How long did he have that?

  She couldn’t swallow because it hurt. He tipped her chin up and then wiped at the wetness at her cheeks.

  “What is it going to take to convince you that I love you?” he said.

  Ash shook her head. Why did he have to make it so hard? She took the scroll from his hand and opened it. The words blurred. Did he really go through all this trouble for her? “For real?”

  He smiled. “For real. You can study nursing at the school of your choice. Resit your exam so you don’t have to start all over again.”

  He wasn’t offering her marriage but a future. That was such a huge difference. “Why would you do this for me?”

  “It’s what you’re good at. You’ll make an excellent nurse and I want to be there when it happens. I want to help you make it happen and hopefully you’ll work with me.” Kieran pulled her into his arms. “In the last few months I realised that unless you’re with me, nothing makes sense in my life.”

  Sushi came up from behind them. “I told you about history repeating itself. This is meant to be. You’re the one who chose and decided. Don’t choose your mother’s fate.”

  Why did it all have to be so hard? Was this how it felt like to be pulled in two directions? If she listened to her heart, it would be simple. She would walk into Kieran’s arms and never look back. This was so much more. This was her family’s reputation on the line and her aunt had given up her life to take care of her, how could she throw it all away?

  His hand grasped hers. “Tell me you’re not thinking about going through with this. Not with how you feel about me.”

  Her gaze fell on Alok who had relief written all over his face. Was this what he wanted? Alok’s father walked up to them.

  His gaze focused on her and she shifted closer to Kieran. “I should have known you would renege on this arrangement. You have her eyes, why wouldn’t you be as deceitful?”

  Kieran’s grip on her tightened. “I know arranged marriages are our way. It has always been our way, but don’t you think it’s about time we changed?”

  The crowd managed a wave of whispers and were then hushed into silence. It was Sushi who stepped up and faced Kieran.

  “We always give the bride and bridegroom a choice. They don’t have to agree.” She pulled her pallu closer and nodded to the crowd, seeking approval.

  “Didi, I was sixteen when I agreed to marry Alok. I didn’t even know who I was then. Don’t I get a chance to change my mind?”

  Sushi folded her arms across her chest. “How can you not know who you are? Once you’re married you’ll be his wife. End of story.”

  Everyone in the house watched her and Ash knew that her next words had to come from her heart. “I don’t want to be defined as someone’s wife. I want to be me, a somebody.”

  Sushi came up to her and tugged her hand away from Kieran. “You are talking absolute nonsense. Let’s get on with this wedding.”

  Ash stepped back. “I would rather not marry and follow my dreams then be defined as a wife or a mother and nothing more.” Her gaze sought out the females who stood in front of her. “Tell me you don’t want more in life than this?”

  Again there were hushed voices. Kieran stepped up next to her and wrapped his hand around her shoulder. “I think the lady has spoken. Are you ready to leave?”

  Ash watched the people around her whisper amongst themselves. She was sure that no-one had walked out of a wedding of this size before to seek their independence. “I think so.”

  Kieran bent his head so his lips were at her ear. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re not going to marry me?”

  For the first time in ten years, Ash felt true relief. “Ask me again when the stars are aligned.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Coffee sir?” Ash didn’t bother to knock, instead she slipped through the open door and placed the coffee on the desk.

  She didn’t mind that Kieran finished his notes before he took his coffee. She didn’t even care that this was the third week they were covering for his parents who were away on a trip to Fiji for their anniversary and she was bored.

  “I take it you’re finished with the filing?” he asked.

  Ash sat on the chair in front of him. “The filing, the stock and I also went and visited Riya house to see if they needed my help.”

  She took one of the pens from the cup full of them and clicked it. The idea of finding her true calling was great in theory, but when she was actually trying to do it, it was hard work.

  Kieran blew on his coffee. “You’re bored.”

  Ash clicked the pen two more times. “Really, tell me something I don’t know.”

  He sighed.
“Did you start ticking things off on your list?”

  She might love this man, but his know-it-all-attitude was sometimes painful to be around. “Did that and don’t ask me about pros and cons. I think I’m going to the beach. Maybe some yoga will clear my head.”

  Kieran got up a little too quickly. “Not a good idea to do that. Remember what happened the last time you went out on the beach. I can arrange for a yoga instructor to come here.”

  Granted her relationship with Kieran was anything but platonic, but she didn’t think he had it in him to pull the Tarzan routine. “So if I wanted to get that yoga instructor on the beach, you think you can organise that?”

  He wagged his finger at her as he walked towards her. As soon as his hands were threaded into her hair, she knew that boredom was not an issue she’d have to deal with in the interim. As soon his lips touched hers, she knew that no matter how many times he kissed her, she would never get over that first time excitement.

  His finger traced her lips. “When are you going to wear my ring?”

  She lifted her lips and brushed against his. “I told you, when the stars change.”

  The knock on the door was unwelcome but the despair on Jessie’s face was an alarm bell.

  “You’re needed in the resus room. Bring the crash cart. Bring everything,” she flapped her arms and then hurried away.

  It took a moment to make sure her clothes were on straight, and another to realise that Kieran was already out the door. When Ash entered the room, it was to meet a flurry of attention and she wasn’t sure where all these people had come from.

  Some of them seemed familiar, but no one was part of their medical team. After a minute of chaos, Jessie stood on a chair and screamed at the crowd, asking them to leave.

  Taking her cue from Jessie, Ash rushed to Kieran’s side and she looked around to see where all the monitor leads were. The man on the bed was a large man and she had seen him walk along the clinic for weeks. But she’d never seen him come in, or seek medical attention.

  Once she had the monitor leads on, she took his temperature and then took out the glucometer. “His sugar is really high. He must be a type one diabetic.”