Chapter Text
As soon as he left the apartment that day, she couldn't help but feel anxious for him. Priyanka tried to make herself busy by going through his boxes and putting things away. It’d been only a week since he officially moved in with her, but they had been so busy some of his stuff never got out of the box.
Going through his stuff however, didn't calm her mind at all. She could not stop thinking about how this would turn out. He finally decided that he was going to tell his parents about their engagement. Priyanka tried so hard to convince him to let her go with, wanting to get them to change their opinion of her, but he didn't move on the subject. “They're not going to take it well, if they insult me then let it be, I don't want you there to be bullied by them.” He explained.
She tried letting him know that she wouldn't care what they said, and how she just wanted to be there and it get their blessing. But that still hadn't changed his mind.
Four hours later she heard the key turning. She looked up as the door opened and there he was. Expressionless and silent, he just didn't seem like himself. “Doug,” she stood up from her chair. “H-How did it go?”
As the door shut, he shook his head and smiled. “Well. I’m free,” he said with a small laugh. “I am finally free.”
“Free? What does that mean? What happened?”
He gave a small shrug, “I just, gave it to them. I told them everything that’s happened and how I've felt. I told them about us. And that was it. I don't have to worry anymore, or live in fear of what they say. Because it doesn't matter anymore.”
“Durja, that's great!” She stood up and made her way over to him and held his hands. “See, now that you've stood up for yourself, their attitudes have changed and now everything is okay!”
“Pri…” He squeezed her hands and met her eyes, “I never said that things were okay. Their attitude didn't change at all.”
She shook her head, “Then what do you mean? What is being free mean if it's not them finally deciding to accept you?”
“You knew this was coming, Priyanka. This was what we expected.”
“Yeah, well this isn't what I had hoped for… What did they say exactly?”
“I told them I was getting married to you. And my father told me, that if I get married I was to never be allowed home again. Told me never to call again, their choice was clear.” He shook his head. “I don't know why you're getting so upset over this, they're not your parents.”
“You're right. They're not my parents. They're your parents. And your parents shouldn't just say they're not going to support you anymore. That's not right. That's not what a parent does. They should have unconditional love. Besides their blessing is important to me.”
He sighed, “Please don’t worry about it.
Something like that isn't important, it's just formalities. It doesn't matter.”
She shut her eyes tight, “It does. It does matter. It matters to me. It's tradition and a ritual and those are important to me.” She wiped her eyes, she felt so stupid for starting to cry over this.
Doug wrapped his arms around her. “I-I’m sorry. I didn't realize.” He kissed the side of her head. “I wish I could change this. I wish things could be different.”
She buried her face in his neck. “I’m sorry. I’ll be able to live without their blessing. I just. I'm mostly still just angry at them for being this way. You don't deserve to be treated this way, you're a good guy. You shouldn't be alone without a family like this.”
“Hey, it’s alright. Besides, I don't need them.” He smiled at her. “Not having parents doesn't mean I don't have family. I've still got Dev. They tried saying I shouldn't talk to him either, but that's not going to stop me. We’re getting married. We’ll be a family.” She looked at him with a slight smile. Still a few tears running down her face. Doug wiped them away, “Even Aman said he’s willing to trade and have me be his sibling instead of you!” He added in attempt to make her laugh.
It worked. She chuckled slightly, “I feel that idea has more to do with a reflection on my own character than anything.”
“The point is Priyanka, that I’m not alone. I’d rather surround myself with people who like and enjoy me rather than those who don’t.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Priyanka shook her head again, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m being selfish and close minded about this whole thing.”
“No you're not. You don't need to apologize for this. This is healthy, we’re talking it out and each expressing our sides and feelings. That's communication.”
She had stopped crying and rolled her eyes. “I swear, sometimes it feels like you’re secretly just a self help book on having a healthy relationship. Like you just know so much about being in a relationship and how to be good at it unlike me.”
“Well now hold on no one said you weren't good at being in a relationship. How is that even something someone can be good at? All I know is that freshman year of college I took a course on relationship and the psychology of them and what makes them healthy,” he laughed softly. “That's all. It just makes me better husband material.”
“Husband material,” she muttered. Priyanka shook her head slightly. “It's just so strange to think about.”
Doug let out a chuckle, “What's strange?”
“Us. That we’re actually like, going to get married. I don't know, Doug. It just didn't really seem real before. Your parents didn't know it just felt like I had to just keep it a secret from everyone and we haven't done anything planning wise. It just, was easy to forget that it was even happening.”
“I see,” he nodded slightly. “Well, in that case I’m going to make sure that you remember every single day because there is nothing holding us back anymore. We’ll pick a date, get married, and then I’ll carry you over the threshold of our place-” at the word carry Doug had scooped her up into his arms. There was a slight yell of protest she gave but her just ignored it. “-Because there's no way we’re going to my parents after we get married, and then live happily ever after.”
Priyanka calmed down a bit after being surprised and literally swept off her feet, she slipped her arms around his neck holding on. “Is that so?”
“I promise you.”
She leaned in and kissed him. “I’ll hold you to that. Now, how about you set me down?”
“Your wish is my command.” Instead of placing her down on the ground however, he maneuvered around the few stray boxes, making his way to the bed. Doug kissed her, setting Priyanka down on the mattress.
She only broke the kiss to talk to him, “I want to be graduated and done before we get married I know that's even a year away for you, but it just seems to make the most sense.”
He nodded, “Anything works for me,” he said with a grin. “I’ll wait for a lifetime if that's what you want.”
“Well, I can assure you that's not what I want,” she sat up on the bed, crossing her legs. “I don't need to wait a lifetime, just until we're graduated to become Mrs. Lakhe.”
His smile faltered for a moment. “Wait, what?” He sat down on the bed to face her. “Pri I thought I was going to take on your last name, not the other way around.”
“Durja why on earth would you think that? It's tradition that the woman takes the man’s last name.”
“Well, I just figured that, you know, after being disowned by my parents- that not sharing a last name with them anymore is a good thing. Then I’m just completely separated from them. Plus, I’ve already changed my name, I know the process that it takes so it’ll go fast for me since I know what I’m doing.”
“I mean, I understand that, but tradition-”
“Priyanka enough with tradition. We’ll make our own. It doesn't matter. I know it's important to you, but it's not the end of the world. Besides,” he bent over the bed and pulled a box to him. He grabbed his book bag, pulling out a small notebook labeled Physics. “I’ve already been practicing.” He opened to a page near the back. There were a few notes there, but most of the page was scrawled with ‘Doug Maheswaran’.
She saw the page and broke out into a small laugh. “Here I thought you were twenty-two, not twelve.” She shook her head, smiling. “We’ll throw tradition out on this one then, Mr. Maheswaran.” Priyanka leaned in and kissed him.