The bride was 8 months pregnant. On the wedding day, her mother-in-law did not let her in the front door but forced her to climb over the wall into the house. The mother-in-law even sarcastically said: “The family is poor and doesn’t know how to teach their daughter, climb up, if you can’t climb up then go back to your house and give birth.”. The bride’s father couldn’t bear it any longer so he did something unexpected.
On Anjali’s wedding day, the whole neighborhood in Jaipur was buzzing with gossip. Some people said: “The girl is lucky, she’s pregnant and still gets married”, others whispered: “The groom’s family is just doing it for show”. Anjali was silent, her hand gently placed on her belly – where the little child was growing every day. She just hoped everything would go smoothly, as long as her child had a father and a name.

That morning, the groom’s family arrived to pick up the bride. The sound of dholak drums and shenai trumpets resounded loudly throughout the narrow alley. Anjali tightly held her father’s hand – Mr. Ramesh Sharma, a man with half his hair gray because of his love for his child – and walked out. But when she just reached the groom’s gate, her future mother-in-law – Mrs. Meera Devi – stood right in front of the door, her face cold.

“Stop! A pregnant daughter-in-law cannot enter the main gate. My family has always kept the family tradition, we cannot let this shameful thing happen in front of the ancestral altar. If you want to enter, climb over the side wall!”

The entire wedding procession was stunned. Anjali was stunned, thinking she had misheard. She turned to look at the groom — Vikram, the man she had once trusted, who had promised: “No matter what happens, I will protect you.” But he bowed his head, remained silent, did not object, and did not take a step closer.

Mrs. Meera continued to mock, her voice full of contempt:

“Your family is poor, and you let your daughter get pregnant before marriage, you really do not know how to raise children. No wonder you had to get married quickly, otherwise you would be ashamed in front of the world.”

Mr. Ramesh held his daughter’s hand tightly, his veins bulging, trying to contain his anger, turning to Anjali:

“Come on, bear with it a little, everything will pass…”

But when he saw his daughter trembling, one hand holding her stomach, the other holding the bamboo ladder that was leaning against the wall that was more than 2 meters high, her eyes filled with tears but still forcing a smile, the father’s heart felt like it was breaking.

He stepped forward, held his daughter’s hand tightly, his voice hoarse but clear:

“My daughter has no reason to climb the wall! If your family doesn’t properly welcome the bride through the main door, then there will be no wedding at all! My family is poor, but not poor in character. My daughter did nothing wrong to have to crawl over the wall like a thief! In this matter, it is not my daughter’s fault. Without your son, my daughter getting pregnant first is not anyone’s fault? As for you, you can keep your family’s ‘family tradition’, but sorry — I keep my daughter’s honor!”

The atmosphere was dead silent. Mrs. Meera was stunned, her face red, she shouted loudly:

“Oh my gosh, are you being arrogant with your belly out? And are you sure that she is a descendant of this family? What good is such an easy daughter? My family is very lucky to have her, now if you want to be accused of being pregnant out of wedlock, then just do it…”

Groom Vikram bowed his head, not daring to look at anyone.

Mr. Ramesh held his daughter’s hand and turned away, his voice low but firm: “Come on, go home. We still have our family, our parents still have us — there’s no need to marry into such an inhuman family.”

The bride’s family quietly turned the car, behind, the whispers stopped, only Anjali’s sobs and the determined steps of the father leading her away from what should have been the beginning of happiness.

Three months later, Anjali gave birth. Mr. Ramesh was always there to take care of every meal and sleep. On the full month day, he carried her out to the porch, stroked her hair, and said:

“Don’t be afraid of losing anyone, my child. A man who is not brave enough to protect his wife — even if he marries her, he will no longer be a place to settle down.”

Suddenly, there was the sound of vehicles and people outside the gate. Mr. Ramesh went out to see, and it turned out to be his mother-in-law, her face still proud:

“You’re here, so I don’t have to go into the house, I heard that Anjali gave birth to a son, who looks a lot like my Vikram. I’ll give you one last chance, do a DNA test, if it’s really my son, then take him home.”

Mr. Ramesh bluntly replied:

“Forget it, even if you bring a golden tray, you still won’t be able to pick up my children and grandchildren. I heard that your son had an accident yesterday and is on the verge of death? That’s karma. Go home and pray to God that your son will be saved, otherwise he will never have the chance to pick up my children and grandchildren again.”

After saying that, he slammed the door shut and led his daughter into the house. Without saying another word, he acted as if nothing had happened.