If there was one thing that had been ingrained in Rhia all her life was that she had certain expectations to live upto.

‘Be quiet. Girls are supposed to quiet.’

‘Be more girly. Look at how you are standing!’

‘Behave yourself. Don’t be so free to start dancing in the street.

‘Arey, if you behave like such a rebel who will marry you?’

One day Rhia dared to question. ‘But…those girls, they are laughing so loudly?’

‘They are not of good character. Exceptions are always there.’

‘Ma, look at those women playing football.’

‘They are not of good character. Exceptions are always there.’

She stood in front of the mirror and asked again, ‘Why do I need to marry? Even Samridhi Aunty is not married.’

‘Samriddhi Aunty is the black sheep of the family. Exceptions are always there.’

One day, the tables were turned and Rhia was asked a string of questions.

‘We have done so much for you. Couldn’t you choose a boy of our liking? All the girls in our family have married as per their parents' wishes. What did we do wrong? Where did we go wrong in our upbringing?’

‘Ma, not everyone needs to marry to feel complete. Not exceptions but exceptional people are always there.’