Chapter 4

"Nidhi, tell me one thing, which one is looking better?" Niyati said as she placed the nth diamond necklace on a sighing Meera, "Mom they're both heavy can you just ugh!" 

"Stop ughing Meera, it's your wedding!" Nidhi exclaimed, "Bhabhi I am confused between the choker and the necklace!" 

"Yes you're right, it's a difficult choice" Niyati said

"Oh god ladies, please come to a decision, I have to give Dadu medicines, so let me do that!" Meera said frustrated, rising up.

The house was in a full ruckus, someone was dealing with the caterers, the decorators, someone else! it was a full on chaos, organizing a wedding in a week is not easy. 

"Sidhanth, did you talk to the pandit!" Niyati asked her son

"Yes Maa, I spoke to the pandits! dont worry, right now I am going to the tailors, for Jiju's sherwani - the gift from our side!" He replied as he picked up the car keys

"Yeah yeah okay, hurry, Nidhi, you come with me, we have to go shopping for the sarees that we'll send for Meera's would be relatives"Niyati said as she picked up her purse

"Yes yes Bhabhi, I am ready let's go" Nidhi answered, she then turned to her husband who was on a call with some one else, "Yash, listen, arrange for picking up the kids today okay? and don't let Amaya miss her tuition, she'll miss it anyway as the wedding starts!" 

Yash gave her a thumbs up and continued talking to the designated person. 

"Dadu, here have this pill please" Meera said as she came and sat next to him

"yeah yeah, now I'm hungry only for the pill" Prithviraj said as he sat up and coughed a little. Meera smiled and handed him over a glass of water. They heard the bell of the house ring and the door being opened. Must be yet another caterer, Meera thought to herself.

"You're happy right?" Prithviraj asked her, perplexing her, she wasn't happy, she wasn't ready for marriage, but she couldn't give him any more stress, so she very smoothly lied, "Ofcourse Dadu, there is no reason to be sad, pratibha aunty and Shantanu uncle have known us forever and Divya didi, jiju, they have been the closest people to me, ofcourse I am happy!"

Prithviraj stroked her head "Beta you know the first time your dadi (gramma) and I met, was the day after our wedding and your dadi was so shy, she didn't remove the pallu from her head for the next 3 months!" 

"haha that's such a dadi thing to do" Meera said as she reminisced about her grandmother who passed away a few years ago

"We didnt know each other at all, but slowly everything began to fall into place, both of us had to compromise, make adjustments, and we had fights all the time, but we also loved each other very much! I know you're apprehensive, but you must give this marriage a chance, promise me, you will" Her dadu asked giving his hand out

Meera placed her hand onto his and said, "Yes Dadu, I promise" She didn't have much of a choice, it was a marriage and her biased opinion of Indian men told her that she would be forced to give it a chance. Just then they heard a knock at the door, she turned around to spot Aakash- "Jiju! hi!" she said surprised, Aakash went ahead to touch prithviraj's feet and then turned to Meera to give her a hug, Meera went to bring him some water and coffee as Aakash chatted on with her grandfather. As she strained the coffee in the cup, Aakash entered the kitchen

"Arey, why did you come, I was getting it na!" Meera said to him

"Arey no no, relax, I'll have it here only, just you and me" Aakash said as he walked to her

"Yeah sure, by the way, how are you here, during office hours??" Meera asked as she handed him his cup

"Why, do I need permission now, to come see you?" Aakash asked her pretending to be mad at her

"No No" Meera smiled

"How are you?" Aakash asked her placing the cup on the slab

"How? I'm okay I guess" 

"Divya was telling me you are worried" 

"Oh god, she has to tell you everything, my god it's scary!" 

"ahaha, it's marriage stuff even you'll have to master it now!" Aakash remarked. Meera put her head down with nothing to reply 

"Hey?" Aakash said as he placed his hand just below her shoulder. "listen, I know you're worried and I know you aren't ready, but I can guarantee you, that Arjun bhaiya wont have any expectations from you! besides, we are a construction company, we always need architects and who better than you! you'll soon fit in and you wont even realize! and then Divya and I will always be there for you right?" he tried to pacify her

"Hmm" Meera nodded to him and gave him a smile, she was a little less apprehensive, just a little less. 

"Anyways, now listen, mom has sent these gifts and jewellery and everything for the rituals and she has sent her hand made laddoos for you, specially! so eat them"

"-but I don't eat lad-"

"yes yes, I know you dont eat laddoos and that you hate sweets but please take a bite okay? okay fine I have to leave or else your to be husband will butcher me!"

"what?" Meera said shocked, butcher? who was she getting married to!

"oh shit, I didn't mean it like that, I just meant it in a brotherly affection ka manner, dont worry!" Aakash smiled to her and gave her a light slap on her arm before leaving. As he began his car, he gave out a little sigh, was it right to not tell Meera before that his brother wouldn't accept this marriage? but then if she didn't want any expectations that's because she didnt expect anything, stuck in a dilemma between right and wrong, a brother who he worshipped and an almost sister, he drove away, leaving it to the destiny

-

"Hi, listen please please please, get Arjun bhaiya to try this!" Divya begged him as soon as Aakash got home

"What is this?" 

"his sherwani aakash! what else! Ive been so busy, I have totally closed the boutique for outside orders, it's hard to complete the bridal attire only by the wedding and you know Meera, she is so fussy, 'it's pricking here' 'it's bright there' 'it's too fancy' my god! Both Arjun bhaiya and meera are so fussy, they are literally made for each other!"  Divya said excitedly as she spread out some piece of cloth that she was working on, in her boutique.

"by the way, i absolutely can't believe that Arjun bhaiya agreed to the wedding!" She continued enthusiastically. Aakash was confused, should he tell Divya that he didn't yet, that he wouldn't accept this marriage, would she ever be okay ruining her cousin's life! 

"Divya I need to te-" *Knock knock* 

"haan?" Divya said, slowly the door creaked open and appeared Arjun, "Divya? Maa said you had the sherwani that I have to try" 

"Arjun bhaiya! you will live a hundred years, I was just talking about you, please come and try this sherwani!" She said excitedly as she handed him the attire, just then her phone rung "oh shit it's the decorator, Aakash, listen just help bhaiya with the sherwani na, I'll be back!" She said as she ran out side. 

Aakash was surprised to see Arjun but also happy, it freed him off his guilt, "bhaiya! thank god you have agreed-" 

"I haven't Aakash! today when I came home, mom almost fainted, low BP because she hadn't eaten anything since 2 days because I refused the marriage, like my refusal would make a difference" Arjun spat out, "She said she wouldn't eat anything until I promise to get married to Divya's cousin, whatever her name is" he sighed

"Bhai, how can you not know her name, it's-"

"Did I ask? Aakash this marriage can be accepted in front of the families but I can't in my heart!"

"Bhai and what about that girl? Who is probably dreaming of her husband right now?" Aakash asked dramatically now very well that Meera would never dream about anyone and how could she dream about someone she hadn't even seen! 

"That's not on me Aakash, don't blame me, the entire family knows it, and if it's injustice then they can go stop this marriage right now, I am just a victim of the circumstances! if you care so much about her then go tell her" Arjun declared 

"bhai, I can't, papa has given his word-"

"that's it then, there is nothing to discuss" Arjun stated and left the door slamming the door .

-

"Did Arjun bhaiya try his sherwani?" Divya asked

"Hmm"

"Sakshi didi is coming out so I'll get a little helped in the arrangements and everything,by the way, you and I have to attend Haldi and I have to have to be there while they dress Meera up, so we have to chalk out that plan"

"Hmm"

"Oh god what hmm, hmm, can't you answer properly, everything is so perfect and you're spoiling my mood!" 

"I'm not spoiling yaar Divya, it's just that I am tired and that's it"

"Fine whatever"

-

"Oh wow, my god Meera didi you look so hotttt!!!" Avidant, Nidhi's 14 year old son said as he saw Meera emerge out of the bathroom wearing the wedding lehenga

"Meera check the fittings and all properly okay?" Nidhi repeated

"Yeah Meera didi, it should be easy to remove also no!" Nidhi's 17 year old daughter Amaya said cheekily

"Achha, Amaya, you're talking too much huh, aunt just look at her!" Meera said her mouth widening while Amaya just grinned

"Chee, she is looking ek dum tatti (like shit) yuck" Sidhanth said standing there with the help of a table, Meera picked up the pillow and threw it at him, as Sidhanth dodged it and burst out laughing

"Oho, just kidding, itni  killer lag rahi hai, jiju toh mar hi jayenge dekh ke (you're looking absolutely killer, brother in law would die on seeing you)" he joked

"Sidhanth, shut up, don't say nonsense, do you have to mention death in such an auspicious moment!" Niyati rebuked him, then she turned to Meera and just continued looking at her moving a little forward, she cupped her face, "Nidhi, just look at her, it's as if just yesterday, she was being stubborn to attend her graduation in jeans!" She laughed a little

"I swear bhabhi, and look at her now, my daughter is all grown up!" Nidhi said as put her hands over her mouth

"See Amaya, now you know that I am her first daughter" Meera said with pride, suddenly Niyati started sobbing

"Oh shit!" all the kids said in unison

"mamma yaar!" Meera said annoyed, nidhi continued the sobbing inspired from Niyati

"aap log toh abhi hi start ho gay, save something for the vidai atleast!" Sidhaanth remarked

"Just shut up, you know nothing about mothers!" nidhi said slightly slapping him 

Just then yash and Manish entered, "Arrey bhabhi, Nidhi, where are you guys, we have-" yash started and then stopped in the middle, stunned to see Meera. Manish too stopped, his eyes widened, "Look at her Niyathi, just look at her, it seems like we got her home from the hospital just yesterday!" his eyes watered as he moved towards her and put his hand on her head.

"I can't believe that our meera has grown so old, it's like till yesterday only this girl used to glare at me for stealing her aunt away" Yash laughed as he touched her cheeks with his palm

"Yash uncle please not you yaar, everyone can't cry right now" Meera joked trying to lighten the mood but seemed like that wasn't happening

"Then stop her na papa, don't let her leave so soon" Sidhanth said casually not looking at his father

"Arrey pagal (Dear mad one), we fathers wait for this day, to see our girls married, and go light up another house" manish remarked as he taught his son

"papa" She said slowly and everyone looked to her expectantly, hoping that she too would put out some words of love and expression, "I have seen Divya didi's house and their house is so lit up, I can't even tell you, I mean they even have a generator so power cut ka no chance!" she said in another attempt to lighten the world

"Chee ya Meera, you ruined the entire mood!" Sidhaanth said and threw a pillow at her while everyone looked at her in annoyance

"She is absolutely crazy I tell you sidhanth, thank god we are parceling her off to Divya" Yash remarked

"Arrey yash fuf-" 

"I swear, she will make Divya mad now" Nidhi added nodding her head

"Atleast  learn to express a little beta!" Niyati cried off

"Okay okay stop, omg! you guys are so melodramatic! ugh, Fine I'll say it only once, I'll miss you all okay?" She said with a thumbs up and everyone looked at her irrritably

"Come on guys, atleast she said it!" Amaya added 

"yeah, you're right" everyone said in unison and crushed her under a hug