Chapter 10
The faint bluish light of dawn slipped through the curtains as Kashvi sat before the mirror, her hands folded loosely in her lap while she tried to gather the courage to face the day.
Her reflection still felt unfamiliar.
She had never imagined her wedding day would come, because she had always been certain marriage would never be part of her story. Yet here she was at six in the morning, dressed as a bride.
Her half-tied hair fell over her shoulders in heavy curls.
A tiny bindi shimmered at the centre of her forehead, while the kohl around her eyes only made the nervous shine in them more obvious.
Despite having a vault full of priceless family jewels, she had chosen Siya’s simple gold jhumkas instead, feeling far more comfortable in them.
Kashvi brushed her fingers over the emerald zardozi border, tracing the embroidery stitched into the crimson saree. It had once belonged to her mother.
After finally calming down and accepting the marriage, Siya had quietly brought the saree to her room the night before. She had carefully unfolded it across the bed, smoothing her palm over the fabric before softly saying that their mother would have wanted her to wear it today.
‘Maa wore this on her wedding day, and I thought you should have something of hers today,’ Siya had said.
Kashvi had been hesitant to wear it, but she also wanted to hold her mother's memory close to her heart, especially today.
When she shifted slightly in her seat, Siya scolded her. ‘Stop moving,’ she murmured, adjusting the same pleat of her saree for the fifth time, even though Kashvi was certain it had been perfectly fine a minute ago.
‘I’m trying, but you’re the one who’s been obsessively fixing the same thing for the past ten minutes,’ Kashvi replied gently.
Siya smoothed the fabric once more before stepping back, tilting her head slightly to assess the drape from a different angle. She tsked softly and sighed. ‘It’s not sitting right.’
When she started fussing over it again, Kashvi frowned. ‘Di, what’s wrong?’
Siya shook her head too quickly. ‘Nothing,’ she said, but the word came out strained.
Kashvi turned around in her seat, concern etched across her face. ‘Di, talk to me, please.’
Siya’s hands dropped away from the saree, and she looked away. Her composure cracked, and Kashvi saw the conflict in her eyes.
‘I messed up,’ Siya said, her tone laced with guilt.
‘What are you talking about?’
Siya sighed. ‘I told you I’d never let this happen to you. I told you you’d never have to stand where Maa stood, never have to make choices like she did.’
Kashvi pushed herself up from the chair and clasped her sister’s hands. ‘Do you remember the time I refused to go to school because I had a presentation and I was convinced I was going to embarrass myself?’
Siya blinked, caught off guard. ‘What does that have to do with this?’
‘You sat with me the entire night, helping me rewrite it over and over until I felt it was right. Then you walked me to school the next day, even though you had a mid-term, just so I wouldn’t get nervous and back out at the last minute.’
Siya shook her head, her expression stubborn. ‘That’s not enough. I was supposed to protect you from this. You’re getting married even though you don’t want to, and I can’t stop it. I failed you, Kashu.’
‘Oh, hush, you,’ Kashvi said, rubbing her arm gently.
‘You made sure my life never became unbearable or lonely. You made sure I never felt like I was missing something just because things weren’t…
normal at home. You listened to my every stupid little thing that felt like the end of the world at the time, and made it better. ’
Siya opened her mouth to interrupt, but Kashvi didn’t let her.
‘What’s happening now doesn’t erase the fact that you gave me a home that felt whole, safe, and secure. So no, you didn’t fail me,’ she said, leaving no room for argument.
‘Are you sure about this, Kashu?’ Siya asked, hoping she had changed her mind. ‘You don’t have to do this, you know.’
If it had been anyone other than Swayam, she might have taken that escape, but it was him, and that was enough to keep her from running.
‘I’m sure, I promise. Besides, I think it will be fun to make Swayam’s life hell. I can take revenge for all the times he annoyed you,’ Kashvi said with a teasing smile.
Siya’s eyes glistened faintly, and she squeezed her hands. ‘I just want you to know that you’re not doing this alone. I trust Swayam. He’s one of my best friends, so I’m trusting you with him. And I also want you to know that I’m always here for you, no matter what.’
Kashvi nodded, giving her a tight hug. Just then, her phone vibrated against the dresser, and Siya tapped on the screen, reading the text.
‘Everything is ready, and the temple is open. Swayam is coming over,’ she said, quickly typing a response.
Kashvi’s gaze drifted towards the window, to the faint outline of the white marble temple across the road, just visible through the slit in the curtains. A nervous energy curled low in her chest.
‘Did you ask Dhruv to come today?’ Siya asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
The question caught her off guard. In the rush of decisions and the speed at which her life had changed, she had simply forgotten to talk to him.
A small part of her felt something like guilt, though she quickly pushed it down, her mind supplying the logic she had relied on for years. Her stepbrother had never really been a part of her life. There was no reason for that to change now.
‘No, I didn’t,’ Kashvi said.
Siya studied her, deciding whether to push further, then slowly nodded, letting it go.
The sharp sound of the doorbell cut through the room. Siya touched her eyeliner, gathered a little kohl on her finger, and placed it behind Kashvi’s ear. ‘You’re the prettiest bride ever. Nazar naa lage,’ she said, sniffling lightly.
They walked out together. The quiet morning in the living room wrapped around them until the loud and unmistakable beat of the dhol echoed through the hallway.
Kashvi paused mid-step, frowning as she glanced at Siya, who shrugged in response and reached for the handle.
The moment the door swung open, they found their friends dancing to the rhythmic beats of the dhol playing from the phone Kusha held up in the air.
His face lit up with a grin, Swayam moved his shoulders in tune with the beat. Meera and Raghav danced beside him, matching his energy with enthusiasm. Kusha laughed as Luv and Abhay performed the Naagin dance steps.
‘What’s going on?’ Siya asked, watching them with wide eyes.
Luv, clad in a deep blue kurta, slightly wrinkled from his dancing, stopped and asked, ‘What does it look like? We’ve brought our brother’s baarat to take away his bride.’
Kashvi had always believed they hung out with her because they were Siya’s friends, which was why she hadn’t imposed by hoping they’d be part of today. But not only had they come, they were celebrating as well. She tried to steady the unexpected wave of emotion rising in her chest.
Abhay came to stand beside his wife and draped an arm around her. He wore a simple off-white kurta paired with the gold in Siya’s saree. He pushed his damp hair out of his eyes, sniffling lightly as he said, ‘Luv had more elaborate plans, but this is the best we could do in so little time.’
‘I can see that, but why are you playing the song Chote Chote Bhaiyon ke Bade Bhaiya? Swayam is a month younger than Luv,’ Siya pointed out.
Swayam added, ‘I emotionally adopted him, so I should get all the respect I deserve. He can do this much for his to-be bhabhi.’
Kashvi’s heart lurched at the wink he threw her, throwing off the rhythm she had only just managed to regain.
His emerald green kurta was plain yet perfectly fitted, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His hair was tousled, his eyes bright with delight. He went down on one knee in front of her, holding his palm open. ‘Shall we?’
Heat rushed to her cheeks. ‘Swayam, isn’t this whole baarat thing a bit much?’
Mischief glinted in his eyes. ‘If it were up to me, I would’ve just picked you up and carried you all the way to the temple, but I figured you might object to that.’
A soft ripple of laughter moved through the group. Kashvi placed her hand in his and softly scolded him. ‘You’re mad.’
‘Only for my bride,’ Swayam replied easily, tangling their fingers together.
‘Let’s go before Kashu changes her mind,’ Luv announced loudly as he turned towards the stairs.
Kashvi shot him a look, making his twin, Kusha, chuckle. ‘Don’t worry, I’m back. I’ll take revenge on your behalf.’
‘You guys go ahead,’ Raghav said, bending down to help Meera settle the pleats of her Kanjivaram saree.
The cool morning air greeted them immediately, carrying the faint scent of incense from the temple across the road. The street was quiet, with only a few early risers moving about.
Kashvi’s heart refused to settle, and then she realised why. Swayam kept stealing glances at her.
‘What?’ she asked when she caught him again.
‘I’ve never seen you in a saree before,’ Swayam said, falling into step beside her.
‘So?’ Kashvi asked, a sliver of worry creeping in.
His voice dipped just enough to make her stomach drop. ‘You really shouldn’t have surprised me like this. I was planning on staying alive long enough to marry you, but now I’m not so sure.’
The sincerity beneath the teasing caught her off guard, and a soft laugh slipped out.
Swayam stopped abruptly, clutching his chest as if he was wounded. ‘That’s just cruel, Kash. Now you’re killing me.’
Her laughter deepened as she reached out and pushed lightly at his cheek, turning his face away. ‘Stop looking at me then.’
He caught her wrist before she could pull away, brushing his thumb against her pulse. ‘I don’t think I can,’ he said, his gaze finding hers again as they reached the temple steps.
‘Come on, they must be waiting for us,’ Meera said, with Raghav close behind as they joined them.