38~ The Magnificent Evening
"Bhai sit at one place, what are you even doing?
" Hrishit screeched as I paced around my room in nervousness.
For some reason this giddy feeling is not going.
Today is our engagement, the last pre wedding ritual.
I feel like dumping all of this and sleeping.
Akriti can join me as well, I don't mind.
These rituals have made me tired. Yesterday I had been drenched because my stupid siblings and cousins dumped water full of turmeric on me, making a joke out of me in front of Akriti.
She was met with the same fate after a few minutes and after that the scolding we had to hear from our parents was something else.
I even caught a small cold and till now my nose is running like a waterfall.
Already it's winter and then the act they pulled yesterday led to my downfall.
The last thing I wanted to show up in my own wedding was with a runny nose.
Everyone knows how messy my colds can get and they suck all life out of me.
"When you will get married, then I will tell you", I deadpanned with a glare at him. Hrishika giggled, hiding her face beneath her palms and threw a teasing glance at my younger brother.
"Bhai, he is eager to get married, only you not getting married was holding him.
Now wait and watch, he will bring his beloved soon", Hrishika teasingly said and Hrishit smirked.
Even though the revelation should have shocked me, I didn't. The fact was that I was happy that finally everything was falling back in place.
Hrishika was recovering and that was all I needed.
As for Hrishit, I know he won't do anything wrong so I wasn't worried about him either.
They both are getting older as well and we can't bind them forever.
I remember my mother starting to pester me for marriage when I was at their age.
And after I get married, they will get to and start their own family.
It feels like it was just yesterday when they were born and entered my home, stealing my parents away. The two cute furry balls have grown up into capable humans and I can't be more proud. Witnessing your siblings grow is such a bliss but it comes with a price as well.
"Bhai-", Hrishit started but I interjected with a loud sneeze. He again opened his mouth to say something but I sneezed again and again. After five consecutive sneezes I stopped and rubbed my nose with a handkerchief.
"Looks like brother dearest is in no mood to get married", Adrija teased, entering inside my room. She had a smug expression on her face which irritated me to no extent. It is only because of these three that I am sick today. I want to kill them with my own hands.
"Mummy sent this kadha for you and badi mom sent a threat that if you don't drink it in a second, she will come and forcefully make you drink this nasty piece of shit", Adrija said, pinching her nose.
My vision darted from her comical face to the glass in her hand which was filled with that bitter fluid.
My nose immediately scrunched seeing it and I quickly denied saying, "I had a Paracetamol, it will be fine. At least it should be".
"Don't make these excuses, your mother will kill me and then my mother will bury me. God knows what these best friends plan together. And I definitely don't want to die because of a scumbag like you, so drink this quickly", she said, forcing the glass up to my lips.
I closed my eyes and snatched the glass from her. Taking a deep breath I drank that bitter liquid in one go which is supposed to help me with the cold. I opened my eyes and found my siblings eagerly looking at me. I gulped and croaked, "Can I get something sweet to eat?"
"No we are getting late so we don't have time to cater you", Adrija said haughtily. I glared at her and said, "It's my wedding function and you are throwing tantrums".
Flipping her hair she said, "Afterall it's my brother's wedding which was made possible by me and only me. If it was upon you, you would have never confessed."
"Don't flatter yourself, I was going to propose her okay? At least I am better than you. Who forced Yash to sit at the mandap? Was it me who bought a dummy groom? Or was it me who faked a suicide?", I teasingly asked and saw all the colour vanishing from her oval face.
"Oh come on! He is a big moron like you, you both know that. Idiot thought he would get away", she dramatically said and plopped on the bed.
"Little sister that is because we are gentlemen unlike a wild cat like you", I said and sneezed again.
She bursted out laughing and hitting Hrishit's shoulder said, "Mr. Gentleman has a runny nose at his own wedding.
He is contagious right now, we should keep the bride away from him".
The other two idiots started laughing at my misery as I gritted, "This happened because of you all.
If you hadn't dumped water on me, I would have been perfectly fine.
But you all are the thorn in my happy life! "
"Come on bhai, it is not our fault that your immunity is weak like papa", Hrishika said.
"You knew that then why did you do this? I know you all want my bride to run away. Who would marry a man with a runny nose? I hate you!", I cried and sneezed again.
Furiously wiping my nose I threw a deadly glare at the three monkeys who only laughed loudly.
"Aren't you four ready? And how is your cold?", my dad entered inside and asked. I turned with a grim face to show him my pathetic condition.
"Adhyay, how are you going to manage your runny nose today? Your face looks pathetic today and you seem like you will fall down any second", my dad said with humour evident in his voice.
"Why don't you scold these three and the other nincompoops? On second thought, it is your fault dad! Why did you give me these good for nothing genes!", I yelled wiping my nose. Even my voice is not the usual way.
He heartily laughed with the other three and said, "You should ask your mom about it. She married me, it was her fault".
"Do something, what will Akriti think seeing my runny nose!", I exclaimed in anger.
"I have an idea, wear a mask, it will hide your ugly face and then it won't be a problem", Adrija suggested with a laugh. I glared at her, signalling to keep quiet or else I will kill her today. She muffled her laughs and kept her index finger on her lips.
"It is okay, just don't make it obvious. We will get the function done soon", my dad comforted by patting my back. Why did my siblings put me in this life crisis? Why don't they keep their mischief in their pockets? Why just why?
"After all of this is done, no one can save you three from me", I threatened them wiping my nose but their mischievous giggles resonated in my room. Stomping my feet, I went behind my father but not before throwing a glare at them.
·?───?????───?·
"You look so pretty Akriti", my aunts gushed as I checked myself from the top to bottom.
One step closer to our marriage, I can't believe I am getting married tomorrow.
Tomorrow is the day when we will take the seven vows around the holy fire.
It is exciting but at the same time I am scared of what is coming next.
Whenever I think everything is going to be fine, something happens which breaks me again.
I don't want this marriage to break or lose him, he has become an essential part of my life but this feeling of something bad happening doesn't go away.
I don't know what is in store for me but I can only pray that it doesn't harm either of us.
"I am imagining how beautiful you will look tomorrow", Akanksha aunty said with a dreamy look.
I smiled slightly and looked in the mirror again.
For some reason I do look very beautiful in this magenta evening dress with my hair let open.
Mishika aunty gifted this one and I have to say her choice is really beautiful.
"She will have everyone's attention, our Akriti is just so gorgeous!" Chandan aunty exclaimed cupping my cheek. My mother smiled as she applied kohl in my eyes.
"May God bless my baby with all the happiness of the world", she whispered, kissing my forehead. Her soft hands soothed my inner turmoil letting me feel more confident about today. I smiled and brought her hand near my lips, kissing them.
"Everything is fine", I whispered and she nodded with a smile.
Both of our eyes were teary today even though the wedding is tomorrow.
How difficult this moment is! I don't know why only daughters have to leave their parents and live in a new house among the people who don't even know her properly.
It is always the daughters who have to say goodbye to their parents and their own house doesn't remain theirs.
They are supposed to start a new family, bear children and take care of their in-laws, but what about their parents who gave birth to her?
Why is this so cruel? Never I had imagined that I would have to leave my mumma to live in another house with my husband.
It is painful to leave her alone. She doesn't want to take anything from him or me, her wish is to live her life with the money she has saved.
How can I leave my mother? She expects me to live with Adhyay without any thoughts of her but does she know that everything starts with her. I am nothing without my mumma.
After she was satisfied with my look, we started for the hotel. The function is very simple and only relatives and friends are invited, thankfully. I am not fond of meeting new people especially during weddings. In my whole life I have just attended five weddings and they were very irritating.
My aunts and their families were the only ones who were invited by my side, provided that my mother's relatives hate us both and my father? There is no reason to call him and create a new drama. I am sure he will come to meet me anytime soon but this time I will make sure to end this.
I was awestruck when I entered the hall. It was decorated beautifully with carnations which happen to be my favourite flowers. As much as I remembered we never finalised these flowers for decorations, then how did this happen? I didn't told anyone that carnations are my favourite then how?
Adhyay's family was already there in the hall greeting the guests and welcoming them. When his mother saw me, she rushed towards me and engulfed me in a hug.
"You look like Princess, just magical", she gushed and I smiled. Just like my mother did, she swiped some kohl from the bottom of her big doe eyes and applied it behind my ear. My mother greeted her with a hug and introduced Mishika aunty to my aunts and their children.
Just then Ridhima aunty joined us and her reaction was the same.
She hugged me and said, "Only if I had a son, I would have got him married to you".
I giggled at this and opened my mouth to say something when Mishika aunty said, "Ayee move away from my daughter in law.
If you had a son then too she would have married Adhyay. Don't come in between my children".
All of the spectators bursted out laughing at the silly argument between the two best friends as they fought over whose son was the best, much to Adrija's dissent who said, "Thank God my mother didn't have a son or else Adhyay would have to live his life like a saint".
"And thank god we had a daughter because sons are a pain in the ass", Aditya uncle added, both father and daughter shaking their heads with the same troubled expression on their faces.
"Akriti let me warn you, don't make any physical contact with Adhyay, he is contagious right now", Adrija said in a sing-song way as soon as all of the others rushed to meet the guests.
"Why? Is he having STD?", I whisper asked worriedly. She looked at me with horrified expressions and then laughed loudly.
"Oh my! Oh my God! Hahaha. STD? And him? Poor Adhyay didn't even think to talk to a woman and you are talking about STD. I meant that he is suffering from a cold!"
I took a sigh of relief and regretted my silly question. I knew he didn't do anything but it was a natural question after what Adrija said. She could have simply said that he is suffering from a cold but she said it as if he was really having a STD.
"Then why did you make it look that way!", I screeched at my best friend who only laughed harder.
"I-I didn't okay", she said between her laughs making me roll my eyes. But where was he? I met everyone but where did my groom go? Did he run away?
Suddenly all the lights went off. It scared me but my lips curled into a smile when I realised that he planned this. The spotlight fell on me, proving that it was what I was thinking. A slow music fell into my ears, soothing the noisy environment and changing it into a romantic one.
I audibly gasped when I saw him in front of my on his knees, a graceful smile making him look more charming then he already was. He grinned at me and opened the small square box.
"I thought that I never got the moment to make it special for me. Pardon me for the delay but-", he started but I scrunched my eyebrows when he faced the other side and sneezed, loudly. Loud enough to shake the whole hall. From the peripheral view, I saw Adrija and his siblings shaking their heads.
He took out a handkerchief from the pocket of his well ironed suit and blew his nose too loudly. Good lord, he is not well.
"I am sorry for this, even fate is not with me today but nothing can stop me now", he dryly said, mocking his own fate.
He sneezed again earning groans from all the spectators but by now I was teary. He doesn't need to do this, I am already so happy that we are getting married.
"Adhyay you don't need to do this", I tried to say but he sneezed again and replied, "I need to, I need to narrate this incident to our grandchildren also".
Everyone awed at his statement while I was still unconvinced, my cheeks getting heated with what he uttered.
"Akriti", he said and then sneezed. I nodded with teary eyes as he smiled at me. His nose has turned completely red and I just wanted to cancel everything right now and ask him to have some rest, but I also knew he wouldn't do it.
"Our love story didn't begin this year, it started the day when I first saw you", he softly stated and sneezed. I nodded again as he continued, "You were just three back then, a cute little girl with pigtails".
I laughed with tears in my eyes and the others did too. He chuckled and said, "Adrija had forcefully dragged me to the park to play with her, but I am glad she did".
He looked at Adrija and threw a flying kiss at her. She grinned, finally getting the acknowledgement she has done to get us both together.
"You wore yellow that day, and it is the reason why it is my favourite colour", he stated, completely shocking me. But last time he told another reason?
"Years went by but this feeling didn't. Whenever I used to see you, my heart would flutter and the rest of the day would go amazing. When I grew mature, I realised that it was love, the same love songs talk about", he said, shaking his head with a smile. I sobbed hearing his beautiful words.
"It was always you, Akriti, always you. I never told you because I thought you would never like me, forget about love", he said.
"I am ready to desert all my riches if I have you by my side. Together we can grow, together we can build our own house and nurture our family. It is just you who I need", he said making me sob uncontrollably.
"So Miss Akriti Tiwari, would you make this poor soul the luckiest man alive by marrying him?
", he finally asked and it seemed as if the moment stilled.
It was just him and I. This was what I had never imagined, a man particularly Adhyay on his knees, asking me for marriage and that too so beautifully.
It was not even a dream I ever had, it was a miracle.
I was snapped out of my euphoria when he sneezed and said, "My knees are hurting Akriti".
I giggled and nodded, forwarding my hand so that he could slip the ring.
He softly took my hand and slipped the fancy diamond ring.
Loud claps resonated in the hall as I held his shoulders, asking him to stand up.
Adrija with a smile brought a box and opened it. I took the ring out and slipped it on his finger, finally claiming him as mine. He sneezed again but then grinned.
We huddled up together as the photographer captured our moment.
"You are not well", I whispered as he smiled for the photographer.
"I am more than well", he said but unfortunately he sneezed proving my fact. He apologetically looked at the photographer who clicked another batch of pictures fast enough so that Adhyay couldn't disrupt him with another sneeze.
"You should go and rest, the main event is over", I said but only heard him snort. He pulled me closer to him and whispered, "I am fine, and I don't want to miss any moment that gets us closer".
A shiver ran down my spine hearing his husky voice and I looked into his eyes. My cheeks were heated due to the statement he just said that made me feel that I love this man so much.
"Now, can I have the pleasure to have a dance with this beautiful lady who will be my wife in a day?
", he asked as the photographer left us alone to click others' pictures.
I tentatively looked at him, not in any mood to give him trouble.
He is already sick and then he wants to tire himself out. As a doctor, he should know better.
"No, you are going back and having rest", I strictly said but he rolled his eyes. He wiped his nose away and said, "Akriti, it is a normal cold, I am not suffering from COVID, for god's sake!"
"Covid or not, you need rest", I asserted but he only grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the centre of the hall. I heard a whistle that was soon suppressed with a soft romantic Hindi song.
"Adhyay, why are you so-
"Handsome? Yeah I am very charming and handsome. Now, let me enjoy this dance", he said with a wink. I gasped and lightly smacked his arm. Soon, I was trying to match my movements with him but like a noob like I am, I failed miserably. I would be a laughing stalk in a day or so.
He chuckled and slowly guided me to follow the steps he was doing and he even sneezed a lot of time which made me glare at him. He will never listen!
Aah! A long chapter!
I hope you liked it!
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