TO THE STARS THAT LISTEN

CHAPTER 21: The Wedding Day

Ahaan

I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was definitely some Goddess who reincarnated in a human form and was here to punish me for all my sins, and if this woman was my castigator, I would happily bow down to her. Even if she was with me for just an year.

I stood up from my low rise chair on the mandap as soon as I saw her walking . Her parents, Veer and the pandit [priest] were with me too. Vaani and her sister helped her to climb the holy stage and I extended my hand to help her stand beside me.

"You look divine." I whispered to her.

She lift her eyes and the corner of her mouth to form the smile that made her eyes crease. "So do you."

We sat down on our ottoman placed before the holy fire and the priest started reciting the mantras while we put the ghee in the holy fire on his command. Saanchi bhabhi came up to tie her dupatta with a cloth she draped over my shoulder.

"May your journey together be filled with love, joy, and happiness. May you create a lifetime of beautiful memories. I wish you both a strong and unbreakable bond that grows with each passing day. May you always find comfort and support in each other." She spoke softly and kissed both of our foreheads from the side. I turned my face to see bhabhi now standing and walking back to her seat. Ira's smile had dropped and I knew the reaon.

"We are in this together Ira. I'm as much responsible for this as are you. Don't beat yourself up for this". I knew she was upset about our act but this was the only way we wouldn't ruin someone else's life. Our families will cope with this but getting married to someone who would have expectations would be cruel.

"You both may stand up for the pheras now." We both stood up on priest's command. I walked ahead of her for four rounds around the holy fire and she did the same for the other three while the priest spoke the vows.

"I promise to support you in all your decisions for the year we are together and also the time ahead." I spoke taking the 1st phera, loud enough for Ira to hear but not the others.

"What?"

"I can't promise you love but I can make you other promises." I said looking back at her while holding hands. She smiled and tightened her grip around my hand. "I promise to take care of you every time you need me." I said taking another phera.

"I promise to take good care of you and our family for the year to come and even after." This time she was the one to speak as we took our third phera. "I promise to stand by your side in bad times and offer you a shoulder to lean on." We took our fourth round.

"I promise to be your pillar of strength whenever any ill falls upon us or the family." She stepped ahead of me for the fifth phera.

"I promise to respect and honour you and the decisions you make for us and our family." I promised as we took our sixth phera.

"I promise to give to this friendship of our's all the love, care, trust, loyalty and understanding for the times to come." She spoke again as we took our fourth phera and bowed to the holy fire sitting back down on the ottoman.

"Ditto." I nodded at her and she smiled, The smale creased-eye-smile.

"The groom may now tie the mangalsutra(nuptial chain) around the bride's neck." The priest said. Reet came up with a box and I pulled out the mangalsutra from it. Her mother stood up and held draped dupatta a little back for my ease. I rounded my hands around her neck, holding the nuptial chain. The black and gold bead thread had a small diamond star dangling from it. I had something for stars which is why I had installed a skylight in my room and when mom showed me the designs to choose, this one caught my eyes and for some reason it felt like she'd like it too. I pulled my hand back after safely securing it at the back of her neck.