Waves of Love | completed

31. The Haldi.

"Y..you.... you all hate— you all hate me so much.?" I sobbed looking at his face as he came closer and shaked his head in no. "You hate me so much Bhai? So much?" I murmured as he soothed my back, fury running through my vains as I tried to move out of his hold.

"Nobody hates you princess. No one. Do you think its easy for Bhai to let you go? Do you really think so? No Nandini. It isn't. Its killing me."

"But do you know why we are all doing this? Na chahte huye bhi? Kyunki it's for the person on the other side. It's a universal thing Nandini, everyone has to get married one day. But you know what's holding me together? It's Manik. Knowing that he will worship the ground you walk on..... he will keep this world at your feet, he will do anything to make you smile— that's... that's what is keeping me together Nandini. That's why we don't want to stop you. That's why we all are doing this even if its killing us. Because this man is on the other side to hold you and never let you fall." Bhai looked behind my back and I turned towards the door. Nyonika Maa, Raj Papa, Navya and Fab5 stood there, looking at us.

Raj Papa held Maa as she cried in his arms. Mukti and Alya wrapped in Dhruv. He stood there with his eyes filled with sadness. So much sadness that I couldn't even look into his eyes, I turned my back to them and kept my head on Papa's chest. Still sobbing.

Papa wrapped his arms around me as his chest heaved up and down in silent crying. Bhai held my hands as my mother soothed my back.

"Princess.. if you are not ready. We can move the wedding." I heard Raj Papa say but I didn't reply. I didn't wanted to postpone the wedding, it was of no use. I was going to feel these same feelings even after 6 months or 1 year. Can this ever get any easy? No!

It will always hurt the same. The same pain. The same heartbreak. The same pain for my parents. They have already done so much, I can't let them go through these feeling again. I can't punish them for my stubbornness.

"No... its... its okay." I whispered but it was enough for them to hear. After what felt like forever my tears dried down. Mumma cupped my face and made me look at herself.

"The lawyer is here Nandini. They are waiting for your signature... the guests are here. Please get ready?" Mumma whispered placing a kiss on forehead and then my eyes. I wrapped my hands around her waist as she moved her hands in my hairs. Papa stood up from my side as Maa moved back and let him stand in front of me. I looked at his eyes to see them red. He cried. I made him cry.

"Never ever say that we don't love you Nandu. Aap Papa ki jaan ho princess. Aapko lagta hai ye sab mere liye aasan hai? Nahi hai Nandini. Everything hurts. Everytime I look at you... it hurts. It hurts to look at you and feel that from tomorrow, there will be no one. No one to laugh, joke and shout in this house." He whispered as a tear trailed down his eyes and I stood up, hugging him. Bhai and Maa stood beside us as we stayed in each other's arms. I felt his presence before I even saw him.

Papa kissed my head and nodding at me moved out of the room. Bhai nodded at Manik and he too kissed my head and moved out. One by one everyone left, leaving both of us alone.

"Itta rote hai kya koi? Hmm?" He whispered stepping closer to me and wrapping arms around my waist jerked me to his chest. I fisted his kurta, never looking at his face.

"Agar aap nahi ready the toh baat karte mujhse. I would've changed the wedding dates. Aap bolte toh sahi." He murmured over my head. When I still didn't look up or reply, he kept a finger on my chin moved my face up, making me look at his face.

"The pain would've been the same Manik. Be it now or 6 months later." I said. My voice hoarse from all the crying. He removed the remaining trails of tears from my cheeks, with his lips. He sucked on my tears as my breath quickened.