The Story Of Love

2

"Vivha sampann hua. Ap bado ki ashirwaad li jiye" Pandit said. The bride and groom stood up. Both emotionlessly walked to first Niyonika. "Arey bas bas... Ladkiya pair nahi chuti" Niyonika said and hugged the newly formed couple. Then they walked to Mr. Murthy, and touched his feet who instantly pulled them in hug and whispered sorry again and again. His eyes welled up seeing this unplanned marriage of his younger daughter.

"Mujhe maaf karna beta. Mai majboor hun" Mr. Murthy said to his daughter. "Nahi papa. Its not your fault. Please don't blame yourself" The bride said. "Nandu hame maaf kardo" Nandini hugged her father and cried. While Manik kept looking at his newly wedded bride.

The couple then walked to Chacha and chachi and touched their feet, and they blessed them keeping their hands on their head. Chachi pulled her daughter like niece in a hug. Then Navya hugged her sister whispering sweet nothing.

After the small blessing ceremony, they couple were taken to the stage where all the guests met the couple and wished them for happy life further. After sometimes the guests went after the lunch, then Cabir and Navya walked and called the bride and groom for lunch.

The lunch was magnificently laid for bride and groom their close family. Nandini was physically and emotionally drained from the change in event. She wanted nothing but eat and sleep and forget everything that happened an hour before.

Finally, it was time for bidai. Which girls dread. Nandini bursted in her fathers embrace who as well wept for his choti guriya who is about to leave him. "I know Manik its going to be tough. Take your time in accepting all these, but please keep my daughter safe. She was always under the wings of her father and keeping her away from me is heart breaking." Mr. Murthy said to his now younger damad  "uncle please don't worry. I will keep her protected just like you" Manik assured his father in law and looked beside his wife who is in fathers embrace.

Mr. Murthy detaches Nandini from him and placed his hand on Manik's and Manik gripped it tightly, kind of assurance and promise for her protection.

After meeting everyone Nandini and Manik sat in the car. She looked out, and till her house disappeared from her vision. She closed the window and kept her head on the window glass and rewinded the turn in events. She looked beside her at Manik who had his head rested on seat back with eyes closed.

As if feeling a gaze upon him, he turned to his right where his wife was sitting and caught his gaze upon her tear filled eyes. She immediately turned her gaze to the window. He sighed.

Manik wanted to console her, but he himself was not in proper state. So, he chose to ignore and turn towards his side of the window.

Seeing Manik ignore her, her tears fell on her cheeks and she sniffed. It was not her fault that he is ignoring her, she thought.

Misunderstandings.

Misunderstanding is so powerful that it can break the most beautiful relationship in a second.

"Nandini" Called Manik, when he heard her weeping. Nandini turned and peeked through her wet eye lashes. He sighed again seeing his wife cry.

He had a faint idea why she is crying again.

"Please don't cry. I know, our start isn't really good. But, please... Umm... I don't... Know to console a crying girl" Manik said bit embarrassed her face split into a beautiful yet small smile which brought a relief ti him.

The car came stopped "come lets go" Manik said and got down, Nandini nodded and gathered her saree, her mother's wedding dress that she worn for her unexpected wedding.