On the way

|A step forward|

Author's POV:

There was a great hustle bustle going on. Mrs. Narayan was pacing around the hall looking after the preparations while Anita was sitting on the sofa munching an apple looking at her mother.

Mrs. Narayan: Ani, tu pagal hain? Woh log aane wale honge aur tu yahan apple kha rahi hain.

Anita: Chill mom. Sab ho jayega, aap bhi betho aur thoda juice pi lo.

Mrs. Narayan: Bilkul, abhi tere Baba aayenge na toh hum sab saath mein beth ke piyenge, juice. Thik?

Her mother said in a sarcastic way.

Anita: Huhhh... Woh toh nahin ho sakta. Baba itne free thode hi bethe hain ke humare saath beth ke kuch bhi piye.

Mrs. Narayan: Ani, aise nahin bolte...

Anita: Rehne do maa, aapko unki tarafdaari karne ki jaroorat nahin hain.

Mrs. Narayan: Ani...

Anita: Main di ke pass jaa rahi hun.

##

Anita: Di yaar, kya kar rahe hon?

Anita asked irritated.

Raavi: Dekh Ani, aaj bas roka hain. Shaadi nahin hain, itna makeup over ho jayega.

Anita: Di, itna bhi jyada nahin ho raha. Humne aapki baat manke yeh light weighted and also light colored kapde liye na, toh ab aap mujhe karne do mujhe jaise karna hain.

Raavi: Bilkul nahin, tujhe diya toh tu mujhe heroine bana degi.

Anita: Heroine toh aap ho hi na..

Raavi glared at her.

Anita: Kyaa? Ab chup chap betho aur mujhe karne do..

Raavi: Main..

Anita: Statue

Raavi: Ani..

Anita: Maine kahan na.. Statue.

************************************

The bell rang and Mrs. Narayan opened the door.

"Namaste"

She welcomed them warmly to which they reciprocated fondly.

Dhara and Rishita passed on all the gifts they brought to Mrs. Narayan.

Shiva came upon to touch Mrs. Narayan feet and she blessed him with a smile.

They took their seats. Mr. and Mrs. Pandya were also there. All the men sat with their respective wives while Krish sat with Shiva.

Anita helped Raavi descending down the stairs. Krish got up from his seat looking at the girls coming towards them. Anita made Raavi to sit near Shiva while she sat on the side sofa. Krish joined her.

Shiva looked at Raavi who in turn looked back. They had a small eyelock which was broken by Shiva.

Mrs. Narayan came up to Shiva with the thaal and did his tilak. Shiva got up as Mr. Narayan too came to present him with the gifts.

Next came Mrs. Pandya and Raavi looked at her keenly as it was the first time she saw her.

As much as Shiva wanted to stop her from doing the ritual, Gaumbi and Dhara's hard glare kept him quiet. Mrs. Pandya spread the red chunri on her head and also applied the tilak. Raavi looked at her and gave a soft smile who in return presented her with a forced smile.