once in a blue moon (Completed✅)

23♥️

Lekha's P.O.V continues.....

Jatin's indirect speech brought out intense sorrow in me, I could not stop crying, just then I heard a sniffing sound, turning my face up only to find my brother too in tears.

"I am sorry Lekha, I should not have abandoned you!!" apologized my brother hugging me back. I was so happy, could not understand what or how this situation changed but anyways all that matters is he established back our cordiality.

I got busy with the wedding preparations, shopping for clothes, jewelry and gifts too running along with my brother and sometimes Avni and even her parents accompanied us. The wedding was two weeks away in Hyderabad and we all together left Delhi to reach there but I hadn't heard from Aarya neither did I dare to find out. I felt like it was unnecessary for me to think of Aarya, 'Others might not like my interacting with Aarya now, we were friends until now but going to enter into a relationship, so need to be very careful! I don't want any more trouble that might affect annayya!!' I tried to reason my expectations from Aarya 'He must be busy with his semester end exams!! I am sure aunty or uncle might have informed him about the wedding and he might join us soon!!' I concluded when there was no information from him. I tried to message him a few times but could not type anything, my fingers weren't moving forward whenever I opened the messenger.

A week before the wedding date, we reached Hyderabad at Deeksha Aunty's parents home. I earlier a few times visited their home along with amma and Deeksha aunty, it was a pretty familiar home for me and even daadaji (grandfather) and daadidji (grandmother). "My darling Lekha!!" greeted Daadaji and Daadiji surprising me and all others present there.
'Why are they talking to me like this? Is this going to bring any trouble to me again from my brother?!' The fear of losing my brother's interaction with me was constantly haunting me.

I greeted them both saying "Namaste!"

"We need a hug and not just Namaste!!" said Daadaji and Daadiji in unison.

'What's going on? Why have i become center of attraction all of a sudden?!'

I turned to my head to the right to look at my brother's reaction, he appeared normal.
"I am also going to hug you daadaji!!" My brother said and hugged them both instantly easing my subconscious fear and anxiety.

"There's nothing to fear about kiddo, they are old and emotional too!!" Dinesh uncle whispered near my ear hearing which I gave a weird smile.

Daadaji and daadiji forcefully grabbed my arm, hugged me and dragged me inside while I kept turning my head back to look at others reactions. I was scared and confused with so many doubts that arose in split second while I saw others smiling.

"You are the most important person to be treated well first, you are going to be Avni's sister in law!!" teased daadiji and I forcefully showed them all my teeth which was somewhat weird for me. It took me a few minutes to understand that daadaji and daadiji were just trying to have fun with me but deep inside I felt like they were trying to make me comfortable 'but what is the reason behind this? I was always comfortable in their home!!'

In want of some fresh air I walked out saying "I'll be back in a minute!" Walking out to spend some time alone in the huge garden they have which had well manicured lawn on either side of the entry gate along with well trimmed bushes of roses along the boundary wall and a small cottage harboured at a corner of that huge lawn. I strolled in there barefooted for sometime, still wanted to spend more time but was called inside by one of their maids.

Entering in I found the living room empty with just daadaji seated there and was busy reading newspaper. I felt a bit relaxed and walked further trying to reach the kitchen when I was obstructed by daadaji "Lekha!! Come here, sit with me!!" Even though I did not want to but I had to.

"Yes daadaji?!" I said sitting next to him. He began with what I was doing, what my next plans were and so on.
'I have no plans, what am i gonna tell you daddaji?!'

"Did Aarya tell you when he is going to come?" He asked

"No daadaji he did not!!"

"Okay!!" He abruptly ended the conversation leaving me in a blank.
'Did i say something wrong?!! Why are they treating me differently?!' I wondered still seated there while dadaaji left.

Rest of the day went okay, retiring to the room I was given to share with Avni I first went and lied on that bed to one side leaving sufficient space for Avni too. I closed my eyes and banked on to my left facing the window with outside view hazy that I could see through that cream coloured curtains. I saw the tall trees dancing to the tunes of wind and was enjoying the beauty when I myself felt like singing to those tunes of wind. I never really knew how to sing but seeing those dancing trees I could. My voice was roaming around those trees touching every trunk and bark when suddenly I noticed someone hiding behind a tree trunk and he was watching me. I went up to the tree to check on him, it was some random guy with bald head, dark skin and was much older than me. "I want to marry you!" He said
"What nonsense are you talking?" I said aloud.
"You are the one I should have married first but did a mistake by marrying that rich bitch, but now I fell in love your beauty, come with me lets get married and start our family!!" He said holding my wrist.
"Leave me, leave me alone!!" I started yelling trying to free myself from the grip.
"No can't let you free now, I can't accept your no! You are mine!!" He said and continued dragging me.
"Somebody help me!!" I screamed at the top of my voice only to find Avni and Jatin right in front of me while Uncle and Aunty just came in running while I was still trying to figure out if all this was just a dream or reality.

"Are you okay?" enquired Avni

"Yes...I am okay!" I said gasping for breath while my heart was still beating fast.

"Why were you screaming for help? Do you need anything?" She continued with her questionnaire.

"I am absolutely fine, thank you. Sorry to disturb you all!!" I apologized and laid back. It was almost an year later I had such a scary dream.
'Whats the worst that could happen to me now? Worst is over, its time for celebrations!!'
I convinced my subconscious mind.

The following day I jumped into action trying to show off my skills to everybody. It took me two days to assemble all those required items to decorate the house while I still needed to go and check in the venue where my brother and Avni were planning to marry.

Two days before the wedding ceremony my grandparents along with my uncle, aunt and cousins too arrived, who were accommodated at a nearby hotel. It was sangeet ceremony that same evening and all the ladies had gathered up at daadaji's residence along with my grandmother, aunt and few other relatives from village. By the time it was dusk whole building was lit with colourful lights hanging from roof to ground.

"Yes Ma, Aarya said that he would bring it!!" I heard Avni talk to Aunty referring to Aarya and the thoughts about him again gained entry into my subconscious mind or rather those feelings that I tried to bury were ploughed back.
'Why haven't you come yet Aarya?'
There was a sudden surge of urgency in me to meet Aarya which was becoming difficult to suppress. I tried to hide them and go with the flow of sangeet where many young girls were dancing to the tunes of many Bollywood numbers while some were busy in getting their hands filled with henna mainly Avni was surrounded by few of her close friends with whom she enjoyed talking. I was happy for her but deep inside was feeling lonely again in the midst of so many people.
'Will i ever have such a grand wedding? Above all will anybody love me?'

My uncertainties were interrupted by daadiji "Come here Lekha!"

"Yes daadiji!" I said and walked towards her who was seated towards one corner. As I approached her "you need to apply mehandi (henna) to this young girl now!!" said Daadiji to one of the parlour girls who were there to apply henna.

"I don't need mehandi daadiji!"
'For who's sake should I get this henna done?'

Daadiji insisted which sealed my lips and I sat besides her. In an hour both my hands were filled with this beautiful mehandi looking at which I myself felt happy.

****
Happy reading guys!
Thank you
Sujatha ♥️