Divya returned home and helped her Uncle, they finished setting up their home. "Thanks Divya! If not for your Aunt's allergy I would not trouble you" Vishwa said profusely.
"No need to thank me, Now let's invite your wife here" Divya said. "She will come with Vinay for the engagement. How is their family? Is Abhiram's decision good?" Vishwa questioned.
"They are very nice, I am sure we will never regret about this" Divya informed. She immediately called Abhiram, "Hello Abhi! You are so lucky" Divya shrieked. "So now yo know why I was stubborn" Abhiram said proudly.
"Let's kick Vinay for doubting your decision" Divya added. "He said he will stand with me whatever decision I take. He is my bestest friend" Abhiram liked his cousin very much. "I promised something like that to Harshini too" Divya wiggled her eyebrows.
"Now send me her contact number" Abhiram demanded, "I have it but I cannot share it with you" Divya said sadly.
"What? Why?" Abhiram wanted to talk to Harshini, he wanted to confirm it from her she agreed to this marriage without any compulsion. He remembered how she didn't even like to look at him that day after coming down from terrace.
"It's considered not good for your married life in our family, I don't want to take risk" Divya explained. "Ok! It's matter of four days. Then no one could stop me" Abhi smiled.
"Abhi! For poola kavidi (a custom in which groom side gives flowers and other gifts to bride) we should buy things for Harshini. I have seen them preparing list for paala kavidi (a ritual in which groom is fed sweet made with milk and given various kinds of food items, gifts). I don't know mom is prepared for this or not. Do you remember my engagement?" Divya asked.
"Yeah I do, Let's decide what should we buy for Harshini. Regarding other gifts leave it to mom, she will deal with it. So when are you coming?" Abhi enquired.
"I am not coming Abhi! Vishwa Uncle will not be able to manage things all alone here. Even Dhiraj will not be available, you know it already. I should make arrangements for our relatives stay here" Divya said.
"Then how will we do shopping for Harshini? I don't know what should we buy, I can only select" Abhiram worried.
"You are worrying more than her, I promised I will help her in shopping. So we are going tomorrow" Divya informed as Abhiram got an idea.
"Di! I cannot meet her but can see her right?" Abhiram asked hoping a positive reply, "Yes! But ... You are a genius bro. Come here in the name of shopping for engagement. You can definitely follow her like Love struck puppy" Divya teased feeling proud of her brother.
"Convince mom regarding this" Abhiram ordered and planned to finish his work. He already applied leave for four days.
. .
Next day Divya left Tridha with Vishwa giving her various activities, "D! Wait at the junction we almost reached" Harshini said over phone.
Varshith and Harshini came to pick her, "Hey Varshith! I didn't expect you to come for girls shopping" Divya smiled. "I came to drop you both and if you don't mind we have a small work on the way" He asked.
Divya nodded and they got down near a big cake shop.
Divya understood they are going to order engagement cake and Harshini came to select the model. She immediately called Abhiram and connected it to bluetooth, covering her ear with loose ends of her hair.
"Hey Di!" Abhiram greeted but he could hear Harshini's voice clearly. My smart sis..
"Anna! Don't you have any other models. These are all regular" Harshini whined and Abhi smiled listening to her rant with that shop guy. She definitely likes me, otherwise why would she put this much effort in a simple cake... He thought.
"Finally you selected the model" Varshith said in relief, "I haven't chose the flavour yet" Harshini said making the person in shop pale.
"D! Which one is Abhi's favourite?" Harshini asked and Divya got startled. She was just playing games on her phone and didn't hear what happened.
She calls me Abhi already, nice. She wants to order my favourite .. he thought.
"Don't tell me it's red velvet, I just hate it" Harshini warned making Divya shocked and Abhiram burst into laughter. It's Divya's all time favourite, she used to say no one can dislike it. Abhiram said black forest trying to stop his laugh.
"Black forest" Divya said and Harshini gave a relieved look. "she might kill me if I say red velvet is my fav" Divya whispered and Abhi tried not to laugh more.
"Thanks for cooperating Divya" Varshith thanked and dropped them near market. "We don't have big malls D! Here in this building we get almost everything. If anything is left we will visit other shops" Harshini said her plan.
Harshini started buying all accessories which would match her outfit, Divya helped her whenever she got confused. Abhiram was enjoying listening to her voice, she may not be talking to him but it felt good.
Later Divya started to pick all items which they wanted to gift Harshini. "D! You did so much shopping. I didn't see, come let's go" Harshini pulled her to near by food stall and made her taste best dishes over there.
Without much hassle their shopping got over, "D! Can you come to but clothes with me if you have time?" Harshini requested. "Sorry Harshi! Tridha will create mess" Divya said as she could not accompany.
"It's ok D! I still have other shopping to do. Varshith will come whenever he is free" Harshini booked a cab for Divya and she too left.
Abhiram felt bad for his girl but he know how difficult it will be for Divya with a kid to handle.
After two days he reached his Uncle's place early morning, he informed Vinay to come with his mother as soon as possible. He got freshen up and took his Uncle's car with him. Vishwa knew he came for shopping and doing arrangements for their relatives.
He parked his car under a tree two blocks away from Harshini's home, he could see their parents coming out as he is on opposite side of their home. He knew no one would doubt on him at that place.
Srinivas cleaned his bike and called his wife, Latha came and handed over home keys to her husband. Where is my girl.. Abhiram thought.
Varshith brought his bike and Harshini came in her sky-blue top and white legging with silver shade accessories. Abhiram's breath stopped seeing her, this is the first time he saw her in casual wear. All her pics which he saw were in traditional wear.
He followed Varshith's bike at a distance so that they would not doubt. Srinivas and Latha went in other direction, they went to invite their relatives.
It was too hot and Harshini covered her face with her scarf. Abhiram followed them after parking car, he couldn't find them anywhere.
Where are they? .. he thought. "Varshith! Bro" Harshini was calling out loudly and he reached her. There she stood holding a shirt and talking to her brother, he couldn't hear what they were talking.
They bought so many men's apparel, casual and formal wear. Few traditional sets of all sizes.. maybe she is shopping for her father and brother .. he thought.
Harshini moved to women's section and Abhi followed her. Varshith was selecting his trousers in other floor. Perfect.. Abhi thought.
Harshini shuffled tops, churidhars according to size and price. She left which were expensive and took few pairs with her to trail room. Abhi selected from what Harshini left, he came out after paying bill to have food.
I am starving, I didn't have food from Yesterday noon. Seriously!.. Does she effect me this much.. he wondered.
He saw the bro-sis duo coming out, he continued eating his food observing them. Varshith gave his shades to Harshini as it was too hot. He brought sugarcane juice for his sister and made her sit in shade.
He cares for his sister alot, my pampered princess.. Abhi smiled looking at his girl. Varshith brought food and they started eating.
My stars are with me today, I could stare at her all the day.. he thought dreamily. After they went for buying rings. Even I should buy ring for her, let's what she chooses for me.. Abhiram thought and followed.
"Can you show us some engagement rings?" Varshith asked, "Couple rings?" the lady asked. Both of them looked at each other puzzled. "No" Varshith said hesitantly.
"Ok come this way" they followed that lady, Abhi observed Harshini became dull, Does she want couple rings, if only we could speak each other.. his thoughts were paused when Harshini's face was sparkling looking at something.
"Can you show me that ring?" Harshini asked, "This is perfect" she said selecting and asking them to pack it.
"We don't know it will fit him or not but I wanted to buy it for him" Harshini said smiling to her brother.
Abhiram stopped the lady and asked lady to show him a ring similar to that design for ladies. He bought similar elegant ring, to his surprise they actually looked like couple rings.
"Sometimes few people order couple rings and cancel them sir, so it's possible" Abhiram got answer from the same lady.
Varshith dropped his sister near by his home and went to finish remaining works. Harshini observed her scarf was not good and all others were almost worn out. She went to near by trends showroom, while checking she found Abhiram staring at her.
He could not hide any where as there was nothing around him , he cursed himself for standing in open area just opposite to her.
"Abhi! What are you doing to me? I started imagining you around" Harshini said lowly closing her eyes, Abhiram quickly went out but heard her words
Enough of this hide and seek, let's go home.. Abhiram thought. He waited for Harshini to reach home safely then he went to his Uncle's home.
The next day went in a blur as his parents arrived, they started to gather all required things. Divya made sure to get all gifts for Harshini beautifully wrapped. All of them liked ring selected by Abhiram, Nandini showed them few jewellery which she would gift to her daughter in-law.
Before sleeping he had huge smile on his face, he was lost in thinking about her. "Abhi! From tomorrow you can happily talk to her. No need to talk in dreams" Vinay said , he felt happy for his cousin.
. .
Harshini felt nervous, few of her relatives arrived. She missed Tara badly, "Your palms are sweating too much, Girl! Calm down. I am not able to put mehendi" Her cousin Rupali complained.
"Varshith bro! Her hands are shivering" Rupali said loudly gaining others attention. "Harshini don't be worried, everything will be good" Srinivas assured his daughter and she took deep breaths to control herself.
Later her cousins gang surrounded to change her mood cracking jokes and singing songs. "If they place any condition like we should not meet, I will break it on first day itself" Sri said after knowing how they can't meet.
"Let's arrange date for both of them tomorrow evening" Rupali suggested and all of them started planning for it. Varshith is the eldest and he loved all of his cousins equally.
Harshini is the first one to get married from their generation, all of them are planning to make it memorable. All elders want the wedding to be done traditionally, these cousins are one lot of rebels. One of the reason Harshini got scared is this, she didn't want fights within her family.
She laid on bed still with mehendi on her hands, Varshith fed her after many days. Sleep was no where near her, she took her phone to open Abhi's pic.
You have marked me as yours that day but officially I will be yours tomorrow .. Harshini thought smiling.
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A/N: I started writing this story two years back, I wanted to write a happy story. There was my cousin's wedding and that's how I felt like writing this.
It may be boring but I wanted to write arranged marriage story from the scratch with all rituals. So that's what I am trying to do.
You will see engagement in next chapter. Will update soon
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