ANAISHA'S POV:
Leaning back against the car seat's headrest, I shut my eyes, aiming to shake off the constant grin since meeting Samaksh. This was new. Usually, after these meetings, I'd be either mad or dissatisfied. There was that one time where both the guy and I quickly realized we weren't a match, shared our differing life visions, and gracefully cut short the meeting.
But with Samaksh, it felt different. Despite our contrasts and unique thinking, they just seemed to fit. Saying yes to my parents for this proposal suddenly felt right. In my mind, I imagined Samaksh might feel the same way, given what he mentioned earlier. When he spoke those words, my mind blanked, and my heart pounded. It took me a moment to process, and by the time I could respond, he was almost turning away. Pulling myself together, I thanked him for the great time and drove off.
Ringing the door bell once , I stood at the door texting Samaksh that I had reached home.
ANAISHA:
Reached home.
Wbu?
SAMAKSH:
Just 5 min away
Btw its raining cats and dogs isn't it 😁
ANAISHA:
Don't be on your phone while driving
Bye
SAMAKSH:
Bye Anaisha
See you very soon😉
I couldn't help but smile at his playful antics. Glancing up, I noticed my mother standing on the other side of the door, giving me a knowing look that said, "I know that smile " Trying to appear nonchalant, I swiftly disappeared into my room. I delayed facing my parents for as long as possible, but eventually, dinner time arrived.
Seated at the dining table, I realized my parents expected me to break the silence. Initiating the conversation, my mother asked, "Did you have something to eat, Ishu?" Her maternal instincts were undoubtedly at play, trying to gauge how everything went. "Yes, Mom, I did," I replied.
"So, what do you think of him?" she continued. Before I could answer, my dad interjected with concern, "Take your time, dear. You know you can take as much time as you need, right?" I smiled at his caring nature. "I know, Dad, but this time, I want to go ahead with this. We're not identical, but we're not entirely different either. I'm sure about this," I said, my eyes shifting between my parents. My mother's expressions ranged from a small smile to a full-blown grin and then excitement. She leaned over and gave me a hug, while my dad smiled and playfully pulled my cheek.
Later that night, as I helped my mother clear the dishes, I knew I needed to address something on my mind to find peace. "Mom, I haven't told Samaksh anything yet. I wasn't sure if he would be comfortable hearing it right away. But now, I feel if we move forward without him knowing, it would almost be like cheating him."
She sat next to me, taking my hand in both of hers. "Ishu, I understand what you're thinking. But don't stress yourself over it. If he made you feel at ease and understood your nervousness at the first glance, he'll understand this too. Just promise me you won't make it seem like a weakness. It's not, my dear. It has nothing to do with how you live your life. You deserve everything in this world." I nodded in response and managed a wobbly smile.
Just before we headed to our respective rooms, her phone pinged with a message from Samaksh's mom.
SAMAKSH'S POV:
Chuckling, I set my phone down after texting Anaisha, letting her know I had also reached home. Playfully teasing her about the heavy rain, which she had earlier used as an excuse, she ignored my banter and scolded me for texting while driving.
As I approached my house, ready to ring the bell, the door swung open, revealing my elder brother, Adarsh. We exchanged a "bro hug," and upon entering, I found my parents and bhabhi seated in the living room, their attention instantly focused on me. Anticipating the upcoming interrogation, I swiftly retreated to my room, shutting the door firmly behind me. Taking my time to freshen up, I eventually returned to the living room.
My brother appeared with tea for both of us. As I accepted the cup, I couldn't help but remember Anaisha's aversion to tea, prompting a private smile.
When I looked up from my cup, I noticed my bhabhi smirking and playfully wiggling her eyebrows, while my mother simply stared at me. With a sigh, I said, "You guys can start." Laughter erupted from everyone except my mother.
"Did you reach there on time? I hope you didn't make her wait," my mom began.
"Yes, Ma, I left the office at the right time. You can even ask bhabhi for confirmation," I almost whined. She simply nodded in agreement.
"So, how did it go? Were my intuitions right?" Bhabhi asked. I nodded, rubbing the nape of my neck to alleviate the heat that was beginning to develop there.
"And what were your intuitions, madam?" Adarsh grinned at her. She shared with Adarsh what she had told me in the afternoon, expressing her belief that Anaisha was the one for me.
Having admitted it, I turned to my parents and said, "Mom, Dad, it's a... a yes from me. I've thought this through carefully, and I know I'll be happy with Anaisha in my life."
"I'm so happy for you, beta. I'll let them know about your decision soon," my mother said, patting my hand. My dad gave me a playful slap on the back, saying, "I hope she knows how to train monkeys." Adarsh laughed, and I shot him a Jedi glare.
"Now that it's a happy occasion, can we please order some ice cream? I've been craving them for so long," Bhabhi suggested. I reached for my phone to do the same when my brother stopped me.
"Srishti, it's November. We don't want you to fall sick at this stage of your pregnancy, do we?" Bhabhi had already started getting up to return to her room when my mother interjected, "One scoop won't do any harm, Adarsh, and she's been following her diet chart diligently."
"Okay, fine," he sighed, looking at his wife, who now sported a huge smile. I could almost see the hearts in her eyes. He chuckled, shook his head, but then slyly took her hand in his.
Srishti bhabhi was expecting their first child and was just four weeks away from her due date. The excitement for the baby's arrival was palpable, and we had already begun setting up the nursery at their house.
Adarsh and bhabhi had moved out of our parents' house a year after their wedding, opting for an apartment closer to their workplaces. The decision was also influenced by the fact that our family home, with only three bedrooms, had started to feel cramped. This left no space for my paternal grandparents, who visited us for a month every year.
Given Adarsh's frequent professional travels, sometimes out of town and even overseas, it was decided that they would stay with us until after the baby was born.
After dinner that night , Ma served us kheer. When we asked her the reason as to why she had made kheer , the reply she gave had my heart jumping in joy. Apparently , she had messaged Anaisha's mum about my decision since it was too late in the night to call her . In reply , her mum had said that Anaisha too had agreed. They had agreed to talk over the phone in the morning to discuss things further. Once everyone finished their desserts and had expressed their happiness over the situation , we headed to bed.
I had almost picked up my phone to text Anaisha, but decided against it when I realised it was way past her bedtime and she wouldn't see it until the next morning . Making a note to atleast text her tomorrow , I closed my eyes letting sleep take over me.
Being a first time writer , I might end up making grammatical and spelling errors . Please let me know if you spot any and I will look into it ASAP.
Also none of the pictures I put up are owned by me . I simply take them from the internet.