Last one for today!!! Enjoy reading!
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Author's POV
The Next Morning
Taani came down the staircase as the car was here to pick her up, dressed in a pretty yellow suit. Her mother nodded satisfactorily when Taani frowned seeing even her dressed so lavishly in a designer saree.
Sheetal raised her single brow at her,
"What?"
She asked hesitating, "Aap kahin jaa rahi hain mumma?"
Sheetal smiled extra sweetly before answering, "Why, of course, it's your, my daughter's wedding and you would need to me choose your wedding attire and I will even get to meet the Singhania's, so I thought to come with you."
Taani was shocked, she thought she would get to escape here and spend happy time with her new family, but here her mother was happily puncturing her plans, when Sheetal gestured her,
"Ab statue banke muh kya dekh rahi ho? Chalo!"
She smiled hesitatingly and followed Sheetal out towards the car and settled along with her. All the while she was cursing her fate as Sheetal was excitedly blabbering on phone with her kitty friends about visiting the Singhania mansion for taani's wedding attire.
They reached and they got out, Taani half heartedly though, her happy mood completely spoilt. The family must have got the info through the guard at the main gate as the next moment Avantika came out rushing followed by Vandana and Gauri, but the trio's smile disappeared seeing Sheetal. Taani was behind her and gestured to the trio helplessly, they tried to smile and welcomed Sheetal,
"Mrs Raichand, what a surprise. We didn't expect you, I thought only taani would come."
Sheetal didn't miss the taunt in Gauri's voice and how she was unwanted here but shrugged shamelessly, "Ohh I too wanted to see and help Taani with her wedding dress. She si my lovely daughter after all."
The trio forced a smiled rolling eyes mentally and Taani stifled a giggle when she saw the trio cutely trying to forcefully smile at her mother. Avantika saw this, and showed her a mock slapping gesture and Taani bit her tongue holding her ears. Sheetal was totally obvious of the silent conversation around her, when Gauri asked a servant,
"Umm Sheetal ji aap andar jaiye, baithiye. Hum aate hain."
Sheetal nodded and went inside when the trio sighed and Taani finally squealed,
"Mumma!"
She climbed the stairs and hugged the trio one by one who giggled at her excitement and her laughter, they felt so good seeing her laugh. She hugged the trio tightly as they kissed her forehead one by one, when Vandana asked her,
"Ye kya ho gaya? Ye kisko le aayin saath?"
Taani pouted, "Mujhe bhi kahan pata tha badi maa, yahan aane ke liye jab nikli tab pata chala."
Gauri sighed, saying, "Chalo koi nahi, doesn't matter. Hum teeno hai na, tum tension mat lo, tumhe jo pasand ho vahi choose karna. Thik hai?"
Taani nodded when Avantika assured her angrily, "Haan abhi tension to unhe leni chahiye, tumhe kuch bhi bola na yahan, to mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."
Taani pouted and nodded before they pulled her inside, as she thought,
Mujhe or koi fikr nahi hai mumma, mujhe bas Reyansh ki tension hai. Mumma en kuch bhi kiya na, to aaj to main bhi nahi rok paungi Reyansh ko. Hey Krishna ji, please, aaj mumma kuch gadbad na karein.
They both walked in, where all the ladies were, while all the guys were already in their respective workplaces minus Rey as he was ta home for their attires, but was right now in his room. Naina along with all their girsl were there including Sharon and Taara looking at Sheetal with forced smiles. Their forced smiles turned to genuine one seeing taani and they rushed to her hugging her, Taani greeted everybody hugging them tightly making Sheetal surprised. She never knew that Taani shared such close bond with her in-laws.
"Kesi ho Taani?"
Swadhinta asked her and she replied, "I am good, aap sab kese ho?"
Everyone replied affirmatively when she leaned down patting Twinkle's slight baby bump, "And how's chachi's little munchkin?"
Twinkle replied shaking her head, "Pucho mat, such a big foodie, pure din cravings hoti hai mujhe."
Taani giggled hearing her when Naina and Taara jumped on her, "Bhabhiiiii!"
She laughed hugging them and then Sharon hugged her too, when Taani asked them,
"Baki sab kahan hai, dadda? Daadu daadi, bhaiya, kids?"
Amna told her as she made her sit while Sheetal was just looking amused,
"Daadu Daadi room mein hai, main bulati hu. Or baki sab office and bacche school."
She nodded when Kanchi told her, winding her arm, "Hnn bas tumhara fiancé hai apne room mein, kaam kar raha hai."
Taani flushed softly hearing her and the girls resisted from cooing when Ishita said,
"Lo, even the designers are here."
"Naina, jaa jake Rey ko bhi bula laa."
Naina nodded and went up, while even Daadu daadi came there, Taani immediately got up taking their blessings. They smiled widely at her hugging her and kissing her head. They smiled at Sheetal who greeted them when Rajni asked hai,
"Sheetal ji aapke kyun takleef ki? Humne to Taani ko kaha tha...."
Sheetal's face paled while others stifled a laugh, the former said laughing amusedly,
"Uhh vo bas, meri beti ka lehenga hai, maine socha main uski help karun choose karne mein."
Everybody had huge urge to gag hearing her lie, Sharon leaned to Swadhinta muttering,
"She really deserves national award for her acting skills."
Swadhinta giggled answerin, "Yep and the category should be the worst actress of the decade."
They burst out laughing high fiving at their inner joke when finally even Rey reached there. Taani looked at him with a smile, completely taken aback how handsome he looked in his casuals. Even he looked at her mesmerised seeing her in that yellow attire. She was looking beautiful!
Without even caring about anything, he walked upto her and side hugged her muttering,
"Hey jaan!"
Taani flushed while all others smiled as he kissed the side of her forehead for a second and Sheetal's eyes widened seeing his affection when taani muttered still flushed,
"Hi!"
He chuckled at her shyness and looked around, his eyes hardened seeing Sheetal sitting there, though he wasn't planning on too much of PDA but when Naina told him Taani's mother was here, suddenly he felt the wheels in his mind turning and telling this lady in his own way that she can't hurt Taani now when he is with her. He settled down beside her as everybody started looking at the catalogues while the different designers showed them the apparels for all functions.
The butlers brought snacks and tea for everyone as they sat looking at the catalogues, they were only for ladies and the bride and groom right now, all the men's catalogues were to come during the night. Soon, everybody was done with their all functions attires and measurements, with Sheetal sulking and feeling insulted. She thought if she is here, she would too get designer clothes but only Singhania ladies and Sharon and Tara got their outfits too. She was literally so angry that she pledged to make sure even Taani won't have a good designer outfit.
As they were done, They all were passed different bridal catalogues for Taani's lehenga and they started going through it, Sheetal smirked finding a plain simple one, though it was beautiful but the color was bright pink which she knew Taani hates. She said pointing at it,
"Bas ye vala, Taani this one will look amazing on you." She turned to the designer and said, "Ye vala done kar dijiye, after all, I am her mother, I really want vo meri pasand ka lehenga pehne."
Rey looked at her with a hard gaze and Taani was hesitant, praying that he doesn't blow up. she took the catalogue and forced a smile looking at the lehenga, she hated that color, but she could say anything. The designer too smiled forcefully at the lady and was doing when rey's booming voice stopped her,
"Did we final the design..........no right? Wait!"
He put away the catalogue and looked at Sheetal passing a sickly sweet smile,
"Mrs. Raichand, I appreciate your love and affection for your daughter, but now she is not JUST your daughter rather....." He looked at Taani and again looked at Sheetal clasping on her hand and announcing, "MY FUTURE WIFE MRS. TAANI SINGHANIA, and surely I don't want to see MY BRIDE in that lehenga. That's too gaudy, and looking at it, I really don't think mine and Taani's choice can match yours. That's just not Singhania's style and if you don't mind I want to see Taani in the most beautiful lehenga anyone has ever seen, so if you may please, lemme search the lehenga for my bride."
The ladies had a proud grin on their face and had a hard time in clapping for him and laughing at Sheetal's highly fallen, insulted, embarrassed and furious face. The lady was looking red and Taani could literally see smoke coming out of her mother's eyes. She was still busy digesting Rey's words.
Did he really called my mother's choice gaudy and over the top on her face? Damn! Only he has the power to do that.
She thought looking down still digesting it, Avantika stifled her giggle and said,
"Ughm ughm, aap or designs dikhaiye."
The designer nodded and Sheetal just sat down silently after that, when Rey told the designer,
"Ye sab kya hai? I want the best designs for her, everything best for every function. What are you gusy showing?"
Taani looked at the catalogue and muttered finding them beautiful,
"But Reyansh thik to hai."
He sulked and whined muttering, "Tumhe kuch nahi pata, tum rehne do. I want the best.........these aren't best."
She tried to stop the smile on her face when he said looking through other designs. After a lot of fussing they all managed to decide all the outfits, only the bridal lehenga was left when Sharon said groaning,
"Rey, tu chahta kya hai? Ab to inn sabke sare catalogues over ho gaye hain, or tujhe ek bhi lehenga pasand nahi aaya."
"Haan!"
All the girls said in unison hell tired, and even taani was having pity on the designers who were trying hard to please her fiance but he was so fussing over her bridal dress when he said,
"Yrr to ye log vo kyun nahi dikha rahe, I told them I need best."
Twinkle rolled her eyes saying,
"Best ki koi definition to hogi."
He groaned saying,
"Ab kese samjhau, haan ek minute, I want a red lehenga, no other color. I want it to have a royal look, or haan it should have the queen feels. Heavily embroidered but at the same time light and easy to carry. And sabs expensive bhi or latest design bhi."
The girls giggled at his explanation, they were amused seeing his excitement for Taani's lehenga, and Taani was sighing, when one of the designer said excitedly,
"Sir I have exactly what you need."
Everybody's eyes lit up, and they prayed that Rey likes it otherwise Taani might have to get married in one of her usual clothes at this rate. Rey too said,
"You better do!"
And he was handed a book that had a new and latest design lehenga, that looked recently painted, Taani too glanced at it and breathed deeply,
"Wow!"
This escaped her mouth, Rey's head snapped to her direction before looking at it again. It was truly what he imagined and as soon as Taani's image clad in this crossed his mind he said,
"Done, this one's final."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and the design was passed around, Sheetal gasped and envied looking at the lehenga while everybody gushed over it. Amna said pleased, "Rey this is perfect, hamari Taani bahot pyaari lagegi isme."
Rey smiled and turned to the designer,
"Make this one, and make sure you add a long veil along with this, I want it to trail behind her."
Gauri's eyes lit up and she said, "Yeah that would look perfect, Taani veil ke andar entry legi or agar dupatta uske peeche trail hoga, it would look like magic."
They all agreed and the designer took the instructions when Rajni said, "Make sure you use real material, real gold thread, diamonds and all in it, I don't want fake stones."
Taani's eyes widened,
Real gold and diamond? He Krishna ji, apni shaadi mein kahin kidnap hi na ho jaun main, koi utha ke le jayega, paiso ke chakkar mein.
While Sheetal was sitting wide eyed, not able to digest and Rajni told, "Hamari sari bahuon ke lehengo mein real diamonds or gold threads hi the. I want it to be perfect for Taani too."
Taani tried saying something, but none heard it and she sighed giving up, she knew they weren't gonna listen to her in this matter when Vandana said, "Achha ye ho gaya na, kal jeweller ko hulake sabke sath ki matching jewellery dekh lete hain, or Taani ke shaadi ke baad ke sets bhi."
Everybody agreed when Gauri said, "Or haan yaad hai na hamari ritual tum girls ko."
They looked at each other and nodded smiling widely when Taani asked, "Konsi ritual?"
Ishita replied smiling widely, "Ritual tumhe shaadi ke baad pata chal jayegi, it's a surprise."
Taani pouted giving up making them chuckle when Sheetal said having enough,
"Ab sab hogaya hai to me and Taani should leave."
She stood up, Taani was gonna follow when Rey held her hand not letting her making her eyes widen and Avantika said,
"Sheetal ji, aap jaiye, Taani raat tak yahin rahegi. Sabse mil legi, or apne outfits or baki bhi dkeh legi."
Sheetal forced a smile, while Taani hesitated as Sheetal left. Taani said,
"Mumma sab to hogaya hai? To main yahan ruk ke............." Rey rolled his eyes mentally slapping his head as others laughed, Tara said,
"Ohho bhabhi, vo aapki mumma ko bhagane ke liye tha. Kuch kaam nahi hai, hum sba bas milke enjoy karenge."
They all giggled seeing Taani's sheepish face and started happily chatting this time without being angry or bothered by Sheetal's presence and Rey left them half heartedly as he so wanted to spend some alone time with Taani. All the girls noticed this and smiled at each other discretely winking as their minds cooked up a plan for the duo.
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Awwwwww, Rey is super excited! He wants everything best. How cute!
Hope you all loved these chapters. Much much much love. Do vote and comment guys!
Regards
Meera