The college day was really hectic for Khushi , but the most hectic part of her day was waiting for her at home. When she reached home around 5:30, Khushi was rushed into the kitchen to prepare evening snacks for her Chachaji who would be home soon before she started to prepare dinner. Around 7 was when she cleaned everything up and set the cooked food in it's containers before heading to her room.
Most of her evening from 7 to 9 went by while chatting with her dadi and studying or working on college assignments and projects. Today, Khushi sat between her Dadi's legs on the floor as her Dadi oiled her hair while they chatted.
Dadi:(laughs)"and then you know what you used to do?"
Khushi :(smiled)"What dadi?"
Dadi:"you used to sit on your dad's leg and be like no no no.. You hated when your dad went to his office. Sometimes he would take you along and you would acted like being the boss of everyone at his office"
Khushi :(slightly shy)"I was 6 Dadii"
Dadi:"The cutest 6 year old I have ever seen. The best child every parents deserves"
Khushi :(sighed suddenly missing her parents)" not the best dadi. Maybe the worst. Or god wouldn't have taken my parents away from me.(A tear slipped down her eyes)"Why did they leave me dadi. Am I so bad. Did I commit such a big crime. Why did god trap us here with chachi and chacha"
Dadi:"No baccha.. it's not your fault. In fact I am so sorry It's all my fault"
Khushi :"No dadi"
Dadi:"No beta. I failed in raising my own son well. See how much of a terrible son I have given birth to. The one who would care less if his mother died. The one who I think has no sadness of his brothers death. The one who is so heartless to treat his own brother's daughter like a slave. And all I can do is watch. Because without them, we would have been on the streets. With them we would have been dead too"
Khushi :"Don't say that Dadi...Don't feel sorry for me. Maybe I just deserve this "
Dadi:"Don't worry Khushi . I am sure god has something extraordinary planned for you. you deserve the world Khushi and you will get it. "
Khushi :"I don't know about the world or anything else but dadi don't worry. Just one more year then you and I will go very far away from here"(Dadi patted her hair praying to god to give Khushi the happiness she deserves)
Later that night Khushi and Dadi both were informed of the a very distant relatives wedding that would be held tomorrow evening. The whole sharma Family was invited so they are to leave tomorrow morning to Lucknow by train.
Meanwhile situation were slightly different at Malhotra house...
Around late 8 Pm was when Dadu got a phone call from his old friend about the wedding invitation of next day. He assured that he would come and would bring his Grandsons too. Dadu had already told Rohan and Shubham and shurti about his decision but Manish was still unaware as he came home late.
Though when Manish first heard about this wedding he was not interested at all and requested his dadu to not pressure him but later agreed when he learned that he would get to be away from few certain people for 2 to 3 days. Being Away from Shubham and Shruti, plus a trip with his Dadu and Rohan seemed fun so he agreed.
Both the families set off to the wedding location by their respective conveyance next morning. The sharma's took the fastest train from Delhi to Lucknow at around 4 in the morning that would make them reach Lucknow around 12 or 1 in the afternoon. While the Malhotra took their car on a road trip of 7 or so hours planning to reach Lucknow around 5 in the evening. The wedding was to start at 6:30 giving both the family enough time to get ready.
Khushi felt a uneasy feeling set in her stomach the moment they stepped out on the railway station of Lucknow. The place she used to call home for the first 10 years of her life. The place that gave her the best moments of her life but also stole the most important people in her life. She hadn't been here since the last 11 years. Blurry flashes of that day appeared in front of her as her breathing slightly hardened. Dadi as if understanding her struggles kept her hand on Khushi 's shoulder as her eyes turned teary.
Chachi:"Why are you standing there Khushi ? Hold the bag and help your Chacha"(She said)
Dadi:"Ask Arun to do it joyti. "
Chachi:"But Mummy ji she.."
Chacha:"Arun.. come and help me. Khushi help Dadi"(Her Chacha ji said as he saw Khushi 's arms around Dadi helping her)
Soon after no more drama happened as They booked a cab and headed to the wedding house. For the next hour or so, the Sharma family got few rooms to keep their item, rest and get ready for the wedding day that would take place in the evening. Khushi was in her room helping set her little sister's hair in a beautiful french braid. Her sister looked beautiful in a green designer lehenga (Indian traditional outfit). Khushi had seen the clear difference between the lahenga chachi ji had given her and the one Chachiji and her cousin sister wore. Khushi's lehanga was an old yellow lehenga from gods knows what generation. She had been so used to these second hand items that it didn't even shock her anymore when her Chachiji discriminated between her kids and Khushi .
Khushi :"Now our doll is all ready and looking like a princess"
Anuja:"Really Dii.. your the best!"(just then Chachiji entered with another lady)"Mumma seee my hair"
Chachi:(fake smiling as she nodded at her daughter before giving a fake smile to Khushi )"Beta this is Rajshri Aunty. Your father's mausa ji's brother's wife"
Khushi gave small namaste greeting to this new lady who smiled at her warmly but Khushi felt something was off seeing her Chachi smile at her. Of course she knew it was fake, but today she was showing way more teeth then required and it for sure scared her.
Rajshri:(cupping Khushi 's cheek lovingly)"Your exactly an carbon copy of your mother beta. Just as beautiful and sweet as her"(Khushi 's eyes numbed a little feeling emotional at her motherly touch)"You might not remember but your mother and I were very close. I remember playing with you when you were a child. Beta I...(She brought a packet towards Khushi )"This is for you beta. A gift from me. I would love if you wear it today at the wedding."
Khushi looked at the royal Blue lehenga in her hand and her emotions overflowed as few tears left her cheeks. She looked up and nodded her head as she smiled at this lady who was able to give her a motherly feel in just 5 mins of meeting while her own chachi failed to do so in these past 11 years.
Rajshri:(wiping her tear)"Now now don't cry baccha. Now common get dressed fast and come with me. I'll make you meet my daughter. Maybe you can try and calm her down as she is freaking out for her big day"(She said the last sentence with a jokey tone)
Khushi as instructed changed into her new Lehenga. Her chachi had left the room annoyed with such a treatment given to Khushi when Rajshri insisted that she would get Khushi ready. While doing her make up and hair, Khushi listened to all the short stories of her mother and Rajshri with a soft smile.
Later Khushi headed to meet the soon to be bride and found herself bond naturally with her and her cousins. She also met one of her long distance cousin who had the cutest yet naughtiest 5 year old boy named Sahil.
Meanwhile, Manish and dadu along with Rohan reached Lucknow around 3:30 in the afternoon. They stayed at a hotel near the wedding location and used the afternoon to relax before they dressed up for the evening event.
Around 7:30 was when, Manish found himself roaming around the crowed wedding area. The groom was yet to come on his baarat so most of the people were busy trying to please the guest already present from the brides side. Manish had seen Rohan mingle along with few boys who were in college or near his age. While his Dadu was busy chatting with the brides father and the Pandit( priest).
Apparently from what Manish had heard, the pandit was no regular pandit but one of the most famous and trusted pandit all over India. Most people believed that he had one of the greatest foresight then any person on this world and today this lucky groom and bride were blessed to be tied together for life by him.
Manish shrugged of the thought of people gushing over marriage all throughout the area. He was frustrated with girls trying to flirt with him or aunties trying to set him up with someone. Marriage and him were polar apart words and they would stay so for most his life. He has seen what the reality of marriage is and he quite frankly does not want any of it in his life. At least not any time soon. Marriage and commitment is not something he wished for or had even thought for in his future.
Soon He heard large band playing and people started to move to the entrance stating the groom was here. He smiled as he sat in an almost empty place now in peace and eat some of the sweets and drinks that were being served.
Manish:"God wedding are so hectic and boring. I should have charged my phone at the hotel. Now I can't even scroll through my Instagram with such low battery. Dadu this is the last wedding I am ever attending"(He said to himself looking at his Dadu in a distance who was chatting with the Pandit ji)
As Manish sat like a lost soul in one corner of the wedding hall. Across the room to the other corner, Khushi sat lost as well as her eyes fixed on the Mandap that was set up and decorated in the middle of the room. She remembered how the bride talked about the groom and their first meeting with such shyness and blush covering her face. How her cousins and friends teased her. How Rajshri Aunty along with others blessed her and tried to console her pre-wedding jitters. Seeing other around her made her miss her parents more. Maybe being in the location that held so many memories of them made her miss them more then ever.
As she looked at the Mandap she also remembered multiple cousins teasing her that she might be the next they get to attend the wedding of as her college is to end soon. That thought didn't make her blush rather it made her sigh sadly. Marriage and her were oceans apart. She couldn't think who in the world would want to marry her. What if they turn out to be just like her Chachi and Chacha ji. No she can't live in a torture like that knowing there would be no escape. Even now her only hope is to get a job and be independent to provide a better life to her Dadi and herself but a Marriage would ruin all these plans. The far she is from marriage, the best it is for her.
The two lost souls sat their all confused and unaware of the drastic turn their life was gonna take. The poor souls who were themselves stuck in their own harsh situations in life were not aware of the future that was stored for them. Maybe they both thought that marriage is an obstacle in their path but what they both were unaware of was the turn their life was gonna take through this wedding and how marriage would became a key aspect of their life.
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So guys I hope you enjoyed it.
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Will update next part soon.
Translations:
Mumma/ Maa - Mom
Mummiji - Mother in law
Papa - dad
Beta/ Baccha - kid
Taiji - Dad's big brother's wife
Tauji - Dad's big brother
Chacha -Dad's younger brother
Chachi - Dad's younger Brother's wife
Bhabhi - Big brother's wife
Dadi - grandma
Dadu - grandpa
Nani - Grandma ( Mother's side)
Ji - a word which shows respect towards the other person.
Bhaiya - Elder Brother
Didi - elder Sister
Rasam - Ritual
Jaan/ Shona - An endearment which mean my life or my love.
Mami - mother's brother's wife
Jiji - Sister
Saali - Wife's sister
jiju / Jijaji - Sister's husband
Bua - Father's Sister
Dadi bua - Father's bua
Mausaji - Mom's Sister's husband
Mausi - Mom's Sister
Yaar - bro
Scotty - Indian 2 wheeler
Holi ~ An Indian Festival of Color.
Chipkali ~ Lizard
Prasad ~ Food that is blessed by god himself
Baraat ~ The groom comes on a horse from his house to the brides house where the wedding takes place. The people from the groom side dance and enjoy all the way to the house and this is called the Baraat.
Mandap ~ holi fire where the Wedding rituals happen