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The vibrant celebration unfolded under the moonlit sky as the evening before Arjun and Avni's long-awaited union took center stage. Nestled within this random Alibaug villa, its sprawling lawn was transformed into a haven of beauty. Sparkling fairy lights cast a magical glow, illuminating the enchanting atmosphere. However, it was not just the ethereal setting that captivated all eyes; it was the collective joy emanating from every person gathered. The smiles that adorned their faces infused the air with an undeniable warmth, as they reveled in the privilege of being part of this extraordinary celebration of love. As the night progressed, a sense of togetherness enveloped them, bringing everyone together around that long and grand dining table.
The resonant chime of a butter knife intermittently striking the wineglass instantly drew the collective attention of the everyone present there towards its origin. "I know that no one here has ever spoken about this out loud to us and you guys won't ever which could be either out of the goodness of your hearts or the fact that this is a very uncomfortable subject. But I am going to talk about the elephant in this room anyway. The bride and groom who happen to be my adoptive parents took their sweet little time to realize that they wanna be married to each other after all. It just took having one kid out of wedlock after one drunk night, adopting me as co-parents, sending us off to college and waiting for a time when dii is of age to get married now. That is all that it took for them to decide that they want to marry each other. It wasn't easy on me and dii to grow up in such a unique situation but our trouble seems nothing if we think about what all you two had to go through to give us this wonderful life. Dii and I have constantly been subjected to rude comments and all the side-eyes... Don't even try saying that we do not notice it because believe me we do, we just choose to ignore it. Anyway... we have always been teased and ridiculed for our parents' situation and at the worst days we have even fought with you for choosing such a complicated life for our family. I felt too indebted to you two for bringing me in and make me a part of your life but I've had my days when I just wanted to scream at you asking 'Why won't you marry each other?' Standing here tonight, I wanna tell you both what a brave thing it was to do for deciding to marry only when you both truly wanted it. You worry that your situation discourages me and dii to get married but it actually has done the reverse. You two are a living example of prioritizing love and give it the importance everyone probably should. You have taught us to love 'love' and be courageous enough to give it as much time and effort as one can give. You two respected your own feelings and of each other by not compromising and resorting to marriage because it was the only option. You did all of that while making sure that you bring down this entire universe's happiness at mine and dii's feet. It might have come across like we are an incomplete family but you both have made me and this family feel full. Having said all that, I am so happy that we are finally at this point and for the right reasons- LOVE. To the best parents in this whole world! To love!"
Saeesha's toast for her parents overwhelmed Arjun, Avni and Nandini all at once. Everyone smiled happily at the little girl's beautiful words as they raised their glasses to toast. "Thank you, baby!" Avni cooed with tears in her eyes. It was true that they never spoke about their situation because it was an unacceptable paradigm in the society which included their friends and families but they kept going ahead with a resolve to do what was best for themselves and their little girls. This moment and her speech gave Avni the much needed assurance that she and Arjun had indeed did their best for their family.
Rajveer Malhotra never understood Arjun and Avni's choice to not get married. He liked Nandini's personality and felt like she was a good match for Manik but he had his inhibitions about her family's situation. Ever since he found out about their situation he just kept wondering why wouldn't they take up the correct and easy choice which could put their daughters out of misery as well. He was not expressive about how he did not approve of their ways but he made sure to keep mum about it for Manik's sake. He was also elated when he received this invitation. He was happy that his son who was associated to a family that was far from normal would not have to bear the consequences for their actions as they were finally correcting their wrong choices. But this speech from Saeesha and the happiness radiating from them as a family was overwhelmingly alarming of how wrong his judgement was about Nandini's family. Their choices were far from what people usually do but at the end it had kept this family together and content in their own way so maybe they hadn't been as wrong as he thought of them to be.
"She is so... all grown-up!" Manik heard Nandini mumble to herself in a low voice. Her eyes had welled up and he understood that she was feeling vulnerable after hearing those words. He held her hand under the table and intertwined their hands together causing her to look up at him. He passed her a gentle smile as a gesture of comforting her. She reciprocated it and wiped the lone tear that had made it's way to her cheek.
"Don't you wanna say anything?" Manik asked Nandini in a low voice such that only she could hear him after a moment passed. "I don't think I can go on after that perfection for a toast." Nandini muttered to him in a doubtful tone.
"They will want to hear whatever you have in your heart for them to say. So, come on..." Manik prodded her to say whatever she could manage. Since she started attending the boarding school in Dehradun, he had watched her mutely yearn for this day. She had relocated in the hopes of bringing together her family, and now, at last, her efforts and sacrifices had brought them all to this day. He could wager on anything for evidence that she would have a plethora of things to say now, but she couldn't. Hence, he had no trouble urging her to speak because he knew how much she'd regret it if she didn't.
"Fine!" Before standing to speak, Nandini let out a sigh. Manik smirked, a little pleased with himself for persuading her to do it. He also couldn't help but wonder for a brief moment how their relationship would endure being apart for who knows how long if they relied on one another for even such smallest things.
"Gogo, that was as perfect as any toast could get and I did not want to be the one who has to go on after that but my persistent boyfriend here doesn't quiet agree with me. So, I am gonna say a few words anyway. For the longest time, Mumma kept fussing about why don't I get married. She and Appa have been worried for a long time that maybe their situation has made me lose faith in the institution of marriage. I had no answers for them because my love life was a mess at the time. They kept insisting that I should marry my boyfriend given we were with each other for five years and nothing can ever come in our life to top that. I almost believed them and that is only till the moment Manik came back into my life. Manik and I have known each other for over twelve years now in which we spent five years not talking to each other and with different people as our respective partners. Yet, when he came back, he brought all these feelings along with him which we took a long time to even admit to each other. We were too chicken to take the leap of faith because of our friendship of so many years. But... I was still extremely happy to have him in my life after everything that happened. I never told him this but I realized my feelings for him pretty much in the first month of us meeting again yet I dragged my feet. I'm gonna tell you the why of it right now. It was because what you and I shared resembled the kind of connection and friendship that I saw my parents have for each other. Even when everything was unspoken between us, it reminded me of home. Gogo was right about how you prioritized love along with the amazing life you gave us but you both also taught me how beautiful it is to have a friend in your partner. Manik and I eventually crossed the bridge when we had to but I could value him more because of you two. I saw you face everything together yet you weren't involved which was only possible because of your friendship." Nandini had to pause for a second to stop her tears from flowing. She glanced over at Manik for a second to find a bewildered expression on his face because he was not expecting her toast for her parents to be so much about them. Nonetheless, he rubbed her back slowly to give her the much needed reassurance of having him right there with her.
"I am so sorry for making this so much about Manik and me but I just had to... He's one of the major reasons why I am so happy now and if it weren't for you two, I would never have known to value and cherish the friendship I found with my partner along with all the love. You are the reason I believe in love, friendship and family. I can never express in words as to how much gratitude I have in my heart for the universe for making me a part of your world. I love you both and my Gogo so much. I also love how my family is growing now." Nandini grabbed Manik's hand and intertwined them ignoring the fact that both of their families were seated on the same table at that moment.
"I have this amazing life because of you guys. This wedding wouldn't change a thing expect for the bonus happiness it brings us. Congratulations for reaching this point, Mumma and Appa. To friendship! And to spending eternity with the love of your life cum best friend." Nandini ended her toast with tearful eyes as they all cheered and drank to it. Her parents were overwhelmed but not in a manner to cry. Instead they had these huge grins on their faces about how their daughter was finally happy.
Saeesha had seen her parents fall in love when Nandini went away but Nandini only saw their friendship when she was growing up. They had witnessed two different stages of their parents' life yet they had nothing to complain about. Avni and Arjun loved how their daughters acknowledged everything they were for each other in their own ways. This felt like the best moment of their lives and they wished to treasure it forever in their hearts.
"It was lovely, baby." Manik mumbled to Nandini and placed a soft kiss on her temple once again ignoring the piercing gaze from his mother and sister. She had admitted some beautiful emotions and proclaimed it in front of all the people who meant something to them. He could have kissed her senseless if it were up to him but he refrained and settled for that kiss on her temple and a side-hug.
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"You could at least try pretending that you're a little happy to be here." Manik had enough of the hostility from his mother and sister's side. He had controlled himself for a long time during the entire party but when he got the chance to be alone with his parents and Dakshika when post dinner everyone scattered around doing their own thing, he just had to tell them.
"What did I do? I'm just enjoying my drink here silently." Rajveer spoke defensively. He had been nothing but sweet and fun with everyone in the party so he could not understand Manik's comment for them.
"Not you, dad! I'm talking to these two frowning emojis here." Manik rolled his eyes at Rajveer's slightly over the line dramatic tone. Manik did not mean to say anything to his father anyway because he was genuinely having a good time and being a good guest. He was annoyed at Nyonica and Dakshika for their not-so-subtle side-eyes and evidently frowning expressions.
"What is your problem with us, Manik? You have no trouble sucking up to those in-laws of yours. You just have a problem with your own family." Nyonica responded back in irritation while trying to keep her voice as low as possible.
"First off, I don't have a problem with my entire family. Dad and Daivik are just fine. It's just you two that I have a problem with. Secondly, being nice to people who are important to my girlfriend and not to mention who are so nice and welcoming to me, is not called sucking up to them. What the hell is wrong with you, Mom?" Manik hated the way his mother said those things to him and thus he couldn't contain his annoyance.
"Why won't be they nice to you anyway? They've lived most of their lives in the most messed up way possible. This whole thing is a desperate attempt to clean up their mess and you expect me to enjoy this circus?" Nyonica scoffed. Finally she said what was on her mind to his face unlike the last time when she hid it well and kept taunting Nandini in a sly manner that he had missed.
"How uncle auntie live their lives does not affect me and neither is that a reason for them to be nice to me. I see that you've got a problem with them. You can have an opinion about how they've lived so far and how they're living right now. Your opinion is not going to change a thing, ma. This is an important occasion for them and my girlfriend. They see me as part of their family which implies that by extension they see you as their family too. That's probably why they invited you to this even after I specifically asked them not to. So, if you chose to be a part of this thing now then you've got to play your part." Manik spoke in clear words leaving his family baffled at how defensive he got about Nandini and her family.
"Bhai! Are you seriously talking to Mom this way for people who've been a part of your lives for what like three months? Is that how little we mean to you?" Dakshika expressed her disbelief.
"Leave it, Dakshi. He has chosen his side. No use talking about it now." Nyonica said with a hurt look.
"What sides? I cannot believe you, ma..." Manik began expressing how ridiculous his mother sounded when Rajveer decided to interrupt before this turns into something that attracts attention and ruins the vibe for everyone. "Enough! This is neither the place nor the time to have this conversation. Dakshi, loosen up and go find Daivik. Nyo, reel it in atleast till we're back in our room. And Manik, relax. Go to Nandini if that'll help you calm down. You come to our room after the party is wrapped up. We can talk it out like a family then." Rajveer's words were the final verdict and left no wiggle room for any kind of argument thus they had no option but to oblige.
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"These are so beautiful, Daivik. Wow!" Nandini gushed at Daivik's photography skills. They did not hire a photographer for the party which is why Daivik asked to fill in. Although, Nandini wanted him to enjoy his time she had to cave in given his persistence. The party wrapped up an hour ago. Daivik asked Nandini to meet him down in the living area after freshening up which is what she did only to realize that he wanted her to go through the pictures.
"I know right... Who knew a simple party could get me such amazing pictures for my port folio?" Daivik seconded Nandini's opinion.
"What are you building a port folio for? Don't you and Dakshi have your studio up and running already?" Nandini asked him curiously while still looking at the pictures.
"Okay... You have to promise that you won't tell anybody and yes by that I mean bhai as well because I have not told about this to anyone including Dakshi." Daivik's demand for such a promise intrigued Nandini's interest more.
"Promise! What is it?" Nandini asked him.
"I am hoping to get an international degree in professional photography. I am applying to this institute called Vancouver institute of Media arts. They as in Vanarts have one of their articulation agreements with University of Gloucestershire in UK and they are offering a BA Honors degree in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography which is what I am hoping to get into. Their admission process includes submission of a portfolio." Daivik filled her in about his future plans with enthusiasm yet in a low voice so that no one hears him.
"Daivik, that is amazing! Why don't you wanna tell your family though? They'll be so proud and happy to know this." Nandini threw him a short hug for appreciation and then asked him as she pulled away.
"If I tell them they might ask Dakshi to do it with me. And given how inseparable we have been, even she might cave in to do it irrespective of whether she actually wants it. Dakshi and I have done everything together so far but... I... I just feel like this is something I want to do for myself and by just myself. And besides we cannot shut the studio down for such a long period anyway so it'd be best if she stays back." Daivik kept scanning the room to find any trace of his family as he poured his heart out to Nandini.
"And you're afraid if you tell her you wanna do this by just yourself, it would hurt her?" Nandini quizzed with a sad smile appearing on her face.
"I am afraid so.... She's already feeling distant from bhai ever since... " Daivik trailed off as he realized he spoke more that he was supposed to in the flow.
"Don't hesitate! I know about it. Do you think I didn't notice the tension ever since she found about Manik and me?" Nandini gave him a sad yet knowing smile as she made him aware of how she was already caught up on this matter.
"I am sorry... Give her some time, she'll come around, bhabz." Daivik reassured.
"Ha! Bhabz? That's new! You never even called me 'Dii' earlier. Why the sudden transition to bhabhi(sister-in-law) status?" Nandini chuckled and asked him curiously.
"It is about time we start addressing this. You and bhai almost seem married at this point, you know. So, I had to upgrade your status." Daivik said laughingly.
"Thanks, Daivik! I am glad you are the first one to acknowledge me as a part of your family. And like you said I am hoping that your parents and Dakshika will also come around with time as well." Nandini expressed her gratitude with a genuine smile which Daivik happily reciprocated.
"My pleasure, bhabz! Now, back to my thing. Do you think I'm kidding myself with this whole studying thing? It feels like I'll be abandoning my family and especially Dakshi as a price which I don't know if I'm willing to pay." Daivik's face were filled with worry lines as he got back to what they were originally discussing.
"I don't know if it would be the right choice for your career because I do not know anything about your line. But, I do know a thing or two about abandoning family for my personal reasons. I admit that it is devastating and the regret never fully goes away but it is also like this rite of passage that one has to go through at some point in his or her life. All I wanna say is keep the family out of picture when you decide if or not this is the right thing for your career and if you decide it is the case then involve them and discuss it. People will hate me for giving you such an advice but I think it is important to think about this just for yourself before taking it to the family." Nandini advised him without any sugarcoating because she felt like he could use some of that.
"That helps a lot. I've been dying to talk to you about this but just didn't feel like doing this over a call." Daivik commented making Nandini pass him a smile of understanding.
"Whatever you decide, I am on your side, okay?" Nandini told him reassuringly.
"Decide on what?" Dakshika's voice snapped Nandini and Daivik out of their daze.
"O... On what song I am gonna pick to dance tomorrow." Daivik responded with slight stutter in his voice. He scanned his sister's face for a moment to check if she heard more than just the last sentence and he got that she had not heard much.
"Come na, Dakshi. Join us. We were just looking at the pictures from the party." Nandini invited her to join them with a sweet smile to which Dakshika responded with an awkward one.
"Uhm... I'd love to but mom and dad are waiting for Daivik to join us. Bhai is already there and I just came to call him as well. Maybe some other time?" Dakshika looked almost relieved about having a reason to not sit down with them which Nandini did not miss. She still did not understand Dakshika's problem with her but she did not want to broach the subject the moment so she decided to let it go.
"Oh... No issues. You guys should go. Daivik, send me a few of the best pictures whenever you get a little time to put on Instagram. I'll see you around tomorrow then... Good night." Nandini got up from her seat as she wished them only to get a short hug from Daivik as he mumbled a small 'sorry' and 'good night' to her.
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"Am I interrupting a family moment?" Manik asked loudly as he entered Arjun and Avni's room after knocking on it twice. He had been searching for Nandini everywhere and his search led him finally to get parents' room. He found her there with her parents and Saeesha talking and laughing over some childish quarrel which was not a new scene for him now.
"You not being a part of this counts for an interruption, Manik." Avni said sweetly which was a bit too much for Arjun's taste.
"Jeez, ma! That's too cheesy... Even for you!" Nandini commented as she watched Manik walk in and take a seat beside her on the couch comfortably.
"Ignore her, aunty. She's just jealous. That was a sweet thing to hear." Manik dismissed Nandini and earned a laugh from Avni while Saeesha and Arjun just rolled their eyes.
"Family meeting went on far too long, huh?" Arjun questioned rhetorically taking Manik by surprise.
"Yeah. But how do you know?" Manik confirmed and then asked back.
"I'm a smart man. I notice everything around me, Manik." Arjun said in a somewhat proud voice.
"BS! I told him I heard loud voices from your parents' room, Jeejz." Saeesha chipped in disproving Arjun's self analysis.
"Fine! That and how sullen Nandini has been for the past two hours confirmed my theory. Happy?" Arjun admitted the truth and asked Saeesha if she was satisfied now. At that, Manik glanced at Nandini only to find her trying to hide her eyes from him.
"It's all okay. You can stop worrying now." Manik reassured Nandini after placing his hand on hers which was resting on the pillow that she was holding on her lap. Nandini passed him a soft smile in return.
"Hands off my girl, young man!" Arjun yelled comically making all of them laugh.
"His hand on hers is the most innocent thing you can catch them doing, I assure you." Saeesha remarked earning herself a slight smack on her head from Avni given she was seated close to her.
"You two feel ready for tomorrow?" Manik asked Arjun and Avni about their impending nuptials on the next day. He had heard endless stories from Nandini about how much her parents had fought the idea of marriage for the longest period. Even though they were in love now, it still was a big step to take so it might have them feeling some jitters is what he could guess.
"I know I am and I also know that Avni will bolt the second she gets a chance to... But I'm going to marry you tomorrow even if it means I have to take you to the mandap with you tied to me on a leash." Arjun was talking like that in front of Manik for the first time yet he did not feel surprised. Manik had already guessed that deep beneath Arjun's layers of grumpy lied a hopeless romantic who was a goner for Avni.
"Aww... Every girl's dream! Being tied to a man on a leash! That's the fairytale we should be selling now." Saeesha commented sarcastically making Manik and Nandini chuckle.
"I'm feeling pretty positive about tomorrow, Manik. Thanks for being the only one to ask, by the way!" Avni taunted her daughters in the process of answering Manik who laughed again.
This was a crazily epic family and he was grateful for being accepted into it as a part of it. There was no way he would throw it all away just because his mother felt insecure about his growing bond with them. He also was certain that he would be taking that fact with him to the grave and convince his mother to have a change in her perception in the meanwhile.
Nandini intertwined her fingers with Manik's as something felt warm in her belly. She was feeling anxious by the second like something was about to go very wrong. She could not shake the feeling but she also wanted to hold onto this little moment of her family. Thus, she smiled through it only to have Manik tighten his grip on her softly as if he understood what was going on in her head and he just wanted to help her calm down.
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Rate the chapter between 1-10.
Few words for Nandini's toast for her parents.
Do you think Nandini should tell Manik about what Daivik told her or wait for Daivik to tell by himself?
What's your prediction for the next chapter? What could happen?