"Get out Dev! You cannot see her before the wedding!" Chandni stood in the doorframe, blocking Dev's view. He tried very hard to peek inside the room to catch a glimpse of Vedangi.
"What nonsense! We live in the twenty first century." Dev argued with his sister.
"No don't throw those scientific arguments my way, it's the rule. Now get lost or I'll tell Amma that her dear son cannot wait to see his bride!" Chandni threatened her brother.
Dev scowled before disappearing from her eyesight.
He was standing on the lawn of The Peacock Grove. It was the same place Dev's teammate and friend Prasidh Krishna had wed his girlfriend Rachana. Vedangi was in complete awe of the earthy and vintage aesthetic of the place. Dev had mentally decided upon the place as their wedding venue and today he overlooked the preparation standing against a pillar.
Reflecting on their journey from their dating days, Dev was reminded of the trial he had to face five years back. Those six months will always be the most torturous days of his life. He knew how it felt to just exist and not live. Smiling at his naivety, Dev saw Disha attending a call infront of him. She nudged his friend Shubhang in the stomach while he mischeviously tried to irk her. Three years of dating and they still had not matured. Dev could vividly recall the day when his best friend Shubhang had asked him if Disha was single. That guy had been smitten from the very moment he had seen her.
Turns out, Shubhang actually got lucky and few months later him and Disha had announced of them being in a relationship.
Dev was happy for Disha more than he was for Shubhang. She had relentlessly been at his side since the very beginning and he would always be eternally grateful to her. The fact that he was going to marry Vedangi today was solely due to Disha. Had she not reunited them all of this would've never happened. Shubhang was a close friend of Dev since childhood. They had trained at the same academy, gone to the same college, played for the same team in the Ranji Trophy, the IPL and also in the Indian Team.
It was 2028 and all the legends of cricket had retired. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah had all retired and the new Indian Cricket Team consisted of Dev and his peers.
He particularly bonded well with Ruturaj Gaikwad, apart from his Karnataka teammates.
At Ruturaj's wedding, Dev had seen the Maharashtrian side of Vedangi. She surprisingly spoke fluent Marathi, vibed with everyone out there. Dev could never forget the way she looked in the Paithani Saree at Ruturaj's wedding. The nath in her nose had looked breathtaking literally. He was left smitten all over again that day.
She continued to amaze him everyday.
Five years down the line and he still fell in love with her everyday. He could finally understand why Mr.Darcy had fallen irrevocably for Elizabeth. Dev truly understood the depth of the word 'irrevocable' for it meant that one could never rise from it. Being the book buff that she was, Vedangi had pressurized Dev into reading Pride and Prejudice. He was never a book person let alone fiction or non fiction. But halfway through Pride and Prejudice Dev was hooked to the book.
He could perfectly relate to the longing, yearning and shameless pining of Mr. Darcy for Elizabeth.
His chain of thoughts was broken at a tug on his kurta. Dev looked down to see his niece Antara looking up at him expectantly. Dev sat down on his knees to face her.
"Devu, see!" She said in her gibberish language. Dev chuckled at the name she used for him, sometimes it was Devu, sometimes D and sometimes Mama. He was fine with every name.
Chandni would always scold her brother for spoiling her daughter. Dev always brought expensive toys, clothes and chocolates for Antara from his tours around the world.
Antara violently gestured at her feet. Dev chuckled on seeing her wear the baby Jordan's he had brought for her from London. It was that moment that an idea struck him.
"C'mon let's show this to your Amma!" Dev suggested and Antara jumped happily as he picked her up in his arms.
He walked to Vedangi's room and knocked on the door. Chandni opened the door agitatedly only for her knitted eyebrows to morph into an adorable expression.
"Antara's Amma see what we want to show you." Dev pointed at his niece's feet and Chandni's eyes followed.
She beamed adorably at her daughter's outfit than consisted of a peach baby lehenga and red Jordans to top it off.
"Did Dadda make you wear this?" Chandni chuckled and Antara nodded distractedly.
"Come we'll show this to Grandma!"
Chandni took her daughter in her arms and walked away excitedly but not before warning Dev to stay away from Vedangi's room.
Five minutes later Dev successfully sneaked into her room and shut the door behind him.
He turned around to see Vedangi sitting infront of the mirror looking at him with a questionable expression.
"Why can't you just abide by the rules?" She questioned.
"What? Have you started to believe in all this? And no one gets to deny me the right to see my wife!" Dev declared and pulled Vedangi to him.
She gasped at the sudden jerk.
"Careful with my hair Dev!" Vedangi reprimanded him.
"Ye sab karne ka matlab hi kya hai if all of this is going to come off in the night?" Dev asked playfully to tease Vedangi.
She blushed before hitting him lightly on his bicep.
"You're getting more shameless with each passing day!" Vedangi remarked.
"What shameles da! I've seen everything toh obviously all of this makes no sense to me if you think logically!" Dev proved his point.
"Leave before anyone comes to know that you're here!" Vedangi urged Dev who tugged her closer to him.
"What a spoilsport you are Veda!" Dev frowned at his girlfriend.
"Itna achha mood hai and look at you already wanting to get rid of me." He looked to the side dramatically.
"I have absolutely no time for your drama Dev! I still have to wear the saree and it's almost time!" Vedangi dismissed him trying to get away.
Dev only tightened his hold around her at that statement.
"Bas itna? Mein pehna deta hu saree chalo." He smirked.
Vedangi found it hard to resist his breathtaking smile that had consumed the last five years of her life.
She looked down blushing evidently.
"Aye haye biwi sharma gayi!" Dev chuckled looking down at Vedangi. She laughed before looking away.
A knock on her door startled both of them. Vedangi looked at Dev in panic.
"I told you! Now where will you go?" She whisper scolded and hit him on his arm.
"Stop hitting me woman!" Dev admonished rubbing the spot where Vedangi had hit him.
"Now go out through the balcony that's the only option Dev!" Vedangi rushed to open the balcony door and Dev escaped through it.
Five minutes later he jumped to the ground from the balcony. It was not very heighted considering his own height and he landed safely on his feet.
Scratching the back of his neck, Dev thought about how thrilling love is. It makes you do all the things you probably never would have.
Dev sat on the stool in the centre of the mandap awaiting Vedangi's arrival. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins and the moment seemed surreal. He was finally getting married to Vedangi Shukla. He will always be crazy for her. Whether he is twenty eight or he is eighty two, the madness will always stay within.
Chandni bent down to whisper in Dev's ears to distract him momentarily. A loud applause made him look in the direction only to see his bride walking towards him with a warm smile on her face. His Veda looked ethereal in an earthy brown saree lined with a thin golden border. Her long shiny hair had been woven into a braid with a gajra all around it. All the ornaments in her ears , neck and wrists shone brightly under the sun.
All of it, every single moment was worth it. Dev was taken back to the time when he had realized that he had fallen in love with Vedangi. She wore the same colour today. Brown was a symbol of their love. Dev was amazed at the way Vedangi had carefully incorporated the fact of 'him loving when she wore brown' on this important day.
Dev winked at her teasingly and she couldn't help but laugh adorably. He gave her his hand as she climbed up the step and sat down beside him.
Disha watched the scene infront of her with a smile. It was a smile that stemmed from pure satisfaction. Five years ago, Disha had never hoped of finding love ever again after she let go of Dev. Looking at Vedangi and Dev so in love with each other brought peace to her heart. The peace that had been snatched from her stung her for a long time until she met Shubhang.
Disha looked to her right to see her boyfriend overlooking the wedding rituals. He was the bubbly, golden retriver energy person in her life. Shubhang was aware of her past but he never mentioned it nor did he have a problem with it.
Disha had never fathomed of falling in love with her former lover's close friend. It all seemed too cinematic to her but eventually she reciprocated Shubhang's feelings and today she was happy.
Happy with the fact that Dev and Vedangi got married, happy about having Shubhang by her side and happy because she trusted Naina Talwar's philosophy kuch waqt do, sab theek ho jayega.
"I love you." Disha said close to Shubhang's ear.
He looked at her surprised before chuckling. "I love you too. Same mandap mein shaadi kar le?" Shubhang joked and kissed Disha on her cheek.
"Waise, if you're going to be Disha Maasi to Dev and Vedangi's kids, what will they be to our kids?" Shubhang asked playfully. She blushed, nudging him in the stomach only for him to laugh out loud.
Disha looked to the front and her eyes met Dev's. He smiled at her and she reciprocated it. It was a closure, a peaceful one. It was a smile that conveyed the understanding, acceptance and peace.
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To those who don't know who Shubhang is, go to Instagram and stalk his profile.
He's an absolute cutie! He's someone I'd directly approach if I spot hin in a cafe and say "You're a cutie, I hope you know that!"