AADVIK
The lunch was quick since everyone was tired after travelling and wanted some rest before the welcome party. One person who stayed back was Rohan Chacha.
"Bacho, Rohan Chacha se milne ke baad ek baar mere paas aa jaana" Maa says as she moves to accompany someone to their room. Rohan Chacha is someone I'm actually close to in my family, he's the youngest of all of dad's cousin and we've been close my whole life. He has always been my elder brother.
"Abhi!" He quips as he sees us approaching.
"Chacha" I give him a tight hug, since he moved to London it's been hard to meet him.
"Yaar mai kuch din ko gaya kya tune to shaadi bhi karli" he said, offended.
"You're one to talk" I nudge my chin towards his wife and son. The man had a child and I didn't even know.
"Ahh, right" he smiles sheepishly.
"So you're gonna introduce me or what?" He gives Aisha a look.
"Isha, this is Rohan Chacha, my buddy in crime since childhood. Chacha, this is Aisha, my soon to be wife" I say and the blush on her cheeks is a clear indication she loves being called that.
She bends to touch his feet but he holds her stiff, "kitna bada maanti hai mujhe!" He says pulling her into a hug. She laughs awkwardly as she returns it.
We talk for a while longer before excusing ourselves to talk to Maa.
"Maaji aur baba se milne chalo. Ishu, can you put your dupatta over the head. Maaji likes tradition." She says and Aisha jumps in action taking off the dupatta and placing it on her head.
"No, she doesn't need to do that" I reply. She doesn't need to act like a bahu just to meet my grandparents.
"Abhi, it's imp-" I cut Maa off.
"Maa, aapne to saha hai abh Ruhi or isse bhi?" I ask, I've seen my mother struggle with the ghoongat when Maaji and Baba would visit. I didn't want our generation to face the same.
"Aadi, it's fine" Aisha intrupted.
"Acha? How?" I spoke up angrily. Maa shook her head at us "jabh ho jaye tumhara aajana. 110." She said and went off.
I looked over to Aisha who looked like she could kill me. "What?" I shrugged.
"Aadvik, this is not some restriction to my freedom. They're elders, it's a sign of respect" she said calmly. "But-" she stopped me before I could continue.
"But nothing. I appreciate your concern but this is something I get to choose. Plus you can't overpower in mine and Maa's relationship Aadi. Me and mom have to form a seperate relationship and we can't do that if you interject our decisions" she explained, keeping a hand on my arm.
"Okay?"
"Okay"
I get what she's talking about. It's not my place to decide her decisions about these things or talk about her and Maa.
We both move towards Maaji and Baba's room. They are truly great grandparents. They've visited every couple of months since I was a baby, despite living in Punjab.
Since Aisha has already met Maaji and Baba a couple times, though they weren't aware of our wedding at that time we met up with them quickly and made our way out.
She excuses herself to go get ready and I move to get in some calls before everything.
AISHA
"Can you pass me the mascara?" I ask Niya, she quickly throws it in my direction and I start working on my lashes.
We are currently getting ready in my room for the first event for my wedding. And by we, I mean, me, Ruhi, Niya and Kyra. Right now, it's peak girl hood in my room. Music plays as we change into our dresses for the night and help each other get ready. All of us go so well together. Kyra is a firecraker and Ruhi joins in on it too while me and Niya just laugh looking at them.
Before I know it we have only a couple of minutes before the garden is completely full of people waiting for us. "Bhabhi maa, heels pehenado" Niya says and I get into action, helping her wear the heels like a mother to their 3 year old.
After I help her into the heels, I go to Ruhi to help her set up her hair. It's always like this whenever we go out. They are late while I get ready first and help them gather themselves.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Ruhi yells as she leans towards the vanity table, where her phone is kept.
"Too many shits for a sentence, Rooh" I say as I yank her back into place so I can finish her hair.
"It's valid, Bhabhi maa" she said. They started calling me bhabhi maa and as much it feels like I'm a million years old, I love it too.
"How?" Niya asks, finally done with her lipstick application.
"Nothing, nothing" she said and pretended as if nothing had happened. I look over to Niya and Kyra who just shrug at me.
The welcome party began and guests starting rushing down from their rooms downstairs into the garden. It's decoration is enough to take multiple breaths away, the lights, the red roses and everything else catches your eye.
My family came a while ago and after some introductions, everyone began mingling with each other. The party buzzed as the music played, some slow songs too making an appearance. Despite everyone's urging us to dance we stay put. My eyes wander across the place searching for the two people who gave me life. Aadvik caught on quickly and squeezed our joined hands. "They're not coming yet. Maybe only at the wedding" he said. I nodded, somehow I knew it was inevitable. He pulled me closer to his side and I melted into the embrace.
AADVIK
"Bhaiya, I tried, I'm sorry" Ruhi continues.
"Ruhi, I told you, it's okay bache" I assure her again.
Ruhi's brother's friend said he could hook me up with some music instruments. I desperately needed a custom made guitar in a limited time, which is close to impossible. Luckily, she came to rescue and told me she'd get it done. It was supposed to be delivered today or tomorrow but apperently she got a text from her brother that it wouldn't be delivered in time.
"I'll see what I can do. He hasn't actually shipped it yet so maybe I can have someone go pick it up or something" she says as she turns on her phone, searching for someone's number.
I place my hand on the screen to block her view.
"Ruhi, it's fine. Don't panic, I'll figure it out" I tell her again.
"You sure bhaiya?" She asks
"Han, abh chal warna Isha will kill us for being late" I say as I loop an arm around her shoulder. Ruhi is practically just like Niya to me, though definately more energetic.
We go to the final dinner portion of the welcome party, it's been nice to introduce everyone to Aisha. Meet her people too. She doesn't have much of family except everyone I've met already so the only new people I meet are her company's CFO and COO who, both, are woman. She seems only professionally close to them, which is not surprising since she isn't the most open person in her work.
Now, the final part of the event was dinner before which Ruhi pulled me aside. As Aisha sees us enter, I already earn a glare from her. We're ten minutes late and it shows because of the food already layed down on the table.
Beside her, a chair remains empty so I quickly have a seat and whisper a sorry into her ear, I get a small nod.
The staff came over to place a plate in front of me and I turn my gaze to the table, I notice everyone's plate full except Aisha's.
"Where's your food?" I ask, lean close to her ear. She shivers as my breath reaches her lobe.
"I was waiting for you" she gives me a tight smile and starts to put some food into my plate. I too grab a dish of another sabzi and start putting it into mine and her plate.
When we were all finally done eating, the elders quickly left to get their sleep in leaving us to chit chat around the bonfire in the graden.
We got a tub of ice cream from the staff and sat around the fire.
"Remember when Maasi and Maa were out shopping and Nani lined us all up and stuffed our faces with Allo Puri because we were annoying her?" Kyra says making us all laugh.
"Arey bhai, don't. I remember how nani told us 'chori, tum shaant rehne ka kya logi?' when we wouldn't stop fighting" Niya said laughing. I smiled remembering all those moments. An ache in my chest just like everytime I remember her.
"Chori?" Aisha perked up from my shoulder and asked.
"Yeah, nani was from haryana. It's like 'little girl'" I explained. I remember how once we went to Nani's village and I could barely comprehend what they spoke because of how different our languages were.
I know english, hindi and punjabi, all of which I commonly use but the way they spoke, the words. It took me a whole ten minutes to understand they were referring to me as 'Rachna's kid.'
Aisha softly smiled at me and took my hand in hers with a sublte squeeze. My thumb rubbed her back palm in return.
"She used to knit Niya a sweater every year and she would wear it despite the itchiness she felt so that Nani wouldn't feel bad" I said, the girl's always been a bit of a people pleaser.
"That does sound like her" Kunal said, looking at her lovingly. Even though I should be disgusted I wasn't.
"It does" Aisha agreed.
She looked at the two with a small smile, tears shining in her eyes. My bestfriend picked his hand up and wiped them.
"Hum bhi hai yaha par, Love doves" Vedant says making us laugh as Kunal and Niya rolled their eyes.
This is everything I loved.
AISHA
"I barely got any sleep last night" Ruhi yawns as she spalts on my bed. I pull her arm upwards since I can not afford to be late today. We have a Ganesh pooja before the haldi ceremony today and by how much I've tried to suck up to everyone yesterday I'll not let being late ruin that.
"Dono pati patni same" I mutter under my breath as I pull the woman up. She's already ready in a beautiful sharara while I look like a car ran me over.
Ruhi helped me get ready and into my outfit for today, Maa recommended I wear a suit instead of a saree because of the amount of sitting on the floor we have to do and I graciously agreed. I slipped into my yellow anarkali. The haldi outfit is pink rather than yellow so it was different than what I'd wear in the day.
I glanced at the clock once more, it was 6:30 meaning I still had time for my hair before I have to be at the venue of the pooja.
We set back my hair into a sleek pony and I put on some simple mascara, lip stain and a bindi for makeup because honestly, there was no way I'm doing a full face at seven am.
The loud knocks on the gate startled us for a second before Ruhi went to open it. Kyra and Niya graced the doorway in matching kurta sets.
"Pretty pretty" I said as they came in.
"Bhabhi, it's too early for this yaar" Kyra said leaning her forehead to the wall.
"Sahime" Niya agreed as she put hers in Kyra's shoulder.
"It's okay, bache. I'll get you some coffee once we're downstairs." I told them and they smiled in return.
After a while Vedant came in to call us down.
"Chaa gayi kuddiyan" he said taking us all in.
"Kunal's calling me. I'll see you downstairs" Niya ran out the door leaving us all in my room. We too went downstairs. The pooja preperations were not yet done so I joined in when everyone went to the dining hall for some coffee. Aadvik was still not here yet so I took some coffee to him instead.
"Mornin' mornin' " I said as I knocked the gate. He opened the gate in a hurry and ran back to the vanity. His hair was wet and flopped over his forehead. The buttons in his matching kurta were open as he ran across his room trying to find something.
"Hey, Mr. I am Flash. Calm down" I said, putting the coffee tray down. He gave me a look that said no time for jokes. I took the wet towel on the bed and quietly held his shoulder and mad him sit on the bed.
"Aisha-" he said but I placed my hand on his mouth and glared at him. He nodded and sat obediently.
He opened his knees and I stepped in between them, my thight grazing his. I shook the towel on his head, drying the hair.
"I'll clean up this"- I waved to the catastrophic mess that was his room-"you have some coffee and we'll go then" I told him and got to work with the room. I have no idea what happened here yesterday night but whatever did, it was fun. Aadvik nods as he goes closer to the counter where I placed the coffee and takes a sip from the cup.
I can't help but chuckle by the way he sits on the chair like a little kid after being scolded. "Aww" I coo, earning a glare from him.
"You need to calm down" I said as I move behind his chair and gently massage his shoulders. He's been on guard since the guests came. All 'ye ho gaya? wo ho gaya?'.
He leans back and rests his head on the chair's back. His damp hair brushing at my suit's fabric. "Everyone's counting on us. To have a good time, that is." He says as his eyelids fall shut.
"And they are. Trust me. I just came from the dining hall and everyone is enjoying the hell out of family gossip. Aadi, you can't go into your wedding only thinking about the guests. Think about having fun!" I shake his shoulders to engergize him.
"Okay, let's have some fun I guess" he nods as he takes a last sip from the coffee mug. "Excuse me sir. I guess?!" I exclaim getting a light laugh from him. "Sure, fun!" He says and we make our way out of his room.
Maa and Papa are sitting with some other relatives in the garden. We greet them all a good morning while Aadvik touches their feet.
"Idhar aao" Maa says and we both lean downwards to her eye level. She strokes her finger across the waterline, taking some kohl on it and then puts it behind both of our ears.
"Dono khush raho" she says, cupping our cheeks with either of her hands.
Soon after, the Pandit Ji tells us we must sit in our places as he starts the Pooja. They make me sit beside Aadvik, I quickly put the duppata over my head and join my hands.
Poojas have always been my favourite, peaceful. It makes me feel connected to god. Sitting here beside everyone I love, it's the best moment to have.
"Ghee kaha par hai?" Pandit ji asks as he continues to set everything up.
"Mai laati hu, mere kamre me hai" I tell them as I get up to the ghee from my room.
"Sit down" Aadvik says holding my wrist stopping me from getting up.
"Baitho beta, pure din kaam karti ho. Abh nahi!" Papa says making me chuckle and nod. Instead, Niya got up to get it.
The pooja is as good as I imagine, halfway through, Aadvik sits beside me, my hand on his as we pour in the ghee. Pandit ji stops for a moment, telling us a story of a goddess. I immerse in the story when I felt a hand on my head, my duppata now lays on my nape instead of my hair. Aadvik's hands adjust the edge back to my head as he continues to pay attention and nod at the story. It's almost funny how he does it so unintentionally while also being so focused.
When we join our hands to pray, I know exactly my wish.
Bhagwan ji, humesha iske saath rakhna. Bass.
HELLO CUTUSS
Guys I have HUGE WRITERS BLOCK. So that's my explanation to terrible upload schedule. I'm sorry.