It was 8:00 AM when Karthi and I started for my parent's home. It has been almost two weeks that I went home. I wanted to spend the whole day at my parents' but I was invited to Ranawat's for lunch. Karthi said he wanted to stay at Ranawat mansion for that week and I agreed as he had the right to decide where he wanted to stay.
"Hello people," I said entering my home.
"Oh, Nirvana...Karthik you both are here. I was waiting for you guys to come." Ma said.
"Come have breakfast first then we will talk," Pa said which was typical Indian parent behaviour.
We sat at the dining table, My ma had prepared Dosa and Groundnut chutney which were my favourite. I mean who doesn't like dosa right? We finished our breakfast and Gyan wanted to play with Karthi with their new video game so they left immediately.
"Nirvana, I was talking to Karan's parents and they talked to their pandit." Ma said.
"Okay," I said.
"They said that next month would be a perfect time for marriage" Pa continued.
"Oh," I said not knowing what else to say.
"I think it is too fast and marriage preparations cannot be done in a month's time," Ma said.
"Ma, Marriage will be done before a registrar in the court. I don't want a lavish wedding." I said.
"But Nirvana, You are our eldest daughter, How can we get you married without all the grandeur," Pa said.
"Pa, If this was not the case then I wouldn't have married at all. If you want to spend the money anyway, then give it to me, I will invest it somewhere at least it will return money after a few years." I said.
"Have you talked to Karan and his family about this?" Ma asked.
"Not Yet, I will do it today," I said.
"Then there is no reason for us to argue," Ma said.
"But Ramya, It is her marriage, How can we not spend money on it?" Pa said looking at my mum.
"Exactly Rahul, It is her marriage and it will be as she wants it and moreover we don't know what the Ranawat's want. I mean they just faced a loss and celebrating so soon will be difficult for anyone so we cannot pressurize them." ma said.
Dad conceited defeat after that. I enjoyed my time so much with them with my dad's constant goofiness and my ma's not so strict reprimands to keep him in check. I just loved my parent's so much. I couldn't ask for better parents. We left for the Ranawat mansion at 1:00 PM and reached at 1:25 PM. Raghav was already there talking to Nihal when I entered along with Karthi and his bag for the week.
"Hi" Karthi shouted where I smiled at everyone in greeting.
"What's with the bag?" Karan asked.
"Karthi wanted to stay here for the week sooo" I said.
"That's wonderful," Karan said enthusiastically.
"Come in and wash up, Lunch is ready," Karan said.
The lunch was awesome except some looks which I got from his cousins which I obviously didn't care about. We were all sitting on the Sofa and talking, I was sitting between Karan and Raghav.
"I don't like you," Aadhira said (One of Karan's cousins).
"Aadhira, Don't talk to her like that" Karan scolded.
I looked up from my phone and asked: "Why?".
"You are taking my Bhabhi's place," She said.
"I can sit somewhere else," I said wanting to agitate her.
"I am not referring to the place you are sitting I am talking about my Bhabhi's position in life." She said.
"Would you like to take the position?" I questioned.
"Are you dense? , I don't want you to replace my bhabhi and you are not fit for my cousin." She shouted.
"What do you even know about me? You saw me yesterday and you can't know me from somewhere else so, No I don't think you know me enough to dislike me." I said calmly.
"I don't need to know you, I know a Gold-digger when I see one." She said.
"Aadhira, How could you talk to her like that? , Apologise NOW" Karan shouted.
"Sweetheart, Do you even know how much money I make in a month? , Sweety I am next in line to be the head of the Cardiothoracic surgery department of the best hospital in the city actually correction in the state. I don't need someone else's money to lead a lavish life, I already have a lavish life." I said to her calmly which seemed to agitate her even more.
"I hate you," She said.
"You seem to think I care about your opinion," I said tauntingly.
"You.." She started
"ENOUGH, I have had it with you Aadhira" Karan shouted at her and pulled her outside holding her arm.
I went back to looking at my phone and check the updates that my interns sent me about the patients. Karan came back inside after 15 minutes.
"I am really sorry on her behalf," Karan said.
"There is no need to apologize Karan. They don't know me and when they do they will change their opinion." I said
"But she shouldn't have talked to you like that and for that, I apologize." He said again.
"Apology accepted, Are you happy now?" I asked.
"Yes, Thank you." He said sighing.
"While we are on the Issue I have a contract which I want you to sign," Sonali said(The cousin from Yesterday's party who said bad things about me.)
"And that would be?" I questioned.
"A prenup," She said.
"Wow, You guys do think I am a gold digger don't you?" I asked.
"No, We don't think that and there is no need for a prenuptial agreement," Karan said glaring at Sonali.
"Stay out of this Karan, When you lose your assets because of her you will blame my company only for not making sure where her rights end and where she shouldn't involve herself." She said.
"No, You are doing this because you don't like her, Don't you dare act like you are noble here. If you cared so much then why didn't you make Kruthika sign it?" Karan argued.
"Because I trusted Kruthika and I don't trust her and to some extent you are right I don't like her. Now Sign IT" she said looking at me while she thrust a few documents towards me.
I took the papers from her hands and saw there were four separate documents so I gave two to Raghav so he could verify while I read the other two.
I started reading the document and I saw a cheating clause and started laughing.
"Raghav, Look at this there is a cheating clause," I said loudly showing him the documents, He started laughing and Karan also was smiling widely reading it over Raghav's shoulder.
"There is no need for a cheating clause, You can strike it out Sonali," Karan said still smiling widely.
"Are we missing something?" Nihal asked.
"Oh, You are missing a big part, If there should be a cheating clause in anyone's contract that should be in mine, not her's," Karan said teasingly.
"I don't understand," Sonali said.
"It's not my secret to tell," Karan said prolonging the suspense.
Everyone was looking at me for an explanation.
"I am asexual," I said looking at Sonali.
"Oh... Umm... I will just take out the clause...I am sorry" Sonali said embarrassed.
"There's no need for that Sonali, I have no problem with the contract and you don't need to be embarrassed," I said still teasing her.
"Please stop, I just want the ground to swallow me already, Don't tease me anymore," Sonali pleaded.
I signed all the documents after that, while Sonali looked red from embarrassment.
"Anything else?" I asked.
"Nope, that's it," Sonali said.
After that conversation went smooth and It was time we(Raghav and I) left Ranawat's.
"Can't you stay with me for the week?" Karthi whined.
"No, Champ, It is too far from the hospital," I said.
"Beta, I will book the date with the registrar for next month on 14th," Uncle said.
"Yes Uncle, I will take few days leave," I said.
"Bye, see you," Maanav said hugging me which I replied with a "Bye" from my end.
"Bye Karan, Thank you for inviting me," I said
"Bye, Don't mention it" Karan replied.
I looked at all his cousins and said Bye.
"Next time don't include a cheating clause," I said teasingly looking at Sonali.
"Ohh God, You are not going to let that go, Are You?" Sonali asked.
"Nope, Not when it was that funny," I said.
"I agree," Nihal said.
"Who is asking you to butt in their conversation?" Akhila said teasing her husband.
"Bye," Akhila said smiling at me.
I went near Karthi hugged him and said bye to him and left in my car. Somehow the day was stressing yet relaxing in it's own way.
"I am bunking in your guestroom," Raghav said.
"Sure, your clothes are in the rightmost cupboard," I said
"You talked to Shaan recently?" I asked.
"Yes, He was saying that he would be posted to some other place next month and that he will not be able to make it for our hospital annual gala," Raghav replied.
"Oh, okay," I said.
We settled in for the night and I knew the following week is going to be a good week.