Riddi and Nandhini stood in the dimly lit hallway, their voices barely above a whisper as they pondered the best course of action regarding Vrishali. Should they approach her now or allow her some much-needed solitude to sort through her feelings? The air was thick with tension, and their uncertainty weighed heavily on them.
Just then, they caught sight of their grandparents, along with Vrishali's parents, making their way toward her room. A sense of clarity washed over them; perhaps it was best to wait until Vrishali was ready to talk.
"Let's give them the space," Riddi said. Nandhini nodded. "What is going to happen?"
"Cannot conclude anything. Everything is a blur." They share a look. "Do you think Vrishali is going to accept the proposal?"
Nandhini shook her head negatively. "I don't think so. Vrishali has a life out there, and I have no idea how they made this decision, but we never know."
"But I hope Vrishali gives it a chance," Riddi says. "No, if Vrishali doesn't want to get married, then she shouldn't. We have to stand by whatever decision she's going to make."
"Yeah." Riddi and Nandhini left while the others stood before the door, trying to gather their thoughts before they met Vrishali.
They knocked softly on the door before stepping inside, their gazes darting around the room in search of Vrishali. A moment later, she emerged from the shadows of the walk-in closet, her arms full of clothes. With a determined look on her face, she began to methodically pack her wardrobe into a spacious suitcase, zipping it up without care. Gauravi and Deepansh exchanged a knowing glance, their expressions hinting at unspoken words, but before Deepansh could voice his thoughts, Kalyan Mewar stepped in, raising a hand to pause him.
"Vrishali, please hear us." Kalyan Mewar spoke softly. Vrishali shook her head, dropping the cloth. "You can't do this, Dadu; marriage isn't a joke. I'm not ready for this." Vrishali zipped the duffle bag and went over to the other side.
Vrishali huffed. "I'm not even ready to date anyone, and here you are choosing a groom! Wow!" Vrishali chuckled, snapping her gaze harshly over them. "I don't even have words for you all."
"Vrishali. . . We are sorry about our actions. Weâ We had no other option. If we did, you wouldn't have been here. You would've met us, and I'm sorry for throwing this out on you. We were supposed to sit you down and have this conversation."
""Why didn't we discuss this beforehand instead of blurting it out in front of everyone and making me look like a fool?" Vrishali's voice was sharp and filled with frustration as she stood with her hands firmly planted on her hips, her eyes narrowing as she glared at them. The tension in the air was thick. "We were afraid. What if you decided to leave without a word in the dead of night?"
Vrishali rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm leaving in the middle of a dead afternoon."
Kalyan Mewar signalled everyone to step out as he wanted to talk with her alone. "We are in the 21st century, Dadu! Don't I get to choose the one?" Vrishali took a seat on the bed and crossed her arms.
"I know. . . I know. . . But tell me, you have these many friends, right? Did you like anyone?" He sat beside Vrishali.
"No."
"You didn't like anyone because they were not the one. Sometimes, we meet everyone for a reason; their part in our lives gives us a reason. I know the man sitting with everyone is a stranger to you. But aren't we all strangers when we first met?"
"I saw that guy right from his childhood. He is a good person. I couldn't miss this. It's hard to find a good man to care for you."
"I don't need him to take care of me. I can take care of myself and earn my livelihood." Kalyan Mewar chuckled, patting her hand.
"I know, you can take care of yourself, but there comes a time when you wish someone would just be there for you. . . Take care of you. . . Take care of your things. . ."
"You wouldn't understand that now because you are young and have friends. But what about later years? Once you enter adulthood, your friends will be busy with their own lives that revolve around jobâHomeâjob. Your parents get old and won't be able to join your outdoor plans. Your mum or dad wouldn't be able to pamper you when you are tired at days."
Vrishali took her time processing the words, but she couldn't understand why she had to marry early. "Dadu, I'm not telling you I would stay single forever. . . I will marry when it's time. I don't want to be alone in adulthoodâ It's not my time to marry yet."
"Now is the right time. Make it your time and marry him. He is the one, Gudiya."
"But Dadu, don't I get to spend time with him to know if he is the one?"
"Spend all the time you want after marriage." Vrishali rolled her eyes.
"Not funny; why are you so hellbent on this? How do you know that he is the one?" The old man laughed, caressing her forehead.
"Because I know he will take care of you till his last breath. We wouldn't be here asking you to marry him if we aren't sure about it."
"Don't I have a choice here?"
"Vrishali, remember that life may give you second opportunities, but you won't have second-time choices for one thing. Once you leave the choice, it's gone. A boyfriend, lover, husband, or wife isn't your second choice or option."
"If you leave this, then someone will grab it without hesitation because they know the value of it. I'm not talking about Monterey terms. I'm talking about relationship terms. He is a man who respects everyone; remember, respect comes first in every type of relationship."
Vrishali's mind is filled with many thoughts. Words. . . Words. . . Are ringing in her mind constantly. She doesn't even have time to think as a family is waiting.
She looked at her grandfather. "I want to spend some time with him." He smiled before taking her downstairs.
*
Everyone hugged each other in happiness. Vrishali sat between her Dadu and Dadi, facing the man. He stayed silent throughout the ceremony and only spoke when required.
Vrishali observed that Radhika and Simrita tai are missing. Diya Kumari has already shown her dislike towards Vrishali. Riddi and Nandhini have happy smiles on their faces but she isn't sure if they are happy with her decision. Manav looked too shocked but happy. Aadi and Hardik seemed genuinely pleased.
Radhika couldn't contain her anger as she threw the vase on the floor. Simrita tried to stop her daughter, but she couldn't.
"Radhika, they haven't fixed the marriage. Vrishali said she needed time, and I'm sure Vrishali will go back to New York," Om Prakash, Radhika's father, spoke, stopping her from throwing another vase.
"Why don't you talk to your parents? Don't they want my daughter to have a good life? Why did they choose Vrishali over Radhika?" Simrita yelled at her husband.
"Mom, calm down. We all know the reason why they chose Vrishali over Radhika. It's not their mistake," Ajitesh spoke wisely against his family.
"Oh. . . So you are going to tell me who is right and who is wrong?" Simrita glared at her son.
"Ma, the reason why you want Radhika to marry Padmanabh is for your greed. It is only going to destroy Radhika's and his life," Ajitesh said, making Radhika even angrier because she knew what her brother said was true.
"It is going to be a disappointment. No one will be happy; don't make a scene and come down." Ajitesh left the room. Vrishali took a deep breath as she approached Radhika's room. Ajitesh or anyone didn't see her. She was about to knock on the open door but stopped on track when Samrita spoke.
"Radhika, don't worry. Vrishali is never going to have him. She is just a small insect under your shoe."
Vrishali felt a jolt of shock coursing through her body, causing her heart to race. Her eyes grew wide with disbelief as she absorbed the weight of the conversation taking place nearby. Though she wasn't meant to overhear it, a part of her was relieved that she had. She had never anticipated such cruelty from Radhika or Samrita Tai.
In her mind, she had always viewed Radhika as a complicated figure, someone tethered by unresolved tensions with Riddi and Nandhini. However, the idea that Radhika's frustrations would someday be aimed at her was unfathomable. After all, Vrishali barely spent any time in India; she felt like an outsider, removed from the complexities of their world. It was disheartening to realize that, despite her limited presence, she could still be entangled in their conflicts.
Vrishali approached Radhika to discuss whether she truly loved the man now that she had learned the truth from Ajitesh. She turned away determined to work it out with the man sitting downstairs with all of her family members.
*
The days passed quickly, and before Vrishali knew it, they were here doing her wedding shopping. She sat on one of the chairs, sipping her fruit juice as her mom and aunts were busy selecting the lehengas,
"Who even thought that the youngest one is the first one to get married," Riddi spoke, making Nandhini laugh while Vrishali snickered.
"Hey, it's not like you are marrying him against your will," Nandhini said.
"For a month, she stalked him like crazy to get to know him. Normal people would fix a date to get to know them." Riddi spoke. Vrishali ignored them. He didn't ask her out or show any interest in knowing her. Vrishali wanted to get to know him, but her pride was too big to make the first move.
She somehow got his daily schedule and went to stalk him, standing far away. He is boring. . . Very dull. . .
On Sundays, he didn't do anything except watch polo matches, go horseback riding, or ride a boat. On the weekdays, he hid in his office. His day started dull and ended boring.
Vrishali might perceive him as dull, yet there's comforting tranquillity in knowing that he lives life without complications and isn't among those affluent individuals who indulge in wild parties every night. While she doesn't have anything against celebrating, she has witnessed firsthand the extravagant lifestyle of the wealthy elite, tossing around wads of cash as if it were confetti. This spectacle leaves her yearning for a more meaningful and grounded experience, one that diverges from the superficiality often associated with such revelry.
It was a sudden call to the weddingâall of her friends wouldn't be making it to the wedding. When she had a call with Hailey a few days ago, Hailey couldn't believe what she was hearing. It took Vrishali two days to convince Hailey that she was getting married.
Vrishali was looking forward to seeing Hailey at the wedding, but Hailey couldn't attend because she was in Paris with her family. The main reason was to spend time with her brothers, who had just returned from Iraq. Vrishali understood how much Hailey had missed her brothers and knew that she wouldn't travel to India when she only had two weeks to be with them.
"Young women, are done with your shopping?" Malini Tai asked, turning around to see the trio.
"Yup!" Riddi replied, showing her the cloth basket. Vrishali didn't shop because all her wedding clothes were being sent from the groom's side. She felt relief hearing that because shopping with Desi women can be hectic.
Radhika and Simrita tai didn't show up at the store. Vrishali doesn't even care. Her Dadu and Dadi went to meet his grandparents at City Palace. Vrishali played on her phone as she counted the days in her mind.
A heavy sigh leaves her mouth as the same anxiety rails up in her chest. There are a lot of things that keep running in her mind. The wedding festive is going to start, and everything's gonna change in the snap of a finger, and she has no idea how it's going to end.
"What are you thinking?" Nandhini asked as she looked at Vrishali, who was deep in thought.
"Nothing."
*
Hardik, Ajitesh, and Aadi were busy with the wedding work. Ajitesh may not show his feelings, but he genuinely cares about everyone in the family. He is happy with the decision and only hopes Vrshali will have a good life in the new family. Ajitesh has no idea why his parents and sister don't like the family, and he is often misunderstood due to their actions.
Manav is helping wedding planners. The wedding is going to take place in City Palace. After ages, this will be the first wedding in the palace. The other bridal rituals are happening at Samode Palace.
"Weddings always bring a different glow to everyone's face. Even the palace is shining like a new bride more than the actual bride,"Â Adi said.
"Don't let Vrishali hear it. She will smash your head with a coconut," Hardik replied. Ajitesh stares at Adi, and Adi shuts up. "Bad joke."
"Don't say things that might upset Vrishali. We don't want to upset her," Ajitesh said, and Hardik rolled his lips into his mouth to control his smile.
"I won't, Bhaiyya." Ajitesh nodded before leaving to look at other arrangements.
*
Deepa Mewar and Kalyan Mewar cannot contain their happiness. They are so grateful that Vrishali agreed. They both were sitting in the palace garden, watching the arrangements.
"Our Vrishali doesn't know household work. Deepash and Gauravi are worried about that. Considering Diya Kumari, I believe she will hand over the household chores to Vrishali. A traditional custom to be followed by the new bride." Deepa spoke worriedly; Kalyan Mewar laughed, putting the empty teacup down.
"Shehzaadi. . . You don't have to worry. Let us see if she will learn the household chores or make someone do them."
*
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