Ruhi:
"They do look great together, don't they?"
My dadu said to Kirpal dada ji, referring to me and Nakhchida, Ekansh. I love Kirpal dada ji too but not as much as mine. My dadu is my life, there isn't a day or night, I can imagine my life without him. He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. His main aim was to see me as the bride rather than as a doctor.
I have called Ekansh's parents, maa and Papa Ji since the death of my parents.
I put on a cream lehenga and wore a simple diamond necklace. In contrast, Ekansh was dressed in a light grey tuxedo. I hadn't seen him eye to eye since I attended puberty. Though I was against weddings and all, I couldn't deny my attraction to him. Well, it's because we were bonded or else, I wouldn't have had anything towards him. He is not like Salman Khan but Shahrukh Khan. He has a slim face with dark black hair and fair skin. I know I treated him like shit for the past few years so he shouldn't have a soft corner towards me like everyone.
"But today my daughter is looking so gorgeous," Maa complimented, bringing me back to the party. Ekansh sat mutely beside me. I expected him to have a girlfriend, but I didn't want to reject him cause it would hurt everyone and my image would get bad in front of everyone. And neither I wish to marry him. Not only him but anyone cause I don't trust in love or wedding.
A big tray was kept in front of us with the rings. They were extravagant and made of only diamonds.
"Come on Ekansh,' Maa spoke. Put the ring on Ruhi's finger. He hesitated for a moment but took the ring, held my hand in his, and pushed the ring inside my ring finger but not without squeezing my hand. I furrowed my brows in annoyance. Next, it was my turn and I pushed the ring inside his ring finger. Before I did the same as he did, he pulled his hand away and smirked.
Everyone clapped with enthusiasm. And exchanged congratulations among them by hugging each other. My dadu and Kirpal dada ji hugged each other. The way they held each other showed their immense happiness. "At last we became a real family because of our grandchildren." Kirpal dada ji expressed to my dadu. My dadu's eyes brimmed with tears.
Maa approached me and pecked on my forehead. "I got my daughter, finally!" she expressed. Everyone was happy and watching them a little happiness took birth in my heart too. But Ekansh glowered at me as if he was gonna eat me raw. I apprehended his plan already. The way he spoke with me on the terrasse, he wanted to annoy me and burst the bubble of patience so that I could outburst on him and call off the wedding.
I stood up to take the blessings of our elders. But my lehenga's brim came under my heels and I tripped on Ekansh. he caught my waist and my eyes widened.
Dadu says that he carried me in his arms when we were toddlers. But at that age everyone's touch was neutral. But now, I felt something strange. Being a medical student, I know that this happened because of the release of exciting hormones. And I don't get why my skin feels excited by the touch of his skin.
Feelings on men should be taboo for me.
"Ehem!" Akriti di, my cousin, cleared her throat.
When I stared at her, I saw her smiling at us. I stood up, immediately and so did Ekansh after letting me go.
Ekansh is 6 years older than me. He is in his first year of superspecialisation in Neurology.
I had no hard feelings towards him but today's conversation pushed me towards despise. I hate him for his words.
We took the blessings of everyone and sat back on our respective chairs. There was bhangda going on as a celebration of our engagement.
The trusted pandit of our family was also present with us. He sat on a couch chair exactly in front of us. He was going through his book to fix the date of the wedding. He sighed before addressing us, "The best date for a wedding is in three days, after 6 months, and then a year later."
I expected my dadu to say the one atleast after 6 months but not the extremely former one. "After three days, is the best one, I think." I stared shell-shocked at him but his eyes were fixed at his best friend. "What do say, Kirpal?" He confirmed. My eyes fell on the other old man. The way he smiled, I already apprehended his answer.
"So, let's start the arrangements from this moment," Kirpal dada ji announced blasting a big bomb on my head. My gaze dropped on my engagement ring. Why dadu wants to get rid of me this early?
And as soon as he announced, maa dragged me out of the haveli and pushed me into a car. "I already finalized the wedding lehenga for you. All you need is to try it once. If you don't like it, we will see a new one." My mind was numb. I can't apprehend what's going on with me. We reached the bridal store and three beautiful lehengas sat in front of me. One will be my wedding dress.
After the dress was finalized, we moved to the jewelry store. "I already bought jewelry for you, we are here to select the mangalsutra," Maa said. I nodded Ekta, Ekansh's younger sister was also with us. She got busy with her shopping. Her face showed the excitement of her brother's wedding and she was already referring me parjai. (Bhabhi)
But none of them asked, am I happy with the wedding?
It was ten in the night when the car halted in front of our haveli. Along with us, another one halted from which Ekansh, his big brother, Iklav Jiju(Akriti di's husband), and two cousin brothers stepped out.
Of all, Ekansh gave me a deadly glare. Why did he have to behave as if I hastened things? Even I am in a daze, can't he see that?
Nonetheless, I have to confront Dadu. Why did he have to hasten the wedding? And why do I sniff that only I was unaware of the wedding while everyone was already aware of it? Cause the decoration of haveli was done. My bhabhi and Akriti di have already bought their dresses. Catreen was booked too. Along with that all of the things that come with the wedding have already been booked or done. I didn't find dadu anywhere and directly bragged to his bedroom. But I was surprised to see his doctor checking his blood pressure at this late hours
"Dadu. Dr. Ranjit. What happened to dadu? Is everything alright? Why are you checking his b.p. now?"
Am I overthinking or my dadu's skin has paled?
"Doctor Sahiba, app sawal bhut puchti ho?" Dr. Ranjit teased me. "And I was just going through his vitals, that's it." Though he assured me, it didn't convince me. (Dr. Ruhi, you ask too many questions.)
After he left I sat beside my dadu and hugged him.
"Meri ladoo rani. Kya hua?" (What happened, kiddo?)
A loud sob escaped from my mouth as I tried to control my tears.
He pulled me away and wiped my tears, "Abhi toh Aapki Biidai bhi nahi hui hai, ladoo. Aur Aap abhi see roh rahi ho."
"Why are you doing this? Just in three days, dadu." Well, this day is over, only two days are left.
"Tell me how was your shopping?" Instead of replying, he asked otherwise.
I pulled away and glowered at him. "Dadu, that's not the answer to my question. I...don't want to marry. And how can I be without you?"
"The same way you are being now in Delhi," he answered, without missing a beat.
"Wedding is different. Na kariye itni jaldi Hume paraya, dadu." I cried on his shoulder. he cupped my cheeks and wiped those fat tears, which came out of my eyes because of the pain.
"Please, don't wed me off this early, grandpa."
'You are not going anywhere but to Kirpal's house. Maa and Papaji will always be for you. they love you so much."
I shook my head, "What about Ekansh?" I was on the verge of sharing that he is having a girlfriend but the chest roaring cough of my Dadu turned my skin pale. "Dadu!' I rubbed his back and handed him some water. That was one of the most dreadful coughs, I had ever seen. I scrutinized him with fear. Even though he wasn't in a state of being jumpy or funny, he grabbed my hands and tried to do Bhangra with me.
"meri ladoo ki shadi hone wali hai. Ap janthi nahi Ruhi, kitne kush hai hum. Apko dulhan ke roop mei dekhna hi, humari akhri kwaish hai," he was happy, so I laughed along with him. But he was huffing and went out of breath, only by moving his hands.
"My baby girl is gonna get wed. You have no idea about my happiness. Seeing you as a bride is the wish of my life."
After a long moment, he muttered when I lay down beside him on his bed, "Ekansh is a nice person. He will keep you happy, even if anything happens to me."
"Nothing will happen to you," I roared in anger and sat down. "Don't scare me by speaking stupid things!" I demanded. The only person left in my life is him. If anything happens to him, I don't think, I will be able to live a normal life.
"Dada ji!" I didn't need to turn to know whom that voice belonged to.
"Come inside, Ekansh."
I heard his footsteps to approach the bed. "Toh bolo app, ki ap humari ladoo Rani ko kaha rakenge vivah ke badh."
"Tell me where my baby girl will live after the wedding?"
"Dadu, I have my bungalow in Delhi, weâ" he paused for a moment. 'âwill live there."
I know that he works in a Special life hospital in Delhi. And my university is Chaudhary Medical College and Hospital. It started four years ago, and my batch was first. The hospital has a scarcity of patients. So it's going to bankruptcy. I even knew it's gonna shut down. But I don't need to worry about my career cause, I will be transferred to another university. Before the holidays our opinions were taken into consideration. I didn't want to leave Delhi, so I selected three Delhi medical Universities. One of them was Special Life University.
"Now you both, leave me alone," he demanded.
"Good night dadu." I hugged him and climbed down the bed completely ignoring my fiance.
"We need to speak," I heard his voice as soon as we stepped out of dadu's room.
I sighed and stopped near a small statue of the king. I had no interest in looking at his face, so I stared at the statue. "I hate your attitude," that came like a statement.
"Get adapt to it or better step out from my life."
he erased the distance between us, "Why are you so self-centered, Ruhi? You think the world runs according to you."
"Huh! Aren't you a self-centered man? And even selfish."
"Let's stop arguing for no reason, and solve the problem we have ahead."
I shrugged my shoulders and replied nonchalantly, "You have a girlfriend, Dr. Ekansh. Whatever you want to do, do by yourself. Cause I want everything but not to get defamed in front of my dadu." When I was about to walk away, he grabbed my wrist. This will be counted as the second time since morning.
"Ru-"
"You two, control till the wedding," Iklav Jiju teased us as if we were craving so madly for each other. "And off to bed."
"We were just speaking," Ekansh argued but he shook his head.
I am thankful to Iklav Jiju for protecting me from my fiance.
Akriti di walked me to my bedroom and Iklav Jiju walked Ekansh to his room, which was a guest room, on the second floor. These two are acting overtly. We have no interest in each other.
My room was beside Dadu's. Once we reached my room, di held my hand, "Ruhi, are you happy?" I gazed astounded at her. If everyone is busy with arrangements, she is the only one to ask me that.
I shook my head. "Ruhi, not everyone will end up like kaka and kaki." She is the only one to know why I despise her. but I can't tell her that, it's going to end the same way.