TWO

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"Roshini Akka, here, take it." Divya handed the medication to Roshini who has a sour face.

"Yuck, I don't like them at all." Roshni grunted in displeasure which made the elders and others laugh at her antics.

"Roshini, you are underweight and if you don't eat them, you can't be healthy." Gautham explained to her for the nth time but her reaction was the same.

"Okay Annayya." Roshini unwillingly ate them.

"Good, now have lunch after 30 minutes." She nodded and Gautham left for the hospital.

Harikrishna, their grandfather, came to the living with a serious face which changed the atmosphere. Seeing him, Saritha took Roshini to her room as Divya already left for her work.

"Roshini, be here and I will send the lunch at the time." Roshini nodded again and Saritha went down.

Harikrishna and his sons, Dev and Damodhar were sitting in the living room with Sujatha, the younger daughter in law of the family with Saritha being the elder.

"Damodhar, I got a proposal for Divya."

"But Nanna, Roshini is older than Divya. How can Divya get married first?" Damodhar asked his father.

"I know Damodhar. Roshini is still recovering from the accident and I don't want to pressure her with marriage now. At the same time, this proposal is good, I can't miss such a good one." Harikrishna concluded.

Sighing, Dev asked about the potential boy.

"His name is Ayaan. Completed his graduation in Business and now handling the family business along with his own. Good natured and well mannered but the only flaw is, this marriage will be his second marriage as he lost his wife and is a single parent of their 11 month child, Amal."

The family gasped hearing about the boy, they never thought that Harikrishna would agree for such marriage but hearing about the boy Damodhar lost his cool.

"Nanna, how can you think of this?"

"What's wrong Damodhar?"

"What's wrong? Everything you said is wrong. A second marriage person for my Divya. I won't agree."

"Do you think father would have agreed that easily without thinking about all this?" Dev asked his brother who didn't say anything.

"Annayya, if you will be in my place then you will understand my emotion." Damodhar burst in anger and left the room.

"Mamayya, can I know why you considered him for our Divya?" Sujatha asked Harikrishna.

"Excluding him being married already, I didn't see any flaw or fault in him. He is a gem and is definitely perfect for our Divya."

"But can he love our Divya like a husband loves his wife?"

"That question will be answered by Divya. He is ready to give his life another chance and it's Divya, who should wrap the chance and make her life wonderful." He said again. But they can know that something is still hidden from them and he wasn't in favour of disclosing that.

That night, Dev and Damodhar were in the study room discussing the political affairs when the elder man came into the room.

"Nanna, if you came here to convince me about that proposal. My decision is still no." Damodhar said in a final tone.

"I know, but I want you to listen to me as well. Maybe you would change your decision after that." And then Harikrishna told them how he got the proposal and his inner turmoil for a week regarding the decision.

Divya was informed of the proposal and she decided to see him and explain her condition.

After a few days, the whole family of the Ayaan except him came to see Divya. Roshini decided to stay in her room rather than being a bottleneck of the procedure.

Kaushalya was sure that Divya would definitely change Ayaan for the good and can be his light for once and forever.

The family is impressed with Divya and almost finalized their decision until Damodhar told about Roshini.

"No, we don't have any problem with Roshini but I want this marriage to happen this month." Kaushalya is scared about Ayaan and he can change his decision if the marriage is fixed like the normal time of the family's wishes.

The ladies were surprised to see Damodhar agreeing for the proposal. This is their family, here only men take the decision and the women were only informed about that.

Kaushalya sat beside Divya who was silent all the time which they thought was being shy and all. She was happy to get Divya as her daughter-in-law.

"Divya, you have agreed to this marriage on your one right?" She may be desperate to change the life of her son but that doesn't mean she would force another girl's life into a drastic change.

Divya looked at father, on the first day he was hell bent on refusing the proposal. And the second day, he was back to his form. Like he never denied Ayaan. None except the three men know what made him change his decision.

Gautham was neither against this proposal nor content. All he wants is the happiness of his sister. If Ayaan can fill her life with happiness, he is sure that his first murder won't be his second brother-in-law.

"Aunty, where is Ayaan?" Gautham asked Kaushalya.

"Ayaan had to attend an important board meeting which was fixed on the last minute." Kaushalya explained the reason behind his absence and they did believe her.

Divya smiled at the fact as if remembering something. Dhanya, Ayaan's sister liked Divya a lot and even captured her pics for Ayaan.

"Aunty, can I use the washroom?" Saritha signed Divya to take Dhanya to her room so that elders can also talk and discuss further.

Dhanya followed Divya upstairs to her room. "Vadina, your room is so good and contrast to my brother. Well, it's true that opposites attract." Dhanya chirped and Divya laughed.

"Where is Roshini?" Divya was startled by her question.

"Well, Akka is resting in her room. That accident affected her a lot." Divya's words made Dhanya suspicious.

"Accident? When?"

"6 months ago." Divya replied.

Dhanya was somehow disappointed. She knew her brother won't give his first wife's place to anyone so she was trying to search for her. But it always went in vain.

"Oh, how is she now?"

"Quite fine and healthy regarding her condition in the past and present."

They walked downstairs to see both the families discussing with each other. The smiles on their faces conveyed both of them about the fixation of the proposal. Divya wasn't unhappy about Ayaan but there was some uneasiness in her heart.

"As we agreed mutually. I want to conduct the engagement today." Gayatri requested the girl's family and they agreed after a lot of thinking.

The priest was called and the horoscopes were given to him. The priest checked them thoroughly, "both the horoscopes are matching and you can proceed with the engagement today."

Hearing that, both the families were contented with happiness and delight. The proposal was fixed and the wedding date was fixed on the last day of the month.

Roshini though didn't come down, saw all that from the aisle and was happy for her sister.

There was only a fortnight for the marriage and the families discussed all the rituals and traditions among their clans.

The following night, Divya's phone rang and she answered the call.

"Any news?" Her voice was filled with hope.

"No ma'am, I think he is not there. Maybe he was also searching for her like we're searching for him?"

"No! If he was searching her then I wouldn't be in this situation now. There's something hidden from us Aaryan. Check everything." She hung up the call counting down the days for her marriage. It's her responsibility and she needs to fulfill it before her marriage.

The days passed like blur and tomorrow is the wedding day. Both the families were busy with the preparations and not once Ayaan called or took any initiative, not that Divya eager about him. She has her share of works which kept her busy and didn't bug him.

Her hands were adorned with Henna and the elders were gleaming with happiness and laughs. Roshini also applied mehandi for her little sister and was on cloud nine.

It was midnight when Divya's phone rang. She was tired of the whole wedding rituals and lazily pressed the power button. But the phone continuously rang disturbing her sleep.

"Aaryan?" Her sleep went outside the window seeing his name on the screen and she answered the call.

"Did I disturb your sleep?"

"Definitely not if you have any news about him."

"Good cause I did find about him." Happiness and relief engulfed her soul as her 6 months of worry is finally cleared.

"Where is he?" She got up and thanked the God for leading her towards the purpose.

"London." His answer worried her. That is where she studied and she never came across him?

Karma is a bitch! But still it never forgets the address. She quickly packed some of her clothes and packed her bag.

At the moment, all she cared was him and his answers for the sudden disappearance. When her eyes noticed the decorated home, she remembered about her marriage. But her responsibility was more than her happiness. With tears, she walked out the home knowing that she put her family prestige and reputation at stake for her life and responsibilities.

"I am coming back."

The marriage is fixed hurray but will it happen?

Divya is searching for someone who is he? What is her responsibility?

Roshini and her accident, what happened to her?

Divya leaving her marriage for her life and responsibilities. How would her decision affect her family?

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