chapter 21

Chapter 21The promise of loveThe day arrived sooner than she wanted it to. She was a bundle of nerves as she got dressed in the ghagra choli he had gifted her. Rabia sat sweetly next to her on the bed, all dressed up in her baby pink frock and hair accessories. She sat still, watching in awe as her aunty applied make up and did her hair. Ishiqa and her sister-in-law laughed heartily at the child’s expression.There was a knock on the door and her brother came in, “Are my three lovely ladies ready to go?” He looked handsome in a black suit and red tie, slung over a white crisp shirt. He perched opposite Ishiqa. “So, dear sister, finally the day has come. But I will always have one complaint against you; you did not give me the chance to choose your life partner.” He winked.Seeing her expression change to earnestness, he quickly continued, “Oh dear! But I couldn’t have done such a good job of it! You have found a dashing and handsome man, much better than anybody I have known. And what’s more, he loves you a lot too,” he said hugging her fondly. Ishiqa chewed her lower lip to silence her tongue. If her brother were to find out the real reason for her marrying Ved, he would never forgive himself or Ved for forcing her into it. She smiled bravely and hugged him back fondly.They reached the venue, to see Ved and granny waiting eagerly for their arrival. Ved escorted her in and they both walked gracefully towards the stage. She demurely walked past the guests who were craning their necks to catch a glimpse of her. Her ghagra choli was a perfect fit – the choli was short, elegantly revealing her navel and her flat stomach. The ghagra, tied just below her waist, flowed down in a graceful flare. Her arms were weighed down with colourful glass bangles, which caught the light and dazzled as she moved her arms. She wore a tikka in the parting of her hair, and the pendant rested on her forehead. Her silky tresses fell loosely on her shoulders. Moving back her curtain of hair, Ved whispered in her ears, “You are looking gorgeous, like a violet coloured orchid waiting to bloom in all its glory, just waiting to be kissed by the dew drops.”Nervously she looked down, chewing her lower lip, and blushed beetroot red. He burst forth in unexpected poetry, “Rose is the colour of your lips, deep like the colour of wine; from today I will make you mine, and look at you from nine to nine. You will blush with one look from my eyes, and I would love to hear your nervous sighs.”She shivered in anticipation as she caught the meaning of his words and shrugged his hand off her shoulder lightly. His eyes were fixed on her face as he slipped an exquisite solitaire onto her ring finger. She could not look up to meet his eyes. She next slipped a ring on his finger and heard the loud applause from the crowd gathered there. All his friends raised a toast, “To the newly engaged couple!” Ved and Ishiqa danced for a while and then circulated around the hall greeting their guests, who wished them a happy life ahead. Dinner was served and soon after it was farewell time for the guests. Ved kissed her cheek lightly, “Good night my sleeping beauty,” and then shook hands with Akash. She kissed granny’s cheek, who hugged her dearly. “God bless, my child. Get ready for the soon-to-be wedding of the year,” she winked at her.Ishiqa sighed deeply in relief as the day came to an end. But not Ved, as he had been awake all night thinking of her and the wonderful times they had spent together. He was actually missing her, to the point of desperation; her gorgeous smile, her svelte body, the way she lit up to his kisses like molten fire, her pretty innocent eyes, her bubbly enthusiasm, and the loving and kind heart. She was driving him crazy. He could not understand why he felt so intensely about her. Did these feelings have a name? He had forced her into this engagement, and had convinced himself that it was granny’s wish and so he was abiding by it. But then, hadn’t he hoped that it was true- what granny had said about Ishiqa being in love with him. And wasn’t he was looking forward to their marriage so eagerly too? Why did he fight shy of telling her that? His joy drained as he realised that she may, in fact, hate him for forcing her into the wedding. The next minute he decided, “I will make her fall in love with me. Here I come, Ishiqa sweetheart.” He took out her photograph, the one he had clicked in Maldives while she was playing with the bubbles, and kissed it lightly. “I love you.”