Chapter 72

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Bloomie

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Epilogue [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Three months later, the ETF boys were all huddled up in a suite of the Taj along with Raghu, Dhruv, Vedant and a reluctant Suryakant who was sitting at a distance from them just hearing their nonsensical talks. He hadn’t apologized or accepted Arjun openly but Raima’s outburst had drilled a hole in his head. He stopped coming in their way. Many times, he would linger around when Arjun was there whilst pretending he didn’t care.

Arjun was bored, barely contributing to the talk going on. He came out of his thoughts when a flash hit his face.

Arjun: what the… Vedant tu kya kar raha hai?

Vedant: are Riya bhabhi ko aapki tasveer bhej raha hu

Arjun: What?!

Vedant: ha toh bhabhi bhi toh dekhe ki kal shaadi hai aur aapki shakal aisi sadi hui hai

Arjun’s eyes widened: Ved don’t you dare!!

Vedant flipped the phone for him to see. All he had left to do was hit the send button. Arjun lunged towards him. The others laughed as the duo ran around the room.

Shree was more worried about his phone: Sirrr!! Mera phone, sir, sambhal ke!!!

They were still running around like monkeys when Raima entered with mehndi clad hands.

Raima(angrily): kya kar rahe ho tum dono? Bachon ki tarah kud rahe ho

Arjun: maa ye kamina meri shaadi todne par tula hai

He tried to grab the phone again but Vedant swerved.

She muttered under her breath: Bhagwan meri raksha karo

Arjun: are maa! Ho gayi aap sab ki mehndi? Matlab Riya ki bhi ho gayi?

Raima: nahi, Riya abhi bhi laga rahi hai

Arjun: abhi tak? 5 ghante ho gaye

Dhruv: are, are, Arjun tum 5 ghante bhi Riya se dur nahi reh sakte?

Arjun: bhai shut up

Shree: wahi toh, office mein bhi saath, ab toh ghar mein saath-saath honge, thodi der toh use freedom enjoy karne do sir

Arjun: Shree! 600 push-ups!

Shree(horrified): Arjun sir??!!?

Raima: tum sab chup karo, sharam nahi aati tum logon ko? (eyeing the empty plates and packets on the tables) Yaha baithkar shanti se party kar rahe ho? hum logon ne khaana bhi nahi khaaya. Chalo hall mein, sab ke haathon mein mehndi hai, make yourselves useful!

Arjun: ha chalo! Abhi chalo!

Before anyone could say anything, Arjun dashed out of the room. Raima glared at all the other men.

Dhruv gulped in fear: ha kaki, hum aate haina, abhi aate hai

The ceremony hall was abuzz with the ETF ladies, Sheen, Raghu’s wife, Vikram’s wife, Vedant’s girlfriend Trisha and Riya’s school and college friends. They were all sitting on the mattresses, talking with their mehndi hands in front of them. The bride however, was still in the process of applying it. She was watching fondly at her hands as the two women applied mehndi. She had always loved mehndi, the fragrance, the designs, the color, all of it!

Arjun barged in and went straight to her: Riyaa

Her face lit up: Arjun

The others giggled on seeing them. Raima came in with the boys just after.

Janvi (her friend): haash! Bhook lagi hai yaar, chaliye aap sab hume khaana khilaiye

Liza: aur nahi toh kya? Chalo jaldi karo

Mahima (her friend): plate ache se bhar ke laana, kanjusi mat karna

Dhruv: ha, ha aap sab ki seva karne hi toh aaye hai hum

Sheen straightened: toh sainiko! Mahabhoj shuru kiya jaaye!!!

Raghu rolled his eyes: jaisi aapki aagya rajkumari

Arjun’s gaze fell on her hands. They were applying mehndi to the back of her hands. He looked at her in surprise seeing the length just below her elbow.

Arjun: itni saari mehndi?

Riya: ha mujhe mehndi bahot, bahot, bahot pasand hai! dekhiye!!

He chuckles as he picks up a cone. Riya forwarded her feet for him to see her covered in design.

Arjun: wow

Riya: aapne cone kyun liya?

Arjun: aise hi

She looked at him in confusion. He smiled and wrote her name in the area below his thumb making her smile and blush.

Riya: aapko pata hai bachpan mein na main har summer vacation mein lagati thi. Aur woh kehte haina ki jiske naam ki mehndi ho, agar rang khile toh woh aapse bahot pyaar karta hai toh main aur maa dono papa ka R lagate the aur fir jhagda karte the ki papa kisse zyaada pyaar karte hai. Fir papa ko puchte toh (laughing) unki toh hawa nikal jaati thi, aisa lagta jaise ki kisi bache ko karela ka juice de diya ho. woh bas mehndi dekhte aur kehte ki are ye design achi hai aur fir bhaag jaate the

Arjun laughed with her.

Another of her friends turns to the others: ye Riya hai? humse toh kabhi aise baat nahi karti

Mahima: ha na?

Shree: humse bhi nahi, ye Arjun sir se thoda zyaada nahi chipakti?

Sheen: ha toh mere bhai hai hi aise!

Dhruv: oh hello, woh humara bhai hai

Vedant: exactly! Tum muh boli ho, humara khoon ka rishta hai

Sheen smirked: unhone mujhe choose kiya lekin tum dono ke saath zabardasti atke hai

Dhruv and Vedant stared at her in disbelief as the others laughed.

Here, one of the mehndi girls winced.

Riya: oh shit! Shit! Shit! Sorry hil gayi (peering into the design) bigad gayi kya? No please! Meri shaadi ki mehndi hai

Mehndi girl: nahi theek hai, bach gayi

Riya: oh god pakka na?

Raima arrived with Chotu who gave Arjun a plate for her. He nodded in acknowledgement.

Arjun: kuch nahi hua tumhari mehndi ko baba, shaant ho jao

Riya: are aap jao yaha se, main bak-bak karti rahungi firse haath hil jaayega

Arjun: are, main kyun jau?

She glares at him: meri mehndi!

Arjun: acha main tumhe baat nahi karne dunga, lo pehle khaana khao

He prepares a morsel and feeds it to her.

The day passes in a similar fashion, fun-filled and running around for last minute preparations. The boys had to do all the work since the girls had all occupied their hands. The problem however, was not the preparation but the bride and groom who had kept threatening anyone and everyone for a month that they would make their life a living hell if anything went wrong in their wedding.

The worst hit were Chotu and Liza who had taken up charge for handling the catering. The couple had made it clear that Taj or no Taj, they needed Pav Bhaji and Manchurian in the menu. Riya had proposed to break their hands and legs while Arjun proposed to cut their necks. The two had been so terrified that they even considered passing up on the responsibility. But who had the courage to say no to them?

Raghu and Vikram were the most amused ones in the entire fiasco. Even though Vikram was still a potential target unlike Raghu, he enjoyed gossiping with him and boasting how he was the first one who came to know and had also contributed to them coming together.

The day of the wedding finally arrived. A mandap was set up in one of the courtyard rooms of the 7-star hotel. There weren’t many guests apart from their friends, team and his family. Some were Suryakant’s close business partners. Most of them were professional contacts from the junior staff and from the department including a few seniors who they were kind of in compulsion to invite. All in all there were some 50-60 outside guests.

Arjun was sitting at the havan kund, waiting for Riya. He was anxious and he was nervous. The pandit finally called for the bride.

Shree went to call her. He, Ayesha and Liza brought her to the venue.

Arjun gasped, springing up to his feet.

The audience giggled.

Dhruv whispered: tumhari shaadi ho rahi hai usse Arjun, baith jao, kahi nahi jaayegi

Arjun did not even register his words. He stared at her in the bridal attire. He had seen her dress but seeing her in it… he forgot how to breathe!

Riya was wearing a traditional raw silk lehenga. Her blouse was covered in gold embroidery and sleeves, green. The length of her sleeves reached till her elbow, showing off her deep maroon mehndi. A long triangular patch of golden embroidery extended from her shoulder. The cuff of her sleeves matched the design. The ghaghra was a perfect red, embellished with stones and golden embroidery in an anarkali pattern. Her dupatta was pinned like a saree but instead of going behind, her pallu was brought to the front and pinned to the opposite side. The back end was pulled on her head, just an inch behind her maang tika. It was red again, with a medium golden border followed by a thick green one that was again embroidered. Throughout the red net, tiny shining bindis were scattered in a square pattern. She was decked in antique jadtar jewels from head to toe that included her mother’s chain hiding beneath the heavy necklace.

She looked at him, feeling his gaze and blushed furiously, enhancing the bridal glow on her face. His lips curved into a smile.

Dhruv shook his head and stepped behind, gesturing to Raima that he was not listening. She stifled a giggle.

Riya’s heart skipped a beat seeing him. It was the first time she was seeing him in the sherwani too.

It was beige in color embellished with golden floral embroidery and scattered red petals. A copper coloured shawl rested on his right shoulder. He had worn a red turban with a brooch on his head. If the sherwani was taking his looks from the hill to the mountain, his smile was taking it to the heavens.

Their gazes remained locked as she continued to walk towards the mandap. Their lives flashed in front of their eyes, right from their first meeting at the temple. All the questions, teasing, warming ups, sharing, realising their feelings, laughing, crying, kissing, hugging, their ups and their downs. Everything!

And now! They were finally about to wed each other. To make it official that they had a complete claim over the other. To promise with their hearts that their souls will be bound together with a thread that no one could break. To hold hands and stand by each other whether the world around them burned or prospered.

In a trance, he held out his hand. She placed his hand in hers. Their hearts turned heavy. Tears glistened in their eyes. Her lips quivered. She pursed her lips to control herself but the tears fell.

A tear rolled down his cheek: Riya!

He tried to hug her but her hooped nose ring came in the way.

Riya: ow

Arjun: are

He wrapped his arm around her, hugging her from the side. Wiping his tears away, he cradled her head to comfort her. He rested his chin on her head as another tear rolled down his cheek.

The audience smiled seeing them, a few turned emotional, especially Raghu.

His eyes moistened. He had seen Arjun face the worst of his days. And now he is finally getting the happiness he deserved. They were going to be tied in a knot, braving through all the odds that had been thrown at them. A partner that would always have his back, that would support him no matter what and help him tide over the toughest challenges that life had to offer.

Trisha mumbled: If you don’t cry when we get married I will kick you in the shins till you do

Vedant snaps out of his stupor: kya? Hold on! Humne shaadi ke baare mein kab decide kiya?

Trisha: karenge na future mein?

Vedant teased her: pata nahi

Trisha squinted: tumse puch kaun raha hai? ye decision mera hai (he tried to say something) aur yaad rakhna maine 6 inch ki pencil heel pehni hai, chaho toh abhi demo de sakti hu

Vedant shut up, smiling smugly to himself.

Riya sniffed, composing herself.

Arjun: Riyu?

She nodded with a smile. Shree came forward with a tissue. She thanked him, wiping her tears. She heaved a sigh of relief seeing no smudges on it. Thank god for waterproof eye makeup.

Ayesha cleared his throat: toh ab shaadi kar lo yaar, fir khaana bhi hai

The atmosphere returned to festivity as a collective laughter emanated.

Pandit: var-vadhu ek dusre ko var mala pehnaye

Sakshi and Sheen came forward with the thaalis. They picked up the garlands. Arjun readily bowed his head before anyone could try lifting either of them up.

They stared at him in shock. Riya slipped the garland over his neck.

Dhruv whispered: isne toh sar jhuka diya, uff! Zindgi bhar yahi chalne waala hai

Shree chuckled: mujhe lagta nahi ki unhe koi problem hogi

Riya gently looked down. Arjun garlanded her, earning celebratory claps from the others.

The pandit requested them to sit. Holding hands, they sat together in front of the holy fire. The Pandit started chanting the mantras. He called for the bride’s parents to do kanyadaan.

Ayesha passed the photo-frame to Vikram.

He had offered to do the ceremony when they had been discussing plans. Riya was touched by the gesture but wasn’t very open to the idea. Instead, she suggested that they use a photograph and Vikram could do it on their behalf. He had agreed happily.

Arjun’s heart burst with joy when he placed Riya’s hand in his. Their eyes were only for each other throughout the ceremony with smiles gracing their faces.

Although the groom’s sister had to tie the gathbandhan, Dhruv and Vedant stubbornly added themselves. The elders shook their heads in disbelief. The trio had been fighting over Arjun ever since they met.

Hand-in-hand, they took the pheras. Flowers flew over and around them. With each round, they promised to love and cherish each other, to protect and comfort each other, to amplify their happiness and to share their pain. They promised to be loyal. They promised to respect each other. And they promised to completely invest their mind, body and soul to strengthen their relationship.

Pandit: var vadhu ko mangalsutra pehnaye

Still gazing at her, he picked up the mangalsutra from the thaal offered to him. He tied it around her neck.

Pandit: ab var vadhu ke maang mein sindoor bhare

Lifting her maang tika with one hand, he took a pinch of sindoor. His hand paused, merely an inch away.

Wait a second! He was applying sindoor to her? He was actually applying sindoor to her? Was she really just a moment away from being his wife? Was this really happening?

Confusion propped in the minds of everyone but not the bride.

She knew exactly what his train of thought was. Giving him a warm smile, she blinked in assurance.

His hand shivered as it proceeded.

She closed her eyes as his fingers filled her partition.

His fingers lingered, still in shock.

Her eyes opened as his fingers moved away.

Overwhelmed, tears glistened in their eyes again. The pandit continued to recite a few more mantras in the background but they were not paying attention. He took her hands in his.

As if on cue, the pandit declared: Vivah sampan hua!

They hugged each other tightly with him lifting her off the ground ignoring the weight of her dress and jewellery.

Arjun whispered: I love you

Riya: I love you too

Dhruv and Vedant tugged two ropes and the cloth on the ceiling burst to shower rose petals on them.

They looked up in surprise and giggled, resting their foreheads against each other. Their hearts swelled in elation, knowing they were humsafars forever!

Officially The End…………………..

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