PART 9: Bin Bulaye Baraati
(At this point in the story, I invite SidYushians to think of all their favourite SY moments as part of this story. Yaad kar liya? So now even my AnSh now have all those lake-side, rainy, jalebi-filled moments. Ab aage-)
A month went past with Shiv and Anandi's friendship getting stronger than ever. If there were not in office, they were on an official trip. Or at each other's homes. Or at their favourite meeting spots like the mandir, the lake, the playground where Shiv liked to work out. The Singhs already liked Shiv and now even the Shekhars had taken a shine to Anandi.
One day at the Jaitsar Temple-
Dadisa was leaving the temple after thanking God for fulfilling her dearest wish. Since Jagya and Ganga got married, Dadisa had been trying to convince Anandi to wed again. At first, she had been dead against it but after her mother, Bhagwati's death, this issue had been put on the back-burner. But yesterday, when Dadisa spoke to Anandi again, her response had been quite positive and she had agreed to think seriously about marriage at the end of her studies next year. Though it was a non-committal promise, Dadisa was certain that it stemmed from Anandi's newfound friendship with Shiv. As she was thinking of all these things, she walked into somebody at the temple steps.
"Maaf karna, mhane aapko dekha na..", she looked up to see Shiv's Daddu. "Thaari badi hove, aap! Ghani khamba!"
"Khamba ghani, Kalyani ji. Woh maine ek naya paudha lagaya hai- Vyajayanthimala naam rakha hai uska. Toh uska pehla phool mandir mein chadhane aaya tha.", he said, grinning.
"Achcha, achcha..", she was amused at the weird customs that the Shekhars had.
"Waise achcha hua aap mil gayi. Aapse ek zaruri baat karni thi..", he said.
----x----
"Aur phir unhone toh jaise mhaare mann ki baat chheen li!", Dadisa was telling her sons and their wives what Shiv's Daddu had proposed in the temple. "Unhone mhaare saamne Shib aur Anandi ki shaadi ka prastaav rakh diya!"