*Part Four*
As Ridhima got out of the terminal, she looked around and saw how Mumbai had truly changed. She walked to the arrivals area and looked around for Anjali. There a few feet away she saw a beautiful woman wearing jeans and a black and white shirt. Ridhima knew it was Anjali the moment she saw her. As she carried all her luggage towards Anjali she noticed something in Anjali's hand. It was the hand of another person, it was a man looking at her smiling. Ridhima was shocked and dropped her luggage on her foot. She jumped up and down yelping in pain as Anjali and the man with her came running to her laughing.
"Ow ow ow ow!!!" yelped Ridhima.
"Haha! Ridz you crazy larki what are you doing dropping your luggage all over the place. Tere baap ka ghar hai kya?" asked the man.
"Atullll shut up!!! I didn't drop it all over the place but on my poor little foot. And what do you think you are doing holding Anjali's hand? Let go or I'll smack you!"
"Yea yea like your sister will let you. She nev—"
"Atul SHUT UP!" both Anjali and Ridhima yelled.
As Ridhima got up she noticed the ring on Anjali's finger. "You're kidding right? You and Atul? No way!"
"Yea, haha, we're getting married next month."
Ridhima was so surprised she did not know what to say , the only words that came out of her mouth were, "how? When? Why? Where?"
"We'll tell you in the car, come on everyone is waiting to see you" pushed Anjali.
Ridhima sat down in the back seat still trying to adjust to the situation. "Okay so are you going to tell me or not?"
"Well, it's a long story. So to make it short, we fell in love." said Anjali.
"What?! Di you like hated him, he used to irritate you so much."
"Well I didn't 'hate' him, I was just annoyed with him. But I love you now my baby. See I cant even keep my hands off of him now." as Anjali pinched Atul's cheeks.
"Ugh" Ridhima groaned in disbelief. Atul had been her senior at med school. He was a really nice guy and a great doctor, but he always used to annoy and irritate all the girls. He was a pest but he was always there if need be. Looking at them she figured they really are in love, and Anjali looks pretty happy.
'Hmm…I guess I can't complain if she's happy.' Thought Ridhima as she smiled to herself looking at them thru her sun glasses. 'They both look really happy and in love….'
"Okay we're home" said Anjali.
"Wow Di, the house looks great," said Ridhima as she walked inside the large bungalow and saw the kitchen on the left and the study on the right. The walls were painted in a light crme color, just the same as she remembered. She walked straight ahead to the big living room and saw her family standing there ready to welcome her.
After meeting with all the members of the family, Anjali led her to her room. The room was painted in her favorite color, light blue. On the wall were pictures of her childhood in this house with her family. Ridhima realized how tired she was and quietly stifled a yawn, which didn't work and Anjali saw it.
"Alrite Ridz, time for you to go to bed!"
"Nooo I don't want to, I'm not really that tired. I wanna chill with the rest of the family."
"Uhh, no I don't think so and you are dead tired. You can chill with them tomorrow. So goodnight and sweet dreams."
Ridhima knew there was no way out of this so she climbed into the soft bed and before she knew it she was long gone in to a deep slumber.
"Wake up sleepy head!" said a loud voice. "Come on you've slept enough for an entire year."
"Mmm hmm" said Ridhima's sleepy voice. "Paanch minute Sapna"
"Oye! Sapna teri ma! Chal oot naa yaar kitna soyegi."
"Hmm…Chachu!!" Ridhima jerked awake as she realized the voice intruding her dreams. "When did u come, and why weren't you here yesterday?" she said yawning widely.
"You mean the day before yesterday. Haha" said Ridhima's Chachu Shubhankar.
"No way!" Ridhima opened her cell phone to check how long she had been sleeping. 'Hmph, chachu will never change.' " I only slept 12 hours jeez"
"Oh Ridz take a joke, hehe" he laughed as he began leaving the room, "get ready we're having breakfast in a while."
'Oh Ridz take a joke! Ugh!' "Fine! I'll be there in 10 mins"
'Oh boy do I hate waking up, ugh, totally forgot how crazy my family is, and now its getting more crazier by adding Atul! Ugh….'
"I hope saab ko yaad hai ke aaj hume Atul ke ghar dinner par jaana hai? Atul ke mummy daddy aaye hue hai aur woh chaate hai ke saari family ek dusre se mil le aur saatme shaadi ki date bhi fix karni hai. Kyun Anjali?" said Ridhima's Bade Papa, Shashank.
"Yes Papa" said Anjali as her cheeks turned a slight pink.
'Uh oh' thought Ridhima 'I didn't even bring Indian clothes, all I brought are jeans and slacks, I didn't even bring my skirts, I'm so stupid, I should have known something like this would happen. Omg I don't even have clothes to wear at the wedding….'
"Hey Ridz! Whey do u look so worried? Everything okay?" whispered Anjali to Ridz so no one else could hear.
"Umm Di, why didn't you tell me to bring Indian clothes, all I brought is American wear. I don't have anything to wear tonight nor do I have anything to wear for your wedding. Ahhh!"
"Ridhima there is a reason why I didn't tell you" a confused look crossed Ridhima's face "duhh so we can go shopping and buy you a lot of nice clothes to wear, I know your wardrobe in the US so please I wasn't going to let you wear those. And for tonight I already bought you something, I hope you like it? Its in your room in the closet."
"Really? Oh thanks Di! I cant wait to see it, let me go now—"
"Uhh not now, we have places to go today before the dinner. Oh yea by the way, do you remember Atul's brother?"
"The one he always used to talk about but never showed us his face."
"Yea he's here, I met him the other day, really nice guy you know, I was thinking…maybe you and him could—"
"No way Di! First of all Atul's brother is probably just like him and second of all I'm not ready…" Ridhima got up and left the table finishing her last bite.
'I know Ridz you aren't ready after all the stuff that happened, but he's perfect for you, and no matter what me and Atul are gonna get the two of you together.'
At Atul's house:
"Maa, saari taayariyan ho gayi?" asked Atul to his mother, Devika.
"Haa beta, baas tere us bhai ko bol ke woh rug seedha kar le. Kab se laptop pe chitak ke betha hai."
"Ok maa."
"Armaan, mere bhai, mere yaar ek kaam to kar de. Jab se utha hai tabse is laptop par betha hai."
"Yea champ, bas do minute. You know the game is tonight and I can't even watch it, I need to know all the updates. "
"What's so important about this game? I think this dinner is pretty important. You need to make a good impression on Anjie's family."
"I know champ and I will don't worry, but my best friend is playing for the US team and Vikas is in China for moral support. You know I could have been there if it weren't for your shaadi."
"Hey hey! It's not just the shaadi, you also need to do research and Sanjeevani will give you a good opportunity. But anyways, after you are done please fix that rug warna saab ghirenge."
"Alrite bhai don't worry."
So Atul left to do some other work and Armaan stayed glued on to the computer.
"Armaaaaaaaaaan!!!" yelled Devika.
"Ji maa?" jumped Armaan shuffling to hide his laptop.
"Kya kar raha hai? Ghar mein kitne saare kaam hai aur bus to computer par hi chipka rehta hai! Tere bhai ki shaadi hai kuch toh haat bada." Complained Armaan's mom.
"Okay mamma, sorry, loh maine ab mere kaan bhi pakar liye, ab to please maaf kar do please?"
"Acha acha theek hai"
"Toh ab bolo kya kaam karna hai?"
"Pehle halwayi se mithai lekar aa phir darzi se teri bhabhi ka suit lekar aa aur phir…"and the list went on and on as Armaan listened.
"Yeah mom, yeah aab mein jaau?" said Armaan leaving his mom as she yelled "Accha aur sun, jaane se pehle woh rug seedha karta jaana" Armaan nodded his head…not really listening as he left his house.
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