Chapter 58
Nargis got ready half heartedly, if she could she would have gotten out of going but Daadima and Abs were expecting her there. Even though Vicky had not called she knew he would have to answer to many questions about her non appearance so she had decided to go. Two more days and then she will go tell Vicky and may be leave for home. She needed to take a break.
Nupur had looked very enthusiastic about the whole mehndi thing but then understandably so for Arjun had shown intention of wooing Nupur and she seemed very happy. It would not be right to put her morose mood on her and Nupur needed her support. She was not going to let her friend down.
Maan had a meeting with his Mom in the morning and was a little disturbed about what she had said but had not found time to talk to Vicky about it with all the preparation.
Poonam had talked to her Mom in law in the morning and found nothing but praise for the girl. Savitri Ma had told that the girl seemed to have changed Vicky and he had become more open about his feelings rather than be flippant all the time. She seemed to have anchored him. Poonam was now even more anxious to meet this girl who had made such a difference to her son. She felt she had competition for her son's time and affection and she will have to win her son over. But he had said there may not be any need to meet her? Was he not serious about her? But Mummyji had said that Vicky was very keen on her. She had to solve the mystery.
Vicky did not seem to be in any better mood in the morning than he had been last night. But he kept on working to keep his mind occupied, involving himself in the preparation and running last minute errands for the wedding. He was glad Arjun was there to take care of his brother so that he would not have to answer any awkward questions his brither may have seeing his mood. Maan was perceptive if nothing.
Arjun had been looking forward to meeting Nupur again. He had wanted to meet her again after their rendezvous at the farm house but the wedding had kept him busy. He had talked to Nupur at length though, he had constantly found excuse to hear her voice and she seemed to like it.
Faz and Adi had bumped into each other the next day at the florist where Faz had been assigned the task of selecting flowers for the wedding and Adi happened to be there. Adi admitted that he had found out that she was going to be there and came to meet her. He took are aside and told her "I have been thinking about you all night Faz, can we go for a coffee?"
Faz knew it was not possible for them to meet like this in public lest anyone who knew her or her family saw them so she hissed, "No, you know that, tabahee mach jayegi, aap samjhte kyon nahi?"
Adi then muttered under his breath, "tabah to meri neend ho gayee hai Faz, after what you did last night."
"Shut up, koi sunn lega to? Adab se pesh aaiye, Aditya!" she reprimanded darting furtive glances around and then said, "aap hamein office mien miliye, ghante baad, aapse wahin baat karenge." And she left.
Adi was frustrated but had met her and found that Faz though had impulsively kissed him the night before was in no mood to take it any further in terms of their relationship. She infact seemed a little aloof and distracted. He did not know which was real her, the way she blew hot and cold. Was the spontaneous girl the real Faz or this properly behaved girl who would follow the norms laid out by the society and her family? Was their relationship doomed before it started?
Adi had come today with trepidation in his heart for he knew the way he felt for Faz was for keeps. He was not into flitting around and he had finally found a girl who seemed to make him want to dream. He knew it was going to be difficult with their backgrounds, he knew his Mom and sister was definitely going to create ruckus over a Muslim girl but he was not going to give up. He had finally found something special and he was going to fight for it. He just needed a sign from Faz that she was with him. The rest he will handle.
He wanted to talk to Abs about it but knew it would not be right to disturb her right now with the wedding, she deserved her happiness and he did not want to taint it with his problems, well the anticipated ones anyway. Right now he had to find Faz and see if could talk to her.
Faz herself had been apprehensive after the kiss and though she did not regret it, she knew they were definitely going to have a strong opposition from every side, especially her family. Here she was thinking about her family and she did not even know if his famiy would mind a Muslim girl. Every family was not like Vicky's. She knew her family was going to be a big hurdle and she had been rethinking if she should possibly tell Adi that this relationship possibly had no future. Her Mom was here especially because Poonam Maasi was home and there was no way she would be able to talk to Adi with hawk eye around so she tried as much as possible to avoid looking in Adi's direction.
The mehndi was organized in Taj Palace Hotel and everyone was gathered there. The bride arrived looking beautiful in bottle green lehngha with white embroidery. She wore emerald and diamond tear drop earrings, necklace that was delicate and exquisite in design besides being simple and a tikka. Diamond bangles completed the ensemble. Her feet were adorned with tinkling anklets that made chime sound with every step she took. Abs knew with every step she was closer to Maan now. Tomorrow is the Wedding, her big day, tomorrow she and Maan will be one. Abs was nervous and excited at the same time.
She saw Maan the minute she entered and he looked at with eyes that spoke of his love for her and as if she was the only woman on this earth he could see. There was music going on in the background but she could not hear or see anything once she saw Maan. Maan smiled at her. He looked dashing in beige achkan and trousers. He would have given Rajiv Gandhi a complex if he were alive, she mused, as it was an outfit that Rajiv Gandhi had made his signature.
She then saw Nargis and Nupur walking towards her and was glad to have their company. The mehndi ceremony was set with area for ladies to sit and apply mehndi and the men to enjoy the revelry with the music on the other side of the room. The banquet was decorated with green and rust, the colors of mehndi green when applied and rust after it enriches the hands it has been applied to.
Mehndi was going to bring color into their dreams and its fragrance was going to fill up their lives and enliven it. There was a group of ladies with dholak singing songs of wedding and turning the atmosphere into festive and nostalgic at the same time. Abs family mingled with their guests for the evening with Abs's brother being the perfect host and taking care of the future brother in law, his friends and brother.
Poonam was watching Abs who looked utterly beautiful as she came in and walked towards the area designated for the mehndi. She looked around the room happy with the way the gathering was turning out but she also felt a sense of apprehension wondering which one of the girls was Nargis. She kept a constant eye on Vicky trying to see which girl he talked to as if she meant the world to him but so far it was either Farah or one of the cousins.
Poonam could not contain her curiosity any longer and went up to her Mummyji and asked in a whisper, "Maa, inmein se Nargis kaunsi hai?"
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Cricket
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