Today was the day she has been longing for from the time she fell in love with him. Only difference is that her love was not reciprocated. The marriage was a deal for him, a way to keep him away from his dadima's constant pleas to get married.
She was glowing when they got her ready in the heavy wedding dress. She couldn't have been happier than now. She blushed at the thought that she was going to be his forever. She heard the girls around her telling that the baarat has arrived. She was eager to have a glimpse of him. It has been almost 3 years. No.. 3 years, 5 months, 24 days exactly. How could she forget the days spend confiding the pain within her, away from him?
The girls came back and complimented her to have got such a handsome guy. She blushed even more at their comments. Her mother and cousins came to take her down. They covered her face by the veil and took her downstairs.
Each step she took her heart was thudding loud in anticipation. When she reached the end of the stairs she slowly looked up to see him standing there looking ever so handsome. She noticed all the eyes were on her except his. He looked like he was in a hurry to finish of this marriage. She wished at least once he spare a glance at her. But he is Maan Singh Khurana, who never noticed her even after being so near to him.
She was made to stand beside him. They were asked to put the vermilion. Her brother lifted her when he was about to put and although Maan was irritated by all these, finally he managed to do it with the help of Ayan and Dev. The same process repeated for her and finally Maan bend his head wanting to stop that soon.
Everyone teased her that he will be "jhoru ka gulam". She smiled and thought, "If they were husband and wife in the real sense." Even if he was, she never wanted him to be so. She will always be his shadow.
The rituals started and her father did the kanyadaan. She shivered feeling his touch. Maan felt her soft hand in his and tightened his grip unknowingly and then they stood up for the pheras. For her, she meant each and every word the pandit chanted but he simply followed it without giving his mind to anything.
She thought he will look at her at least when he fill her maang. But he took the mangalsutra and tied it and filled her maang without even bothering to look at her face. His eyes travelled only in the direction he wished, to ensure he won't spoil anything that he did.
As the rituals got finished and they were proclaimed to be husband and wife a strange contentment took over both their hearts. When Geet's was due to happiness, Maan was really confused as to why he was feeling so. He shrugged it off thinking that it was because he fulfilled dadima's wish.
The day went very quick and it was time for bidaai. Geet cried thinking of going away from her mother, the only person who always stood for her. Even though her mother was tensed about the marriage, Geet assured that she is going to be fine there. After meeting Annie and dadima, she was also convinced but Maan seemed to be very serious which alleviated her fears. But she put it aside seeing the genuine happiness in her daughter's face.
Both of them couldn't hold back their tears and Geet cried hugging her mother. And finally they were all set to go to KM. She was seated beside Maan who seemed to be busy texting and having occasional calls. She understood it to be work related. She kept quite and looked out of the window not wanting to bother him.
Maan was already irritated by all the rituals and now he was in peace as no one else was there to tease or disturb him. He made some calls and managed the work to be completed in the next few days. After sometime he turned to look at the person who he married, who was his wife.
She seemed to be tired and was sleeping resting her head in the window pane. A small jerk of the car made her shift the position a little and her beautiful face was revealed to him. He failed to stop blinking looking at the innocent yet gorgeous woman near him. Somewhere he felt bad for making her go through all these as they won't be having a married life as every woman wishes. But some part of him was happy that she only his even if he won't admit it.
He saw that she was keeping considerable distance from him and sleeping. He doesn't know why he agreed for the marriage but now he was not regretting his decision somehow.
He was really annoyed when dadima told him that she found a girl for him and she is a simple and innocent girl who will cope with him. He thought her to be a village girl when he got a quick glance on the picture dadima had with her. May be she is not even much educated.
As per him no educated women can agree to his proposal unless they have an utter motive. But after hearing the praises dadima and Annie were bestowing upon her, he knew that she may be really innocent and naive.
His thoughts were halted when the driver told they reached home. Maan found her still sleeping. He got out of the car and Meera came to get her in. She woke her up. Dadima came with aarti to welcome the newly weds in. She did aarti and Geet entered the house knocking the kalash.
Then other rituals followed. All the while he noticed obvious to others that she mingled very well with everyone. He noticed that Dev, Ayan and Meera were conversing to her as if they had known for years. He had no idea about anything associated with her. Just that dadima chose her for him.
He noticed that she gave him occasional glances and when her eyes met his she will immediately look down. He excused himself once the rituals were over and went to the lawn to get away from all the taunts and teasing.
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