FF Keeping Khushi Thread 9:Part 90 Page 138 - Page 65

Part 87

Payal, Khushi, & Anjali helped Aarti dress in a golden anarkali for the shagun and sagai.

Arnav and Akash pushed NK into a sherwani in his favourite golden yellow, and led him down the stairs to the living room that had been decorated with diyas and flowers.

The children from Omkar whistled and cheered when Arnav and Akash led NK down to the living room.

"NK Bhai, you look handsome!", Vivek said.

"Not bad!", smiled Chotu.

Nidhi started crying silently, big tears falling silently down her chubby cheeks.

"Bhat happened?", Mami asked. "Bhy are you crying, Nidhi Baby?"

Nidhi said, "I wanted to marry NK Bhai! But he is marrying somebody else!", she wailed.

All hid their smiles.

"Acha, bhy do you want to marry NK Bitwaa?", Mami asked.

"He plays basketball very well. And he drives his car very well. I wanted to marry a good driver.", Nidhi wept.

"Then you should marry Aarti Bitiyaa, not NK Bitwaa, Hello Hi Bye Bye!", Mami said. "She dribes (drives) better than him!"

"Acha?", Nidhi asked, curious about this Aarti who had stolen her driver from her.

"Aur naahin to kaa! I bill do your introduction to her, Nidhi baby. Till then, you eat a laddoo."

The tears vanished as if by magic. Nidhi bit in to the laddoos that Khushi had made specially for her, and waited to see Aarti, the good driver.

Amma, Nani, Mami, Mama, Gopi Kakka, Baba, the children, Arnav, Akash, NK, Anand, his mother, Buaji, his sisters and their families, Buaji, and Payal's parents watched as Khushi, Payal, and Anjali led Aarti down the steps. She looked like a princess. Her hair had grown to touch her shoulders, and fell in a straight, healthy, shiny cloud cupping her face, adding character and beauty to it.

Amma looked at her in wonder. How beautiful she was! More importantly, how good she was! How had she been fortunate enough to get such a wonderful daughter who was both son & daughter to her, who made up for every pain she had endured in the last 23 years...?

Nani, seeing Amma in tears, hugged her.

"Hai Re Nandkisore! How beautiful our Aarti Bitiyaa looks!", exclaimed Buaji.

Payal's Amma and Anand's relations who heard her nodded, smiling at the bride-to-be.

"Saasumma, look at Nk Bitwaa's phace (face)!", Mami nudged Nani.

Nani and the other guests looked at NK. He was staring at Aarti with his mouth open, his eyes like saucers.

All the ladies giggled.

"NK Bitwaa, close your mouthwaa! Naahin to housephly (housefly) will go inside it. We are vegetarian!", Mami teased him loudly.

All laughed. NK and Aarti blushed.

"What can I do, Maasi? Aarti looks so beautiful that I...", NK stammered.

Aarti lowered her head, trying to avoid the gaze of the guests. Her cheeks were pink.

Arnav whispered in Khushi's ear, "If this is the way NK is going to go on, he will waste his suhaag raat staring at his wife. I don't think he will be in a position to do anything else!"

Khushi choked back a laugh. She whispered, "Everyone can't be Arnav Singh Raizada!"

Arnav looked into her laughing, naughty eyes, both of them reliving their wedding night. Arnav breathed in the fragrance of the jasmine flowers in her hair, the flowers that he grew in his garden for her and gathered daily for her, the flowers that she strung together, sitting in their room while he watched her... He would never be able to breathe in the perfume of jasmine flowers without thinking of Khushi..He smiled at her loving eyes.It was easier to just admit that he would never be able to breathe without thinking of Khushi...

NK said, "Nannav, Akash, shall we start the function? Why waste time?"

All laughed.

"Hai Re Nandkisore, somebody is in a big hurry!", Buaji teased him. "Kyun, Nandkisore, are you catching a plane to Sydney after the sagai?"

"He is scared that Aarti Bitiyaa will fly off!", laughed Mamaji.

"NK Bhai, nobody is going to steal your Aarti away from you. Relax.", laughed Anjali.

"Let's give her the gifts to welcome her into the family, NK Bitwaa. Then you can put the ring on her finger.", Nani laughed.

"Sabar karo, Babua. Sabar ka phal meeta hota he!", laughed Shanti, Anand's mother.

"Phal? Fruit? I don't want any phal, Aunty! I will just have dinner with all of you.", poor NK said seriously.

All laughed. Aarti smiled seeing her Amma laugh.

"Kaisen Besabri he ye!", laughed Mami.

"And Betabi!", laughed Buaji.

"And Besharami!", teased Anjali.

"He is so Bekarar!", laughed Nani.

"I am not Bekar, Naniji.", NK said.

Akash leaned close to Arnav,

"Bhai, better finish off the shagun and sagai before Aarti decides to make a run for it!"

Arnav nodded, a smile playing on his lips. He looked at Baba and Mama who nodded. It was time.

Khushi, Anjali, Payal, Buaji, and Mami led Aarti to a flower-covered bower, the stage erected in the living room of RM. They seated her on one of the throne-like chairs placed there.

One after the other, the ladies applied a tikka to her and filled her lap with gifts. Khushi, Payal, and Anjali stood by her to stack the gaily wrapped gifts by her side so as to leave her lap and hands free to receive more gifts and blessings. The ladies kissed her forehead and pulled her cheeks, teasing her about NK's eagerness to be married to her.

Aarti just sat there, smiling, breathing deep, trying to get used to this huge and loud outpouring of love and good wishes, the laughter, the good-natured teasing'... She looked at her Sunflower. He was laughing at something Akash had said, but his eyes were on her. Her eyelashes fluttered as they tried to hide the feeling of vulnerability, the weakness in her limbs, the heightened heart rate that his look produced...everytime.

It was time for sagai.

Anand, Arnav, & Akash led NK to take the seat next to hers. Mamaji and Baba came to stand near them.

Amidst fervent prayers, Kamla tied a raksha dhaga on NK's wrist, and the couple exchanged rings.

Unused to wearing jewellery, Aarti had selected a slim platinum band with a small diamond as her engagement ring. NK, on the other hand, had selected a broad platinum band with a big diamond as his ring.

As she placed the ring on his finger, he whispered, "Good. I want the whole world to know that I am yours."

Aarti stared at him.

"You don't want to tell the world that I am yours?", she asked softly.

"No.", he smiled. "I know it. And you know it. That's enough."

Part 86: 72967329 Part 88: 73243071