SS-Love in Delhi University#3: EPILOGUE-Pg77 - Page 34

The Gupta House was alive with life as their daughters were getting married today. The entire neighbourhood had joined in and helped the family members out while the two sisters got ready for the evening. Sisters as they were, they couldn't help put poke into each other's business. "Ap ye haar mat pehnaiye! Ye wali pehnaiye!" (Don't make Khushi wear that necklace. Here, take this) urged Payal gently from her table to Khushi's beautician and in this case, Khushi was no less. "Jiji! Apka lipstick bohot dark ho gaya hai! Theek se lagaiye!" (Jiji! Your lipsticks too dark! Set it right) she ordered lovingly.

As the two squabbled over each other, they missed Buaji secretly shedding tears of as she stood, leaning by the doorframe. She wiped them away when Garima came stood placed a palm on her shoulder, making Buaji turn to face her. "Kaun kahega humari Payaliya and Titaliya inti badi ho gayi hai ki aj unki shaadi hain?" (Our daughters have grown up so quickly, it hard to believe that they're getting married today) whimpered Buaji and the two ladies embraced each other in happy sadness.

As for the grooms, they were in Akash's room, dressed in majestic sherwanis but discussing business until Navika popped in. "Seriously?" she asked, slightly exasperated and took away the files in their hands. She looked at her two sons adoringly; they were dressed like a Prince. Arnav was in a matte golden sherwani which had little but intricate golden embroidery done around the corners while Akash was in a maroon sherwani with golden embroidery done around the neck. Sighing with satisfaction, Navika went up to the cupboard and took out two turbans: one maroon and one golden.

Walking back, she gently placed the golden turban on Akash's head and the maroon one on Arnav's head as the boys bent down and lowered their heads so that their mother can bless them for the evening. Soon, it was time for them to leave. As Navika did her aarti at the main doorway, Arnav remembered his mother and thanked her for sending Navika in his life. Arnav's Nani kissed their foreheads before they left in two sophisticated sedans to get their brides for good.

They were greeted in the customary way by their mother in law and they noticed that the decoration was splendid. As they walked in, they saw two mandaps in two sides of the room; one decorated with swirls of red roses and the other by thousand small and lit yellow fairy lights. Instructions weren't needed as Akash headed for the rose-d mandap as it was Payal's favourite flower and Anav knew Khushi's fancy for fairy lights. As they were seated, they impatiently waited and looked around for their respective brides.

Luckily the wait wasn't long before the ladies made their appearance. Akash smiled gently and Arnav sucked in his breath. The brides made their way downstairs surrounded by innumerable giggling girls; Lavanya being the one supporting Khushi and Buaji being the one the one holding Payal.

Their beauty was unsurpassable. Payal was dressed in a lighter shade of red banarasi saree and with golden embroidery with red odni on her head. Her jewellery was bit heavy but that made her look like a lady she always was. The shade of the red brought out the feistiness in beauty. Akash just smiled as he drunk in her beauty and her large kohl laden eyes.

Arnav, in the other mandap, couldn't take his eyes off her. Dressed in golden lehenga with hints of pink and green, made her look nothing less than a princess. Her jewellery was simple but imtricate and golden odhi adorned her head and her lehenga complimented her pretty hazel eyes. She blushed on seeing Arnav staring at her so blatantly and looked away but Arnav was in no mood to do so. His eyes followed her till she was finally seated by his side.

The ceremony was short and simple and didn't last more than an hour. The two couples more than happily did their doings; jaimala, the manglasutra, their pheres, the sindoor. As Akash and Payal did all of it serenely, Arnav and Khushi retained their usual habits, whispering into each other's ears and it wasn't too long before it was time was bidai(Farewell). As the two daughters threw back rice over their head and into their mother's pallu, Buaji wiped her tears away and Shashi just let it go. It was time for goodbye now. The newlywed couples touched their elder's feet before turning away to start a life of their own.

Khushi suppressed her tears and it didn't go unnoticed by Arnav. He pressed her palms reassuring and the two shared a secret smile. "It's time to come home" he whispered in her ears amongst all the frenzy crowd. The paparazzi was crazy but none of them existed for the couple as they got into their own decorated sedans and drove off in two different directions.

Arnav drove his black Mercedes and Khushi was by his side, looking out of the window but their hands were twined together. As they took a new turn, Khushi turned her head towards Arnav and saw him give his half a smile. "I said we're going home" he said casually.

Their car pulled over at the driveway of Shantivan and Khushi's eyes welled up. It was quiet all around as the media had no idea that they were coming back here. The mansion was decorated with fairy light and flowers, almost like the dream Khushi once had and told Arnav about. Arnav got out and opened the door at Khushi's side and led her out gently, making sure of the lehenga. "Apko yaad tha?" (You remembered?) she barely whispered and got barealy a 'hmm' as reply. He guided her way up into the mansion. As a pleasant surprise, she saw Nani by the door, waiting to welcome her. Helped by the old butler, HP, she performed all the rituals done to welcome the bride. Khushi toppled the kalash full of rice with her right foot and dipped her feet in a tray of red water and marked her entrance and it wasn't before long when Arnav lifted her up bridal style and walked up to his room to start a life that they had been patiently waiting for so long.

"Kisi ki nazar na lag jaye" whispered Nani as she watched the retreating figures and softly wiped the lone tear away from the corner of her eyes.

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Epilogue: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/76031699

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