Hey guys, this is my first time writing here. Hope you will enjoy this piece
Part 1-
He could not help the smile anymore.
He had his fists tightly clenched under the table and eyes closed out of fear- fear that the hope he was holding in his fist would slip past. It was only when his table came alive with cheers, did he register the name that was announced. His eyes flew open and he stood up in confused awe,his mind barely keeping up with the patting on his back. Still in half denial,his gaze flickered towards the left of his table and found her eyes, shining,with happiness.
He could not help the smile anymore.
“Ms Preeti, and Mr. Keertan Tibrewala have won the Rajastan Influencer of the year award, owing to the astounding success of their wedding planning firm, Shaadi Mubarak! A huge round of applause for our stars!” Mr.Raunak shouted. He was one of the jury members, and a stalwart in the business industry, his publishing firm acclaimed all over India.
KT smiled widely as his mother hugged him while his father smiled proudly. He had done it. No. His eyes found her again, embracing Kusum who was probably way happier for her saheli. Yes, they had done it.
Moving around the table, he walked towards her and signaled towards the stage. Nodding, with the brightest smile he had ever seen, they walked towards the stage, side by side.
“Congratulations, Ms. Preeti and Mr. Keertan”, Smiling they accepted the trophy and the cheque, and faced the camera, their head held high.
“I happen to have another surprise for our influencers”, Mr.Raunak announced as he went up to the podium. “My enterprise, SteelWills will be investing in Shaadi Mubarak. And I’m doing this not because they won this award, no, I first hand witnessed the work ethics these two displayed when I attended a wedding they had planned. It wasn’t brilliant, no, it felt simply so intimate that I couldn’t help but think this is what our Indian weddings should be like. So, congratulations once again!”
After exchanging greetings as Raunak took off stage, KT was handed over the mike. He glanced around the hall and felt respected, real respected. Felt good.
“A star of the bygone years whose brightness had fizzled out in this age of talents, is what I was called- He smiled as Preeti lightly touched his shoulder in a gesture of understanding, “I never had much motivation following the fallout in my personal life. I smiled every day, to hide the failure I felt inside of me and yet couldn’t do a thing about. But then something pricked-
He paused passing a meaningful glance in Preeti’s direction who just rolled her eyes. KT chuckled, “It had started off as something along the lines of Strike while the iron is hot, my chachu wanted me to work not because they were ashamed, but because they wanted me to live again. And Damn,I rose to the challenge!”
His voice picked up fervor as he took a step forward. “I am what I am today, because of my family who have always supported me. But I am where I am today because of someone who rejected me, brutally-none other than my partner- Preeti ji!”
Preeti groaned as KT turned to face her. He seriously was a petty man!
“I may have had boasted of business skills, but she had magic in her thoughts. I realized it, and then it took a lot of coaxing and pleading to make me her business partner. A work that had started off as a means to earn myself back, became my happiness. Shaadi Mubarak is not a business for me, us, it’s the light that brightened both of our lives, to the bestest we had ever wanted it to be. Thank you!”
A thunderous applause rose, as KT stepped back and handed over the mike to Preeti.
“How can I- Preeti mumbled, her smile fading into worry lines. At this, KT glared at her,his fingers tightened around her fingers, which he had forcefully wrapped around the mike. “No excuses, Preeti ji. This limelight is yours, so you’d better steal it”. He winked and pulling his hands back, got off the stage.
Descending the two steps, KT went up to his family and looked eagerly towards the stage.
Preeti gulped, her fingers by reflex rising to wipe the sweat off her forehead. KT sighed shaking his head.
“Inki aadat kabhi nhi jayegi”
And then as she put the mike closer to her lips, her lips pressed into a thin line and her eyes widened. KT sighed again, “She froze again. Even after the countless nights we have practiced her social skills!”
“Countless nights?!” His mother asked suddenly, her eyes filling with suspicion.
KT cried, low key scolding himself for sighing so damn loudly when his entire nosy family was right here. “Maaa….it’s an expression!Now, please focus”
Preeti looked over at the table where her family was sitting- Her daughter urging her to speak, her son-in-law and his sisters clapping fervently while Kusum ji- simply flapped her lips up and down-threatening her to speak. Preeti smiled right then and her shoulders loosened.Her eyes then moved to his table, out of sheer reflex of relying on him for motivation. She could read his lips mouthing off one of his famous movie lines,his way of exasperating and motivating her. At that moment, she just remembered one thing he had said- sochna mat, muh ke sath bas dil aur khol dena.
Kusum snuck a secretive glance as she followed her saheli’s eyes, keeping contact with KT’s. “Raam ji ki ghodi, inn dono ko akal do thodi, kab band hogi ye aankh micholi!”
And she started,“We, the women, live in a world where everything is our responsibility. You cannot even live for yourself properly.And even if you live for others, it has no value. Our sacrifice is downright insulted as a necessity. I never paid it much mind though, since childhood Ihad been fed with these very notions. Heart wants what it wants as what they say today, my heart though- I couldn’t hear it in the silences of my dreams that were never allowed to breathe. But my dead dreams rose to life one day.Everything just clicked”, Preeti smiled, “17 months back, when we started Shaadi Mubarak, I would’ve never expected to make it so high. I had just wanted self-respected, but with it I learned the art of living, and fighting. Every wedding we planned wasn’t any less of a battle, and yet we triumphed because I had people who cared, employees who fell nothing short of family and clients who were full of understanding”. A round of applause followed.
Preeti paused, there were things to be said but she didn’t want to. She got off the stage and was surrounded by reporters.
“Miss Preeti, initially Shaadi Mubarak didn’t have much task force…how did you manage the weddings then?”
“That’s true, but we never fell short of hands either. As I had mentioned earlier, like any other startup, we started off on a rocky patch-even if we had funds and clientele, thanks to KT ji, it was difficult to rope in people. My family helped a lot. Kusum ji, and our children were always ready to lend a hand. Actually, some 4 months into the starting, the wedding we organized was aided by the bride and groom themselves. Those children bore the responsibilities of their marriage just because they wanted their families to enjoy. It was truly a joyous occasion. They helped us make everything sail smooth, and we persevered to make everything grand”.
“Can you tell us about your own children?”
Preeti was about to speak up when she was interrupted.
“Maa-
“Mummy ji!”
Juhi’s smile vanished as she saw her scoundrel brother and his scheming wife approach, like two starving hyenas. Kusum rolled her eyes,wondering why their faces hadn’t split apart from that excessive smiling.
Media turned towards Tarun and Rati. “Oh, are they your children?”
Rati smiled, “Yes, I am her most adored bahu and he is her lovely son”
Juhi felt irritation prick her tips and took a step forward,“Inki toh main-
“Nhi, Juhi”, KT stopped her in time, his fingers tapping her fist.
“Par ye dono- Juhi trailed, disgust marring her beautiful features.
“Raam ji ki ghodi, izzat chali gayi par inn dono ne paise ki chahhat na chodi”, Kusum shook her head.
“Your mother is not the old Preeti, Juhi. Na hi vo bechari hai aur na hi abla. Today, not only her spirit but even her words have power.Let her triumph on her own today. I believe, that aaj Preeti ki talwar zaroor chalegi”
At that Juhi looked at him weirdly as he just shrugged, “Firsthand experience hai mujhe. We had done quite a bit of sparring”.
“Main kahan thi tab?” Kusum asked out of the blue.
“Apne ghar par”
“Aur meri beti?”
“Vo bhi aapke sath thi”
“Par KT sa, vo toh aapke yaha kaam kare hai”
“Haa toh vo kaam par thi”
“Toh thhe dono kaha par thhe?”
“Hum dono wo ma—
KT paused, his eyes widening to saucers. What a frightening lady! He had almost slipped!
“Kai, KT sa?” Kusum asked, her eyes drilling him with suspicion.
“Kuch nhi, Kusum ji. Aap wahan dhyaan dijiye na”.
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