Arranged Love (Rewriting)

01| The Wedding

Nandini

A red bindi adorned the center of her forehead and red lip shade painted her lips while her eyes were lined with kohl. The tinkling of her bangles and anklets filled the heavy silence as the beautician arranged the red veil on her head before leaving her alone.

The eyes always speak the words our mouth can't and as she stared at herself, decked up in the red bridal lehenga and heavy jewellery, hers reflected the dread of what the future held for her, ironic to the happiness portrayed by the loud bass of dhol as the baraat approached the venue.

As she sat on the bed, she picked up the photograph of her parents, smiling at each other as her father's arm wrapped around his wife's shoulder. Nandini stared at her father, her eyes burning with unshed tears, her memories blurred but beautiful, has she lost him due to a heart attack when she was twelve. But, she knew he was an amazing person, inside out due to a few stories that her mother sometimes mentioned, the heartache too strong to even remember her deceased husband, or told how Nandini was an exact replica of her father in behaviour. Caring, kind and happy with life. She wondered how it would have felt if her father was beside her today.

As she was busy imagining a world far away from reality, she was snapped out of it and pulled back to reality a few minutes later when the door opened and her cousins entered before one of them, Rishika teased, "Arey Sanu tu kitni sundar lag rahi hain. Jiju ki toh aaj lottery khul gayi."

Nandini forced herself to smile as giggles and laughter erupted around before they were ushered out of the room by her mother. Her mother blinked her eyes, to keep her tears at bay as she brought a gold necklace and locked it over Nandini's neck.

"This was given to me by your grandmother on my wedding day," she whispered with a smile and Nandini reciprocated, although with a faint one. A knock resonated through the silent room before her cousin poked her head in and informed them that Nandini needed to be brought down in five minutes. Nandini stared at her mother as she took a seat at the edge of the bed.

Savitri engulfed her daughter tightly, savouring the feeling of her baby in her arms, as she said,"Know that you're never alone. I'm just a phone call away, anytime and your Baba, even though he isn't present here, he is always looking over you, and now, by God's grace, you will have Manik too.

Always remember that in a marriage, trust and communication are really important. Sometimes hurting a person with truth is much better than giving them hope with lies and secrets. Although, I know that you will never hurt a person intentionally, but sometimes misunderstandings happen. Don't get angry and instead of yelling things that you don't mean after you calm down talk to him with a rational mind. He has his whole family's responsibilities on his shoulders, care for him and don't stress him with unnecessary household problems. Deal with them on your own. It can really strengthen your relationship. Yeah?"

When Savitri felt her daughter nodding, she kissed her daughter's forehead, blinking her eyes to keep her emotions in check before she stepped back from the embrace, knowing it was time to let her go.

*****

Four of her cousin brothers came, holding an elegant chaadar, made of delicate tuberoses woven together in an intricate pattern, over her head.

A wedding song echoed in the wedding hall as she entered and was blinded by the lights of the camera, recording these moments to be reminisced in the future.

Slowly she was led towards the stage, where Manik was waiting for her and stretched his hand to help her upstairs. Her heart pounded as her eyes met his and as her hand was handed over to him, she handed over her life to fate. His fingers wrapped around her frail hand and he carefully led her to the stage amidst the hooting and teasing.