A couple of hours later Nikhil stopped the music, and made an announcement, "Everyone, kindly leave Jiju's house, we'll see everyone tonight at the sangeet venue."
Raghav smiled at being addressed as Jiju, he had grown fond of Nikhil over the past two weeks, Nikhil was always thinking about Pallavi and had been immensely helpful in preparing for the wedding.
Pallavi was happy too, she knew that a wedding was always between two families, but seeing her two brothers, Nikhil and her own Dada so happy, was more than she could handle. She was lucky beyond her belief, she would have not one or two, but three families after tomorrow.
"Pallavi, coal, let's take off this henna, it looks like it has set," Amma came up to her, "and after that we have to get some food in you before you change for the sangeet."
Pallavi was alone in her bedroom, fixing the knot on her lehenga, she had decided she wouldn't wear red tomorrow, but wear it today instead. Though she had ended her enmity with the color, she wanted to walk to the mandap in this gorgeous white and pale pink sari that Amma had given to her as Pallavi was taking off her henna.
"The day my husband brought this saree home to me years ago, I remember Raghav running up to me and admiring it, he was so little at the time. He decided right then that this saree was for his future wife, because he wanted his wife to be as beautiful and happy as his Amma. So that was that, I didn't wear the saree, and saved it all these years. I have another saree that I had saved for that too, but then life left me with only one son so—" Amma trailed off, holding back tears
"Then that saree should stay with you, even though you don't have your other son with you, the thought of him happy one day with his wife might give you some peace." Pallavi said, placing a comforting hand on Amma's shoulder, "And I will proudly wear this saree tomorrow for the wedding."
"No, it's too simple, I just wanted to give you something to show you how much I appreciate you for changing Raghav's life, for mine and Keerthi's lives for the better."
"Amma, simple isn't always bad, in fact, sometimes the simpler something is, the more beautiful it is."
"But tomorrow I hope you're going to wear more jewelry than you are today, it is your wedding day after all." Amma added.
Pallavi laughed, "ok ok, I will."
Pallavi thought back to the conversation as she smiled at the white and pink sari hanging in her cabinet, she then hid it carefully, behind a few others, because this would be a nice little surprise for Raghav tomorrow.
As she continued to fiddle with her lehenga, two hands joined in to fix the knot.
"Raghav, tumhe kyun baar baar laat hai main apni kapade apne aap nahin samhal sakthi hun?"
"Tum aisi hi ho," Raghav smiled.
"Chodo, I can fix it myself." Pallavi moved away from him, but he pulled her closer.
"Arre, yeh toh romance kehte hain."
"Acchha, this is romance, that is news to me," Pallavi put his hand on his chest and pushed him back.
"Aur nahin toh kya, helping you, being close to you, showering you with gifts and love, what else is there?" Raghav said, taking her hand from his chest and holding it.
"Ok ok, we have our whole lives for you to lecture me about romance, abhi hum late ho rahe hain." Pallavi said.
"Tum gift par bhi wait nahin karogi?"
"What gift, Raghav?"
Then he took her left hand, and pulled out a diamond ring from his pocket and placed it on her finger, she gasped.
"Raghav, there was no need for this, why did—"
"We didn't have a sagayi, and after tomorrow, I expect to see you at Jayathi Jewels first thing Monday, because if you don't buy a ring for me, how will the world know I'm a taken man?"
Pallavi smiled, "I don't think you need a ring, people will hear your terrible dialogues and immediately realize you're head over heels for some beautiful woman." She laughed and admired the ring, it was simple, just how she thought every ring should be. The diamond was small, maybe 1 or half a carat and the band was silver.
"Does it fit okay, I tried to get your ring size a couple nights ago with some floss, but I don't know if—" He took her hand and was about to see her palm when she pulled it back.
"It fits perfectly, but don't look at my hand now, this hand has your name on it hidden in henna, and you're only allowed to try — and fail — to find it after tomorrow."
"First, I don't fail at anything Pals Baby."
Pallavi laughed hard at him calling her that.
"Second thing, if I show you my shogun ki mehndi does that mean we don't have to wait until tomorrow?" Raghav grinned, showing her his left hand, in small Telugu lettering, Pallavi could see her name clearly, the henna stained dark on his hand.
"Fine, maybe you understand a little about romance, but now...we have to leave!" and Pallavi giggled and backed out of the room.
