Forever Yours

Chapter Seven

When Shehnaaz woke up from her beauty sleep, the Shukla household was in chaos. Siddharth was busy on his phone, frantically answering questions, sitting on the dining chair. Preeti, Neetu, Samyukta and their mother sat on the couch, gushing over something on the screen of Samyukta’s MacBook.   

"Uh.. good.." Shehnaaz checked the time on the wall-clock "Good afternoon everyone. What's going on?"  

"Shehnaaz.. uth gayi gudiya?" Rita Shukla tore her gaze away from the computer screen. "Theek se soyi na bacche?"  

Shehnaaz nodded. "Haanji Ma. Bohot acche se soyi. Yeh.. kya ho raha hai?" She asked, gesturing the hall buzzing with activity.  

Rita-ji smiled. "Abhi pata lag jayega, but before that, baith yahaan. Naashta kar sabse pehle!"  

Shehnaaz allowed herself to be dragged towards the dining table. Siddharth smiled at her and wrapped the call up.  

"You didn't have to do that!" Shehnaaz said quietly.  

"You'd do the same for me." Siddharth shrugged. "Good morning." 

"It's afternoon." Shehnaaz smiled nervously.  

"I woke up some twenty minutes ago. Chalta hai baby." Siddharth said softly, pushing a plate of Aloo-Parathas in front of her.  

"Mujhe laga tha Maa ka special birthday breakfast bana hoga aaj!" Shehnaaz exclaimed, frowning.  

Siddharth shrugged. "I didn't want a birthday breakfast."  

"Bullshit. You were looking forward to it all week." Shehnaaz retorted politely. 

Siddharth sighed. "Well I knew you hate sugar first thing in the morning, didn't want you to.. you know, have to eat that." 

"It's your birthday."  

"Sweetheart, You made it plenty special last night." Siddharth cupped her face gently. "I'll have pancakes some other time."  

Shehnaaz pouted. Siddharth kissed her nose. "Paratha thanda ho raha hai Naaz."  

Siddharth tore a piece of paratha and fed it to her.  

"I know agar tere bas mein hota, toh tu kabhi khud ko mujhse upar nahi rakhti, so I have to take care of you, right?" Siddharth explained softly. 

Shehnaaz smiled. "I guess."  

Siddharth continued to feed her the breakfast in silence for the next few minutes as Shehnaaz stared at him, admiring him for the gentleman that he was.  

Right after they were done with breakfast, Siddharth dragged her back to his room and into the spacious balcony area adjoining it while Shehnaaz followed clueless and ready with a thousand questions.  

"Arrey shaant ho ja Superstar! Tujhe balcony se neeche phenkne ka plan nahi hai. Tera murder karne ke bhot tareeqey hai mere paas but tere liye murderous instict aane se pehle tera meri biwi hona zaroori hai!" Siddharth said teasingly. 

"Aap mujhe bata do na kya hua hai?" Shehnaaz asked him, looking at him innocently. 

Siddharth made her sit on the balcony seat, dropped a soft kiss on the top of her head and told her about his family's (mad if you ask me. You can still say no to. It's going to be a special day for you too.) plan about getting the two of them engaged that day itself.  

Shehnaaz laughed softly. "We have a crazy family."  

"We do." Siddharth agreed 

"Engagement.. Its not exactly a surprise to me that this came up. I mean, it's supposed to happen at some point anyway." Shehnaaz said.  

Siddharth nodded. 

"Mom wanted to do it in the orphanage, with the family, orphanage kids and Digwijay uncle. I wanted a private ceremony, so I limited the no of people invited." He confessed. 

"Yeah, sure. I think immediate family should be there and we can release pictures from the ceremony later this week." Shehnaaz agreed.  

"Yes. Thank god! That's exactly what I was thinking."  

"We're going to be the power couple in no time!" Shehnaaz exclaimed.  

"You bet."  

*** 

A few hours later, Shehnaaz was sitting in front of the mirror while Maahi and Preeti Di did her hair and make-up respectively.  

Siddharth had called Maahi and Jay the second he had said yes for the engagement to happen that day. In the last few weeks that they had spent together, Siddharth had heard just as much about Maahi Di and Jay from Shehnaaz as he had about his own mother and inviting them over for the engagement felt like giving her the chance to have a part of her family there.  

Shehnaaz had squealed like a child on seeing them at the Shukla's doorstep and crushed Jay into the tightest hug possible.  

"Congratulations. Finally yeh most eligible bachelor tera forever together bann raha hai!"  

Shehnaaz had blushed and Siddharth rolled his eyes. Jay poked his shoulder playfully. "Congratulations Shukla-ji."  

Siddharth nodded and was pulled into a hug by his friend.  

Maahi had by then hugged all the Shukla ladies and led Shehnaaz into the guest bedroom so she could show Shehnaaz the outfit that she had picked out for her engagement ceremony.  

The day was turning out to be straight out of a dream and Shehnaaz couldn't help but dread it ending halfway. 

Maahi saw her troubled expression and sighed. "Nervous?" She asked putting the last pin through her braided-bun.  

"It's like a dream. Everything is.." 

"Happened to me too.." she told Shehnaaz. "Trust me, it's not."  

"How did I ever get so lucky Maahi Di?" Shehnaaz asked innocently. "What have I ever done to deserve a life and a family so amazing, loving..?"  

"I'm sure you must've done something." Preeti said, setting the pallu of Shehnaaz's saree and pinning it up. "But more than you, I think we've been blessed to have you as a part of our family."  

Shehnaaz smiled.  

Maahi kissed her forehead. "Chal, we're getting late. Gaadi aa gayi hogi."  

Preeti stopped her. "Ruk ja ek minute."  

Maahi frowned. "Kya hua Di?" 

Preeti cupped her face, "Itni pyaari lag rahi hai, koi nazar laga dega hamari bacchi ko. Kaala teeka lagane de." She said softly and took the kaajal pencil, painting a little black spot on the back of her ear. 

"Perfect!" Maahi exclaimed. 

Ya. Apparently I ended up writing a filler chapter.

Hope you enjoy this one!

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