Her head lay on her folded knees. And then, the tears came. One after the other, like an avalanche. She was yet again proven that she was not worth anything. How had her life come down this? She did not know. She should have been in London, with her...
The next morning came earlier than Naina wanted it to. She quickly got up and got ready, wearing the lehenga she had previously decided on. She kept her hands and legs void of any jewelry because she would anyhow have to remove them while getting henna done on her hands and legs.
She opted for a dewy makeup look, just applying some blush, kohl, and nude lipstick. Leaving her hair as they were because they were still wet, she went into the dining hall where breakfast was being served.
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She ate an aloo paratha and some upma just to be on the safe side. Who is going to feed her when she'll have mehendi on her hands? Not her family, that's for sure. Better eat a little extra right now and starve later. She even drank a glass of water and orange juice. Now all she had to do was wait for the artists and her bladder to fill so she could pee easily before her mehendi started.
"Naina, beta!", Sonali called her.
"Ji, Rani sa", Naina went to her mother-in-law.
"Call me mom or maa sa, okay? And take this, give this to mehendiwali to mix it in the paste, the color will be darker. And call me before you get started. The mother-in-law is supposed to start the designs. Hmm, and you look very beautiful, bacha", Sonali places a black dot from her kohl behind Naina's ear.
"Thank you, mom", Naina whispered, her cheeks turning a shade of red.
After using the washroom, when Naina was washing her hand, Charu Lata entered the washroom, giggling slightly.
She became alarmed on seeing Naina and covered her neck with her hand. Too bad, Naina had already seen the hickey. She wondered if it was given by Veer or the father of her baby, or were they both the same person.
"Uh- uhm, mom is looking for you", Charu Lata informed.
"Sure", Naina rolled her eyes and went away.
"Ji, Rani sa", Naina went to her mother.
"The mehendi artists have been waiting for you. Where were you gone? Do you think---", Naina rolled her eyes and went away without even hearing what her mother was saying. She wasn't even gone for like five minutes.
"Mom, let's go. The mehendi artists have arrived", Naina held Sonali's hand and took her to gaddi where she was supposed to sit.
Naina sat down and forwarded her hand to her new mother, excited to get her hands painted. Oh no, it was not the excitement to get married, it was the excitement to get the love of a mother, something she had been denied all her life.
"Oops, wait, I forgot to tie up my hair, I'll just be back", Naina stood up sheepishly when the gentle breeze blew her hair in all directions.
"No, no. you sit here. Let's start and then I will get something to tie your hair, okay. Give me your hand now", Sonali lovingly said.
