Shaadi Mubarak!

Chapter 6

“Ma… I wanted to talk to you about something.” 

The mother smiles at the daughter. “Come, let’s talk.”

*

Shaurya whistles joyfully as he gets ready, putting on a sky-blue dress shirt, a pair of black pants, his shoes, his watch, and the necessary pair of Ray bans that he had splurged on not too long ago for an occasion he had only dreamt of.

A date. 

A date with Rati. 

He quickly rolls up the sleeves to his shirt. Oh yes, he too has seen those k drama men do that, whilst their female counterpart’s swoon. Well, he does not have that high of an expectation, but he does want to look good in front of his future wife. 

The two of them had been talking yesterday and Shaurya couldn’t help but ask why her voice was sounding so low. 

Rati had told him that the workload had been too much recently, her insufferable boss had yet again gone on another vacation leaving “me to rearrange all the appointments. I was unable to reach out to few of them, especially the company that…” she had paused and then with a slight gasp had said, “Shaurya… you - you must be getting bored, I am sorry –”

Shaurya had bit back a smile at the sheer cuteness and had gently chided her at the unnecessary apology while assuring her that nothing that comes out of her mouth could ever bore him. The girl had stuttered out the next few sentences. 

Though after hearing her plight, an idea had started forming inside his head. 

One thing Shaurya loved about his job, especially the university that he had been teaching at, was the ‘no disturbance on the weekends’ policy. He didn’t know the students, and they didn’t know him. Their test was due on Monday, one which he had already set up. And now he was free. Free to tend to his Rati. And fortunately, the latter was also free on the weekend.

To be honest, this idea had already formed its roots after that night, the night when Rati had confronted him, was afraid that he’ll leave her; the night he had given her his ring and she had just cradled it gently, content. 

The moment he had gone back, he had decided to make Rati as happy as she had made him. It had already been a month to that.

He had decided that he would take her on a date. Their very first date. His very first date. 

Well, only if she would agree. 

“Rati?”

“Hmm…”

“I want to walk around the city holding your hand.”

The girl had spluttered. “Sh-Shaurya!” The boy had laughed. 

“I was just telling my true intention, anywayyyys, even if I don’t hold your hand, I want to walk around with you.” He had taken a breath of courage. “Will you… go on a date with me?” 

The girl had taken a few seconds to answer and then had let out a breathy, “yeah, I would like that.”

And here he was getting ready to go on the same date, ready to woo the love of his life.

If only the time would move faster. 

Cut to present. Ha!

The soon to be engaged couple walk side by side on the pavement, talking to each other, their hands brushing against the other’s slightly preventing them from looking each other in the eyes. 

Rati couldn’t believe it. She was on a date. She never thought there was any space for dates in an arranged marriage. But she should have known better. Shaurya wasn’t like anyone she had met before. 

She looks at the said man, who is talking animatedly, all with hand gestures and top-notch expressions on his face. 

Currently it’s a pout. He seems to be whining about how some students hate him for stopping them from talking in class, “I mean I know it’s university and not school but sometimes their murmuring just makes me lose my train of thought. God, I hated when teachers said that in school, but it’s only now that I get it.”

But Rati doesn’t. 

She is sure that no one his class actually hates him, it is impossible to do so. 

“Do any one of them have crushes on you?” she asks suddenly, a teasing smile on her face that successfully puts a full stop on Shaurya doubting his abilities as a teacher. 

Though what Rati doesn’t expect is Shaurya to blush, instantly averting his gaze to the ground, clearing his throat. 

It makes Rati gasp. “They really do? How many?” she asks, partly curious and partly… well not exactly jealous but – 

Shaurya clears his throat, shaking his head. “It’s not – it’s not like that. They are… uh, they are definitely not…. Crushes.” He says, his hand reaching out to adjust his collar. And that’s when Rati’s gaze falls on his bare forearms. 

Until date Rati hadn’t ever understood the hype on social media when men rolled up their sleeves but at this moment, she gets it, she gets it and quickly averts her gaze. 

She just hopes he doesn’t go like that to teach. 

A sudden laugh breaks through the atmosphere, instantly seeking her attention. Rati looks at the man in question. 

“Don’t worry, I can promise you that this dress up was specifically for our date, I’m covered head to toe while going to the university.” He laughs again while Rati is left to gape, embarrassed to have been heard. 

“Also, about those crushes…” Shaurya looks at her and gives her a gentle smile. 

“It’s honestly nothing. It’s just a phase for those kids and as for me…” he fishes out his phone from his pocket and unlocks it.”

Rati lets out a not so discreet gasp. 

“They have seen it multiple times.” He says, showing her the wallpaper of his phone. It’s her photo. 

“They know that I am committed.” Shaurya smiles, though it deters slightly seeing her dumbfounded reaction. “B-But you don’t have to worry. I’ll remove it if you want. It was… it was partly to make those kids stay away from me. Though partly it was…” he sighs, turning face away. “Partly it was because I can’t quite get enough of you.” He says, quietly. 

Now Rati would have teased him, would have laughed, and would done all of that if only it was the ‘normal’ her. After seeing the picture and hearing the answer, she definitely doesn’t resemble the normal Rati of two minutes ago because now her face is burning, and her shoes look particularly interesting considering that her gaze is stuck on them. 

Remove it? Like hell he would.

It’s ok for those kids to know. It’s ok for her to know, to know how this man feels about her. She is never going to say anything bad about her destiny after this. God has really given her a full package.

“Should I?” Shaurya asks then, in a low voice seeming afraid that she would actually tell him to remove it. 

It makes Rati smile. 

Instead of answering him verbally, with a courageous inhale, she slides her hand in his, intertwining her fingers with his. Shaurya takes a few seconds to curl his fingers around hers, his finger lingering on his ring adorning her thumb.

Rati can’t even question him about it after hearing his stuttered exhale and seeing his red cheeks. 

She knows that he has got his answer.