Royally yours

23. A function

Daksh

We walked out of her house. I know she was trying to avoid elders and I am unsure about us. So, when Pallavi Aunty asked her to take us along I didn't react. But, my sisters dragged me out. We reached our cars.

"Bhabi you come with Bhayya na. We all will go together!" Akshaya chirped and sat in Akash's car without giving any of us any time to respond. 

"They don't know the route too! Go Chaitra help Daksh. Hithen will go with Abhishek and others." Bindu bhabi said smiling at us.

"We are taking three cars?" Chaitra asked looking at all of us. 

"Do you think 14 of us will fit in 2 cars?" Hithen asked in a mocking tone at which she just glared and came toward me.

"Shall we?" She asked and sat in the passenger seat. I took the driver's seat. Nithi di and Rohan are coming with us. Akash bhai, Dev bhai, Bindu, Akansha, and Akshaya took one car, and Abhi, Ronak, Rakshith, Maitri, and Hithen took the other car. 

"Chaitra! Why are you looking tense?" Nithi di asked which gained my attention. I looked at her and she is fidgeting with her fingers.

"Those idiots will roast me like chicken when they come to know I am going to get married and will tease me a lot if they know Mr. Chauhan is there with me." She blabbered and covered her mouth immediately when she understood what she said.

"Is the bride your friend?" Rohan asked trying to lighten up the mood.

"Yes, she was my schoolmate. Akash annayya, Dev Bhai, and her brother are best friends. I, Hithen, and she are close friends. Their grandmother and nanamma are best friends." She said looking out of the window.

"Why are you addressing some people with Northern relations and some with Southern Telugu relations?" Nithi di asked.

"Because my mumma is from Rajasthan and Dad is from here. I and Annayya address mumma's relatives with north side names and dad's side relatives with the names used here." So, she is a half-Rajasthani.

"Did Aunty and Uncle have a love marriage?" Rohan butted in. 

"No, Dad and Maamu were friends from IIT. After that, they started this business together and my grandparents got them married as they found them compatible. Actually, my mumma is on cloud nine after your proposal came." She said gesturing me to take my left.

"Why?" I asked out of curiosity. 

"Because you are a north Indian, on top of that a Rajasthani. My mom always wanted one of her children to get married to a north Indian if not Rajastani and my father always wished for one of us to marry a south Indian. So, my dad was very happy when Annayya said he loves Bindu vadina and Mom is happy with me getting married to you." By the time she completed, we reached there and Rohan and Nithi di got down. She stayed in the car and I drove to the parking lot.

"You can just introduce me as some relative if you are scared of getting teased," I said assuring her. She smiled at me and we both walked in.

We saw all our cousins and a few other people chatting.

"Hi, Chaithu!" A girl came and hugged her. They smiled at each other and she noticed me. 

"He is?" She asked looking at me. 

"My Bava!" Chaitra introduced. I figured it out it's some relationship. But what?

"I thought Hithen is your only Bava!" She said eyeing both of us suspiciously. I saw her family smiling at her. Hithen has a teasing smile on his face. Isn't Hithen her cousin? Don't tell me she made me her brother. By relation I didn't mean brother, Damn it!

"He is a distant one. Where is the bride btw?" She changed the topic and walked away leaving me in confusion. 

After some time they all came back with the bride and applied Haldi on her face. It soon turned into a funny fight where everyone applied Haldi on each other. Chaitra came and stood behind me after smearing Haldi all over her friend's face. 

Her friends attacked from all sides and applied Haldi all over her face. She looked at me with narrowed eyes for not saving her. I passed her a handkerchief which she pulled out of my hold and wiped her face. Her face is still yellow.

After some time we bid bye and drove back to her home. 

"Chaithu! Why are you looking like a duck? Haldi Teri hui this kya?"(Was it your Haldi function?) Her mom yelled as soon as we entered. 

"Nanna! Mee dharma patni ni aravoddani cheppandi. Nenu already chiraku lo unna!"( Dad, ask your traditionally wedded wife not to shout. I am already irritated.) She said to her dad. Her family bust out laughing and I didn't understand a word she said except already.

"Why are you covered in Haldi Chaihtu?" Uncle asked her and she explained everything that happened.

"Go and take a shower beta." Mom said and she went away after replying to her with an okay.

We left for our hotel as it was already evening. I had to attend a conference so, I freshened up and joined the conference. It went on for 2 hours and I then instructed my PA about the things he need to look into in my absence. 

I got a message from Nithi Di to come to her room. I went there to see everyone else was already there.

"Di! You asked for me?" I shot a question as soon as I entered. I sat on the couch beside Naksh.

"Yes! We want to go shopping!" She exclaimed. These people will never leave a chance to go shopping.

"You don't need my permission to go shopping," I said shrugging my shoulders.

"We certainly do not require your permission. But your cards!" She shot back.

"Anything that makes you leave me alone!"I said, handed over my card to them, and returned to my room. She must be getting ready to attend her friends' mehandi now. It made me think about the introduction she gave to her friend. What did she introduce me as? Whom should I ask? My cousins doesn't know her language and I am not that close to her cousins. Let me just google it.

I opened Google and typed it. It showed 'sisters' husband'. What the bloody hell? How can she introduce me as her sisters' husband? I am going to be her husband. I will not accept any other woman as my wife except her even if it's for fun or anything else. My anger took over my senses and I tried to call her. But she didn't pick up. I was about to drive there but my phone went off. 

It was the branch manager of the Hyderabad branch. He said my presence is required at the office. So, I went there. But I am not going to leave this matter. I will deal with it tomorrow.