Destiny or Accident?

Episode: 10 || A beautiful lie

" I feel like 
I'm always catching a train
and
i never quite make it"

Advika was having the time of her life. Any initial reluctance she had about attending Gauri's engagement had completely vanished. The evening had transformed from a potential battlefield of invasive questions and judgy relatives into a relaxed and nostalgic affair. Reconnecting with old colleagues—partners from missions—was like finding an old favorite action film on TV and realizing it's just as thrilling as she remembered.

The highlight of the night? Not a single nosy auntie had yet zeroed in on her personal life. It was like she'd dodged a bullet in slow motion. Sure, she could have fired back with some sharp retorts, but she knew that would only turn the spotlight onto Gauri and her fiancé, Om, which wasn't exactly what they needed.

As Advika laughed with Gauri, Arunima, and Soni, sharing cringe-worthy mission stories, she couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and nostalgia. Her friends, still bright-eyed rookies under five years in the field, regaled their tales like kindergarten nap-time stories compared to her seasoned war stories from when she was just sixteen.

Their animated chat came to an abrupt halt when Rishi, Arunima's boyfriend, swooped in and whisked her away, mumbling something about grabbing food. The three remaining girls burst into laughter as it dawned on them that none of them had eaten since arriving.

"Alright, food mission, let's go," Gauri declared with a dramatic sweep of her arm towards the buffet, a mock-serious look on her face.

Just as they were about to make their move, Gauri's maternal aunts and Om's paternal aunts appeared as if summoned by an invisible command, their presence as inevitable as the rising sun. Advika mentally groaned. "Great, the gossip squad has arrived."

"Oh, Gauri! Won't you introduce your friends to us?" Gauri's maasi asked, her tone a mix of sweetness and scrutiny.

Gauri sighed, then gestured towards Soni and Advika. "This is Soni, my colleague. And you remember Advika from before."

The aunts started with Soni, querying her about the party and her connection to Gauri. As expected, they quickly shifted to the more pressing question: Was she married or engaged? Soni answered that she was engaged, with her fiancé abroad. Gauri and Advika exchanged a look—one that said, "Here we go again."

Gauri, clearly dreading the aunties' notorious interrogation, knew how this would unfold. It always turned into an awkward, cringe-worthy ordeal. Advika, anticipating the inevitable, tried to tiptoe backward for a sneaky escape. But the aunties, like hawks, spotted her.

"Advika!" they called, and she cursed under her breath before turning around with a smile that could only be described as forced.

"Yes, Aunty?" she managed, her voice straining to maintain cheerfulness.

"Advika, you look absolutely stunning tonight!" one of the aunts cooed, her eyes practically drinking in every detail.

"But tell me, dear, when will we see you on this stage?" The question was less about concern and more about adding fuel to the family's gossip engine.

Gauri stepped in, trying to steer the conversation. "Aunty, aren't you excited to see me on stage?" she asked, her tone playful yet firm.

"Of course, we are, beta. But Advika is like our daughter too. We're just concerned. She's already 27," one aunt said with a knowing nod.

"Exactly," chimed in Om's paternal aunt, her voice dripping with a kind of wisdom only offered by those who'd never missed a chance to insert their opinion. "Options decline fast as a girl ages."