The Favour (COMPLETE)

Chapter 23.

Leyla

I wake up feeling refreshed. My grandma didn't want to break ties! She still loves me and she's not leaving me. I smile as I turn over and see a note in Rahul's handwriting. I unfold the note and read what it says.

Up early. Be ready for ten-wear something nice (seeing the parents) Rahul Khanna x

I smile to myself. Rahul has really embraced my weird name calling of him and was being really supportive with the whole 'nightmare issue'. We alternate where we are going to sleep each week and this week is my dorm. I slowly pull the duvet off me and shiver in the cold morning air. I walk over to my wardrobe and rummage around for something to wear. I settle for the new yellow kameez Rahul surprised me with a few days ago. I wash, brush my teeth and hair before sliding it over my growing belly looking at myself in the mirror on the back of the wardrobe door. There's a knock at the door and I close the wardrobe walking over to the door. I'm to surprised to see it's Rahul in a grey kurta pyjamas leaning on the door frame. He pulls a bunch of daisies from behind his back and hands them to me with a smile. I raise my eyebrow.
"What have you done?" I ask trying to remove the smile from my face but failing.
"Can I not get my girlfriend flowers?" Rahul smiles kissing my forehead. I place the flowers on my desk before shutting and locking my door.
"So how come we're seeing the parents?" I ask as Rahul takes my hand and walks me along the corridor.
"Dunno thought it'd be nice," Rahul shrugs opening the door for me.

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"Rahul, Leyla!" Sangeeta exclaims rushing down the steps of her mansion and pulling us into a bear hug.
"Hi Mrs Khanna," I struggle to breathe. Ever since we told Rahul's parents I'm pregnant she has been very touchy-feely towards me and very motherly which would be nice if it didn't occur every time I see her. We follow her into the house and the smell of samosas and lamb kofta waft from the oversized kitchen making my mouth water. We are led into the garden, where a large gazebo has been put up with lights and garlands hanging from the four corners into the middle where a large chandelier hangs down.
"Beti," my grandma pulls me into a bear hug. I look around the immaculate garden. There seems to be a lot of Rahul's family here like aunts and uncles but then I notice there seems to be a lot of my family here too. I look at Rahul who shrugs and grabs a drink off a tray passing it to me.
"What's going on?" I whisper as platters of starter are brought out and put onto a long table at one end of the gazebo.
"Don't ask me I was just told to be here," Rahul takes a sip of his drink and I fold my arms over my chest. I don't believe him for one second.
"Leyla!" Ishita rushes over to us with a plate piled full of food in one hand and a glass of what looks like champagne in the other.
"Hi," I smile as she looks around for somewhere to dump her stuff.
"Long time no see," she says, "that scan though... So cute." Ishita scrunches up her face as she says the words and I laugh.
"I'll leave you ladies to talk," Rahul takes that as an opportunity to go and talk to his cousins. I've only met Rahul's 'extended' family once but they all seemed so nice and since Wales even Rahul's parents have become warmer to both Rahul and I. Rahul has met my 'extended' family three times so he feels less awkward than I do right now. I don't know how many people know I'm pregnant from his side of the family but I do know all my family know about the baby. However this is the first time our families have ever integrated with one another but things seem to be going smoothly-probably because I've not spotted Ajay here.
"So how's things?" Ishita bumps my hip gently with hers and I laugh.

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"Guys!" I hear someone shout as I graze on the left over of curry and rice.
"Guys!" Someone else shouts a little louder and taps the side of a glass causing a hush to fall around the garden.
"Okay people it's time for the photograph," I feel someone put their arm around my waist and look up to see Rahul.
"C'mon," he says wiping the corner of my lip with his thumb, "I think you'll like this." I get led into the centre of the gathering crowd. The small kids all sit or kneel on the floor, the older kids and younger 'aunts and uncles' sit on chairs behind them, me and Rahul included but in the centre, and then the rest of the family either stand behind or gather at the edges. Suddenly a camera is propped up and a small balding man hurries out of the house carrying 15 turquoise helium balloons. He hands them to the people standing up and everyone looks so excited but I don't know why.
"Okay can everyone look at the camera and smile please," the man says in an overenthusiastic voice. I place my best smile on my face and the camera clicks three times before he pulls out an old Polaroid camera.
"Keep still," he laughs snapping the shutter. A photograph is printed out before the guy rushes back into the house returning with two yellow balloons. He walks purposefully over to me and hands me to two balloons followed by the polaroid.
"No pressure," he whispers. I look at the photo which is slowly coming into focus. The words 'will you marry me?' are spelt out by the turquoise balloons and I look up at the yellow ones in my hand. One says 'no' the other says 'yes'. I turn to look at Rahul who has the cheesiest grin on his face and a velvet ring box open revealing the rings we brought back in October. I feel my chin slowly fall before I look back at the balloons in my hand.
"Ready for one more photograph?" The guy enthuses. I release the balloon in the left hand and turn the one in my right towards the camera feeling a smile creep onto my lips and my eyes fill with tears of joy. The camera snaps a few more times before the Polaroid is pulled out and another photo snapped. The guy brings it over to Rahul who does a fist bump and both our families cheer as they let go of the balloons and some more pictures are snapped. I let go of mine and put out my left hand watching as Rahul slips to rings onto my finger before kissing me.
"Ew guys get a room," Ishita laughs which is infectious. Before I know it I'm laughing and so is Rahul and then so is Rahul's parents and my grandma followed by our whole family.
"So we're engaged," I whisper excitedly to Rahul.
"Seems so," he whispers back kissing my cheek.
"Well when shall we book the official engagement party for?" Rahul's dad claps him on his back.
"Real soon dad," Rahul can't take his eyes off me and I can't take my eyes off him either. I really love him and I really want to tell him but for some reason the words won't come out. I guess I'm just not ready yet but surely Rahul knows I love him-I've just committed my whole life to him.