Small Moments (A Devakshi Story)

The Nineteenth Promise

And the last chapter is hereeeeeeeee!

Ready for it?

Here we go then!

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*3 Months later*

"Elena? Shona ready hui ki nahin? Gaye Holud (Haldi) ka mahurat ho gaya hai, ussey neechey lekar ao" Asha yelled at the top of her voice so that her voice could be clearly heard above the ruckus that all the guests present there were creating. She was sure she would go mad even before the wedding took place that evening.

According to tradition they were holding the Haldi on the morning of the wedding. Even though Sangeet was not a part of the Bengali tradition, they had celebrated Sonakshi and Dev's Sangeet the day before. After all, Sangeet was a part of Dev's community tradition. Both families needed to honour each other's values and traditions. So both the families had agreed to hold all the events according to both their traditions.

As Elena yelled back a, "Haan Mashi. Sona ko lekar aa rahi hoon main" Asha sighed in relief and turned to Saurabh. "Shona jahan baithegi, woh jagah theek kiya naah tumneye?" Saurabh nodded his head vigorously, "Haan ma. Sab ready hai. Aur Daadi ko maine Shankh nikal ke de bhi diya hai" he informed his mother. Asha smiled, "Thank you Saurabh. Tere rehtey mujhey zyada chinta bilkul nahin karni padti." Just as Asha patted Saurabh lovingly, she heard someone say, "Aur main? Meri shaabashi kahan gayi Aunty?" Asha turned around to see Ritwik holding the tray that had the container of Haldi which was to be applied on Sonakshi during the ritual.

Asha's smiled grew larger, "Arey, tujhey toh bada wala hug dungi main. Mere dono beto neye toh meri saari problems duur kardi!" Putting the tray in the right place she turned around and gave Ritwik a hug. "arey Aunty, aap jab mujhey beta kehti ho naah, bohot achha lagta hai. Mom dad ke janey ke baad seye, aap aur Bijoy uncle hi unka khalipan duur kar saktey ho" He told Asha smiling sadly. "Dhatt pagal. Aisi baatein nahin kartey. Bete ko beta hi kahungi naah? Ab yeh sad baatein na karkeye jaakey guests ko sambhalo" she shooed him away from there along with Saurabh and went ahead to check all the arrangements for the last time before Sonakshi came down.

Just as Asha finished her last minute inspection she almost bumped into her husband who seemed to be pacing the floor seriously. "Bijoy? Kya ho gaya tumheye?" She asked him, concerned. "Asha, Shona kab nichey ayegi? Jitni der yahan hogi, utni der wahan hogi. Yeh haldi Jamai babu ke ghar bhi toh bhejna hai naah. Aur Shaadi ke venue pe 7 bajey tak pohunchna hai. Aise kaise hoga?" He said all in one breathe, stressed about his daughter's wedding. "Arey calm down Bijoy sab ho jayega. Aur dekho-" And she paused. Bijoy looked up from the floor, "Kya hua? Ruk kyun gayi?" Asha pointed behind him and said, "Shona aa gayi." Bijoy quickly turned around to see his daughter looking like a fairy in the pretty yellow saree that he and Asha had chosen for their little princess, specifically.

Sonakshi came straight to her father, "Dekho baba, theek lag rahi hoon na main?" Bijoy smiled at this and said, "Bilkul pari lag rahi hai meri bachhi" saying this he hugged her tight. Sonakshi felt satisfied that she had been able to make her ma and baba happy. Letting her go, Bijoy guided her to the place where she would sit so that they could start the ritual. As per tradition, Asha was the first one to put haldi on her while Daadi played the shankh. One by one everyone put haldi on Sonakshi.

Once the last relative applied Haldi on Sonakshi, Ritwik and Saurabh sneaked up on Elena and put Haldi on her face. Elena screamed and said, "Aap dono ko toh main nahin chodungi!" And that is how they started a haldi war among themselves while Sonakshi just sat there laughing her heart out at her mad family's antics. "Main inn sabko bohot miss karungi" she thought to herself sadly as she watched them have fun.