Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.17.5 | Shimla

Posted on November 14th, 2018

| . . . C H A P T E R - 2.17.5 : S H I M L A - P A R T - O N E . . . |

Aarav tugs at the ends of my kurta to get my attention from where it had been entranced on Khushi walking down the stairs. Her hands were lifting her full-length dress slightly so the layers wouldn't get caught under her feet. I've never quite seen her in an Indian outfit, adorned with light jewelry - a pack of bangles on each hand, the typical long earrings, a necklace, and a maang tikka at the center parting of her hair.

Blinking away from Khushi, I squat down to Aarav's height. "Daddy, she's looking very pretty."

Putting my hand on his back, I chuckled. My eyes found their way to Khushi again. "She is." When our eyes locked, I smiled at her and she returned it, but why did it feel forced? I noticed then the dress was hugging her curves and wondered if it was making her uneasy.

As she walked up to her mother who placed a loving hand on her head, I turned to Aarav. "You have what I gave you?"

He patted his pockets to convey it was safely guarded in there. Then, he asked. "Can I go to Khushi now?"

I nodded and he crossed the room to reach her.

Armaan greeted me and waved me inside. I reached their mother and touched her feet in greeting. We made small conversation before the priest called her saying it was time to start the puja. As I had a moment with Khushi, I asked. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, pressing her lips together in a small smile as she forwarded strands of her hair to rest over her shoulders and cover the off-shoulder sleeves.

I spoke quietly, "You are so not comfortable. Why did you wear this?"

"Mom wanted me to," she answered simply, conveying she wasn't going to argue with her mother. "Anyway, thanks."

"What?"

She nodded towards the small temple in their house in front of which the priest was seated getting together the items required for the veneration. "You've said you don't believe in God but you're still doing this. So, thanks."

This time, I simply answered for it wasn't a tough task. "To marry you per rituals and traditions, anything."

Anjali called us to join them and I nodded for her to go ahead as I made my way to the kitchen to get Kripa where I had seen her going in minutes ago. After returning, I take my seat next to Khushi on the rugs spread on the floor for everyone to sit on.

The priest starts chanting in Sanskrit, a lot of which I don't understand, ofcourse, but I just follow with instructions when he says them in Hindi along with Khushi. As seconds turn into minutes, every few of them, she fidgets in her seat and this isn't discomfort but just impatience as it isn't a quick five-minute prayer but one that lasts almost two hours.

I have to smile at her small quirks.

Riddhima sitting behind her tapped her back in a scolding to stop with the fidgeting and impatience. Khushi threw back a glare but when her mother would give her a pointed look, Khushi would abide - only for a few minutes before the cycle repeats.

It's just the few times when the priest asked me to do something and for her to simply touch my arm when she remained completely still, her fingers barely on my skin.

Somewhere in the middle of it all, Aarav got bored sitting in the back and seemed to want to see what was happening and so he tried to squeeze in between us. Khushi pat her thigh and he readily climbed into her lap. Just to keep him entertained, she put a flower in his tiny palm with some dry rice and covered it with his other palm just like I have.