Married For Three Nights (Complete)

Epilogue 1

In so many ways had they expected their homecoming to be in these last few days - with pomp,fanfare, their mother's warm welcoming arms around them with good food, in the comfort of their home.
Yet, all that was nothing in comparison to what they actually saw. The town was decorated as if the new year or diwali had come early. The small and large houses glowed alike in the evening sky like stars and there were people gathered everywhere, dressed in their best, chatting merrily.

The twins had permanently stuck their faces out of the windows of the carriage, looking dubiously at the scenes outside. "This isn't just for our welcome."

"Nuh- uh!" Mohini added. "Something else is going on." Listening to them Meenakshi, who was already dreading her re-entrance into that palace paled like a withering flower and Nair as always tried pacifying her. "Dare I say that its good and even if it's not, I am not letting anyone- anywhere near you, love." He kissed the top of her head, letting her body relax in his arms. "It's going to be alright!"

The twins on the other hand continued to murmur within themselves as the carriage wheels rolled towards the gates of the palace.
"Meghraj, did father say something about the sudden reason to forgive us. Something specific?" Mohini asked and Meghraj thought for a moment before denying. "Nothing except that he misses you."

"I call it bullshit!" Maya scoffed. "Something's happened, we just don't know what."
"But what could have happened that could change father's usually stubborn disicion like this?" But before anyone could say anything else the carriage rolled in through the gates of the palace and soon came to a halt. The doors were opened by the guards and in front of their large castle stood chameli chachi with her arms wide open.

"Oh, my sweetlings." She cooed and the twins who usually avoid aunt Chameli's sticky kisses like plague. Tonight even they ran into her arms after being away from home for so long.
And Nair who rather prefers to dump himself in mud than get aunt Chameli's kisses, too let himself enjoy her affections. It felt like home.
It was home!

"My sweet boy." She noisily kissed Nair's both cheeks and left him too rub his cheeks before moving towards Meena.
"There she is! The new bride of our family." And to Meenakshi's utter surprise she was attacked with kisses too.

"Told you, Chameli chachi can't hold grudges against anyone for long." Maya patted Meenakshi's shoulder. "Most probably because she can't remember what had gone wrong in the first place."
"Once we accidentally let her pet parrot loose which flew away. She was very sad that day. At night mother discreetly had the parrot's empty cage removed from her room. The next day when we asked her if she's still angry at us for letting her parrot escape, she laughed at us and said that she had no pets let alone a parrot." And despite all the negative scenarios runniin Meenakshi's head at the prospect of meeting her mother in law again, she couldn't stop herself from laughing at that story.
And finally when aunt Chameli was done with all her nephews and nieces, she welcomed them all in. "Come now, you will all need to get ready there is a grand celebration tonight in the palace."
Meghraj who was chuckling away until now watching his grown ass friend getting kissed like a little boy now opened his mouth to speak.

"A grand celebration for what auntie?" But she didn't answer and soon all their focus were stolen by the extravagant and grandiose ornamentation and bedecking that the palace had gone under.
One of the twins gasped, Meenakshi wasn't sure which one since her eyes were pre occupied looking at the grand gold and crystal chalendiers, silver candle holders and silken soft carpets. It was something she had never seen before!

"Chachi, where's maa and why hadn't she com to welcome us?" Mohini asked impatiently. "She's a bit busy taking care of the celebration but she will see you all in a bit. Now all of you get ready and come down quickly."