The Wedding Planner

Chapter 12

It had been a week since the incident at Sidharth's place. Shehnaaz and Sidharth were slowly getting comfortable with each other's presence. They would WhatsApp sometimes. Sidharth called her up a few times, giving the lamest of excuses. He couldn't resist himself from not calling.

In two days was his Pre Wedding photoshoot with Nityami and it seemed like he had totally forgotten about it.
He had just got off the call with Shehnaaz. Talking to each other filled them with a different kind of happiness which even they weren't aware of.

His phone rang again. For a second his heart fluttered thinking it was Shehnaaz. But it was Nityami.

"Hey Sid. What's up with you?", she asked.

Sidharth sensed the sadness in her voice and said, "Nitya. Is everything alright? You sound low? Tabiyat thik hai na?"

"Sid, did you forget tomorrow's date?", she asked.

"I remember. I hope you have asked Savita didi to keep Niya busy at my parents' house the whole day and all your meetings have been shifted. I will pick you up at 10 tomorrow", he assured.

A little later they finished the conversation. Sidharth knew that tomorrow his only priority was going to be Nityami. He made sure that no meeting was scheduled tomorrow and most of his work was sorted. He fell asleep a little while later.

The next day, as promised Sidharth was at Nityami's house on time. They drove to the outskirts of the city. None of them spoke. They soon reached the destination. The sign outside read, "St Paul's Cemetery". Sidharth, like an ideal friend had already picked up the flowers. He handed them over to Nitya and she walked towards the entrance. Sidharth followed close behind, making sure she had the space she needed. They stopped in front of a grave, the headstone reading, "Anant Matthew, 1986-2015".

She placed the flowers near the grave. And sat there, talking to it. She spoke mainly about Niya and how she has already started talking like a 'grandma' and whatever was happening in her life. Sidharth gave her space and stood at a distance. And while talking to a lifeless grave, Nityami started crying. Sidharth didn't go to comfort her, because he was too well aware of the routine. She cried her heart out. And after an hour or so, she finally got up and said, "I shall forever love you Anant. I miss you every single day, even after all these years. No one can ever replace you baby but Niya needs a father. And she has found one in Sidharth. And that's why I am marrying him. Please forgive me. May your soul aways bless us. Happy Birthday once again".

This was a yearly ritual for Nityami. It was her late beloved's birth anniversary. Every year, she would pay him a visit at the cemetary. And her source of support and strength was Sidharth, who had become a very important part of her life. Nityami had loved Anant all her life. He was her school senior and neighbour. What she thought was a one sided crush on her part, turned into a two sided affair when one day, a note in the biology tuition was passed to her by Anant, which read, "I like you. I guess. Will you be my girlfriend?". Nityami had taken 3 days to answer it. She was excited, nervous, scared, elated. She couldn't face Anant for the next 3 days and just when he had given up hope, he received a letter from her, which stated how she has always been in love with him.

While Sidharth and Nityami were family friends, their paths never crossed for a very long time. She was busy in her life and he was in his. Both of them were happy. But tragedy stuck Nityami earlier. First her parents passed away when Sidharth was out in London, spending the best two years of his life. It was only after a heartbroken Sidharth had returned to India and pursued a career in acting , alongside managing his family business, that he first met Nityami and Anant. They hit it off quite well. And Sidharth at that time badly needed company of good friends to keep him on track. Anant  was a photographer by profession. One day, he had gone for an outbound shoot. The day he was supposed to return was his birthday and Nityami and Sidharth had decided to throw a suprise party for him. But it was they who got the surprise, rather the biggest shock of their lives when the news of plane crash, on which Anant was boarded, reached them. And just like that, Nityami lost another important person in her life.

Sidharth had since then never left her side. Two months after Anant's death, Nityami found out that she was pregnant with his child. And all throughout the pregnancy Sidharth had taken great care of her. When Niya was born, she came as a ray of sunshine for both Nityami and Sidharth. His heart had already lost his first true love and also his friend due to different circumstances. Niya, for him, then became a responsibility. He felt that he needed to protect her at any cost.

He had already lost so much, he couldn't lose Niya. And for Nityami, Niya was Anant's last memory. She loved Niya even more than her life and could go to any extent for her happiness. And that's why, if it meant that she had to marry Sidharth for the sake of Niya's happiness, she would do it without any issue.

Nityami and Sidharth came back to his place. He ordered Anant's favourite food, something they did every year on this day. Nityami said, "Thanks Sid for whatever you have done and have been doing for us. You've been there for me and Niya for all these years. I am genuinely grateful to y...."

She was cut short by Sidharth who replied, "Nitya, you call me your best friend and yet you don't leave any opportunity to say thank you. And for what? For loving Niya? Don't you know she is my angel. My princess. You know when I returned to India, I wasn't in a good space. You and Anant  helped me a lot. And when Niya came,  I was out of the darkness completely. If anything I should be thanking you guys for being there".

Nitya had nothing to say. So she just hugged him. The food came and they spent their time chatting and remembering their memories with Anant.

Sidharth did not get a chance to check his phone the whole day and it was on silent mode so he couldn't even attend any calls. It was his rule to give his undivided attention to Nitya on this day.

Shehnaaz, meanwhile had spent her entire day waiting for a text or a call from Sidharth. She was constantly checking his last seen which was stuck at "Yesterday 10.30pm". A part of her was worried, a part angry and a part anticipating a text from him.
After a lot of thought, she called him up. But the call was unanswered and now he was irritated with him.

But she still was at peace thinking that she would meet him tomorrow for the Pre Wedding shoot. For once she had forgotten that it was his shoot with Nityami and that it would hurt her to see him tomorrow. She just wanted to see him. Her heart after all these years was winning over her brains.

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Hey guys!!!

Hope you people are doing well!

An update about my life: The loan got approved. And everything happened pretty fast. Just three days it took. I am officially am MBA student now 🥺🐒 God knows when will I be able to go to the campus, but okay. I am so damn happy!

To all those who wished me luck and asked me to keep faith and prayed for me,  Thank You. I Love You from the bottom of my heart! 💖

Now coming to the story, I know. Filler chapter. But I had already mentioned, Nityami is important. We need to know her story. And a story isn't only about the main characters. The side characters shape up the story and everything. So don't be mad at me.

You know I always balance these chapters out with a chapter on the main leads, the ones we all Love.

Yeah. So. Read. Vote. Comment. Repeat!