MY IMAGINATION

Part 26

She leaves and both the girls start getting ready for their D day.

The weddings were to take place at Hyaatt Regency. The wedding organizers had done a perfect job. The place had been beautifully adorned with fresh red roses, the smell of which was enveloping the whole atmosphere. The stage had been built on one side where the bride and groom were to sit. It was beautifully done with red and white flowers and they had even made a heart in the backdrop. Right next to it was the mandap where the pheras were to take place. The Guptas had arrived on time and were ushered off to the room adjoining the hall. Khushi was dressed in the lehnga that Arnav had sent for her and was looking gorgeous. Her eyes were shinning and she was running around excited preparing for the welcome of the barat.

Buaji had asked her to stop behaving like a school kid as it was her marriage also. But she had brushed it aside saying that she was going to enjoy her jiji wedding first and then think of her own.

She was waiting for the barat (wedding procession) especially Arnav to come. She wanted to let him know that she had forgiven him. She had worn that lehnga only because she knew he wanted her to wear it as it would let him know that she had forgiven him. "God! why was he taking so long to come?" She had gone to the room when she heard her buaji shouting that the barat had come. She almost ran out to receive them, but stopped at the door. Now that he was here she could not muster courage to go out and meet him. She was feeling nervous of him. She had never felt like this before. She slowly turned around and went to sit with her jiji.

On being asked why she was not going out to greet them she just said that she wanted to spend some time alone with her jiji. Payal had looked questioningly at her but let it pass. The barat had arrived and Amma and buaji had gone out to receive them with the pooja ka thaal(pooja plate). Akash and Arnav were looking like the Princes from our fairy tale stories, dressed in silver armour ready to kill, except that these princes were dressed in Armani suits and were waiting to kill their princesses with their looks.

Arnav and Anjali had returned home after giving the dresses to the girls. The same haldi ceremony took place at their house also. Though Arnav was reluctant to go through it, but Anjali reminded him that he had promised Khushi that he would follow all the customs and rituals. He sat grudgingly and went through the entire event. He was wondering whether Khushi had seen the dress and the card that he sent for her. He wanted to know whether she had forgiven him nor not. He knew that he had always been mean to her but this was the meanest thing that he had said to her. He desperately wanted her to forgive him for all his deeds before their marriage. He did not want any of his past deeds with Khushi to come after their marriage. He wanted to bury that past and wanted only happiness for his Khushi.

After the haldi ceremony they had gone to change for the evening. Sham had arrived late in the evening so had missed out the haldi ceremony. Everyone was waiting in the RM hall for the two grooms to descend from their rooms.

Both of them took their own sweet time, thinking of their lady loves while getting dressed. When they descended Anajli had come forward to put the tikka (put red mark)on Akash's forehead. After Akash she turned to do the same to Arnav.

Sham had asked Anjali why she was putting it on Arnav's head as it was only Akash's wedding. Before she could answer NK had interrupted them and said it looked so cool and had asked Anjali to put it on his forehead as well.

All the three brothers exchanged glances and smiled. "Thankyou NK, for coming to my rescue now. Today I forgive you for flirting with my Khushi" thought Arnav.

Now standing in front of the Gupta family they were both waiting for their princesses to arrive, Payal in her bridal wear and Khushi in, Arnav did not know what she would wear, his dress or his Di. His eyes searched everywhere for a glimpse of Khushi, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Anjali had asked buaji about Khushi's where abouts. Buaji was surprised that she was not there. She told them that a minute back she had been running all over the place but had disappeared at the last minute.

Arnav knew that she was missing because of him. But he so desperately wanted to see her that he started walking towards the room.

NK places a hand on his shoulders "Nanav where are you going." Had it not been for NK interrupting his thought process, he would have barged in and brought his Khushi out.