Chapter 14 : unexpected

'Thank you' was all she got in return and the curve of his lips that was hardly a smile. Ruhaani's mood went sour from there onwards. She was beginning to not like Aadarsh. He hadn't had the basic courtesy to compliment her back. Then again it seemed like a common trait between the Sehgal brothers. She had put so much effort and patience into getting ready for the evening. All the ladies had complimented her. Even his Badi Bua's husband had. 

However, her budding dislike was short-lived. Pari had somehow got some of the white roses in her hand during the pooja and was now distributing it to everyone around. The moment her daughter gave him a flower, he smiled and took it. Aadarsh had given her a proper smile, the kind that's easy to spot from across the room. 

Was he doing it on purpose? Was he ignoring her? She couldn't understand. On their first date he was putting so much effort into convincing her to marry him. But now that she was actually convinced, his efforts to get to know her were disappearing.

"Bhaiya, Bhabhi, please come onto the stage." Ashvi spoke and then turned back to photographer explaining to him what she wanted captured in the pictures. 

Aadarsh had already told Ashvi earlier on that they wouldn't get many pictures. Just a  few so that she could capture her hardwork of getting everyone dressed as per her plan.

He climbed the two steps up to the stage from the side. Ruhaani slowly followed him pausing to lift her dress whose end grazed the ground. Aadarsh had turned around and extended his hand. However she had preferred raising her skirt using both her hands instead of holding his hand. Perhaps she was being petty, returning the ignoring behavior a bit. She wasn't going to lie, it made her feel better.

He pulled his hand back looking at her. She passed him a smile to disguise her little act of hostility. He walked over to the divan placed in the middle of the stage. She followed him close behind.

They were first asked to sit beside each other. Then Aadarsh was instructed to forward his hand and hold hers. He turned his head to look at her, meeting her eyes before reaching out to hold her hand. They both smiled at the camera.

In the second, Aadarsh was asked to stand behind her, while she sat. His hands then settled on her shoulders as per the instructions from his sister. Ruhaani felt warm in her cheeks. It was a very simple touch. However, it had been a while she had been touched by a man. His fingers made contact with her skin at the shoulder.

The divan had then been shifted and they were both made to stand in front of the backdrop of flowers for the next picture. She looped her arm around his arm and  smiled at the camera. She thought it was best to avoid eye contact with him while at it. She stilled as she felt his other hand rested on hers that was around his arm.

The final one was the tricky one where he stood behind her, his hands coming around her to the front. They had to pose as though they were making each other wear the engagement rings. It wasn't as easy as it looked while looking at the picture. His hand got the wrong finger at first go. In the second attempt, his hand ended up caressing her abdomen. In the third, he had stepped closer his front pressed against her back and his breath against her neck, trying to get the ring into the right finger. And in all of those tiny moments of closeness and awkwardness they had to smile at the camera.

Ruhaaani suddenly felt suffocated. Her cheeks seemed to be on fire and her breath was labored. She was engulfed by his scent. It wasn't exactly pleasing. It just reminded her that she was very close to a man. His breath fanning her skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder added to the sudden  discomfort she felt.

Thankfully, the photographer was really good at his job and in a minute he had got the perfect picture. Then the family was called to pose with them. His siblings, his aunts and uncle. And her namesake family. She glanced at him, and then at Pari who stood in front of him but held her hand. His hands were on her shoulders. 

Pari had started liking him. Ruhaani had figure that out. She didn't how or why, but he definitely had made himself a tiny place in the little one's heart.

About thirty five minutes later, Ruhaani stood at the entrance door of the hall with her daughter, Mukti and Nirvaan standing before her. They were to walk down the aisle between the set of chairs and reach the stage when given the cue. Ashvi had explained how the whole thing needed to be done for the fourth time in great detail, just ten minutes back. Aadarsh was already on the stage along with Abhi and Ashvi. 

The whole thing couldn't get any more cheesy. But it did, as a popular slow lyrical bollywood wedding song went off, and petals were thrown in the air as she walked towards the stage. Any other day she'd be in the audience laughing at it all. But today she was not the audience. Her gaze was fixed on Aadarsh. Surprisingly, his was fixed on her too.

She wondered if this was the right thing to do. Could she spend a lifetime with that man? She now understood why walking down the aisle in movies was nerve-wracking for the bride. The walk towards the man, symbolized walking into his life. It somehow shoved in the fact into the skull that—it was your decision to walk towards him. 

He stepped forward and held his hand looking at her in the eye. She was tempted to reject again but this time there were people watching. His relatives and a few of her own. She had thought it would be a rough fifty people. But the hall seemed to have a hundred. Her hand settled over his. His fingers wrapped around her hand. She climbed up the stage. She noticed Ashvi asking the kids to stand on the side while everyone clapped.

Abhi came forward with the silver plate that had the ring box placed among a bunch of red rose petals. Aadarsh left her hand and then turned to pick up the ring. Badi Bua asked Ruhaani to forward her hand. His left hand first held her hand and then the right hand slipped the sparkling gold ring that had a flower made of tiny diamonds and artistic leaves carved beside it on the gold, onto her ring finger. An applause echoed in the room.

She glanced at the ring and then looked up at him. His eyes briefly met hers before he looked ahead maintaining the smile on his face.

It was then Ruhaani's turn. He had forwarded his right hand towards her. Arti had come forward with the silver plate where the box of the ring sat. Ruhaani picked it up and turned to him. She looked at the brand new ring. It had taken her an hour to chose one after giving up on the ring that belonged to Harsh. It was a simple gold ring that had a diamond in the center. She held his relatively warm hand in her cold one.

He looked up at her, when she didn't move. Her gaze was fixed on his hand. She glanced up at him. She was signing up to belong with someone else. Someone who wasn't Harsh. She swallowed the lump in her throat, forced her lips to curve into a  smile and slowly took the ring closer to his finger. She pushed it slowly along the length of his finger. 

Her hand didn't leave his. He held her hand   gently tugging at it and smiled at her. For a minute she wanted to believe he knew the battle that went on inside her. Another round of applause was heard.

"Aww," Ashvi expressed her awe.

"Aren't they married now?" Nirvaan asked thoughtfully. "That's how it happened in that movie that Ashvi Didi was watching."

"No, the kiss is pending," Abhi joked. A few chuckles were heard, Ruhaani lowered her gaze trying not to look taken aback, while Aadarsh turned to discreetly shoot his piercing gaze at Abhi.

"Yeah, let's have a small kiss!" Ashvi said.

"I second that." Abhi said aloud.

Arti and Badu Bua giggled.

The couple looked in a fix. They looked at each other and then at everyone around.

"Yes, the elders don't mind. We live in a modern world and accept all it's ways!" Phupha ji spoke up.

"Come on, Bhaiya!" Ashvi encouraged.

"Come on, you may now kiss your bride-to-be!" Abhi remarked getting a kick out of seeing his brother in a fix.

Aadarsh had never felt so nervous. He looked at the audience smiling and looking at them. Trust his siblings to shove him down a hole of embarrassment. He took a step towards Ruhaani whose eyes widened as she looked at him. She expected him to somehow avoid the situation. They didn't talk much, kissing was out of question. She expected him to throw a glare or two, look at his Bua or his sister and avoid the situation. He was the one in command. How could he not think of a way to avoid this?

Ruhaani gulped as his face came closer. Their eyes met. His gaze did a quick drop to her lips. She had forgotten how to breathe. Almost instantly, she parted her lips to breathe. He tilted his head and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. 

The breath she had been holding onto slowly slipped from her hold as she felt something soft against her cheeks accompanied with a rough brush of his stubble. It was over quickly. People clapped, some of the ladies giggled. 

"Aww, that's so cute." Ashvi exclaimed in awe as she held her phone up to capture the moment.

Aadarsh's gaze quickly met Ruhaani's brown eyes that shone due to the lighting of the room, as he moved his face away.

"Come on Ruhaani, your chance!" Phupha Ji said aloud. 

Ruhaani looked at him with eyes like a does when caught in a shocking situatio.. She turned to look at Aadarsh. She shook her head shyly. 

"Come on Bhabhi!" Ashvi cheered.

Ruhaani gazed at Aadarsh. Hoping he'd come to her rescue. But he simply brought his face closer. There was no way she was kissing him back. She looked at his Bua, the sane person in the crowd. She smiled at her, silently encouraging her. This was not right. How could they force someone to kiss someone? 

Aadarsh's ego was mildly bruised. Women threw themselves at him. And here his wife-to-be was showing hesitation to return a kiss on the cheek. He couldn't believe his eyes as she looked around looking for an escape. The last thing he wanted was for her to verbally decline and gossip among people. His hands reached out to hers, he shifted closer to her. 

"It's a cheek kiss, let's just get done with it." He whispered, turning to the decorated wall, so that no one could make out he was saying something. To others it would just look like he's offering his cheek. 

Ruhaani took a deep breath and leaned forward, her eyes finding a suitable spot on his cheek. She pressed her lips against the lower side of his cheekbone avoiding his stubble. The grip of his fingers on her hands deepened at the very instant. She pulled away quickly, her gaze meeting his dark one. She forced a smile and looked around. Her gaze lowered to his hands holding hers. He slowly released her hands and smiled looking around.

Badi Bua had taken charge and was requesting the guests to help themselves with the snacks that had been arranged on either side of the hall while some could come forward to meet the couple.

It was all a blur for Ruhaani after that. She stood beside her fiancé as people came forward in groups and introduced themselves. Some bought bouquet of flowers that she received and passed to Dai Jaan who stood behind the divan for the very purpose.

About twenty minutes had gone by. It was becoming tiring to smile and pretend to be interested in everything the guests were saying. Her gaze searched the hall for her daughter. She hadn't seen her since she had disappeared with Mukti. 

She turned to hand yet another bunch of flowers to Dai Jaan. "Where is Pari, Dai Jaan?"

"She must be around. Don't worry I will go look."  The lady said warmly calling her son to fill her place. 

Aadarsh glanced at Ruhaani, hearing that. His gaze went around the hall. He couldn't spot the kids either. For that matter even his other siblings were not around. He saw as a prominent businessman, the owner of a firm that was their direct competition make his way up the stage. He was one of the men who had offered his daughter's hands in marriage to him.

"Mr Kulkarni!" Aadarsh said with a warm smile, stepping forward to shake the man's hand.

"Look at you, young man. Looking all dashing." Mr. Kulkarni smiled. 

Ruhaani smiled at the man who looked towards her.

"This is Mr. Ramesh Kulkarni, he is the chairman of Kulkarni Brothers Co." Aadarsh introduced the man to Ruhaani.

"His direct competition in the market!" Mr. Kulkarni added with a laugh.

"Well I would put it as someone who makes sure we do the best." Aadarsh said.

"There, he's always had his way with words." Mr Kulkarni said and then added, "I have always liked him for that."

Ruhaani wanted to laugh. Aadarsh didn't do well with words, at least not on the personal front. Or at least not with her.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Kulkarni. " She said politely.

"Likewise young lady, you look splendid. Here's a small token of my congratulations." He said forwarding the bouquet of orchids. 

"Thank you," she said gratefully accepting it.

"Aadarsh, glad you called me over to be a part of this. I need to be elsewhere so I will leave you two to celebrate with your family."

"We are glad you came," Ruhaani added as Aadarsh smiled.

As the man left the stage Aadarsh turned to Ruhaani who was already looking at him. 

"I thought it was going to be relatives only."

"Well, some people invite themselves," he sighed. "Remember I told you I was getting business marriage proposals. He was on top in that list. He was desperate to merge with us." Aadarsh added looking around the hall. The guests had started reducing in number which was a good thing.

"Oh," she said. "The flowers are pretty." She remarked. "Should I be concerned holding them?"

He turned to her, with a pointed gaze.

"What?" She shrugged. "If he's your competitor, and you rejected his daughter's hand in marriage, he invited himself to your engagement and brings the most expensive flowers and then gives them to me, then there has to be a catch, right?" 

He rolled his eyes, taking the flowers from her hand. He placed them on the table behind. "You're safe."

Ruhaani chuckled. He looked at her for a few seconds then moved his gaze to see if they could also head over to the food tables and eat something. His gaze hardened as his eyes met a very familiar face. His father alongside Ashvi and Abhi was making his  way towards him. 

Ruhaani looked at him disappointed. How could he not find it funny? What was worse that he looked like he had seen a ghost. It want that bad her humor. Then sensing he was looking at something else she turned to look where he had been looking.

She saw an older man accompanied by Ashvi and Abhi. He was almost as tall as Abhi, a few inches shorter perhaps. Abhi's arm was looped around his. They were coming towards the gate when suddenly Shelly Bua intercepted them. She hugged the man with a bright smile. Badu Bua followed her suit.

"Is that your father?" She asked softly turning to him.

She didn't get an answer. The man who had their attention, approached them accompanied by the others. His hair was gray with specs of black. His skin was wrinkled, shoulders a bit rounded. But he looked healthy enough for any man in his late sixties or early seventies.

"Look at my big boy, now a fine man." The man said. 

Aadarsh gulped the lump in his throat.

"What is this Aadi beta, your brother came to take me but you didn't?"

"Dad you forgot about it. Bhaiya had invited you." Abhi covered up.

"God help me with this disease. I can't remember you came." He said stepping closer to Aadarsh wrapping his arms around him. Aadarsh looked at Abhi in the eye. 

"So she's the lucky girl, huh?" His father said turning to look at Ruhaani. His one hand still holding Aadarsh's. Abhi told him that her name was Ruhaani.

Ruhaani smiled and bent forward to touch his feet. "Hello uncle."

"Uncle? Arey, you are marrying my Aadi, I am your Papa just like I am his."

"Yeah," she agreed looking at Aadarsh who didn't seem a tad bit affectionate upon seeing his father.

"We should take a family photo," Badi Bua suggested, clearly happy to see his brother. 

"Oh yes, but I don't know where Mukti and Nirvaan are!" Ashvi said.

"Who are they?" The Senior Sehgal asked perplexed.

"No one, Bhaiya." Shelly bua said with a hesitant smile. "We are all here. Come on this side let's all pose." 

Ruhaani noticed how everyone's smile was lost. Her own had disappeared. What could be worse than having a parent and the parent not knowing you existed?

Aadarsh looked disturbed, he looked angry. He stood rigidly rooted at the spot staring at Abhi. Their seemed to be some tension brewing between the brothers.

The photographer was called, a picture had been taken with forced smiles. 

"Dad, come along there's your favorite snacks in the menu." Abhi said.

"But let me spend some time with Aadi."

"Yeah, we will. But let's eat first." Abhi said.

"Yeah you should go." Aadarsh said.

His father smiled at him warmly. "Okay, I am going to come back and talk to you both." He turned to Ruhaani with that same smile, "okay Siddhi beta?" 

Ruhaani blinked and was about to correct him that her name was Ruhaani not Siddhi when the man walked away. She noticed how everyone's smile had disappeared and they all wore serious faces, tension written on their face.

"We are done here." Aadarsh declared. "I am going to be downstairs, you can see the guests off." He said to Badi Bua.

"Aadarsh, I didn't know Abhi would bring Bhai. I didn't know he was coming." The older woman said 

Aadarsh nodded. He then turned to Ruhaani. "Come along," he said offering her his hand. He didn't want to make a scene. If he disappeared people would talk. But if both of them were missing then his family could come up with a sellable excuse.

She nodded, taking his hand. They walked towards the elevator. In silence, they had gone down and then taken the private entrance into the house.

"I am sorry for whatever happened." Aadarsh spoke up. 

"It's fine. You were caught off guard too. And I understand the situation."

"Mummyyyyyy!" Pari ran up to her.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Ruhaani asked her daughter. Her hair band was gone and her hair was a mess. Ruhaani quickly ran her hand over her little girl's hair pushing back her bangs.

"DJ made potato fries for me and Mukti Didi. And we were doing coloring. Mukti didi has so many sketch pens and color pencils. Come I will show you." The girl held her mother's hand.

Ruhaani smiled. "That's nice. I will come in five minutes. You go color, okay?"

"Okay." The girl said and ran back to the table where they sat and colored.

Ruhaani looked back at Aadarsh. 

"Do Mukti and Nirvaan know that they have a father who ..."

"I hope not. I mean he once refused to recognize them in front of them and Ashvi had told them that he was their father. They were about Pari's age then. I just hope they have forgotten that."

She nodded.

"I need some time to myself..."

"Sure, I will be with the kids." Ruhaani said. He nodded and made his way up the stairs. She watched him retreat. Now it felt like her life, where there was always drama. She walked over to see the girls coloring at the center table. Mukti was doing a good job while her little impatient girl was ruining Mukti's book. She watched on as Mukti tried to convince her to color within the lines. 

"Arey, you're here?" 

Ruhaani turned around to find Dai Jaan. She had a plate of roti sabzi in her hand. "Yes, it got a bit too much. So Aadarsh and I decided to come down."

"Oh okay, I was just going to feed the kids. They were hungry. Should I plate something for you both."

"No, I am fine. But I would like to use the washroom." 

"Sure, you can use the one in the guest room," Dai Jaan said pointing to the room beyond the staircase.

"Okay, where's Nirvaan?"

"Oh that boy went up with Abhi few minutes back."

Ruhaani frowned she hadn't seen Nirvaan up. She decided to first empty her bladder and then figure out where Nirvaan was. It took her a while to manage her dress while  using the toilet seat. When she stepped out of the washroom a chilled breeze from the room's open window made her shudder. She reached the window to shut it. No wonder the room felt air conditioned without one working. 

As she was sliding the window to close it her eyes caught sight of something. It was Nirvaan seated on a swing. There was no one around him. She wondered why the boy was sitting out of the swing alone. It was the side lawn so there was chance no one would see him there. 

Something about Nirvaan worried her. He wasn't like usual kids. She had read an entire book on child psychology when Pari was little to be able to understand children better, to raise Pari better. From her knowledge about kids, she was able to spot the telltale signs in Nirvaan. He was involved yet detached. She quietly made her way out towards the swing.

"Do you want me to push the swing?" She asked as she approached him.

"No."

"Why are you here, all alone?"

No answer.

"Nirvaan, did someone say something to you?"

He shook his head in a negative, his head hung low, she couldn't see his face clearly. Despite the trouble, she kneeled down on the grass so that her face was aligned with his.

"You look sad, what happened?" She asked softly.

He finally looked up at her. His eyes looked tired and slightly reddish like he had cried. "I know what happened." He said in a soft voice. "You don't have to pretend I don't know."

She looked at him confused, "know what Nirvaan?"

"That Papa had come. And he doesn't remember me and Mukti anymore." 

Ruhaani stared at him taken aback. There was pain in his voice. He tried to put a brave face on but she could see his hurt. 

Ruhaani settled on the grass, thankful that she wore her thermal leggings. She reached out to hold his hand back he immediately pulled it away from her hold.

"I know how you feel." She said softly.

"No you don't. He even asked you to call him Papa. But he doesn't remember us." The boy said looking down.

"You know I was little when I lost my parents too."

"What happened to them?" He asked curiously looking up at her.

"They became stars."

"You mean they died?" He asked.

Ruhaani nodded.

"So who took care of you?"

"My Chaachu Chaachi took care of me. There was my grandmother too but she also became a star."

"Why do people say dead people become stars? They don't. They are buried into the ground or burnt to ashes."

"But their spirit becomes a star. And when we miss them, we just have to look up at the sky and we can see them." She said looking up.

He looked up too. They stared at the sky for a long time but saw no stars. 

"I don't see any." He gave up and looked back at Ruhaani.

Ruhaani continue to look up with searching eyes. "There," she said pointing up. He looked up, as she finally spotted a star.

"I can see it now, it's a real tiny one."

"It is. Maybe that's your mother smiling at you."

"How can you say that?"

She looked at him. "Because that's what I feel."

He frowned unconvinced and looked down again.

"You're lucky, you know..." Ruhaani said.

"Why?" 

"Because you have your siblings. You have your sisters and brothers. I didn't. I was alone."

A deep silence fell. 

"And then you have your Aadarsh Bhaiya. He is like a father, isn't he? He does everything a father does, doesn't he?"

The boy twisted his lips thinking. "He comes for PTM. Usually parents come for that."

"Hmm and he takes care of you." She added.

"He signs my school diary." Nirvaan added. "He takes us out too."

"That's why you are lucky. You have an elder brother who is like a father, who loves you so much. I didn't have one. There was no one to take me out to the park or play with me."

Nirvaan looked at her. "He's going to be Pari's father after a few days. Bua said that will happen when you marry him."

Ruhaani smiled. "He will. But that doesn't mean he will stop loving you or caring for you. You will always be like his first son."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure."

"Can you promise?"

Ruhaani nodded forwarding her hand.

"God Promise?"

"God promise," she repeated.

He slowly slipped his hand into hers.

"Let's go in then? I am hungry, aren't you?"

"I am now." He said getting up from the swing. 

Ruhaani stood up a bit clumsily. She quickly ran her hands around her dress. She offered him her hand to hold but the boy simply turned and walked alongside her. She glanced at him. She felt bad for him. She could almost relate to him. 

As a kid she used to have trouble too. She used to be bitter about not having her parents with her. It had taken her years to get over the fact that she had no one who was just hers in the world. No one who would love her unconditionally. 

At least there was hope for Nirvaan, he had his siblings, he had Aadarsh. And now he would have her too.

• — • — •

Hope you liked the chapter. Looking forward to read your comments and thoughts.

—Anami!♡