Horoscopes were prepared birth charts that were useful in predicting the future of an individual and ascertaining his or her compatibility with the proposed marriage partner, according to religious texts. 

Ruhaani had listened on very intently while the Pandit had explained. There were thirty six gunas. A guna was an element of reality that could affect an individual's psychological, emotional and energetic states. These gunas had to be compared in order to determine of two people were compatible. For approving a marriage by the vedic texts, there should be not less than eighteen guna matches between the bride and the groom's horoscopes. 

Ruhaani found it hard to believe that the birth charts which were determined by time of birth and the positions of planets at that time, could determine future of an individual. However, she didn't disrespect it. That's why she had asked her aunt to not change her birth year in the horoscope a few days back. A big argument had followed. Ruhaani had informed her uncle and aunty that she had already told Aadarsh that she was twenty nine, a few months older than him.

What came as a surprise to everyone was that their horoscopes were a very good match. A score of thirty one out of thirty six. The Pandit was thrilled. It was the first time in his practice that he had come across a couple with thirty-one guna match. He said it was a really big signal to trust God and go ahead with the proposal. Badi Bua who seemed to be the most religious of the lot was just a much thrilled. She had mentioned that it was the best match in the family so far. A family where love marriages were predominant.

However, Shelly Bua had turbed a blind eye to all that and caught her age and made a issue out of her age, of the fact that she was older than Aadarsh.

"It's just a few months, beside our horoscopes are a very good match, so it shouldn't make a difference!" Aadarsh had said and silenced her at once. Ruhaani had started understanding the dynamics of the family slowly. Aadarsh was the one in command.

One evening, Arti had accompanied her for a late night hot chocolate. The first chills of the winter had arrived. They had both been in bed with the blanket around them and hot cups of chocolate in hand.

"Do you really like him? Or is your situation forcing you to accept the proposal?" Arti had asked. It was no secret to Arti that Ruhaani was not happy how her life was running lately. Ruhaani always complained of life running past her. She was overworked. She did two jobs on the weekdays and then conducted yoga classes for ladies on weekend mornings and dance classes for kids of the society in the evenings. 

"I like him." Was all Ruhaani could say. She was still figuring out if she actually liked him.

"Are you sure? Doesn't the whole idea of marriage give you chills? I mean, he is a stranger, you don't even know him properly. How can one decide to stay with a person one barely knows?" Arti has vocalized her thoughts.

"That's an arranged marriage for you. At least we get the privilege of knowing the person a little bit, in previous generations they'd barely get a picture or a bio data if lucky." Ruhaani had answered.

That night Ruhaani couldn't sleep. She had sat up thinking if she was doing the right thing. She wasn't going to refute the fact that, Aadarsh coming from a really well to do family was one of the factors she was marrying him. There would never be a debate about money, about finances, about making ends meet, about escalating prices in the market. They would have enough to be comfortable. She would never have to say no or manipulate Pari to not ask for some toy or something she needed.

Then there was his family, his siblings. The twins already had made a place for themselves in her heart. Nirvaan didn't interact with her much but Mukti clearly loved spending time with her. Ashvi was a nice girl, she seemed to be a little spoilt given how much she was pampered by her elder brothers but she still seemed someone pure at heart. 

Abhi was the only weird angle. He was a bit inquisitive. He didn't seem to trust her. Then there was his Shelly Bua. Clearly the older woman didn't quite like her. She had dropped enough hints when the horoscopes were being matched.

After barely four weeks of knowing the Sehgals, here Ruhaani was at his house for the Roka. The roka ceremony was a pre-engagement ceremony that marked the union of both the bride and groom's family. It was the time when the shagun, which were basically gifts symbolizing blessings and well wishes, were exchanged between the family members.

Ruhaani was dressed in a red and orange Punjabi suit with heavy embroidery while Aadarsh sported a plain pale yellow kurta of silk. Aadarsh's siblings were all dressed to impress and looked evidently excited about the function just as little Pari who had slowly started showing excitement of living with the Sehgals. The house had been decorated beautifully with drapes and strings of orange and white flowers.

Badi Bua took the responsibility of ensuring everything was proper and the rituals were all conducted in accordance with proper methodology. She performed all the rituals that a groom's mother was supposed to carry out. Her husband was nowhere behind, he was all over the place making sure everything was in place, ensured that the photographer they had hired covered the event well. His uncle and aunt were more involved than Ruhaani's.

Ruhaani couldn't belive she hadn't spoken a word to her to-be-husband since she had arrived at the Sehgal's house. They had definitely exchanged a few glances but spoken nothing. In fact, she had spoken more to each of his siblings than him. They sat beside each other on the sofa as the rituals began.

At first Ruhaani's uncle and aunt were called forward to apply the sacred vermilion as tilak on their forheads. The pandit then instructed Badi Bua to bless the bride to be with the chunri— the scarf the bride would wear for the wedding rituals.

"Ruhaani beta, this is Aadarsh's mother's chunri from her marriage. She was the last bride of this household and she had once told me that she'd pass it on to her daughter-in-law. She had specially got it from a designer at that time. Bhai had gone nuts over her obsession to find the perfect one." 

Ruhaani smiled. She wondered why his father wasn't present. He might be sick, but it was his own son's wedding being fixed. One couldn't miss something as important as that. 

Aadarsh gazed at the material in his bua's hand. She had discussed it with him a day earlier. He had asked her to go about everything, every ritual, as his mother would have. He watched on as she unfolded the beautiful red piece of cloth. She then placed it over Ruhaani's head. The ends flowing down from her shoulders to her arms.

He was watching her when her gaze reached up to his eyes. She immediately smiled. In that moment, he wondered if his mother would have liked Ruhaani. His gaze drifted up to Ashvi who was trying to capture a video of the moment on her phone, requesting Ruhaani to turn towards her. 

Abhi wore a smile and stood by his side, making a comment about Ashvi being the unappointed videographer Abhi had asked him to reconsider the whole thing again. But it was not an option. He had already promised Ruhaani to be the father of Pari. He wasn't going to back out from that now.

"You look so pretty!" He heard Pari's voice that was filled with awe. The little one had started warming up to him and his family. She would be around with Mukti all the time. Mukti and Dai jaan were easily on Pari's list of favorites.

"Yes, like an Indian princess!" Mukti exclaimed. He looked at the two girls standing holding each other's hands. His gaze finally went back to Ruhaani and ultimately landed on the dupatta. The end of it was near his hand. He discreetly shifted his hand and caressed the end of the cloth. He missed his mother, more than any day today. He could imagine her smiling widely with glossy eyes seeing them all happy.

After all the roka rituals were done they proceeded to the next part which was concluding on a date for the engagement and marriage. The nearest auspicious date was a week later. That was fixed as the date for the engagement. The month of December was filled with auspicious dates, which was no surprise.

"First week of December is too little time for preparations," Badi Bua said as the Pandit gave a date.

"How about next December? By then they'll have time to get to know each other," Abhi suggested with a bright smile only to get a glare form his brother.

"That's too far, isn't it?" Mr Khatri spoke up, causing Ruhaani to wear a tight smile. By now the Sehgals should have guessed that her uncle was in a desperate hurry to get rid of her.

"I agree, it's too far," Aadarsh added. Ruhaani took a deep breath. Neither was Aadarsh's rush to get hitched masked.

"Of course, Bhaiya,"  Ashvi remarked teasingly. It was her turn to recieve a piercing glare from her brother. When Phupha Ji and Badi Bua giggled.

"December fifteen?" The pandit proposed.

"No its too near. We won't be able to get the wedding cards done by then, forget deciding the decorations, clothes and other things." Shelly Bua remarked.

"Yeah, the boutiques will need at least a month's heads up to get the dresses ready." Ashvi added.

"Sometime in January?" Badi Bua suggested looking around.

"Maybe our birthday?" Mukti spoke up excitedly. "Then we can cut Nirvaan and my birthday cake also on their wedding."

"No." Aadarsh said before anyone else could say anything.

"But why, it will be so much fun!" Mukti said wearing a frown.

"Mukti beta, Bhaiya is not free on that day. He has work. " Badi Bua said and turned to the pandit, "Pandit Ji sometime in mid January?"

Ruhaani glanced at Aadarsh and then looked at Mukti who had crossed her arms against the chest and wore a deep frown to show her disappointment.

"Twenty-first January?" The Pandit proposed.

"But January is too cold, Bua. We'll have to wear layers of sweaters." Ashvi said.

"We can do it indoors with heaters," Shelly Bua argued.

Aadarsh sighed losing patience. Clearly it was better to decide and let others know then involving everyone in the decision making process.

"I agree, January is too cold. February maybe?" Abhi asked, trying his best to push the wedding so that his brother could get time to change his mind if at all or perhaps get to know Ruhaani and see if there was hope for love.

"Yeah, Valentine's week maybe?" Ashvi added, with a dreamy smile.

"But Abhi bhaiya said Valentine's is only for eighteen years and above, we are only ten and Pari is four." Nirvaan spoke up. Ashvi giggled while her aunts stared at Abhi who shrugged sheepishly. 

"Seriously Abhi?" Phupha Ji asked laughing heartily. "Above eighteen? Since when did that happen. I thought you were sixteen when..."

"Silence," Badi Bua declared glaring at her husband and Abhi. She turned to the Pandit. "Please tell us what days in January are best."

Ruhaani looked on. It seemed like even Badi Bua was in haste to get the marriage done. Perhaps Aadarsh had shared with her, his wish to get married quickly.

"January eighteenth is a very auspicious day but the auspicious time starts at night."

Ruhaani sighed. It meant she had to fast the whole day until night. Fasting was one thing she couldn't do. 

"Is there a problem?" She heard Aadarsh's soft voice.

 Her eyes widened as she turned to him. Did she speak her thoughts out? "Uh no." She said, hesitantly. 

"Not night, please. Maybe afternoon or late morning. We will freeze to death at night." Abhi muttered.

"I agree!" Ashvi spoke up.

"Then January sixteenth is a better date, the best time is from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon."

"That's perfect!" Aadarsh spoke up before anyone could say anything more. Everyone turned their heads to look at him quietly. He turned to Ruhaani. She stared at him wondering why he was looking at her like that. He raised an eyebrow in question and she understood.

"It is perfect!" She said.

Finally the date was decided. With that Badi Bua and Phupha Ji led the Pandit out who was more relived than anybody else that the date was decided.

"Can we at least do a destination wedding?" Ashvi spoke up. "Please Bhaiya. Delhi winters suck the fun out. Please."

"Of course you'd want a destination. All she is looking for is good pictures for herself. Afternoon, because golden light, a month's time so that her dress is ready and a destination wedding so that she can wear her dress and doesn't have to wear a sweater on top of it and spoil the look."

"Yeah so, those issues are not for me. Those are generic for ladies. I mean Bhabhi will wear a lehenga or saree too. And they need to get proper photographs. Don't you know sunset marriage photos are the thing of this decade. It would be a pity to get married and not have a sunset wedding photograph."

"What makes you think we will get an easy destination venue in the peak season of marriages in India?" Shelly Bua spoke up.

"And the rates would be more on short notice booking," Mr Khatri added.

"Exactly. We should push the marriage by some months so that we get enough time." Abhi said.

"Guys timeout." Aadarsh said losing his patience. Everyone fell awfully quiet. Ruhaani looked on amazed as the little girls who were chattering away also fell quiet just as her aunt and uncle who had been talking in hushed voices to each other.

Badi Bua walked back into the hall amazed to find it silent.  "What happened here?" She asked eyeing the lot suspiciously.

"Bua, we need to talk, in private" Aadarsh said getting up.

"Sure," she said a bit puzzled.

He walked a few steps ahead and then turned. "Ruhaani, please enjoin us,"

Ruhaani sprang up surprised. She nodded following him and his aunt to the room while Phupha Ji walked over to Abhi.

Abhi looked on impressed as Ruhaani followed his brother. She didn't even ask why. He just asked her to come along and she just went. What was more interesting was that he called her too! He had even caught his brother gazing at his to-be-wife. Was Aadarsh falling for Ruhaani? Or was it just unavoidable attraction that came with being shoved together into a relationship? Or maybe it was nothing but pretense to appear as a standard groom. He had to figure this out.

"Kheer is here everyone," Dai Jaan announced bringing the room back to life. After serving everyone, she sat beside Pari feeding her. In a short time, Pari had warmed up to the woman. Then again, every kid warmed up to Dai Jaan instantly. 

* * *

Ruhaani and Badi Bua waited quietly while Aadarsh was looking at somthing on his mobile screen. A whole minute went by and then another.

"Aadarsh?" His aunt spoke up to draw his attention.

"Ashvi wants it to be a destination wedding." Aadarsh said.

His aunt's eyes widened. 

"And Abhi is right, the winters are horrible here. Nirvaan falls sick almost every winter. And then there's Pari too now. I think it will be inconvenient to have the wedding here in the peak of winter. So I did a bit of web search and I think maybe we can  actually do a destination wedding, somewhere in the south. The temperatures there are pleasant."

"I married in December, your parents married in December, in this very city. It's not that bad." Badu Bua spoke up.

"It's January we are talking about and there has been decades of global warming since your wedding Bua. Delhi winters are at their peak in mid January. I really think we should consider some city in the south. I can book a resort and some event management company to take care of the preparations. As it is Ruhaani and I are very clear on the fact that the wedding won't have many guests from either side. We can do a reception here for the other people."

His aunt sighed and turned to Ruhaani. 

Ruhaani looked between his aunt and him as they stared at her. She was sure her uncle was planning to drop the bomb of not having enough savings for a grand wedding on them in a matter of few days. A destination wedding would mean more expenses. 

"I uh, I" She looked at Aadarsh. How did one talk about such matters?

"You both can talk about it and decide. Ultimately it's your wedding!" Badi Bua said with a smile and excused herself out of the room leaving the two of them, sensing Ruhaani's discomfort.

Ruhaani glanced at Aadarsh as she decided to talk about it directly. Something she thought he'd prefer than going round in circles. "Actually, about the wedding..." even saying it was so embarrassing. This is why she was not reluctant on this wedding. She would always feel embarrassed about money matters. But again, that was her choice.

"The thing is that I don't have much savings. Whatever I have saved is for Pari's education and honestly my uncle may....I mean his financials..." she was lying through her teeth. Her uncle's financial health wasn't bad. She was sure he had more than enough savings to spend a tiny bit of it on her wedding on not have a dent in his bank account with it. But he hadn't done it the last time and she had no reason to belive he would spend anything on her this time.

"I understand, Ruhaani. It has been quite evident, no offense really, but that your uncle isn't inclined on a lavish wedding or the likes. I am sure he has his reasons. Frankly, I would rather prefer a small affair in a temple. But, I really don't want to disappoint everyone in the family. This the first wedding in the family in thirty years and they are all looking forward to it."

"I understand, I can see their excitement."

"This is with all due respect, please let me bear the expenses of the wedding. I will talk about it to your uncle and this doesn't have to come up again."

Ruhaani didn't see any other option. She quietly agreed by nodding. 

"Do you have anything specific in mind? I mean you didn't say anything outside about what you want... if you have any conditions then you can let me know."

"No, I don't." She said.

"Do you have any place in mind?"

"No, I don't." 

"Okay. Then I will probably hire a wedding planner and let them bring up the options and make our decisions easy. So January sixteenth it is?"

Ruhaani nodded. Was it a mere coincidence or a divine sign— that the same date was her parent's wedding date and out of all the dates proposed Aadarsh had chosen that one to finalize? 

* * *

Aadarsh was seated in the patio by the pool on their terrace. It was cold night but his sweater kept him warm. The whole marriage thing had taken quite a lot of his time and mindspace. He usually never did calls after getting home. However tonight was an exception, he had just finished a work call and decided to take a quick drink break. He usually avoided drinking at home. In fact, at home there was an unsaid rule that drinking was prohibited. 

But tonight he needed some scotch. The marriage had been finalized. It seemed like the first milestone. Engagement would be the next. As he laid back in the lounger chair he gazed up at the sky. Among the dark clouds, the moon was a semicircle burning bright. He had missed his mother a lot today. 

He let out a sharp exhaled and closed his eyes. He had been quite stressed in the past week. The whole marriage discussion was exhausting. Shelly Bua didn't quite approve of Ruhaani. Badi Bua however had begun taking a liking towards her just like Mukti. Abhi was still stuck on the missing love angle in the whole thing. 

He told himself not to think over it all.  He tried to focus on the aroma of his drink. He tried to focus on the breeze that blew in his face. One by one all his thoughts started disappearing. Out of nowhere the night from days back floated back into his memory. Ruhaani was close to him. So close that he could clearly make out the brown hazel of her eyes. Her cold soft hands trapped in his warm grip. He could easily breathe her fruity fragrance. It reminded him of summer.

"Dreaming about your fiancée is it?" He heard Abhi's voice. The image of Ruhaani faded into the dark. Her eyes being the bit that disappeared at the very end. 

"Are you asleep?" Abhi's voice was louder and he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

Aadarsh slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was back on the sky with moon in it. He was thinking about Ruhaani. Why? This was the third or the fourth time since that night, that he was reliving that moment. 

He was as guilty as charged by his brother. Not that he would admit aloud. He blinked and slowly turned to look up at his brother.He didn't find Ruhaani that attractive. It was one of the factors that he had considered before saying a yes. Physical attraction could easily transform into something deeper, something  daunting, something like love, something like madness.

He felt no attraction towards her. But somehow her eyes always had his complete attention. She had a nice pair of eyes, very expressive, very brown and very beautiful. 

• — • — •

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

There will be no update until Saturday! 

—Anami!♡