After losing the picture, all he could do was repent and keep her in his memory until the next 3 months.

He invited some of his friends and colleagues for his wedding and returned to his hometown.

When he went to his room, he was surprised to find her picture in a photo frame kept on the table. He hugged the photo close to his heart with happiness. He had dropped the photo in the car while they were on the way to the station which his mother had placed it in a frame and kept it in his room.

He tried on his wedding suit to check for the fittings and gave instructions for minor alterations. His little sister came with a turmeric and besan face pack for him and after a lot of convincing, he allowed her to put it on his face. The house of full of laughter and happiness as they were going to witness a marriage in the house.

Sana was getting extra pampering from everyone at home as she would soon be wedded and would go to her husband's house. She was going through an emotional rollercoaster ride as she was sad that she would have to go away from her maternal house, worried about how she would manage home all alone as she would not be having any elders in her husband's house who could guide her and nervous as to what her would be husband do after marriage.

She hadn't even seen him properly once forget about speaking alone. It was a total surprise package for her not knowing what's in it for her. As the time neared for wedding her anxiety was at its peak. She smiled infront of her family to keep them happy.

On the day of wedding, Sidharth's family arrived at her house. Their house was fully decorated and a huge pandal was arranged in the courtyard. The caterers got busy with cooking in the backyard. The house was full of relatives running haywire with the arrangements.

The girls made sure Sana looked her best in her wedding attire. Her was heart thudding against her chest as she sat infront of the dressing table unable to even push a smile on her face. The girls teased her and spoke about nuptial night which worsened her anxiety all the more.

Finally, the time had come for her to enter the stage where her groom was already seated. Her legs shivered as she walked the aisle and approached the stage. She occupied the seat next to him with her eyes glued to the floor. The priest chanted holy verses.

"Ab kanya apna haat var ke haath par rakhe.", The priest said.

She placed her palms in his palms. Her hands were cold and shakey as she shivered in nervousness. He could feel it and he understood that she was scared and nervous but he wondered why?

As the wedding got over, he went to his mother to speak to her.

Sidharth: Maa, aapse ek baat puchu? (She nods) Aapki jab shaadi huyi thi, tab kya aapko darr laga?

Subhadra: Kyu? Tumhe darr lag raha hai?

Sidharth: Nahi main dulhan ka nazariya jaanna chahta tha.

Subhadra: Mere raaja beta, main bahut khush hoon, ki tumne ye sawaal pucha warna jyadatar mard iske baare mein sochte bhi nahi. Main bahut ghabraayi huyi thi. Shaadi ke baad ladki ko apna kehne ke liye koi ghar hi nahi hota. Usko humesha ya toh Maika ya Sasuraal ya pati ka ghar bolna padta hai. Jisko woh bachpan se apna ghar samajhti hai, shaadi hote hi woh paraya ho jaata hai.

Sidharth: Par pati ka ghar toh uska ghar hota hai na?

Subhadra: Sab kehneki baat hoti hai. Aisa hota toh pati ko koi haq nahi hota ki ladaayi hone par woh bole ki "Mera ghar chodke jaao". Jis din aadmi aisi baat karna chodd de tab har ladki haq se uske pati ke ghar ko apna ghar kahegi.

Sidharth: Hmm.. aur?

Subhadra: (smiles) Ek naye ghar mein jaakar naye logon ke saat adjust karna bahut kateen kaam hai. Jaise Sana humare baare mein kuch nahi jaanti aur usko humare saath rehna padta hai toh hume kaunsi baat galat lage, kaunsi achchi, harme ghar ke taur-tarike, woh samajhne mein samay lagta hai.

Logon ke bachche ho jaate hai, par phir bhi ek dusre ko samajh nahi sakte. Main toh tumhare pita ko tumhare paida hone ke baad samajhne lagi. Rishtey tabhi bante hai jab ek dusre ko samjhe varna bina samjhe pyaar nahi sirf aakarshan ho jata hai joh jaise samay beet tha hai waise kam ho jata hai. Phir ek dusre ke saath rehna majboori hoti hai, ichcha nahi.

Sidharth: (nods) Hmmm..

He pondered upon his mother's words.

Sana kitni ghabraayi huyi hai, maine toh uske nazariye se socha hi nahi. Uski tasveer dekhke hi main aakarshit hua par mujhe humara yeh rishta aakarshan se nahi pyaar se nibhaana hai. Main usko khudh samjhunga aur mujhe samajhne aur jaan ne ka mauka dunga.

At the time of vidaayi, Sana and her family were fully soaked in tears. She sulked softly covered in the veil in their car on the way home and he passed his handkerchief to her. He had no idea what else he could do to help her.

She was welcomed with a grihapravesh at Sidharth's home. She was nervous and sat in silence as the house was full of strangers. She was introduced to different distant relatives of Sidharth, of whom she couldn't remember even one face due to anxiety. Her sister-in-laws teased her in a funny way not knowing that they were actually scaring her.

Her heart pounded and threatened to come out of the rib cage as she was escorted to Sidharth's room at night. She only had a slight glimpse of him from her room window when he was leaving her house 3 months ago and today she didn't know what was in store for her on this nuptial night.

Her heart skipped a beat when the girls escorting her closed the door from outside. Her hands which were holding the glass of milk trembled and her legs froze few steps away from the bed on which he was seated. Few minutes of silence and he walked close to her.

Sidharth: Kya hua Sana? Darr lag raha hai? Please darro math. Ye ghar jitna mera hai utna hi tumhara bhi hai. Tum araam se yaha reh sakti ho aur jo chahe woh kar sakti ho.

Sana nervously nods in her veil. She forwards him the glass of milk with a shivering hand.

Sidharth: Tum jyada ghabraayi huyi ho aur bahut thak gayi hogi, tumhe iski jyada zarurat hai. Tum hi pilo iss doodh ko.

She nods no.

Sidharth: (smiles) Main tumhe khaa nahi jaunga. Baat kar sakti ho mujhse aur hum dono pati patni baad mein hai pehle friends hai. Issi rishte se hum shuruvaat karenge. Jaldi se doodh khatam kar lo aur so jao kyuki maa ne bataya ki kal hum dono tumhare maa ke ghar jaane wale hai pag phere ke liye.

She lifts her veil in excitement as sson as she hears that she would get to go back to her mother's home. Her eyes shined bright and her face glowed.

Sana: Sachchi?

Sidharth: (nods with a smile) Haan, aur tum waha 3 din rukhogi bhi.

She had a most beautiful smile on her face as her happiness had no boundaries.

Sana: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Sidharth: Kisliye? Maine kaha na hum friends hai toh thanks bolne ki zarurat nahi hai, jaise main apne maa babuji ko milta hoon, waise hi tum bhi apne maa babuji ko mil sakti ho. Main koi meherbani nahi kar rah tum par. Tumhara adhikaar hai.

Sana nods with a smile. He goes towards the right side of the bed and sits on it. She gulps the milk.

Sidharth: Sana, mujhe right side sone ki aadat hai, tum left side so pauogi na? Main left main bhi adjust kar sakta hoon.

Sana: Mujhe koi problem nahi hai.

Sidharth: Okay. Thik hai. Naya ghar hai agar kuch bhi dikkat ho toh bata sakti ho ya mujhse kuch bhi puch sakti ho. Good night.

Sana: (nods) Good night.

He covers himself in the blanket and goes to sleep. Sana sighs and adores his understanding quality. She takes off all her jewellery and places in the jewellery box. She takes off her veil and unpins the flower in her hair before going to sleep.

__________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️