If Dada hadn't asked me to accompany Aryan to meet his future wife, I wouldn't have been standing in the cafeteria of this club in Nashik. 
 
The girl we came to see eventually arrived, running up the stairs in a white sports outfit with a badminton racquet. A sporty one! She was drenched in sweat and panting heavily as she walked towards us. I couldn't help but notice how she looked very serene, even though she was in a haste. Something like the clear sky after the rain. I think it's her bambi eyes that gave her that aura. A very calm person, something that our family doesn't have. I wonder how she'll survive in the chaotic Panwar-Dwivedi family. Anandi might be the only companion she'll get. 
 
'Ms. Sawhney?' I asked her as she neared us. She nodded her head, yes. 
 
'Your grandfather sent us.' Aryan said. Her eyes travelled from me to Aryan. 
 
He gestured for her to sit, and she took her seat. 
 
'I'll be outside.' I said and walked out of the room. 
 
It was weird standing there. She looked young, compared to my thirty-year-old cousin. Something didn't sit well with me. My assistant was waiting outside, and we went to the car parked outside. Just as I got into the car, my phone rang. Anandi's toothless childhood picture popped up on screen.
 
'How did it go?' Anandi asked in her mellifluous voice as I picked up her call. 
 
'Aryan is talking to her in the cafeteria.' I replied.
 
'Cafeteria? You're not at her house?'
 
'No, we are at the club where she plays badminton. We went to Mr. Sawhney's house, but she didn't show up. Apparently, she does this a lot, getting home late from the club, so we decided to meet her here.' 
 
'Oh.' She replied. 'But why do you sound off? I know being with Aryan is enough to worsen your mood. But what happened?' 
 
'I don't know...' I trailed off. 'Something's off. She looks your age, so she might not be older than 21.'
 
'Damn, that's bad. Aryan's thirty-first birthday is just four months away. But what can we do? It's Dada's decision. Remember, he's the king; we're just his pawns.'
 
'Dada's decision!' I scoffed. 'Dada's decision has ruined two lives already. I don't want to see an innocent girl's life ruined again.' 
 
'We should talk to him about this. When will you be able to come to Nainital?'
 
'Next week, maybe. When are you coming back from Jharkhand? She, along with the members of her NGO, are in a mission to eradicate the nutrition deficiency in kids in various tribal groups across India. 
 
'We'll be back two days later.' She said.
 
'I'm proud of what you're doing.' I replied, feeling proud. If anyone is making this family proud, it's her. 
 
'Ha enough with the flattering. Call me when you're free. Let's go talk some sense into Dada.' 
 
'Yep. Anyways, I'll have to call Dada tonight to inform him how things went today.'
 
'Good luck with that.' She sighed. 
 
As I ended the call, Aryan opened the door and got in. 
 
'It's been only ten minutes.' I asked.
 
'Ha. Nothing to talk about. She seems like an introvert. But pretty.' He said and sipped some whisky from the hip flask that he always keeps with him. 'I'll have to keep this a secret until the wedding so none of my crazy exs can sabotage it.'
 
Since he liked her, the chances of calling this a weird alliance are slim. I guess I should mind my own business. I took out my headphones and played Dil Se Re from my A R Rahman playlist to clear my mind, as the car headed to the airport, so I could catch my flight to Delhi.