The next afternoon was haldi and mehendi and we were waiting for the haldi to come from Abhimanyu's home.

" Shivanya, as soon as the haldi is done, get ready for the mehendi because it will take a lot of time." Badi maa said.

" No badi maa. I don't want to have much mehendi. Just for shagun." I replied.

" No Shivanya, we are going the old school way and it is custom which is harmless, so please don't object." Mumma schooled me.

" But mumma, it really takes a looot of time and I will not be able to do anything if all my hands and feet and covered with it." I tried to reason.

" No one is asking to work Shivi. You need to relax and enjoy." Avantika bhabhi said and I gave in.

It was no use debating with them on this topic but at least I tried!

" You look so beautiful Shivi bhabhi." Diya said, entering the living room along with mom with the haldi.

" Thank you so much Diyu." I said and hugged her. Then I went to greet maa.

" Now don't waste time beta and get this done. After that, your henna will take a lot of time also." Maa said.

I nodded and the function started. After having normal ceremony like humans, Lav and Rey started throwing haldi at me and so did Diya.

" Guys, stop it!!" I shrieked.

No effect and I was all yellow from top to bottom and Diya took a picture!

" Sahil and Abhimanyu would love to see you like this bhabhi!" She exclaimed.

Before I could do anything, mumma interrupted.

" Shivi, go and take bath now. The mehendi artists are here." She said, pushing me upstairs.

" But mumma, I need to avenge this treatment that I have been subjected to!" I told her and she gave me her dirtiest glare, further stopping me to carry out any other action.

" This does not end here." I replied while climbing the stairs.

I immediately got into the washroom, took bath and started wearing the mehendi outfit.

I wish I could just go to sleep right now!!

As I started to go downstairs my phone started ringing. It was Abhimanyu.

" Hello." I said.

" Shivanya, I am not getting the Manichand and Sons. file. Where have you kept it?" He asked.

" Walk into the closet, open the drawer towards the left of your tie drawers and open the 2nd chest." I instructed him.

" Hmm." I said.

" Got it. Thank you." He replied.

" Your welcome." I said but he had already hung up. Ouch!

How dare he! I know he must be busy but he just hung up on me while I was talking! I hate him.

" Shivi, come soon na baccha......" I heard badi maa shouted.

" Coming badi maa..." I shouted back, took my dupatta and went down.

The henna artists started their work and it took then freaking 5 hours to get done after which I was totally exhausted.

" Shivi, come. I'll feed you dinner." Papa said and I was so thankful!

" Thanks papa. I love you so much!" I said, enthusiastic.

He smiled and then took a plate and started making me eat.

Soon, I was done and then went to my room to sleep.

As I somehow made myself comfortable on the bed with the dress, mu phone started ringing. It was a video call from Abhimanyu.

I am not taking this call.

But it started ringing again. Irritated, I picked up with much difficulty because of the henna and thank god I did. It was Sahil!

" Hii mumma!" He said, excited.

" Hii champ. Did you have dinner and brush your teeth? I asked him.

" Yes mumma, I did. I miss you." He said cutely.

" I miss you too my baby. But we will meet tomorrow na. Till then, be a good boy for mumma?" I said.

" I promise mumma. Now I am going with Diya bua to watch TV for sometime. You talk to papa." He replied.

" Sahil, no TV after 10 baby. So you have half an hour. After that, I'll call and check if you are off to bed or not." I said, sternly.

" Okay mumma. Now talk to papa." He said.

" Good boy, and I don't want to talk to your papa. Bye!" I told him honestly.

" What did papa do?" Abhimanyu appeared on the screen with Sahil now.

Sahil had ran off.

" Tell mumma, what did papa do?" Abhimanyu questioned again and this time, I hung up. Ha! Equal equal.

He then called and I picked up. 

" Shivanya, what happened?" Abhimanyu asked.

" Nothing. You hunged up on me while I was talking to you so I hunged up too. Now the score is equal." I gave my justification.

" So mature Shivanya." He said sarcastically.

" Now instead of apologizing to me, you're mocking me. Brilliant." I said with fake anger.

" I am really sorry Shivanya on hanging up on you like that." He said, sighing.

" It's okay. I wasn't angry anyway." I confessed honestly.

" So you just wanted me to apologize?" He questioned.

" Yupp." I said, popping the P.

" You know, sometimes it feels like you have split personality. Just look at you in the courtroom and outside of it." He mocked again.

" Then you should be lucky Mr. Abhimanyu Singhania! This personality does not come out in front of everyone!" I replied, sassily.

" That I am Mrs. Singhania." He said.

" Not yet." I shot back.

" But still in not more than 24 hours." He said, sounding almost like this was the first time we were getting married.

" Now bye Mr. Singhania. I need to catch up on my beauty sleep. It's already 10." I said.

" Of course." He said.

" Now give the phone to Sahil." I instructed.

" Yes mam." He replied and the very next moment, Sahil was on the line.

" Champ. It's 10 now. Ask bua or papa to put you to bed. Mumma loves you." I said.

" I love you too mumma and I am going to sleep with bua today." He replied.

" Okay baby. Now no more TV and straight to bed. Good night." I spoke up.

" Good night mumma." Sahil said and must have given the phone back to Abhimanyu because this time, it was him who spoke up.

" Good night Shivanya." He said.

" Good night Abhimanyu." I replied back and hung up.

After the talk, I was kind of dissapointed and I absolutely don't know why! Maybe I was expecting Abhimanyu to say something more!

" Shivanya, you are loosing your mind. You really really need to sleep!" I scolded myself and then soon was into deep slumbers.

" Shivanya, wake up right now or else mumma or badi maa will kill you." I heard Vivaan bhai shout at the top of his voice and I immediately woke up.

" Bhai! What happened? Why were you screaming?" I asked him. He was sitting on the other side of the bed.

" Mumma and badi maa had been trying to wake you up since like past one hour. Now if they see you on the bed again, they'll probably kill you so freshen up and come down for breakfast after getting rid of this henna." He said and walked out.

I immediately did as I was told and while having breakfast, the schedule was run over. It was D'day. The day of my proper wedding as mumma likes to call it!

After the breakfast, I was made to sit for a puja till afternoon and once the puja was done, Lavanya was here to take me to a salon.

" Mumma, I can get ready on my own na. Salons are too extravagant for my taste." I cribbed.

" Shivi, it's your wedding beta and this is the day where you need to stand out so no arguements right now. Just go." Badi maa replied.

Having no option, I went to the salon with Lav.

It took me freaking 3 hours to completely get ready with thousands of pin in my hair. Jesus! My head has already started hurting!

" Mam, you can slip into your dress now and then we will give the final touch up." The lady said.

" Okay." I replied and then wore my dress. 

I had to say, the lehenga looked pretty awesome!

Finally by 7, I was completely ready and we started for home.

" You look so beautiful my doll." Badi maa said, putting the 'kalaa teeka' at the back of my ear. 

" You look like a princess my doll." Mumma said and put the teeka too.

"Thank you badi maa and mumma." I replied.

" You look like a lady today." Vivaan bhai taunted.

" Thank you so much bro." I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

" Is this our little doll who used to go around running in the house?" Papa walked in.

" That little doll is not little anymore." Bade papa said.

" For us, she will always be our little doll." Badi maa said and now I was about to cry.

" No! Don't you dare Shivi! It took 3 hours to do your make up. You will not cry and ruin it!" Lav shouted.

" Geez! Calm down woman. Don't scold her, it's her wedding day." Reyansh said, entering the hall.

" I think we should leave now. It's already 7:30." Avantika bhabhi said.

We all nodded and started for the venue.

It took us 20 minutes to reach there and I was made to sit in the hotel room.

Within some 10 odd minutes, I was taken downstairs on the stage where Abhimanyu was already sitting with Sahil.

Aww! My baby boy looked so handsome in his little sherwani and Abhimanyu looked handsome....freaking handsome!

To climb the stage stairs, Abhimanyu offered me his hand which I gladly accepted.

" You look breathtakingly beautiful Shivanya." He whispered to me.

I couldn't look at him and started blushing.

" Thank you, and you don't look bad yourself too." I replied back.

" Well I would have accepted this if you'd had been looking at me." He said.

My eyes met him and he gave me a smile.

" Better now." He said and then Sahil came running to us.

" Mumma.... you look the prettiest amongst everyone here!" Sahil spoke.

" My baby..... you look the most handsome man here too." I said honestly and kissed his cheek.

" This is not fair Shivanya." Abhimanyu said.

" But it's the truth Abhimanyu." I replied to him

" Thank you mumma. Now let's go and sit and stop fighting." He said, taking my hand.

The three of us sat there and then soon everything started.

Finally, the wedding was over by 4:30 in the morning. Sahil had already slept in papa's arms and I was barely awake.

Soon the time of vidaai came. I looked at mumma, badi maa, papa, badi papa, bhai and bhabhi and then just could not stop myself from crying.

" Shivi, baccha why are you crying beta? It's not like you are moving to a different city or country, it's just an hour away ride." Mumma tried consoling me but she too was crying. I then hugged everyone and with a very heavy heart, sat inside the car and soon we were on our way back to home but I still couldn't stop.

" Shivanya, hey, stop crying. Relax." Abhimanyu said, pulling me towards himself and I rested my head on his shoulder and within no time, sleep engulfed me.