Haldi was literally a bash. My white kurta became a distinct memory. I strongly suspect everyone else will think we are minions, completely drenched in yellow and running God knows where. I really enjoyed the whole thing.

I felt a certain someone back hugging me his warmth spreading through the Chillness of the haldi water,

"Should we wash off the haldi together? Heard it's wonderful under the shower. Should we experiment?"

He whispered in my ears his breath touching my nape and it's effects touching places far down.

As much as the experiment sounded attractive, we got a marriage to attend, I'm sure as hell this experiment will take a lot of time and it will be not just washing off haldi.

"Leave me! I have to ask Roger about the caterers." I said trying to pull away.

Keyword trying.

"Talking about another man to your husband. Have some shame lady" Jay mock gasped.

I really love this playful side of his.

"I love you." I just felt like saying that.

Silence...

"Jay..."

"Adi I don't believe in that word." Came his curt reply.

"For me..."

I felt him sigh making my lips curve upwards and felt his breath nearing my ears sending jolts to the core of my existence.

"I love you too." He whispered softly.

"Just tell those words atleast whenever I tell you from this day on okay." I negotiated, but I forgot I was doing it with one of world's best business man.

"Okay, but you will have to do something I ask you too. Then it's a deal." He spoke, the business man clearly visible in his voice.

"Deal."

"Let's wash this off together, come."

With that he just pulled me to our room without another word. And I obliged, it's not like I had any problem with the idea. And the experiment was conducted quite loudly and the results were more than satisfying.

***

"Di, I don't want this." Ananya suddenly exclaimed. All of us as in Rits, Dan, Leah, Anna were sitting here inside this Bride's room, Jay went to check the preparations for Baraat. We shooed off everyone else saying the Bride needs air.

"Let's elope!" Leah exclaimed.

"What??" It was Anna, I could see him mentally praying Leah won't do something like that in their marriage.

"Come on, she told she don't want it." Leah said with a shrug.

"Why would you elope?? It's wedding jitters Buttercup!"

Buttercup?? I will vomit now.

I looked over to see all others looking at them with the same expression. Ananya's wedding jitters long forgotten.

After regaining his vocal skills Dan finally spoke,

"Don't you know, Leah eloped from Australia to India in a matter of two days. All these are just a pie for her."

Making Anna more tensed.

"I hate pie." Leah retorted.

"Okay, pizza enough?" Rits consoled.

"With lots of cheeeesee" Leah added.

"Guys it's not really working"Ananya's voice cut off our banters.

Silence.....

"Ananya do you love him?" Leah asked.

"I do." Came her instant reply, told you they were childhood sweethearts.

"Can you imagine your whole life with him?" I asked.

"I can"

"Then what's the problem?" Rits asked side hugging her.

"Why do I have to go to his house, why can't he come here?" Ananya asked.

Like brother like sister!

"That's a question of decades! But guess what? I found the answers." Leah exclaimed.

Okay this is interesting...

We all rounded her.

"Guys I need fresh air to tell this."

Drama queen!

Still we stepped back letting her speak.

"I'm sure as hell this is gonna be something stupid." Dan whispered so Leah won't hear it.

"Aren't we making too much drama?"

Rits asked.

"Just go with the flow." I told holding back my own refusals.

"Ananya, he can't come here because he is not strong, strong enough to leave his comfort zone, strong enough to live at a new place full of strangers, strong enough to consider strangers as family, open minded enough to accept a whole new world as yours and still be happy. But you can, because you are strong." Leah explained.

"And moreover you are not exactly leaving anywhere everyone are here only, waiting for your one call to rush towards you." I completed.

"That's my girl!"Anna exclaimed, proudness clear in his voice and eyes.

"Ani don't look at me like that..." Leah whispered averting her eyes. Anna moved with her to a corner.

"Why are we feeling this single??" Rits asked quietly.

"Maybe because we are alone here." I asked.

"You don't get to say that missy, I'm sure as hell you lost your damn

V-card." Dan shouted.

I glared at Ananya who shooked her head desperately, lucky her head didn't fall off.

"Oh come on, we are not that dumb, you guys are acting like bunnies in heat." Rits exasperated.

Was it that obvious??

"You really want to know?" I asked ready to answer whatever the query.

"Are you happy?" Dan's voice devoid of all sort of humor.

"What do you guys think?" I asked back with a sweet smile.

"I think it's time for the Marriage. Doctor sahib how about you continue your romance after the Marriage?" Rits mocked.

We all laughed at Anna's flushed face, somethings never change.

****

It was time for Vidhai.

Just like my marriage, no one cried. Everyone sent the Princess of the family to become Queen of someone else with a sweet smile.

All the time, Jay was holding my hands tightly, as if he won't be able to breathe without it. And I squeezed back whenever he needed it.

We reached home, no one speaking anything, it was similar to the silence that follows a heavy rain, the emptiness.

As soon as we entered our room Jay hugged me tightly.

No words, not that I needed any to understand his mind. Thousands of words were passed between us each second in that silence. It felt so intimate and I tried my level best to show him that I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.

I hugged him closer, and rubbed his back. After sometime I made him lay on the bed, I combed my hands through his hair. I felt his body slowly relaxing and finally felt him drifting off to sleep.

I heard someone knocking the door, I opened my eyes to see I was lying in the bed, I sat up groaning.

"We have go leave Adi, get up." I heard Jay's voice.

That's when I remembered we have to leave for Mumbai. I jolted up and ran to the bathroom to change.

"Adi, I'm going to Dad and Mama, come when you are done." I heard Jay shouting from the other side.

I changed and got our luggage quickly and went downstairs by the lift as the Jay's luggage was heavy for me to carry just like that, what was he thinking I'm some weightlifter or what?

I saw Mama and Jay standing outside hugging each other making my queries die down.

"We are gonna be okay." Dad spoke coming beside me.

"Dad, can't this meeting be postponed or something?" I asked desperately. I really don't want to leave.

"Beta, we have to respect our work then only the world will respect us. Success and recognition follows. And running a company, there are lakhs working behind us, who look up to us, we should never betray their trust places on us. It can be postponed but there are people who will be waiting for you guys to arrive. We can't just deny their efforts like that, because whatever we achieve is because of them." Dad explained.

I knew these things but never thought this deep. Every job has it's own greatness. And we can never ask somebody to understand our hardship unless we are ready to do the same.

"Go, before you guys get late. We are planning for a vacation in 2 days. I think it will do good for both of us. I'm officially retiring my office once I come back. Until then others will manage. Rehan will takeover once I come back." Dad told.

I just hugged him, I knew he was trying to hide the pain by speaking. In all these two years he have always been my support system, we became really close in these years. He taught me about the company works, some times let me meet the clients too not that it was easy to handle the strict teacher in him but it was worth it. So we were pretty close. And I guess it's time for me to become his support system.

"Take care. Bye." Dad kissed me and guided me to the car. Mama hugged me.

"Don't worry about us, look after Abhi. We will come 1 week before your graduation, okay?" Mama told hugging me closer.

"Don't skip food Mama otherwise you won't be able to shout at Dad." I joked everyone laughed, even though all knew we were sad inside.

But sometimes we should not let our sadness rule over our entire existence.

For heavensake there is only one life.

Ma, Pa, Anna, Rits, Dan and Leah hugged both of us. I knew they would take care of Mama and Dad.

With that Jay drove us off to the Airport.

2.The number of votes have exceeded the vote goal.

So how many of you think Leah is right?

Sure times have changed but still this is quite normal. We can't say everything should change overnight. And it's not like guys don't sacrifice anything. They change too, they struggle too. But stereotypically girls get a bit more striving.

STAY HEALTHY(Guys when I tell you this I mean for you to wear mask, use sanitizer, keep distance and all.)

Love

(Next update on 50 votes)