Lakeerein - Ties That Bind Us

37| Chapter 34: Peela Gerua Aur Jodi

She moved out of the house hurriedly. She needed some fresh air. All of a sudden it felt as if she was suffocating from within. She just walked ahead, wiping those incessant tears rolling down her eyes.

"Hey Sita Maiyya! It isn't that I dint know Babusaheb loved Didi and would be marrying her isn't it? Then why? Why is it hurting so much? I have enough sorrows Sita Maiyya. Please don't add one more! Please don't add one more!" she whispered. She let herself cry for a few moments more after which she wiped her tears and turned to head back home, since she had come away quite some far lost in her thoughts, when she stopped abruptly. She turned back only to see something which made her eyes widen.

"Oh! So it's Badke Kaka who smokes!" she thought.

She marched upto him and snatched the cigarette away from him. Throwing it into the dustbin, she glared at him, hands on her waist.

"What is this Badke Kaka? Don't you know smoking is injurious to health?"

"Imlie what you did wasn't right! You shouldn't have snatched the cigarette from me! Stay within your limits! And health haha! Why should I think about my health? Why should I care? And for whom?" he said and chuckled bitterly.

She softened and gently asked him
"Why do you say such Badke Kaka? Why do you think your health and your well- being aren't important? Of course they are!"

"For a man who couldn't stand up for his daughter due to fear of reputation and society and whose son hasn't come home or even contacted his family from the past 10 years, it doesn't Imlie! It doesn't! I don't even know for whom I should live!" he declared angrily and walked away but Imlie could sense his pain and guilt.

"To help you, I need to know what has happened Badke Kaka" she thought and walked away.
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The house buzzled with activity as everyone were busy getting ready for the function and looking into last moment details.

Imlie wore the clothes given by Aparna and it surely was a perfect fit. She draped the saree properly around herself and tied her hairs in a half pony. She wore a simple gold coloured necklace and added two gold coloured bangles she had borrowed from Nidhi to her hands adorned with the silver bangles. To her they being his first and last gift to her, felt like her nuptial chain. She couldn't wear her nuptial chain ever but the bangles fulfilled at least to a certain extent, the absence of it. She kept a small black bindi and wore small gold coloured jhumkas. She then walked out of the bathroom completely ready and kept her clothes on the bed for her to change when she comes back.

Looking at the idol of Sita Maiyya she prayed

"Hey Sita Maiyya, please handle everything today. Please be there with me today"

She stepped out of her corner and was moving towards the hall when he stepped out of his room dressed in kurta pyjama, only it was the same colour as hers! Her eyes widened and all she wanted was to run away before he spotted her. She really dint have it in herself at the moment to hear that she had deliberately dressed up wearing a colour same as him. So she did exactly that. Hurriedly walked away from there only he had spotted her before she disappeared!

He had just gotten a glimpse of her before she disappeared. Before he could think more about it, Aparna called him downstairs.
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Ideally people chose outfits in pairs for the bride and the groom for all functions. But Aditya and Malini had decided that they wouldn't voluntarily twin! This meant that each would wear whichever colour they liked. If they twinned when they met each other, well and good. If they dint, well they hadn't thought about that because they thought it'd never come to that.

Fortunately or unfortunately though, they weren't twinning in the very first function of their marriage! Malini was dressed in a peach and white salwar suit while Aditya was dressed in a yellow ochre kurta and white pyjamas! If Malini felt disappointed at this, she dint show. She dint want to ruin it because of what she felt. When she saw Imlie, somehow she felt better. She felt her spirits uplift. It dint occur to her even once that Imlie and Aditya were indeed twinning!

She moved towards Imlie who was just looking around, standing towards the corner all alone.

"You're looking so beautiful Imlie!" Malini exclaimed as she reached her.

"Thank you Malini Didi. You're looking good too. How are you feeling now?"she replied genuinely.

"I'm much better now. Thank you!" she smiled and hugged her. Imlie reciprocated the hug.

Malini's phone rang which made her excuse herself. As she moved away, Aditya could now clearly see Imlie. He dint register they were twinning. All that he registered was she looked just like she had when he had seen her in the mela at Pagdandiya!

His gaze lingered for a moment more before he heard Malini call out for him. She looked upset as she walked towards him and that held all his attention.

"What happened Mun? Why do you look so upset?" Aditya asked.

"Mom Aditya! She's not coming! She....she isn't feeling well and so she won't be able to make it. And Dad has to stay with her. So both my parents aren't coming for our engagement!" Malini said.

"I understand how you're feeling Mun but why don't you look at it more positively. Would you like it if your mother attends the function in such a state?"

Malini shook her head.

"Then?"

"Hmm okay" she said and hugged him.
He hugged her back and kissed her forehead.

Imlie looked away. She dint want to feel hurt. She dint want to feel anything such towards them! That sensation returned again and she felt her pools cloud.

"Calm down Imlie! Take some fresh air and come back! You're on the verge of breaking down!" her mind reprimanded her. She heeded to it and moved out.

But when she moved out, what she saw left her shocked!

Love,
Pratyusha