Along the Lines of Love | ✓

Chapter 19 : All Set

Long chapter ahead, Happy reading :)

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dheere dheere se, meri zindagi me aana

♪

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Sharanya was glad that she had finished serving her notice period, it was one worry less on her mind. She got all the time to go about arranging things for the wedding, finding good deals for the smallest of things. Albeit, everyday she had to battle her spiralling thoughts about marriage and her next career move and of course the nervousness that came with it all.

As a teenager, she had always looked forward to having a wedding— wearing a beautiful bridal skirt and blouse, having the perfect unforgettable wedding decor, a paradise of flowers, inviting all the people she knew so that they could witness her life's most beautiful day. To be the most stunning bride and have the most handsome prince charming.

Teenage fantasies!

All those stupid dreams had faded over time. Some she even thought were stupid to even think of in first place. She had accepted her reality. In all earnestness, she had no hope of marriage. But life seemingly had other plans in store for her.

It always had other plans.

Two weeks back, Nikhil had expressed his wish to have a simple wedding. Sharanya, herself had been trying to muster the courage to tell him that. She had immediately accepted his suggestion. They had decided to only invite their close family for the wedding ceremonies. Nikhil had suggested keeping a reception in the weekend after the day of their wedding for the formal crowd and friends.

Sharanya was relieved, the expenses would be considerably cut down. However, it was still a two day affair. Nikhil's mother had suggested that each family take the responsibility of a day and manage and arrange everything for the day's events. That way there would be no scope for mismanagement. She had showed willingness to arrange everything  for the main wedding day.

Her father had agreed, reluctantly. Sharanya had later convinced him that she'd manage the expense by withdrawing some cash from her PPF and break her FD for the expense.

Her family wasn't happy about her resignation. They were even disappointed that she hadn't told them then when she had applied it. That was an altogether another source of annoyance and worry for her. There was a little friction in opinions around that, but thankfully the forthcoming wedding had thrown that topic into the shadows.

Akshaya's final exams were a few days after the wedding date. Sharanya had advised her to prepare for the exams beforehand and warned her of not finding the time and the mood close to the wedding days.

Akshaya wasn't happy when Sharanya had restricted her from inviting any friends to the wedding. She was then allowed to invite two friends. She had conveyed the same to her father and brother. She had invited none of her own college days acquaintances. It was really unnecessary she had thought.

The family had protested and shown inclination on inviting them for the main marriage ceremony day. The expense for that day was anyway going to be borne by Nikhil's family, they wouldn't mind a few more guests they had reasoned. But she heard nothing of it.

On one night, her father had joined her on her night stroll around the apartment complex. He had confided in her that Nikhil had called him to offer help in making some arrangements for the ring ceremony. Sharanya didn't know how to react. Nikhil had asked her too, on a call, but she had politely declined saying everything was taken care of. She didn't know whether to be offended that he still called her father or be appreciative of the fact that he had felt responsible enough to call her father. She decided it was best to not judge his gesture.