The Bride Trilogy - Part 1 - The Chosen Bride

Epilogue: Maine Pyar Kiya

This was Khushi's third trip to Mumbai. She'd been there once with Buaji when she was in high school, and then once through her college for a seminar. But this was her first trip with Arnav. And everything felt new and shiny, the colors were just a bit brighter, the smells just a bit more fragrant. And it had nothing to do with the city, but more with the person she was with. It'd been three months to their wedding, and they were the best three months of Khushi's life.

She couldn't have been more in love... with her husband... with her new family.... with her home.... with her life in general.

And now she got to hang with this awesome group of people. She had met Shivaay and Rohit at her wedding, but it was just one dinner. They'd got along so well though, and she'd genuinely liked the two of them. She also loved the person that Arnav became around them, so light and carefree and funny. They brought out the kid in each other, and she had not laughed this much in a long while.

This wedding was another chance for her to see the two again. And the newest Mrs Oberoi, Shivaay's bride. She was the sweetest person. They'd met just once before the wedding, but it felt like they'd known each other all their lives. It helped that they both talked nineteen-to-the-dozen, and so there was not a moment of quiet. They'd bonded over a mutual love of movies and food, and Khushi had made a friend instantly. Shivaay and Arnav had rolled their eyes at their camaraderie, but she could tell that they were secretly glad that their wives got along.

Dr. Sippy, the lone bachelor now, was unlike any other doctor that Khushi had met. And she got along famously with him. They talked medicine, swapped patient stories, and got along so well that she had to pacify Arnav later that night, showing him that she loved only him and nobody else. Crazy, jealous husband! Like she'd even look at another man ever!

And Arnav... he was a revelation. The stoicism, the aloof behavior was all gone. Not in public, of course. He was still ASR in public – all grim, intense, and a bit rude. But in private... Khushi blushed. There was a whole new persona to him that came out... only with her. She'd already seen the responsible, loving son/grandson/nephew that he could be with family, and loved him all the more for it. Then she'd seen the laughing, prankster Arnav with his friends, and it made her glad to be in his inner circle. But after their marriage, she'd seen the romantic side of him. And it blew her away. If she'd complained about his behavior before, she couldn't think why. He was the perfect romantic partner. And Khushi was happy!

And so were all the Raizadas. The family still considered it an arranged marriage, and Khushi and Arnav had let them think that. Only Shivaay and Rohit were privy to the manipulations that Arnav had done to bring Khushi into his life, and they weren't talking.

"Here it is... one tea with extra sugar", Arnav handed her a hot, steaming cup of tea, as he settled down next to her with his own coffee mug, in the balcony of their hotel suite.

"Thanks", she smiled at him as she scooted closer and leaned into him, before he could say anything or drag her closer... cause she knew he would. The guy couldn't spend a minute in her company without touching her in some way.

"Did you enjoy the wedding?" Arnav asked her, as he put an arm around her, and cuddled her into him.

"A lot"

"You don't mind that I decided we'd stay here instead of at Oberoi Mansion, right?"

"No. I like the privacy here. That place is hopping. Besides, Shivaay has already given you an earful"

"He understands that we need our privacy. Especially now that he's a newly wed too. Besides we were there for every single ritual, so that pacified him"

"I loved all the rituals and the pomp and show. It was quite a bit different from ours"

"Slightly, yes. A lot bigger in scale"

"I liked ours better", Khushi grinned up at him.

"It got me you, so yes, I agree. Way better", Arnav smiled down at her, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss.

"Maybe we're biased a little bit?", Khushi laughed, cuddling more into him after the kiss.

"Definitely", he grinned.

"Arnav, how did Shivaay and his wife meet? When he was there at our wedding, he was complaining that his parents were forcing him into an arranged marriage with someone, but it definitely looks like a love match to me"

"That's a whole other story, and I shall tell it to you another time.... Actually, you might want to ask his wife. She'll give you the best version of it. She did give him the runaround quite a bit though. I've never seen him so frustrated", Arnav laughed.

"Not everybody is as accommodating as me, to fall in love so easily and quickly", Khushi told him archly.

Arnav laughed, "I love you, Khushi", he told her seriously, looking into her eyes.

Khushi's heart skipped a beat as she looked at that beloved face, then she smiled and burrowed back into him, "I love you too, Arnav... hamesha"