The Great Indian Wedding Romance

23. Differences

It wasn't surprising that Siddharth was relieved when the ceremonies wrapped up. 

The end of this wedding meant the end of this ridiculous pretence he was putting up. He could go back to his life as Siddharth Kashyap, bassist and vocalist for Red Wagon. He would not have to think about his 'family' anymore. 

He looked over to Chetna standing next to her sister and was surprised to see that she wasn't mirroring his expression of relief. 

She was biting her lip and dabbing her eye. Like she was trying to hide the fact that she was crying.

He could not understand the complex tumult of emotions Chetna seemed to be going through as she helped Chaarvi stand up from the Mandap and escorted her back towards her room to get changed out of her heavy bridal Lehnga. 

Chetna stood back as the women in her family helped her sister get into a saree. The outfit she would be seen off in. 

Vidaai or Farewell. The tearful send-off every Indian woman receives from her family.

As soon as a woman is born into an Indian household she is marked as Paraya Dhan, something to be given away to her rightful owner when the time is right. 

Chetna knew she didn't believe in these archaic traditions and patriarchal terms. Yet she couldn't help but tear up at the prospect of parting with her little sister. They were so close in age that they had grown up practically as twins. Chaarvi may not have been anything like her but she was still her sister. 

The house would feel alien without Chaarvi. 

How would she stand to walk into their shared balcony without the constant stream of Chaarvi playing some daily soap or the other? Who would she chastise for following every random home remedy? 

She would have a lot more shelf space in the bathroom they shared but that didn't matter anymore. 

Who would talk sense into her when she argued with Mummy and Papa? Who would defend her when her Bua started another one of her tirades?

As her Bua pinned Chaarvi's pallu securely Chetna was vaguely reminded of the necklace she still had in her possession. The one everyone still suspected Chetna had stolen. She felt her anger and annoyance return but everything that was happening around her took precedence. 

She needed to see Chaarvi off without a hitch first. 

As they walked out with Chaarvi in her new attire the crowd gathered around in anticipation. Chetna trained her eyes on Veer and tried to gauge his feelings. She wasn't very good at reading people so that didn't help her very much. 

She flashed back to the time Veer had first come to see Chaarvi. She hadn't liked him very much at first glance, but to be fair she hadn't liked any of the men who had been to their house to see Chaarvi. 

Over the course of this week, she had discovered that no matter where Veer had come from, no matter the circumstances of their wedding, Veer and Chaarvi cared about each other. 

She wasn't sure how their relationship would proceed but she contented herself with the thought that Veer loved her sister enough to take care of her and protect her. 

Besides, unlike her, Chaarvi was very sensible. She had a way with words that would not aggravate the listener. 

Chetna's tact was all for the courthouse and classroom, none for her own home. 

Still, she broke away from her sister and approached Veer who stood next to Siddharth ready to take his bride home. Literally, since they'd be flying to Delhi straight from there. Their luggage was already packed in the decked out car.