Rukmini

Chapter 23

'With pleasure, dear brother. ', I said before reciting the memory to dada.

Continued from Chapter 21: What Is Happening ?

'How can we have so many events in one day ? And how will we have a mehendi ceremony ? I still have henna on my hands.', I asked him.

'Rukmini, my love, don't worry. Everything will be done. Now, about your henna. It is removable.', he said patiently.

I looked at him, questioningly.

'I'll show you.', he said, and began peeling the henna of my hands.

'How did you do that ?', I asked him as I looked at my bare hands.

'I was the one who asked Rajnish to replace the henna cones at your house before they applied it to you. I asked him to keep those in the pile for other ladies, and gave him the cones with removable henna to keep in your pile.', he said quietly.

'My hands look so empty ...', I whispered.

'I know, but look at the brighter side.', he said and smiled.

'What brighter side ?'

'That after your mehendi ceremony, you'll have the most beautiful henna on your hands .....', he said.

'Tumchya navva chi mehendi. Kiti chhan rangel maajhi mehendi ! Naav ter saapdel na tumcha tumhala ?', I said and teased him.
(The henna applied with your name. It will become so dark in colour ! Will you be able to find your name, though ? *When henna is applied to a bride, the groom's name or initial is inscribed on her palms. If the groom finds his name, it is said that he loves his bride and will truly care for her all his life.*)

'There's no doubt, Rukmini, that I shall find my name.', he said and smiled as he carried me all of a sudden.

'Tumhi kai kartai ?', I asked shyly.
(What are you doing ?)

'I love it when you become shy of me and start speaking in marathi. You look so pretty, kitten. To answer your question, I'm carrying you like I did earlier.', he said and laughed.

How long do I have to put on this lovey-dovey act ?
Urgh, Rukmini. Just do it. Come on, you can do it. Just a bit more of acting.

'Am I a baby ?', I asked sarcastically.

'You aren't a baby, you are my baby.', he answered and kissed the tip of my nose.

Okay, I've got it ! He's an easy task. Just play along in the way he wants.

'I don't believe you, Mr Vikramaditya Rakeshrao Deshmukh.', I said and played around with the first two buttons of his shirt.

'Let me prove it to you, Ms Rukmini Sawant-Deshmukh.', he said and leaned in for another kiss.

'I need to ask you something.'

'Ask on.', he said and caught me tightly.

'I wanted to ask you for your permission.'

'Permission ? For what ?'

'To-t-to meet Arjun.', I stuttered and looked away.

'You can meet him after our marriage.', he said.

'No, I need to see him before the marriage.', I said before giving him an innocent look.

'Why ?', he asked me in a business-like tone

'All your men have captured him and kept him captive because he knew about all of you. He must be worried to his life's end about me. I want to meet him so that I can tell him that I'm alright, and that I'm marrying the right person.', I explained as he nodded his head.