Dear Arjun

Chapter 4: Indian parents!

Seher's POV

Have you ever wondered what's the force that makes us keep going in life? Even when we feel like there's nothing left to go on with?

Is it hope?

Is it love?

Well I think that it's the mixture of both...a little bit of both...hope and love...and when hope and love comes together, it forms a fresh, new emotion all together...and I guess that's what we call devotion.

Devotion to God...as we carry love in our hearts for God and at the same time we also carry hope...hope that one day everything will eventually work out.

And as I stand here today, witnessing my friends, Daniel and Susan, holding hands, taking their vows on this big day of their lives, I pray to my lord Shiva, to fill their lives with everlasting love...a love that will hold them together forever...through all the ups and downs...through thick and thin...in sickness and in health.

"Now I pronounce you man and wife..." The priest announced, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"You may kiss your bride" He continued as Daniel raised an eyebrow at Susan with a teasing smile before gently cupping her cheeks and leaning forward for a kiss as everybody in the lawn cheered for them, including me.

I couldn't help but smile witnessing the adorable moment unfolding before my eyes.

"Hey!" Jade said snapping me out of the moment.

"Here..." She continued handing me a glass of wine as she held another in her hand for herself.

"What a beautiful couple they make, don't they?" She said as we watched Daniel and Susan dance over a soft music.

"Yeah. They do" I replied taking a small sip of the wine.

"You look lost. What are you thinking?" She asked.

"Nothing...just witnessing my friends getting married, had me thinking about something" I replied while still being lost in my thoughts at the back of my mind.

"And what is it that you are thinking?" She asked as I just shook my head with a small smile, knowing she won't let it go until I tell her what's bothering me, but instead of telling her I just remained quiet as my thoughts slipped back to the conversation with my parents.

"Sat Sri Akaal, papa. What's up? How are you all doing?" I greeted and asked as soon as my father answered my phone call.

"What's up? And how are we all doing?" My father, Amardeep Rajput, repeated my words with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"We all have been worried sick about you! Do you even know Vikrant was just about to book flight ticket for himself so that he can go over there and check on you" He added without even giving me a chance to explain.

"Relax papa, I'm not a child anymore, I have been living abroad, away from my family and friends for almost five years now...I think by now you all should start trusting me that I can take care of myself quite well" I replied.

"Yes beta, we know that, we know that you are a very strong and independent young girl but that doesn't mean that we have stopped loving you...we all love you and that's the reason we got all worked up when you didn't answer our phone calls and then your number was switched off" He said with concern laced in his voice.

"I was in a session, so I switched my phone off and then I was busy with some work at the hospital so I forgot to turn it on...that's all, nothing to worry about" I replied with a shrug as if he could see me.