To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 18

Abhay got out of the car and groaned.

"What?" Jay asked.

"I told them to not hold such a big ceremony," Abhay said, "look at the amount of cars here," he said.

"Well don't worry about these," Jay said lightly, "you won't be able to count the number of cars tomorrow at the reception. Besides you had only said you wanted a quiet small ceremony for the marriage not the other functions," he said and laughed at the look that came over his brother's face.

"Very funny," Abhay said.

"You look great bhai but I bet bhabhi looks better," Jay said.

Abhay was wearing a black embroidered sherwani and churidaar suit. For his height and build he looked absolutely gorgeous. While Jay wore a cream colored sherwani and churidaar which suited his good looks.

"Ready?" Sarla asked as she came up behind them with a smile.

"Ma, why so many people?" Abhay complained.

"Now Abhay, you never said you wanted a small engagement too besides we have to satisfy friends and family," she said as she straightened her husband's tie. Despite all their efforts Rajesh had refused to wear traditional clothes for the ceremony resorting to his three piece suit.

"Relax son," Rajesh said, "don't worry about people think about Amrit. I can't wait to see my future daughter in law in what she and your mother chose the other day. I bet you wouldn't be able to take your eyes off her and there is no one here who would hold a candle to her tonight," he said and smiled winking at Abhay.

Abhay was amused and irritated with the way his family was reacting to Amrit. Apparently the girl had charmed the Malhotras off their socks. Jay couldn't stop talking about how knowledgeable she was and how her dry humor kept him laughing through the dinner he had taken her on and she had paid her share as usual. His mother couldn't stop talking about how simple and yet wonderful she was and his father who usually took his time warming up to people had taken an instant liking to her. He had no idea what she had done or said not that they had told him anything. He sighed. If they were happy he was happy.

Just then some of his friends and relatives arrived and as they all gathered together to go inside with all the boxes of sweets, fruits and whatever else was required for the ceremony they were greeted by Amrit's family. There were so many people he lost track of who was who.

He was made to sit on a small erected stage in the middle of their courtyard. Thankfully there was a small setee placed there and not the huge chairs one often got to see at such functions. He would have died if he had to sit on one of them.

"We would have done more," he heard Nihal, Amrit's uncle say to his mother, "but Amrit wanted to keep it simple but you wait and see what we will do for Kulraj's engagement," he said and laughed.

"Of course," his mother said lightly, "I knew after looking at the decorations it is Amrit's choice," she said proudly.

Abhay hoped with all his being that the faith his mother had in Amrit was proven right for her sake. Another blow in the form of misplaced trust would surely kill her.

"Abhay," he heard a voice near him say and he turned to see beeji come towards him and he rose out of respect for the older lady.

"Beeji," he said respectfully and bent to touch her feet.

"God bless you son," she said and looked up at him, "well I wanted to introduce you to your sister in laws," she said and he saw a young girl about twenty four step from behind beeji, "this is Preeti, Amrit's youngest sister," she said.