Solace

|4| meet

I sat on the bed, facing Shivani, and we started having breakfast.

"Di, can I ask you something?" Shivani asked, worry etched on her countenance,

"Sure," I replied, though I had a hunch, about what she was going to question.

"Di, are you okay? They really planned an early wedding. I was not expecting it," she said, with slight tears in her eyes.

"Shivani, it's no longer about my happiness but Papa's health. Anyway, I will be getting married, so how does it matter if it happens in the next fifteen days or fifteen months? It's going to happen, so let it be," I replied weakly, smiling at her, but in reality, the last thing I wanted was to get married, to get involved with a man, I know nothing about. I felt like, I'm cheating on him, after wearing this ring my thoughts should have been about him, but it was on the betrayal I suffered a month ago.

She didn't say anything; she just kept looking at me, probably waiting for me to voice out my thoughts, to say something but I didn't.

I wasn't accustomed to having much for breakfast, so I quickly had a few slices of apple and a quarter of a sandwich, while even Shivani was done.

A knock on the door caught our attention. Shivani slipped down the bed, rushed towards the door, and opened the it holding the knob.

"Di, Roshni ji has come. She's asking both of you to hurry up," a house helper said, in a hurry.

"Okay, tell her, we are coming," Shivani replied, looking behind winking at me, just now we were having a very serious conversation now see her. I wanted everything to go smoothly. When last time, I saw him, we just shared a few glances, even he seemed in rush, now I was going to spend hours with him.

I quickly picked up my sling bag and came out from my room along with Shivani.

Roshni was sitting in the drawing room with my father. They were engrossed in a conversation. When she saw me, she came running towards me, threw her arms around me, and hugged me, giggling. She was like a cute baby to me, and in no time, I started liking her a lot.

"Bhabhi, you are looking stunning. Bhai is going to faint looking at you," she exclaimed in excitement, I glanced at Papa, as he was already looking at me. I don't know what they talked about. He came here to drop him, what was the conversation they both had?

I was to shy to ask this to Papa, and there was no chance I was going to ask, what he talked to my father.

Initially, Shivani, and now Roshni, both interrupted, expressing astonishment at my appearance. Was I really looking so different? It wasn't that, I didn't dress up, while going out, .

I weakly smiled at her, feeling quite shy in reality.

"Why didn't he come inside?" my father interrupted, as Shivani and Roshni started talking about something.

"Uncle, actually, we were in a hurry, that's why," she replied politely.

"Let's go, bhabhi. Bhaiya must be waiting," she said.

"Okay, Papa, we are going then," I said to my father.

"Okay, beta, take care," he said, keeping his hand on my head.

Thinking about meeting him was making me shiver. I couldn't think properly, and thousands of questions were flooding my mind.

What would we talk?

What will I say if he asks me about my consent about this marriage?

Should I tell him the truth or lie to him?