Sita Mathur, IAS. An honest, loyal, dedicated, intelligent, kind, and fierce IAS officer to the outer world. But, a sweet, loving, bubbly, cute, and obedient girl for her family.
Ram Raghuvanshi. A strict, powerful, emotionless, and ruthless "RR" of...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
27 JANUARY 2024, 10.00 AM
"Sita!!! Are you ready? Ram will be here any time" Mumma shouted from downstairs. Today we are all going for engagement shopping with the Raghuvanshis for engagement. My family and Raghuvanshis have decided to select the outfits and designs for wedding ceremonies from Falguni Shane Peacock. Our families will head to their showroom, while Ram and I will select our Engagement rings from CaratLane and then reach Falguni Shane's for the dresses. I was ready in my black floral printed kurta and jeans with oxidized jewelry, my hair in a half ponytail and some curls covering my frame.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Sita!!! Ram is here. Come down quickly." Mumma called out.
"Coming mumma," I said and with a final look at the mirror, I left the room. Downstairs Ram was seated on the couch and talking with Dadu and Chachu about business with a glass of juice in his hand which I think my Mumma gave to him. He looked handsome in black pants and a T-shirt with a brown jacket and boots. I forcefully broke out of the trance to avoid the awkwardness. I made my presence known and greeted him with a small smile and 'Hi', he greeted me in return.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Can we leave?" He asked.
"Yes," I replied and turned towards mumma.
"Mumma we will reach there, after selecting the rings. All the others will reach there directly right?"
"Yes beta, they will reach there. You can both leave." Mumma replied.
I nodded and turned to Ram he nodded in agreement and left my home. He came in his Audi R8. He opened the front passenger seat for me. What a gentleman!! We drove towards CaratLane in an awkward silence. I was debating if I had to start the conversation or not. As if sensing my dilemma, he broke the silence.
"How is your work going?" he asked.
"Great. Yours?"
"Great as always"
"How is everyone at your home?"
"All are good. Everyone is very much eager to welcome you to our family."
"What about you?" I thought in my mind.
"I am also looking forward to that," I said with a small smile.
"Umm, I-I wanted to ask something to you." He said hesitantly.
"Go ahead" I urged.
"Will you go on a drive with me? After shopping," he asked.
"Sure. Where are we going?"
"I have a place in mind. You will see that when we go there" he said with a slight smirk.
Again we were enveloped by silence but this one was kinda comfortable. Soon we were at the Caratlane showroom after parking the car we entered the showroom. The Manager himself came to greet us, the perks of being from top business families and a top businessman. He escorted us to the VIP room and gave us refreshments. After we explained the purpose of our visit, we agreed to select the rings, before the manager could go I stopped him.
"Sir I have a request is it possible for us can select the rings separately" As I completed Ram asked with a confused look.
"Why? Is there any problem?"
"Not at all. But Dadi said that the bride should select the ring for the groom and the groom should select for the bride. And they should not see the rings selected by the other before engagement day"
"I don't believe in all these"
"Even I don't but our elders believe in these. If we don't follow it they will be sad. Moreover, there is no loss for us in following it, right."
He nodded and turned towards the manager and agreed with the condition. I was escorted to the nearby room with their female employee and some ring models. While Ram stayed in the VIP room, the staff came in with the rings, after selecting the rings and paying the bills which were paid by both of them on my insistence.
After that, we drove towards Falguni Shane's. As we reached the entrance of Falguni Shane's Mumma called me asking about our whereabouts, after answering her we entered the showroom. We saw that Shanta was trialing some designer lehengas, and Radha was the one who noticed our presence.
"Oh!! here is our Bride and groom." She said
"Come Di we all have selected our dresses only you and Jiju are left," Radhika said.
"Yes, come Sita dear we can select your outfit for engagement, and then we can give orders for other ceremonies. Ram the men are at the men's section you go there."
We nodded. He left for the men's section. I stayed back with the women to select the lehenga and selected the designs for other ceremonies and gave my measurements, needed alterations, etc. The shopping was done by 12.30 pm, we all were leaving. I saw Ram approaching my parents he was talking to them, a wide smile appeared on Mumma's face while Papa looked like he wanted to argue but he agreed reluctantly.
As we got outside, he led me towards his car and opened the front passenger seat door for me. Then we started our long drive we talked a little during the ride. After a while, I dosed off a little. I was shaken awake by Ram who said that we had reached our destination, I was stunned at the sight in front of me.
