A Symphony Of Silence And Storm

You are outsider.

The preparations for the puja were complete. The pandit, the officiating priest, had arrived and taken his seat on a stool beside the small havan kund, a fire pit used for ritual offerings, nestled within the temporary pandal, a decorated structure. Two more stools sat opposite the havan kund, presumably for a couple while cushions encircled the pandal for the remaining family members.

All the Oberois were seated, except for Shivay and Kanika. Annika, who had previously been dressed in jeans and a top, now sported a yellow suit that matched the Oberoi family's attire. Priyanka, it seemed, had persuaded her to coordinate her outfit. As Annika followed Dadi and the pandit's instructions, carefully placing items for the ceremony, the pandit mistook her for the future bride due to the matching attire and her attentive participation.

"Call your grandson now," the pandit boomed, signaling the start of the ceremony.

Before Dadi could utter a word, a gruff voice filled the air. "I'm here," Shivay declared, walking towards the designated seat.

A collective gasp rippled through the family. Seeing Shivay in attendance was a sight they hadn't dared to imagine. A radiant smile bloomed on Dadi's face. Shivay, in that moment, realized Annika's words held the truth. His presence had indeed lifted his grandmother's spirits. He settled into the designated seat.

Annika, who had initially been occupying the seat meant for Kanika, was stunned to see Shivay in a light-colored kurta suit. He exuded a handsomeness she hadn't noticed before, a stark contrast to his usual dark tuxedos. Fighting back a surge of unexpected emotions, she whispered to him, "I never thought you'd take my advice seriously and attend the puja."

"It wasn't because of you," Shivay whispered back. "I saw Dadi looking down, so I decided to cheer her up."

Their hushed conversation drew a smile from the pandit. "What a lovely couple," he remarked. "Your bond resembles that of Shiva and Parvati."

The comment left everyone speechless. Before Annika could clear up the misunderstanding, Kanika interjected with a sharp tone, "Panditji, you're mistaken! She's just the event manager, not even a family member. I'm the future daughter-in-law. Annika, move from my seat and get back to your duties!"

Annika, her face hardening at being called an outsider, wasted no time in rising and taking a few steps back.

Ignoring Kanika, the pandit addressed Dadi, "I thought she was your daughter-in-law. She seemed to be handling all the tasks a daughter-in-law would typically do."  With that, the puja commenced.

Om, Rudra, and Priyanka silently fumed at Kanika's comment towards Annika. Unable to voice their disapproval, Rudra snuck over to Annika.

"Di," he addressed her respectfully, "why are you standing here alone? Come sit with us."

Annika, still upset by Kanika's words, replied sadly, "Rudra, I'm an outsider. How can I sit with you all?"

"Didi, don't let Kanika's words get to you," Rudra reassured her. "To us, you're family. That's why I call you 'Didi.'"  With a warm smile, he gently nudged her towards the others.

This act didn't go unnoticed by Shivay. While initially attending only for Dadi's sake, a flicker of anger ignited within him at Kanika's words directed at Annika. Now, he observed Rudra coaxing Annika to join them, their lively conversation a stark contrast to Kanika's disinterest.  Stealing a glance to his right, he saw Dadi beaming with pride, a source of satisfaction for his decision.  However, a look to his left revealed Kanika's boredom, evident from her constant fidgeting and phone checks.

Attending the puja was merely a show for her, a way to impress. When she heard breakfast wouldn't be served until after the ceremony, her annoyance grew. Sneaking off, she ordered chips to munch on, planning to feign exhaustion from skipping breakfast. But the moment whispers of Shivay's arrival reached her ears, she hurriedly hid her chips, freshened up, and rushed back to the pandal.

The sight that greeted her fueled her jealousy. Shivay, leaning slightly towards Annika, was whispering something. The pandit's following comment about them being a couple only added to the fire. While she reveled in momentarily putting Annika in her place, boredom and frustration gnawed at her as the puja dragged on.

After a half-hour puja, the pandit declared the ceremony complete. He instructed the "couple" to approach for blessings from the elders. Relief washed over Kanika at the puja's conclusion, quickly replaced by a flicker of annoyance at the notion of blessings.

Shivay, wasting no time, bypassed Kanika and made a beeline for the pandit to offer his respects.

"My son," the pandit boomed, "you'll be married soon. Take blessings with your wife."

Kanika, seizing the opportunity, rushed to stand beside Shivay. As they prepared to bow, the pandit intervened once more.

"Kalyani ji," he addressed Dadi, his voice laced with concern, "your granddaughter-in-law seems unfamiliar with the blessing ceremony."

Confusion rippled through the room. What had Kanika done wrong?

Annika, however, quickly grasped the issue. Tradition dictated that a woman's head be covered while receiving blessings. Realizing this, she swiftly retrieved her dupatta (head scarf) and moved towards Kanika. Sensing Annika's gesture, Kanika stood bewildered. With a gentle hand, Annika draped the dupatta over Kanika's head and stepped back.

"Your event manager seems more knowledgeable than your daughter-in-law," the pandit remarked, commending Annika's attentiveness. "See how quickly she rectified the situation?"

Kanika bristled at the veiled compliment. "Can we proceed with the blessings now?" she snapped, irritation lacing her voice.

The pandit nodded curtly. Shivay and Kanika proceeded to receive blessings, starting with the pandit, then Dadi, Shivay's uncle and aunt, and finally, his parents.

Pinky, sensing Kanika's irritation, leaned in and whispered, "Don't take the pandit's words to heart. He's old-fashioned and sticks to tradition. You look lovely in that dress." Kanika offered a curt nod in response.

Dadi, her face alight with joy, announced breakfast. Relief washed over everyone as they eagerly made their way to the dining area.

Shivay, however, retreated to his room, leaving Kanika fuming.  Before following the others, Kanika stalked towards Annika, removed the dupatta and tossed it carelessly towards Annika. "Here," she scoffed, "take your precious dupatta. My designer dress looks far better without it. And by the way, pack up all this leftover puja stuff quickly. The ceremony's over, so your services aren't needed anymore. Consider this your dismissal." With that, she swept out of the room, her designer dress swishing behind her.

Annika, unfazed by Kanika's rudeness, mimicked her words under her breath. "Services aren't needed anymore," she muttered, a glint of determination in her eye. With a newfound purpose, she began supervising the staff as they dismantled the pandal, eager to finish her tasks and head home for a much-needed lunch. Skipping breakfast to ensure everything was perfect had left her stomach growling.