Preparations

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I woke up to the warm embrace of my niece and nephew. As I started to get up, I suddenly felt disoriented and everything around me started to blur. Luckily, my brother caught me before I could fall and had me sit down. Concerned, my family called a doctor who diagnosed me with viral fever and weakness, likely caused by excessive crying.

After a refreshing shower and breakfast with my family, I returned to my room with my niece and nephew who enthusiastically shared their school adventures with me. Their innocent chatter brought a sense of joy to my heart. Later, my brother joined me, apologized for his earlier behaviour, and advised me to rest. Instead, I asked him to stay and we had a heartfelt conversation. He confided in me about his disagreements with his wife and I encouraged him to talk to her directly.

Eventually, I reached out to his wife, Nitya, and after a lengthy chat, she agreed to our terms for her visit. My cousins' visit lifted the mood, and we spent the day enjoying each other's company. I informed my boss about my situation and secured a few days off, with the option to work from home if needed.

As I drifted off to sleep, my mom, aunt, and sisters discussed plans for an upcoming engagement ceremony, which filled me with excitement. We even arranged for a family jeweller to design a ring for my future sister-in-law. Afterwards, everyone went shopping, and I urged my mom to pick something for me, trusting her impeccable taste.

Waking up to the aroma of vegetable pasta, I noticed all the beautiful gifts gathered for Nitya. Over dinner, I declared my plans to spend the following day decorating and playing with the children. We decided to take a walk and I started making arrangements for mehendi and makeup artists. Later, my brother and I discussed various ideas for the upcoming celebrations.

During our outing, I unexpectedly encountered Abhay and Reha. I hoped to avoid them, but Reha approached me and started a conversation. I prayed she wouldn't bring up our previous disagreement in front of my brother, but I was relieved when she left after an amicable conversation. Abhay seemed to understand my discomfort and allowed me to leave.

When I arrived home, I headed straight to my room and told my parents that I was exhausted and needed some rest. They were understanding and agreed to let me sleep. As I lay in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened that day. Thoughts about Aansh and the complications with Reha filled my mind, making it impossible to relax. The weight of the day lingered, and I found myself lost in contemplation.

Suddenly, my phone rang. It was a colleague from the office informing me about Aansh's unexpected visit with a bouquet for me. I asked her to hold onto it, unable to face the gesture at that moment. Tears welled up in my eyes as a sudden pain gripped my heart. Memories of our first meeting, our love, and how things were before Reha came into our lives flooded my mind. I lost track of time, consumed by these thoughts, and before I knew it, sleep had overtaken me.

The following morning, I woke up with a pounding headache, likely from crying, and my fever hadn't subsided. I didn't want to worry my family, so I quickly got ready and joined everyone in the dining area. I embraced my parents, although my mother scolded me for getting out of bed. I explained that I wanted to contribute to my brother's engagement preparations, and after a little back-and-forth, she relented. I busied myself with preparing a gift for Nitya and arranging a ring platter, and then finally sat down to have my lunch after finishing.

Just as I settled in, I received a call from the office informing me of an urgent meeting with a client that I had to attend. Despite my mom's reservations, I brought one of my cousins along with me. What was supposed to be a two-hour meeting stretched into nearly four hours due to its urgency. I was determined to finish it as I didn't want work looming over my brother's special day.

On the way back home, an unknown number flashed on my phone. When I answered, it was Aansh. He said, "Hey, my angel, I miss you," and my world stood still. I kept the conversation casual and ended it after a few minutes. I knew it was hard to avoid him, but I needed to maintain my distance for my well-being. Right now, my sole focus is on my brother's upcoming engagement and his happiness.

After receiving a call from my brother, I joined him at a tattoo artist’s studio, where he planned to get a permanent tattoo. I suggested he get Nitya's name on his ring finger as a surprise for the engagement. He agreed, and I also decided to get a tattoo, seeking my brother's permission. I wanted to have our parents' names inked, and my brother kindly agreed, creating lasting symbols of love for our family.

 I wanted to have our parents' names inked, and my brother kindly agreed, creating lasting symbols of love for our family

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Upon returning home, I revealed my tattoo to my family, and tears welled up in their eyes. I lightened the mood with a joke, and soon laughter filled the room. As we sat together for dinner, we reminisced about our childhood, and I found myself leaning on my mother's lap, holding my father’s hand, and embracing my brother. One of my aunts teasingly remarked that I wouldn't get married, to which I playfully responded that I never intended to leave my parents. We all shared a moment of laughter.

I had no idea when I drifted off to sleep with my head on my mother's lap. Someone gently carried me to my bed, and in my drowsy state, I knew it could only have been my brother. But then I told him to stay with me because I was not feeling well and he agreed he was busy messaging my head from his one hand and the other hand was busy typing emails. I know how much he loves me and cares for me thinking about it I slept peacefully.

*****

Hey, guys double update for today because we finally completed 1k reads and I am so so happy that I feel like dancing around.

Thank you so much everyone for loving my work and picking up and making part of your reading.

Love from your Scarlet ❤️

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