𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒚𝒎𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒚

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 21

The flight back to India seemed to take an eternity, but finally, Armaan and Ishani touched down in their hometown. Their excitement was palpable as they made their way through the airport, hand in hand, anticipation rising with every step.

When they reached the front door of Ishani's house, Armaan drew in a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel Ishani's hand trembling in his, and he squeezed it reassuringly.

"Are you ready for this?" he whispered, his eyes fixed on hers.

Ishani nodded, swallowing hard as she rang the doorbell. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal her parents, Siddharth and Mira, standing there with welcoming smiles on their faces.

"Ishani, beta, welcome home!" Mira exclaimed, embracing her daughter with tears of joy in her eyes. "We've missed you so much!"

Siddharth's expression was more reserved, but Armaan could see the love and pride in his eyes as he stepped forward to embrace him.

Armaan returned the hug, his heart thudding in his chest. "Uncle, it's good to be home. And thank you for welcoming me back."

Siddharth's expression softened, and he patted Armaan on the shoulder. "You're like a son to me, Armaan. It's good to have you back."

As they stepped inside, Ishani could feel her heart pounding even harder. "There's something we need to tell you," she began, her voice shaking slightly.

Mira's brow creased with concern.

"What is it, beta?" she asked, her eyes searching Ishani's face for clues. "You're not ill, are you? Or in trouble?"

Ishani shook her head, swallowing hard. "No, Mom, it's not like that. We have something important to tell you." She took a deep breath, glancing at Armaan for support. "We're in love. We want to be together."

Mira's eyes widened, and she let out a shocked gasp. "Ishani, what are you saying?"

Armaan stepped forward, his voice strong and calm. "Mira Auntie, we understand this is a lot to take in. But we love each other, and we've been together for a long time now."

Siddharth's face had gone stony, his jaw clenched tight. "This is what you wanted to tell us? You're dating?"

Ishani bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. "Dad, please try to understand. Armaan is a wonderful man, and we want your blessing to be together."

Siddharth burst out laughing, his expression one of pure relief. "You two have gotten me good!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in wonderment. "I couldn't have asked for a better son-in-law than you, Armaan."

Armaan let out a deep breath, his face breaking into a wide grin. "I had a feeling you'd see it our way," he said, wrapping his arm around Ishani's shoulders. "We knew we couldn't keep it a secret from you for long."

Ishani wiped away her tears, her face glowing with happiness.

Siddharth laughed again, shaking his head. "Well, now that we've got that out of the way, we should celebrate!" he exclaimed. "I'm calling Trisha and Rishi right now, and we're having a family dinner tonight."
"Yes!" Ishani exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement. "And we should start planning the wedding, too!"
Armaan couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. "One thing at a time, Ishani," he said, his voice teasing. "First, we have to survive dinner with both sets of parents."

As the families shared a delicious meal, their excitement for the upcoming wedding grew. The date had been set, a mere two weeks away, after consulting with a pandit to ensure an auspicious day for the ceremony.
"We have so much to plan!" Trisha exclaimed, her eyes alight with glee. "The wedding clothes, the decorations, the food!"
"And let's not forget the guest list," Rishi chimed in, grinning at his wife. "We'll have to make sure we invite everyone."