Love Struck At The Wedding

44. SHAURYA

3 months to go

The chill of December mornings in Delhi was unmistakable. As I stepped out onto the balcony of my apartment, I felt the cold breeze on my face, a stark contrast to the warmth of the memories from the past few weeks of wedding preparations.

My parents had just returned to Punjab to oversee some last-minute arrangements with our relatives there, leaving me to juggle work and their call related to wedding arrangements.

I was sipping my coffee, trying to focus on the syllabus for the next semester, when my phone buzzed. It was my father.

"Good morning, Papa," I answered cheerfully.

"Good morning, Shaurya," he replied. "How's everything going there? Did you talk with Avni's father?"

"Yes, Papa. How are things in Punjab?"

"Busy, as usual. Your mother and I have been running around to get everything sorted. Some of the relatives have started visiting us."

I chuckled. But something caught my attention, Avni's name being spoken by the relatives seems too suspicious.

"Dad who is speaking? I can hear someone say something about Avni." I spoke.

Reluctantly my father put the phone on speaker. I greeted the relatives on the other end. After some initial pleasantries, I steered the conversation toward the comments they had made about Avni.

“Well, Shaurya, we just think you could have found someone more suitable. Avni is a nice girl, but she doesn’t quite fit with our family’s expectations,” one of my aunts said, her tone patronizing.

“Excuse me?” I replied, my voice hardened. “Avni is perfect for me. And I don’t appreciate you talking about her like that.”

Another relative chimed in, “We’re just concerned about your happiness, Shaurya. We don’t mean any harm.”

"I appreciate your concern, but your comments are hurtful and unnecessary. Avni is going to be a part of this family, and she deserves your respect."

I ended the call, my hands shaking with anger. As I stood there, the weight of the conversation began to sink in. I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of insecurity that had crept in. What if my relatives were right? What if our differences caused problems in our marriage?

Just then, my phone buzzed again. It was Avni. I took a deep breath and answered.

"Hi, Shaurya," she said, her voice cheerful. "I was just thinking about you. You are coming to college right?"

"Hey," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Is everything okay? You sound upset."

“I’m fine, Avni. Just tired,” I replied, my voice clipped.

“What’s wrong, Shaurya? Talk to me,” she urged.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, my frustration bubbling over. “Just drop it, okay?”

"Shaurya."

I couldn't hold it in any longer. "Avni, I just had a conversation with my parents and some relatives. They were saying things about you, about us."

Her voice wavered. "What did they say?"

"They think you're too focused on your career, that you might not fit in with our family. And I defended you, but it's just... it's making me question things."

There was a long pause. "So, you're questioning our relationship because of what they said?"

"Avni, it's not that simple. They raised some valid points, and it's making me think."