Roohedaariyaan (On Hold Till Mid May)

Abandoned Bride

"प्यार तो वो मिठास है, जिको दिल सूं मिलसी तो जिनगी भी गुलजार हो जासी।"

"Love is that sweetness, which, when found from the heart, makes life blossom."

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As she reached downstairs, Rahhi noticed two familiar figures sitting in the living room. One of them was engrossed in reading a newspaper, while the other sat with a mala in her hand, eyes closed in deep prayer. Though Rahhi had seen them before, they had never introduced themselves to her. She adjusted her veil and approached them respectfully.

"Good morning, Uncle ji," she greeted softly.

Prashant ji, the man with the newspaper, shifted his attention to her, and Gayatri ji, the woman praying, opened her eyes. As Rahhi bent down to touch Prashant ji's feet, he gently stopped her.

"Beta ji, daughters should never bow down to anyone. They are the embodiment of goddesses. We should be the ones touching your feet, not you. You are our pride, our daughter, and all we want is to see you happy."

Rahhi simply nodded her head in acknowledgment, but Prashant ji added with a warm smile, "And remember, we are your family, beta. We'd be honored if you called us Dada Sa and Dadi Sa."

With that, he returned to reading his newspaper, while Gayatri ji gently chimed in, "Beta, there's no need to keep a veil. You can wear whatever makes you comfortable."

Rahhi nodded again, then asked softly, "Dadi Sa, what should I prepare for my first rasoi?"

Gayatri ji smiled warmly and replied, "There's no need for you to prepare anything, beta. We have plenty of maids and chefs here in the palace. In our house, it's the men who prepare food-we don't allow girls in the kitchen. We brought you into our home as our daughter, not as a servant."

Rahhi nodded her head quietly as the other family members joined them and introduced themselves. Soon after, they all made their way to the pooja room. After completing the morning rituals, everyone sat down for breakfast. The meal passed mostly in silence, with no one asking Rahhi anything, and she, being an introvert, found it difficult to open up to them.

Although the chef had prepared a wide variety of dishes-sandwiches, kachoris, parathas, and more-Rahhi only took two slices of bread, applying a very small amount of butter, and had a cup of tea. She ate in silence, feeling a bit out of place but trying to stay composed.

After they finished eating, the family members began presenting their gifts to Rahhi.Dada Sa and Dadi Sa gifted her a set of heavy family heirloom gold bangles, which sparkled beautifully in the light.Alok ji and Mira ji presented her with a stunning diamond necklace paired with exquisite earrings, adding a touch of elegance to her appearance.Pratiksha ji and Arvind ji gave her a sophisticated branded watch along with a platinum bracelet, making it a thoughtful and stylish gift.Trisha and Harsh handed her a customized couple mug engraved with her and Dhruvil's names. They promised her their unwavering support and commitment, vowing to always stand by her and make her smile through all circumstances.

At first, Rahhi hesitated to accept all the generous gifts, feeling overwhelmed by their kindness. She tried to decline, saying, "I can't accept all of this."

But the family gently insisted, reassuring her that these gifts were tokens of their affection and support. After their encouragement, Rahhi finally accepted the presents, her eyes welling up with tears of gratitude she felt a pang in her heart as her own family never treated her like that all in her life she craved was for love which she never got which made her believe that she isn't meant to be loved.