Parivara: Story of a Family

30 : Happy, After All

Aditi was finishing up getting ready, her maids wrapping her in an elegant sari, when a whistle was heard. Aditi turned to look out her window, already knowing it was Vishu. He was dressed in an immaculate new outfit, and he was tossing an apple around as he whistled their secret tune.

Aditi giggled and teased, "What do you want?"

Vishu smiled and leaned in through the window. He looked her up and down and said, "Just to tell you you're beautiful."

Aditi giggled again, and slapped at his face playfully. "Besharam! (Shameless)"

"Hey," Vishu said, catching her hand when she slapped. "If I can't be besharam with my fiancé, who can I be besharam with?"

"No one!" Aditi shouted, pulling her hand away. "And don't ever think about anyone else!"

"When I have you, who could I possibly think of?" Vishu winked. Aditi laughed and pushed him out the window, closing the shutters. She leaned against the closed doors and sighed happily. It was true, Vishu was her fiancé. Their wedding was set to happen in about six months. Papa had decided this date because in six months he was going to begin trade with the new province, and the home he was building there for Vishu and Aditi would be finished by then. It would be a mansion, a smaller version of the palace where they'd both grown up, and Aditi had specially requested a small Diya Mahal to be built for them in the new house. They would get married, and then live there so Vishu could be Papa's governor in the new province. But before all that, Aditi had another wedding to attend.

She checked her reflection in her mirror, and when she was satisfied, she left her room. Of course, Vishu had been waiting outside the whole time. He spun her around, and then they happily made their way to the palace temple.

Payal and Abhay were already at the temple, along with Papa and Maa and all the wedding guests. Payal was in a beautiful red gown, and she was glittering like the jewels around her neck and arms. Abhay looked handsome and kingly, as always, and he couldn't stop smiling at his beautiful bride.

The wedding ceremony and dinner flew by, and before anyone knew it, it was time for the newly married couple to go. Everyone gathered at the palace gates, where Abhay and Payal's entourage was waiting to take them to Abhay's kingdom.

Payal and Abhay said goodbye to her parents, taking their blessings. Payal hugged Maa, who was crying, but they were happy tears. Then she went over and hugged Aditi and Vishu.

"You pagals (crazies)!" She said as she hugged them. "Learn to behave, na (ok)? And I'll see you in a few months at your wedding!"

"Bye, didi (sister)!" Aditi said, going in for one last hug and squeezing her sister. "Take care. I'll miss you!" Payal kissed Aditi's cheek, and then Abhay helped her into their curtained palanquin, following her in.

Their entourage began to move out of the palace walls, and Aditi, Vishu, and everyone else kept waving until they were out of sight. Payal lay in Abhay's arms as they were carried away, her face hurting from her smiling, though she couldn't stop.

"When we get back to our kingdom," Abhay whispered in her ear, kissing it as he did so. "We'll send word as soon as possible back to your parents that you are with child. I'll have a lot of work to do, I've been absent for a long time, but I think you'll like your new home."

"Hey," Payal whispered back, nudging him a little. "I'm going to help you with your work. You know I'm smart, and I am not going to be a queen who is only good for looking pretty. I am your wife, and your partner now."

Abhay chuckled and said, "I know. But your most important job is to take care of my baby." He bent over and kissed Payal's stomach, making her giggle. He sat back up and kissed her lips this time, and then he lay back and held his wife and partner as they were carried to their home.

***

The plan had been a success, and Divya and Rakesh couldn't have been happier.

Before they'd even left the palace on the day of their faked deaths, Rakesh had met with the wagon driver in secret. He told the man that they would drive out to the bridge, and then push the wagon into the river. He then went on to tell the man exactly what he would have to say to the king and queen to convince them he and Divya had died. He payed the man so he could get a new wagon, and gave a little extra money too, and then they set off.

At the bridge, Rakesh helped the man push the wagon into the river, and then instructed the man to jump in and get wet. When the man looked convincing, he sent him back to the palace with the sad news, and he and Divya found another driver to take them as far from the palace as possible.

They ended up in a large province on the edge of the kingdom, hundreds of miles from the palace. This province was by the sea, and Rakesh found work as a manager of fishermen easily. The job came with a small cottage, and after they got married in a small temple, he and Divya settled in easily.

He worked and earned fair money, and she took care of their home and of herself, making sure her pregnancy was healthy. Soon after, they received word of Payal and Abhay's wedding. A few months after that, there was word of Aditi and Vishu's wedding and they found out Payal had given birth to a little princess, and she was quickly pregnant with her and Abhay's second child. Divya was happy for both of her sisters, always listening for news about them, and only wishing the best for them.

Rakesh came home after a hard day of work, his forehead sweaty and his hair smelling of fish and the ocean. Divya had learned to love that smell, and she embraced him as he walked through the door. Rakesh tilted her head back and kissed her, deeply and sweetly, savoring her and the moment.

A small cry was heard, and Divya stepped out of his arms to go check on their baby son. "Shh, Charanjit, shhh," Divya cooed. They had named him after Papa, the man who'd raised Divya and the king who'd taught Rakesh everything he knew and treated him as his own as well.

Rakesh stared at his wife as she rocked their baby, and happiness filled his entire being. He went over and put his arms around both of them, holding his entire world in his arms. He and Divya had made a mistake almost four years before, both of them choosing wealth and success over love. But those choices had only led to heartbreak and misery for both of them. Now that they were living in a small home, living off the pay of a fishermen manager, they were happier than they'd ever been. They had learned what the right choice was all along.

Choose love, always.