Melting Hearts

Part 89 - Dibs

***Sahana's P. O. V***

Ahana bhabhi and I giggled and chirped as we made our way into the house - only to find the environment dead serious as all the parents glared at us - what had happened?

"What.... happened?" I whispered, looking from my parents to my would-be-in-laws.

"I don't want to marry you off first!" papa hissed looking at me, while Arush's papa scoffed.

"And I don't want to marry off my bachchi first!" Arush's papa hissed, to which my father scoffed.

Pin-drop silence ensued after this and we heard shuffling of footsteps before bhai and Arush came around, talking.

"Somebody has to get married first!! So why not Reyansh and Ahana?! The second wedding date can be for Sahana and Arush!" papa said brightly, to which ma and Arush's mother groaned.

"EXACTLY... somebody has to get married first!! So let's do Arush and Sahana first and on the second date we can have Reyansh and Ahana!" Arush's dad said, while both the mothers face-palmed themselves.

"What's going on?!" bhai spoke making me turn around to find Arush standing right next to me, and bhai standing right next to Ahana bhabhi.

"Neither one of them wants to marry their daughter off first!" ma said in exasperation, to which Arush's mom nodded her head, glaring up at her husband.

"I don't want to give my daughter off so quickly!!" papa choked, his eyes brimming with tears and I quickly moved over to hug him.

"And neither do I want to give my daughter off so quickly!!" Arush's papa choked, as Ahana bhabhi hugged him.

Though hugging our respective fathers, Ahana bhabhi and I looked at one another - tears brimming in our own eyes. The bond between a father and his daughter is truly a special one and lucky are we to have such doting fathers!!

I sniffed before turning my gaze to Arush, who was looking at me with such intensity that blood rose to my cheeks. As our gazes clashed, his gaze turned warm and soft, making me smile.

"How about we have both the weddings on the same day?!" Ananad chachu chirped.

"Okay that's... hmm okay..." papa sniffed and I broke away from him to find Arush's papa too nodding to this.

"Okay so Sahana and Arush can get married at the first muhurat and then Ahana and Reyansh..." Arush's papa trialed off before Anand chachu cut him in again.

"Uh no.. I mean, get both the couples married at the same muhurat... so no more fight of who gets to marry their daughter off first! Anyway both the houses will have a set of baraat, a set of brides and a set of bidai... why not have them together?! So you will be giving away your daughter and bringing a daughter to your home at the same time..." Ananad chachu said brightly.

At the thought of marriage, blood yet again rose to my cheeks and I shot a glance at Arush who was still looking at me without blinking his eyes - does he not know subtlety?!

"Hmm that does sound good... it'll make things so much easier!!" ma said quickly.

"True... and since we'll have one big wedding, we can have a nice destination wedding... all the pre-wedding functions and rituals too can take place there... it'll be so much easier to do all the preparations!!" Arush's ma said brightly.

"But..." Arush's papa began.

"What but?! A father will never be completely okay in marrying his daughter off!! That's how it is... and even I am not ecstatic to marry my daughter and send her away!! But Reyansh is capable of taking care of her and she too loves him!! And besides, it's not like we live in another planet! We live in the same city too... just pop in on her whenever you want to see your daughter!" Arush's ma said as she too hugged Ahana bhabhi.