The Beats Of My Heart | Meri Dil Ki Dhadkan

66

With both of our haldis complete, the families no longer wanted for Arnav and I to see each other, and while I valued this tradition and was okay with it, Arnav... well, not so much. He didn't see the point in it and found it stupid, but I thought it was cute, much to his annoyance. Even his actions were cute, to which I heard he had frowned to, since our words were exchanged through Payal, as we weren't even allowed to speak on the phone. According to my best friend, he had huffed and scowled like the big bad wolf, and I could only laugh. The only way the wolf would be tamed was through me.

But he'd have to wait.

The day of my mehndi reception arrived, and only the women were there. Nani, Kalavati, Anjali, Mama, and Payal came, along with other female relatives from their side of the family.

They were all happy... well maybe not exactly Mami. She had her moods every now and then, but she is pretty funny. Especially with her hello, hi, bye, bye. I wanted to ask Arnav about that, but I guess it'll just have to wait.

There was a lot of music and everyone danced. While everyone was dancing, Arnav's family decided to take advantage of the moment and get to me.

Anjali took hold of my hand to see my mehndi. "Her mehndi is coming out really nice, right dai?"

"It most certainly is," Kalavati agreed. "Just look at her hands. Looks like someone loves her a lot," she smirked.

I blushed. I couldn't believe my two soon-to-be sister in laws were doing this to me. But then again, I should remember whose sisters they were.

Payal came towards me with her phone.

"How about we get a shot of this," she said, taking a picture of my hands.

"Don't forget to hide your phone so that Arnav doesn't see it," Kalavati said.

"Of course, Dai," she said and then she laughed. We looked at her, confused.

"I'm sorry," she said, regaining control of herself. "Well, actually, earlier, before we left, Bhai came into my room and just as Akash was about to leave, he handed him a file and after Akash left, he came to me and said, and I quote, Payal, um... could you do me a favor? I was confused and he said could you um... take a picture... of um... Khushi's hands?"

His family stared in shock. I couldn't believe he had asked her that. Payal smiled and continued.

"I played along and asked why do you want me to take a picture of her hands and he said that he wanted to see her mehndi."

"What," Anjali exclaimed. "Chote actually said that?

Payal nodded "Yes Di, but I told him that I would try, and he just simply shook his head and left."

Everyone laughed at this and I blushed. Aww, that's so sweet of him.

"Well then," Kalavati said, "he's just going to have to wait till the wedding, the poor guy," and everyone laughed.

They laughed until a woman came and asked us all to join them on the dance floor. They all got up and they took me, even though I had refused. Payal swung me and l ended up in the middle. Everyone danced around me, including Amma. She was having so much fun, it was surprising seeing her move. I stayed still at first but then I eventually got caught into the beat and danced. It was so much fun; it had been a while since I had danced as freely as today.

The day soon ended, and his family left back home. I was upstairs getting some final packing done. I couldn't believe that I would be leaving my home soon. There were so many memories here... it's just so sad.

Amma came into the room and handed me my phone.

"Who is it," I asked.

"It's Viren."

After a while I had told Amma about why Viren had done what he did, and she was completely fine with it and no longer hated him.

Amma left the room and I spoke into the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Khushi! How are you feeling?

"To be honest, nervous."

"What are you doing?"

"Some final packing... walking back and forth, catching up on my breath."

"Excited?"

"Honestly... I'm just nervous."

"Well shouldn't you be happy?"

"Well yeah, but... I mean I'm leaving my parents behind and going somewhere new so... yeah...."

"I see."

"No, you don't, you're not a girl; you wouldn't understand."

"Oh really? Try."

"Well you're not the one who has to leave her family behind and go to a new, unknown place, join a family that she barely even knows."

"Well then why not stay with your family."

"I don't think so, it'd be weird."

"Well why not? I mean he should understand."

"I'm sure he does."

"Besides he can't say it's weird because his sisters live in their home, rather than their in-laws."

"Yeah but the thing is, Anjali's husband is too busy with clients and trials since he's a lawyer and Kalavati's husband is a professor and after classes he does tutoring, so both are pretty busy. I wouldn't blame them; I mean would you like it if your wife felt lonely?"

"No-"

"Exactly, but still... I don't know, I just have a bad case of cold feet, so I'm not functioning properly."

"Think you're gonna make it?"

"Could we just end this topic before I start to second guess this and cancel the wedding?"

"Are you serious," he exclaimed.

"I don't know! I'm having mixed thoughts." More like I'm losing it with all this wedding/marriage talk.

"I mean, Khushi, if you're not ready then-"

"Of course, I am!"

"You sure?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just... nervous."

"It's okay."

"Well, I've gotta finish packing, okay? Talk to you later?"

"Sure."

We both hung up and I finished packing. It was my last day here, as a single woman, known as Khushi Kumari Gupta. Tomorrow I would become a married woman, known as Khushi Singh Raizada.

Whoa that's a lot to take in.

As if that weren't enough, what happened next was worse. Amma came into my room and sat down beside me.

"Khushi," she began, "we need to talk."

Oh no!

~
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