The Bicyle Ride

Wedding preparations II

Mahi stood there dumbstruck. She was staring at the beautiful interior of the flower shop.

It was a huge place filled with all sort of flowers but white being there peculiarity as if they seemed special to the owner.
The shop was filled with sweet fragrance of the flowers and there were different types of customers purchasing and selecting their desired flowers.

Mahi was busy observing every single detail when a girl in her mid twenties approached her with a sweet smile . She was wearing a simple black jeans with deep red T- shirt and "The White Flower" was carved on the right side of her T-shirt and above it was her name " Alice".

"Hello Ma'am. How can I help you". She asked with a genuine smile.

Mahi was still in a state of surprise and utter shock but with lots of courage and strength she managed to fake a smile as she didn't wanted to sound rude or more worst an alien to her. She simply nodded and began moving towards the exit when something came in her mind and she rushed back to Alice who was now attending a couple who were confused in buying between a red or a white flower.

Mahi waited for Alice to complete her work and she decided to wait near the packing and bill payment section. When Alice arrived, Mahi was quick enough to catch her attention and with all the sweetness she had, Mahi started speaking.

"Hey, My name is Mahi. My house is just few lanes away from here so I just decided to pay a visit to this shop since I found it beautiful from outside and also I guess it's new here." Mahi didn't wanted to look desperate or some sort of crazy girl who randomly starts blabbering. So she tried to act normal. Yeah she tried but somewhere she was failing.

Alice was observing Mahi and before Mahi could say more, she replied politely, " Mahi, wow that's a pretty name just like you".

He said the same once. Her heart reminded her.

Shut up let me focus. Mind says.

Didn't you liked it when he said so. Heart

No I didn't. Mind

You are lying. Heart

Will you just up. Mahi said loudly.

"Sorry??" Alice gor scared that may be she had offended her customer but she was only being nice.

"I am really sorry Alice. I .....I .... Actualy I was thinking about something else. I am sorry. Plese continue what you were saying and thank you for the compliment. That's really sweet of you."

"So when did this shop opened like how much time and who.... I mean who is the kind of owner of this shop??"

Wait kind of? The shop either belongs to the owner or it doesn't what this kind of? Mahi said to herself.

Alice chuckled on that. "Well I joined her like few months back so I exactly don't know who the kind of owner is of this shop and I never kind of tried to know but yeah he lives in Shimla only and he does pay a visit to this shop once in a while but I haven't seen him till now . Kind of."

Mahi was listening to each and every word carefully so she could get a hint that where he is now. After few minutes she realised that Alice was laughing and she recalled that she was continuously using the word Kind of in her sentences just to tease her.
Well, that was kind of enough to embarrass Mahi.

After bidding goodbye and buying some fresh flowers and all the ingredients she headed back to her home. While she was on her way she was thinking about how she will find him. How will he react when she will find him. Why did he opened that shop? She was so full of questions that she didn't realised when she reached her home.

As soon as she entered the house. Her mother greeted her with, " Mahi bete, why did you come so early? You should have spent some more hours roaming around on the streets". Nidhi said sarcastically while moving towards the kitchen.

Mahi was standing at the door all embarrassed and thinking of ways to make up to her mother and since her father was out for some work so she would have to do that all alone. Such a big task.

"Sorryyyyyyy Mom. Actualy I just went to check out that flower shop that you mentioned because as you know the wedding would be requiring loads of flowers so I just thought of paying them a visit and see what kind of flowers they have and also to ask them if they can arrange them in our house for different functions". Mahi said all in a single go , hoping it would work.

Well it did.

"Ohhhhh. So that's the case. Then it's okay. Even you did right to go and check them out. Now give me those ingredients and those flowers also that you have brought as a bribe". She teased Mahi.

Mahi sheepishly handed over the ingredients and the flower to her mum and headed towards her room when she was stopped by her mother.

"Listen Mahi, there are few cards kept on the table , just go and distribute it to the nearby people. Although the wedding is in the family not yours but happiness comes by people. So we should invite our neighbours too and besides you can call you best friend also. What's her name. ...... Yes Arhama. "

"Okay Mom. Let me just freshen up then I will go. "

"Make it quick . There is lot of work pending".

"Yeaaappp Mom. Just few minutes."

After about fifteen minutes, Mahi was now going to different neighbourhood houses and inviting them for the wedding and of course not to forget giving answers to their sort of stupid questions like Ohh Mahi bete you are giving invitation for your own wedding . You are getting married, Nidhi didn't told me etc etc.

After about half an hour she was standing near Arhama's house when she froze. Her body stopped and her heart sinked.

It was Arhama with Ashar and they both were smiling.

Mahi couldn't hold back her tears. She was continuously blinking her eyes to control herself from crying and she failed.

She didn't knew seeing him with someone would break her heart as if a crystal doll had been crushed by a stone. She just wanted to escape from the reality or whatever it was.

She turned back when she heard a voice and she trembled.

Mahi.

It was Ashar.