Memories

26

Shivani

The wedding was in two weeks, and my life had been consumed by preparations. The mansion looked like a carnival ground—decorators carrying rolls of fabric, planners arguing over flower themes, caterers rushing in with endless samples. Laughter, chatter, chaos, and voices filled every corner of the house.

But inside me? Silence.

I hadn't spoken to Karthik properly in days. Not because there was no chance—we lived under the same roof—but because every time our eyes met, something inside me froze. We were no longer the Karthik and Shivani who laughed over silly things, who shared secrets in hushed tones, who fought like children only to make up within minutes. No, now we were two strangers orbiting each other in the same house.

I hated it.

But I also didn't know how to fix it.

So, I buried myself in wedding madness. If I wasn't with Anjali, I was with planners. If I wasn't in meetings, I was with Granny. If I wasn't with Granny, I found excuses to be with Manoj uncle. It was easier to keep myself busy than to face the emptiness whenever I thought about Karthik.

The truth was—I missed him. I missed him so much it hurt.

Still, I didn't tell him that. Instead, I poured my heart to Manoj uncle. Somewhere in between selecting bridal lehengas and fixing guest seating charts, I told him everything. How Karthik had been distant, how I felt like we were falling apart even though we weren't even together yet, how helpless I felt.

He listened with the patience of a saint, not once interrupting. His eyes held only kindness when I confessed things I'd never admit to anyone else. When he promised to keep it a secret, I believed him.

"Hey," a voice cut through my thoughts, dragging me back to the present.

I blinked and found Manoj uncle waving his hand in front of my face.

"Hi, Uncle," I said, a small smile tugging my lips. "What's up?"

He gave me that soft smile of his. "Shivani, you've been running around nonstop. Always giving, never taking. I wanted to give you something in return. And you can't say no."

"Uncle, really, you don't have to—"

"No arguments." He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it.

Inside lay a delicate chain with a teardrop-shaped pendant that shimmered faintly under the light. My breath caught. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't heavy—it was simple, elegant, perfect.

"Uncle... it's beautiful."

"Then wear it," he said, fastening it around my neck himself. The pendant rested just above my heart, cool against my skin.

I blinked away the sudden sting in my eyes. Why was I emotional over a necklace? Maybe because it had been so long since someone had given me something so thoughtfully. "Thank you, Uncle. Really... thank you."

He patted my shoulder gently. "Keep it always. Let it remind you you're never alone, no matter how much you think you are."

There was something heavy in his tone, almost as if his words carried another meaning. But before I could ask, Sonu's voice pierced the air like nails on glass.

"Oh, my my... what's this little emotional scene?"

I stiffened as Sonu sauntered in, her lips curled in that smirk I hated. Her eyes zeroed in on the chain around my neck. "Wow, Shivani, such a pretty pendant. Who gave it to you? Or should I say... why?"

"It's from me," Manoj uncle said calmly, his voice steady. "A small token for all the hard work she's done."

Sonu's smile faltered, but only for a moment. She tilted her head, her tone sharp under the fake sweetness. "How... generous. But Shivani, don't you think you're getting a little too comfortable here? Gifts, attention, special treatment... careful, people might start assuming things."

Her words stung, not because they were true, but because deep down I feared people already thought that. I clenched my fists, forcing myself not to react.

"Unlike some people," I replied evenly, "I don't need attention. I've been working for this wedding, not for myself."

Sonu's smirk widened. "Of course. Just remember your place, sweetheart. You're just the bridesmaid, not the bride."

Before I could retort, she turned on her heel and walked off, her perfume lingering like poison in the air.

I exhaled shakily.

"Don't listen to her," Manoj uncle said firmly. "She thrives on making others insecure. You, Shivani, are stronger than that."

I nodded, but inside, my heart was in turmoil.

Later that evening, I caught Karthik watching me from across the hall. His gaze lingered on the pendant. Our eyes met, just for a moment. Something flickered there—relief? Worry? Longing? But before I could decipher it, Sonu appeared beside him, slipping her hand around his arm like she owned him.

And Karthik... didn't push her away.

My chest tightened painfully. I looked away, focusing on the pendant around my neck. The pendant he didn't even know about—or so I thought.

But he did know. Because this wasn't just a pendant. It was his way of keeping me safe, of staying close even when distance had grown between us.

I didn't know that yet. But a part of me... felt it.

And in that moment, even with Sonu clinging to him, even with the distance between us, a small hope sparked in my heart. That maybe Karthik and I weren't truly lost. That maybe, somehow, we'd find our way back.