Rukmini

Chapter 1: Getting Ready For The Wedding

'Rukmini Weds Abhimanyu' read the sign at the entrance of the wedding pandal.

All my friends scurried through the halls, just to tell me that the groom's side had arrived.

I tried to look through the balcony to see him. I couldn't believe that this day had arrived. Finally ! Finally, I was getting married ! Since the time I was a little girl, I had a dream to get married. But, everything happened so suddenly. Not more than 2 weeks ago, our families met and fixed the wedding date. Then the engagement, haldi, mehendi, and all the ceremonies were done. Now, the last thing, the wedding.

My heartbeats grew faster by each passing minute. For so many years, the event I was waiting for, was finally going to happen. I was going to get married.

Meanwhile, I was pulled put of my thoughts by my friends who were getting me ready.

'Someone's blushing so much at the moment, that I won't need to put any make-up for them ...', said one of my closest friends, Alisha.

Alisha fell into a pit of laughter, followed by all the other girls and ladies in the room. I began blushing even deeper, switching my fair cheeks into a shade of rosy pink and then into red.

'Okay then. Let's get you completely ready for jiju !', mocked my other best friend, Priya.'By the way, can all you girls get out from here ? We've to get her ready, and we don't want anyone seeing her, here. Right Alisha ?'

Alisha just nodded her head to show her agreement.

(A/N: Jiju means Bro-in-Law in Hindi)

Laughing away to glory, she began filling my hands with combinations of green glass bangles and gold bangles. As Priya did this, in front of me popped a humongous plate full of jewelery which was in Alisha's hands.

'What's this ?', I asked her.

'Jewelery, you idiot ! You have to wear all of it.', she said.

'I'll fall down if I wear this. It's too much, and too heavy.', I said.

'Uff .... I'll help you, but you HAVE to wear all of this. It's an order from .... ME !', she exclaimed.

I just rolled my eyes. Whatever. But, I actually do have to admit the fact that I'm looking good. Alisha's done an amazing job with the henna. It's actually looking good, I swear its looking sexy. It began from my hands and ended up all the way at my arms.

'I'm done !', cried Priya.

Wow, she's surely done a good job in setting those bangles.

'Now these ornaments ..... They're waiting for you to put them on.', said Alisha who was literally begging me to put them on.

'Uff .... Okay.', I said.

At first, I put on my anklets. Followed by my armband, earings, nose ring and bindi. I'm forgetting something .....

Yes, the main thing. My necklaces. So many of them ! One was a choker, the next one ended at my sternum, then one ended at the end of my blouse, and the last one was just above my navel.

Finally, done.

'We have a gift for you. ' Alisha and Priya said.

'What ?', I asked.

They handed a small box to me. I opened it, only to find the most beautiful waistband ever. It had small bells at the end, so every time I would walk or move, it would make some noise. It must have costed them a fortune to get such a beautiful one. It was gold, with some rubies studded in it.

'Why ?', I asked with tears in my eyes.

'Well, anyways .... its not for you. It's for our jiju, so that he can enjoy !!!!', they laughed.

'YUCK !!!!! That's disgustingly, horrible and horrendous. You'll are sick !' , I said.

'Okay. Now wear it. We bought it for you to wear it, not to just look at it. ', Priya said.

It was really beautiful. I pinned it onto my waist. A perfect size. It fitted me perfectly, and in turn ended up making my waist line more prominant.

By then, Priya had just finished putting my hair up in a bun and putting a small garland of flowers around it.

'Phew ! I'm finally done. This took so long.', I said.

'Yes, of course, now let's go, we might get late, and then maasi will start scolding us. ', she said.

(A/N: Maasi means maternal aunt in Hindi)

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Okay, so this was the first part. Hope it was good, and not too draggy. Thanks for reading.

Loads of love,

Radhika :*