Nishtha
"Welcome!" Maa said as she opened the door.
I stood in the kitchen, still digesting what had just happened when I heard Maa open the door for Vamika's boyfriend's family. I tidied myself and got ready with glasses of water for them, while Yuvaan and everyone else had gone outside to sit with them.
They welcomed them onto the couch and got in talks when I walked in with water.
"Oh! Lakshmi Ji! God granted your wish!" Maa said, "This is my daughter-in-law, Nishtha."
I smiled, bent and touched her feet, "Namaste Aunty."
"God Bless you, beta!" She said then turned to Maa, "She's more beautiful than her pictures show, I must say!"
Maa chuckled, "Indeed."
"Beta weren't you supposed to be back next week?"
"Where were you bete?" Ramesh Uncle asked.
I turned to them, "I was at an IBM tech conference Uncle, we started in Milan and ended in Chicago." Then I turned to Aunty, "Yes I was supposed to come back next week, but my tour got cut due to a new project, so we returned this morning."
"This morning?" Aunty said
"Yes!" Maa finished, "She got back at around 6am today."
"Bete you must be tired, you go rest if you want, don't worry about all these formalities!"
"No no Aunty. I did rest once I got back. I'm okay now. I'm happy to be here." I said.
"You got very lucky Jaya Ji." Aunty said, "And it's only been 2 months since they married?"
Maa chuckled, "They've been together since their college days. I knew my daughter-in-law from long back. They just registered it officially 2 months back!"
I felt a knot in my stomach.
She really has no idea that her while of her children's marriage is being fixed, the other child's marriage is ending.
I understand now why Yuvaan didn't tell her anything. It's because now suddenly he believes me. I need to talk to Vamika about how things played out. I hadn't even gotten the chance to see the news yet, was it on there?
"So, as I was saying." Maa started, "We are okay with this marriage but we wanted Vamika to study ahead. So how can we work around that?"
"I have the answer for that." Ramesh Uncle said, "Dhruv is going to join part time masters in the US, I think Vamika wants to do a full time masters too, so maybe they can go together. Dhruv will be taking control of a new expansion I'm looking into in California, where is exactly where Vamika aims to study as well. They can do their masters and work together, then they can come back to India once it's done."
"I like this idea, but do they need to marry and go, can't they come back and get married?" Papa said, "Wouldn't that be better?"
"Rajesh Ji, I understand your point," Aunty added, "But if the children are committed to being married, then why not?"
"Dad." I heard his dusk voice, as he sat next to me, "Can I add something?"
I saw Papa nod.
"I don't think we should follow the ideal society's age of marriage. I wanted to marry Nishtha as soon as we graduated college, but we waited, and look how much time we lost."
He's such an effective liar.
"If Vamika and Dhruv want to go ahead with their life, then we should let them. They've already passed the test of time and distance, and for them to be ready to accept any decision that we take shows that they value us and our opinions. Isn't that all what we want? I think we should let them take their step ahead and get married before they go to the US."
I felt a knot.
He's lying so casually.
Well, to be honest, we've had to do that even to Aaji, when we lied about what happened. It's not new, he's helping Vamika.
Still.
Papa sighed, "You're right."
Maa looked at him too, "Really!"
"Yeah." Papa said, "I'm okay with this decision then, Vamika and Dhruv..." he looked at Ramesh Uncle, "We can get them married by next month before their course starts in January. They can use the 2 months to settle and get started."
"Wonderful!" Uncle said and everyone got up to congratulate hug them.
I saw Dhruv and Vamika smile.
I always wanted them happy. I always liked Dhruv, ever since I knew he did a lot to keep Vamika in his life and help her out when she was being blackmailed.
If only she had told her family sooner.
It's in the past now.
I felt a tug on wrist and I looked, Yuvaan. I saw him hold a laddoo in his hand and he looked at me, "Muh meetha kar."
I wanted to ignore but I knew others were watching, still I scanned around to check and did notice Ramesh Kaka looking, so I looked back at him, not in his eyes, just at the laddoo, and came forward. He fed me a bit of it, and then guided my hand to feed him back.
"They're so cute!" Lakshmi Aunty added, and came to us, "Nazar naa lage!"
Her finger went around her eye as she put a little of her kajal behind Yuvaan and my neck.
We smiled and touched her feet.
"Come! Let's eat." Maa said and we got up.
I helped her out in serving and made sure everyone ate comfortably.
Yuvaan and my relationship might have ended, but I'll always be a daughter to Maa and I don't want to let her down, especially when such a good news has knocked on the door.
"Nishtha, you also eat." I heard Yuvaan say. I looked him and didn't bother answering and sat down, and then ate quietly.
While everyone was talking, I felt Yuvaan pull my chair closer to him, "You're too far wife."
Butterflies.
No. Don't feel them.
I'm trying.
"Wife," he said and I ignored, "I'll always regret not having given you this time. This causal dinner, the butterflies of our marriage being fixed, the talks.... Seeing Vamika and Dhruv today, I felt like it was us who should have been in their place, 4 years ago."
I could see myself tearing.
Stop it, Yuvaan.
"I.... I know you won't answer, but I've lost 4 years with you, so many talks, so many giggles, and I want all those back. I won't get those 4 years back but we can always try to relive them from now." He said.
I was getting butterflies.
I didn't look at him but I moved my chair back to where I was, and continued eating, as he stopped talking. I heard him sigh and then pull me closer again, "Nishu, I told you, you can yell at me, slap me, do anything you want with me, but just be beside me.... Aur doori sehen nahi hoti."
~â¢~
The lunch went so well, I saw Vamika beaming with joy ever since they left. I was glad.
The families decided on getting them engaged next week, since the Nanda's and the Sood's already had venues and caterers and everything sorted. I was glad that they chose to cater from Ghar, giving Baba some help too.
I went upstairs to my room, where I sat down, contemplating how things have changed. I saw the time when Vami was scared to talk about Dhruv, and now they're getting married.
I was delighted for them.
I heard a knock in my room as I was about to get to work. Opening the door, I saw Vamika.
"Vamika?" I asked her, "Come."
She entered, "Hi Di."
"What's up?" I asked, sitting with her as she made herself comfortable on my bed.
"Are you happy?"
"Me? Happy with what?" I asked.
'"Me and Dhruv?"
"Why wouldn't I be happy about that? You two have been together for years!"
"Di, listen, I know that you might get angry at me for saying this but marrying Dhruv is what I want, but I feel like it's coming at the cost of you and Bhai. I feel like I burnt you two's relationship to make my own succeed."
"You didn't burn anything. Every relationship needs trust, which I guess we never had. You can't burn a bridge which is already weak."
"I'm sorry about him, Di."
"Vami.... Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"How did your brother find out?"
"I don't know details Di, but... he's been trying to find proof ever since he... ever since you went to the US. Him, Arush Bhai and Rohan Bhai, all of them had been following leads and we finally got evidence that the audio file was made by Bua, it was a recorded video of her even paying your doctor to prove that your coma was fake, and that you did it just for...."
"Money and sympathy."
"Yeah."
We sat in silence for a minute before she continued, "Bhai confronted her a few days back and sent her to the police with all the proof."
"I see."
"Di, we all know." She said and I froze.
"Know... about what?"
"About the fight you and Bhai had. We know that he didn't listen to you and he threw you out before you left. We... we haven't spoken to him since we found out."
"What?"
"Dad was so angry he ignored him entirely. He still doesn't talk to him, unless there's people. Mom was angry too but she calmed down, but even she's on team Nishtha... and as for me, I only want you two back together, I'm on team Nishvaan."
I looked at her. Nishvaan.
She's the one who came up with that name.
"Don't. Vami." I said, then sighed, "If Maa knew then why was she talking to me so normally on call? Do my parents know as well?"
"Your parents don't know. Unless you told them, we haven't told them anything. Mom was talking to you normally because she knew that Bhai knows the truth now and that he will try to make things better."
"There's no fixing this, Vami."
Vami got up, "You only said Di, every broken thing can be mended, and you two... not even God can separate you two."
I stared at her, when suddenly, we heard Yuvaan enter, "You're absolutely right Vami."
I turned to him and then looked away.
"Bhai?" Vami said, "why are you here?"
"I get that she's your Di, but she's my wife. I can't come in?"
"Bhai, she's my Di before she's your wife. Quite literally. She was my Di first, so technically I can come here anytime."
"Before any of this... she's my daughter!" We heard Maa say as she entered.
She came and sat on the bed next to Vami and I, with Yuvaan standing near us.
"That's true. We can't fight her." Vami said.
I chuckled.
"Can you three sit here?" Yuvaan suddenly said. We looked at him.
"What?" Maa said.
"Arre! Sit!" He led her hand and made her sit. Then, he took his phone out and took a picture of us.
"Bhai! I wasn't ready!" Vami said.
"Take it again, Yuvaan." Maa said.
"Okay. Smile karo." He said and I didn't know what to do, but the smile came so naturally, being with my sister and my mother-in-law, who loved me so much.
He took our picture, "Good."
"Bhai, send it to me." Vami said.
"I will." Then he looked at me, "do you want it too?" Before I could answer, he spoke, "I'd love to send it, but we need to buy you a new phone before that."
"What?" Vami asked, "Why?"
"Vami, your sister's phone isn't working. It's been switched off for days."
Oh God.
This man is putting me on the spot.
"Di, give." Vamika took my phone and turned it back on and I heard a tsunami of missed calls as she gave it back for me.
177 missed calls from Yuvaan.
I looked at him, seeing it, who was looking at me already, as he who mouthed 'I'm sorry.'
I looked away.
"Okay kids, Chalo. We're going out in the evening."
"Where?" Vami asked.
"Well, I want to celebrate your engagement announcement and my daughter coming back home. So, we're going to go to a good restaurant. Nishtha," she said looking at me, "I've called your Aai Baba also, will Neel come?"
"Neel? I don't know."
"Tell him to come!" Maa said and left.
"You know," Yuvaan said, "I always thought you'll marry Neel, Vami."
"What?" Vami chuckled, "Neel and I!"
"I mean think about it, you two are the same age, if you two got married, both siblings would be marrying siblings. Kinda cute!"
"Not a bad idea, but very late now!" Vami chuckled and even I chuckled.
"If you weren't with Dhruv, I would definitely have suggested Neel's name when it came to your marriage."
I chuckled, "Neel wouldn't be able to handle Vamika's yapping nature, he himself is soâ"
Why are you talking to him, Nishtha?
I cleared my throat, "I...I need to go Vamika, see you later."
I got up and left the room.
What are you doing, Nishtha?
Why is your guard coming down?
â¨