“Papa-”

“Isse pehle tu mana kre ya counter kre, meri baat sunle. 29 ka hone wala hai iss saal. Abhi nhi toh phir plan hai shaadi krne ka. Pehle jab baat chali thi toh tune ye kehke taal dia tha ki abhi career mai thoda settle hona chahta hu. Ab toh wo bhi ho gaya. Aur jyada der krna achha nhi hota. Teri maa ko ek ladki pasand hai tere liye. Teri haan hote hi rishta bhijwa denge.”

Ved was shocked. His mother was fast. But his heart was someone else’s.

“Mummy ne ladki bhi dekh li? Lekin papa mai-”

“Dekh Ved, agar tujhe koi ladki pasand hai toh bta de. Nhi toh hum Vanisha se teri baat chalene ki soch rhe hai. Bhut pyaari bachi hai. Mujhe aur teri mummy dono ko hi bhut pasand hai.”

He did a whiplash. Did he hear it right or had he reached the point where he had started hallucinating.

“Kaun pasand hai mummy ko?”

“Vanisha. Achhi ladki hai Ved. Mai jaanta hu tumhari jyada baatein nhi hui lekin ek baar ek mauka de kar dekho.”

He cleared his throat trying to keep his racing heart in check.

“Agar…agar aapko aur mummy dono ki hi koi problem nhi hai…aur usko bhi koi problem nhi hogo toh mujhe bhi nhi hai.”

He said as nonchalantly as possible. And luckily, his father didn’t notice.

“Badiya hai. Baat krte hai phir uske parents se.”

Ved hummed and tried his best to keep himself in check.. But , as soon as his father left he grinned wide and jumped in happiness.

Ved was waiting for some news. He knew till now, his father would have told about his decision to his mother and his mother would have talked to Vanisha’s.

On the other hand, Vanisha was completely unaware of all this going on because Vedant wasn’t aware about it yet and if he knew, she would also know.

She was in her room doing her office work when she heard the door open. She knew it must be her mother because her father didn’t come to her room late at night and if he ever did, he knocked and entered.

She felt her mother sit in front of her. She gave her a fleeting glance before going back to her work. She then took a double take because her mother’s expressions were weird. She was looking at her with too much love.

“Aise kyu dekh rhi ho mujhe?”

Vanisha asked cautiously. Her mother raised her hand to caress her cheek making Vanisha move back a little thinking she’d done something and was going to get a good scolding. In the moment, she tried to remember all her kaands.

“Sahi kehte hai log, bache kab bade ho jaate hai, pata hi nhi chalta. Aisa lagta hai jaise kal ki hi baat ho jab tu paida hui thi. Aur dekhte hi dekhte itni badi ho gyi.”

Her mother said emotionally and a bulb went off in her mind. She knew what this was about. 

“No! Nononononono! I know what this is about. Meri shaadi ki baat krne aaye ho na?”

Her mother sniffed emotionally and Vanisha wanted to run.

“Abhi sahi age hai. Sab cheezein apne time se acchi lagti hai. Aur phir career toh settled hai hi.”

“Lekin mumma mai-”

Should she tell him she liked Vedant?

“Aur phir jab itna achha rishta ho toh usse aise hi thodi jaane de skte hai.”

Her mother said making her eyes widen.

“Rishta? Rishta bhi aa gaya?”

Her mother nodded and Vanisha took a deep breath, preparing herself to tell the truth but before she could her mother spoke.

“Aur itne achhe rishte aasani se nhi milte. Saamne se rishta aaya hai. Plus, Naina ji badi cool saad banengi.”

Vanisha opened her mouth to counter but then stopped. What? What name did her mother take?

“Naina ji? Naina aunty?”

Her mother nodded with a wide smile and continued.

“Haan. Achhe log hai. Itne saalo se jaante hai unhe. Aur phir Ved ko bhi toh tu bachpan se hi jaanti hai. Bhut achha ladka hai.”

She started dancing mentally. She wouldn’t have to do anything. Everything was happening on its own. Only, she didn’t realise that it was only her that called Vedant as Ved and that Vedant and Ved were actually two different people.

When her mother took Ved’s name, she assumed it to be Vedant. She had completely forgotten about the real Ved.

“Agar aapko aur papa ko thik lag raha hai toh mujhe koi problem nhi hai. Matlab Ved ko toh mai bachpan se jaanti hi hu. Plus mujhe Naina aunty bhi bhut pasand hai.”

She said trying to sound nonchalant. Her mother kissed her head and left. As soon as she was gone, Vanisha hid her face in the pillow and squealed happily.

She was going to marry her Ved. Had he said yes? She should ask him. She started picking up her phone but then stopped.

“Thoda wait krne deti hu. Kal aunty se hi pata chalega ab isse. Mujhe directly nhi bta skta tha. Ullu kahi ka.”

She giggled and blushed the entire night thinking about it. Completely unaware of the reality and the chaos that was going to ensue.

“Arre waah! Ye toh bhut acchi khabar sunai aapne Manisha ji.”

Ved’s ears perked up hearing Vanisha’s mother’s name. It was a Sunday and all of them were lazing in the living room. Ved saw his mother look at him and he quickly focused his attention back towards the tv. He pretended to watch the tv while his entire focus was on the conversation his mother was having.

And from her happy tone, it seemed like the alliance was accepted. His heart did somersaults in his chest.

“Hamare mai toh roka nhi karate. Hum toh shagun dete hai rishta pakka krne ke naam ka. Aapke yaha krwate hai toh krwa lenge.”

Her mother sounded too happy. Hearing the word rishta, even Vedant’s ears perked up. Whose marriage was being talked about?

“Jee mai batati hu aapko ki kab aayenge shagun lekar. Tab tak aapko patri wagerah milwani hai toh wo kr lijiye.”

A fear settled in his heart. What if their charts didn’t match?