“Achha? Kya kaha pandit ji ne?...chalo badiya hai. Iss baat mai bhi tasalli ho gyi ab. Ab toh jaldi hi milenge samdhan ji….hahaha…haan chaliye mai krti hu aapko. Sabko khush khabri suna du ghar mai.”

Her mother disconnected the call and looked at them with beaming smile.

“Rishta pakka ho gaya hai. Mubarak ho! Aur pure 28 gun milte hai dono ke.”

“Kiska rishta?”

Vedant asked thoroughly confused. 

“Do hi bete hai mere. Tujhse baat nhi hui matlab Ved ka rishta na.”

“Bhaiya ke liye ladki dekh li aapne, rishta bhijwa dia, rishta accept ho gaya aur mujhe abhi pata chal rha hai. Ladki kaun hai?”

“Vanisha.”

Vedant’s mouth hung open and he stared at his mother for a whole minute.

“Vanisha? You mean Vani? Meri Vani?”

Ved glared at Vedant sharply and gritted out.

“Teri Vani?”

“I-I mean meri best buddy Vani. Usne bataya kyu nhi mujhe kuch?”

He sounded confused.

“Kyunki usse bhi Manisha ji ne kal raat ko hi bataya tha. Pr khushi ki baat ye hai ki rishta pakka ho gaya hai.”

Vedant looked at his brother who was blushing.

“Bhaiya! You’re blushing!”

He gushed and Ved got even more red.

“I’m not!”

“Are too! Lekin kitna mazza aayega na. Wo kamini yahi rahegi ab.”

He chuckled and earned a sharp glare again. This time from all the three people.

“She’s going to be my wife now. Tujhse rishte mai badi ho jaayegi. Stop cursing her and start calling her bhabhi.”

Ved said and Vedant chuckled.

“You’re funny! Pehli baat, aapki biwi baadme meri best friend pehle hai. Dusri baat, bhabhi toh mai usse kabhi nhi bulaunga. Teesri baat, gaali pr control kr skta hu sirf isliye kyunki aap mere bhaiya ho. And chauthi baat, you look cute when you’re possessive.”

He grinned at the end of his statement making his parents laugh and Ved looked embarrassed. But a smile formed on his face thinking about her. She said yes to marry him. That meant she saw a future with him.

As soon as her mother kept the phone down after disconnecting her call with her future sasu maa. Vanisha picked up hers and messaged Vedant.

Tu nhi bta skta tha mujhe ki rishta bhijwaya hai aunty ne? I was so shocked.

Vedant grinned seeing the message. He himself was surprised. But he was too happy. The two most important people in his life were getting married to each other.

Surprise!

He replied and she blushed. She blushed even deeper thinking that he had said yes before and assumed that he too felt something for her, or at least saw a future with her.

The next few weeks were a chaos. Vanisha was taking extra time in her office so that she could take a long holiday during and after marriage and so she was super busy.

Almost a week after she had said yes, Ved’s parents came home to give the shagun and finalise the alliance officially. Vanisha was at work and the elders discussed the potential wedding date. They found the date for engagement in 3 weeks and wedding 1 week after that.

Vanisha returned home super exhausted. It was 11:30 and she straight up went to sleep. When she woke up next morning, her mother informed her about the shagun.

“Itna sab kuch?”

Vanisha was surprised to see so many things sent by her in laws. There were two sarees. One heavy and one simple.. One pair of earrings, one pair of anklets, one necklace, one pair of bangles, a pouch which had makeup essentials.

“Humne kya dia?”

She asked and her mother smiled.

“Maine puccha Naina ji se hi hume kya krna hota hai toh unhone kaha ki hamari taraf se sirf ek nariyal aur shagun ka 1 rupiya chadta hai.”

“Hain? Bas?”

Her mother nodded and Vanisha looked confused.

“Pr unhone toh itna kuch de dia.”

“Ab ye toh bhai tu apni hone wali saas se puchh ki aisa kyu?”

Vanisha nodded and called Naina. 

“Hello. Vanisha beta. Kaise ho aap?”

“Namaste aunty! Mai thik hu. Aap kaise ho?”

“Ek dum badiya. Saaman dekha? Sab pasand aa gaya na? Kuch exchange krwana ho toh ho jaayega.”

“Nhi aunty, sab cheezein bhut sundar hai. Lekin mujhe ek baat nhi samajh aayi.”

“Kya baat hai beta?”

Vanisha looked at the things and then explained her dilemma. Naina laughed softly hearing her question and answered.

“Jab ladki wale ladke walo ko kuch dete hai toh wo dahej mana jaata hai. Lekin jab ladke wali ladki ke liye kuch dete hai toh wo ek token of acceptance hota hai. Ki ab aapki beti hamari hui. Waise toh len den dono hi taraf se nhi hona chahiye but ye samjho ki jab ek ladki shaadi krke dusre ghar jaati hai toh usse koi problem na ho isliye jaise uske ghar wale uske saath zarurat ka saaman bhijwate hai, waise hi ladke wale bhi kuch dete hai. Ki aakhir ab ho toh hamari beti na.”

“Lekin aunty, humne kuch bhi nhi dia.”

“Agar ladki wale ladke ke liye kuch de toh wo dahej hai. Wo apne ghar ladka nhi laa rhe. Balki beti de rhe hai. Hum unse unki beti bhi le le aur itne mehenge gifts bhi? Mai tumhe apni beti bana kr laa rhi hu, apne Ved ko bech nhi rhi. Manisha ji aur bhaisahab tumhare saath, tumhari zarurat ke liye jo marzi bheje, wo tumhari amaanat hai. Lekin hum Ved ke liye koi dahej nhi lenge. Samajh gyi?”

“Jee aunty.”

Vanisha smiled.

“Aur ab aunty kehna chhod do. Ab toh mummy ya maa kehne ki aadat daal lo.”

“Jee.”

She blushed and then disconnected the call after bidding her a bye. Seeing the shagun in front of her eyes, she felt it. It was happening. For real. She was getting married.

Things were super busy and Vanisha hadn’t got time to even text let alone meet Vedant. She was still misunderstanding that she was getting married to Vedant. The wedding cards were printed.

“Papa? Ye card mai naam mai galti hai. Pura naam nhi likha ispe.”

Vanisha said as soon as she saw the card that her mother had earlier kept in her room but she couldn’t see because she was busy with other preparations. Her father was on call with someone.

“Galti hai? Achha mai dekh kr thik krwa dunga.”