“Vedant! Tumhare card pr bhi naam pura nhi hai.”

“Kya? Pagal ho gayi hai kya? Sabme batt chuke card. Kaha hai galti?”

“Ye dekh!”

She showed the groom’s name. Vedant frowned and asked.

“Thik toh hai. Dara dia tune bewakoof.”

“Kaha thik hai? Pura naam nhi likha na.”

She asserted and he gave her a bored look.

“Pura hi toh hai. V.E.D. Ved. Yahi toh naam hai bhaiya ka pura. Ab card pr surname achha thodi na lagta hai.”

He joked but Vanisha felt her blood run cold. Ved? His brother Ved? She then recalled every conversation with her parents and his mother also. None of them had ever mentioned Vedant’s name. They took Ved’s name. And she didn’t realise that unlike her, nobody else called Vedant as Ved. Because Vedant wasn’t Ved. And she was getting married to Ved.

“Oyee! Thik hai tu? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Vanisha looked at him in horror. He looked concerned and she tried to smile through her tears.

“Nhi I just…ek dum sab hit kia…kuch din baad mai iss ghar ko…mummy papa ko chhodke chali jaaungi.”

She whispered the first and the most convincing excuse she found. He sighed and hugged her, rubbing her back. She wanted to run. She couldn’t let it happen. 

“Tujhe late ho raha hoga na. Tu ye dene jaa. Mujhe bhi kal ki preparation krni hai.”

She whispered and he left. She ran towards her parents' room to tell them to stop the wedding. She stopped in front of their room but before she could knock she heard her father’s voice.

“...mai bas chahta hu ki kal sab achhe se ho jaaye. Kisi ko koi mauka na mile shikayat ka. Meri beti ki zindagi ka sabse bada din hai aur mai nhi chahta usse kisi bhi tarah ki takleef ya sharmindgi sehni pade. Bas ye shaadi achhe se ho jaaye. Sukh shanti se.”

She took slow steps back and went back to her room. She locked the door and fell on the bed.

“Ye mai kya kr rhi thi? Shaadi todne ki baat kr rhi thi? Kal engagement hai aur mai aaj shaadi todne ki baat krne wali thi? Iss sabme baaki sab ki kya galti hai. Mai hi toh bewakoof hu. How could I not understand? How could I be so stupid? How? Argh!”

She hid her face in the pillow and cried. She didn’t know how long she cried but when she stopped, she was determined. She would not do anything that would ruin her parents or Vedant’s parents reputations. None of them were at fault. And she’d do anything to rectify her mistake. Even if it meant getting married to Ved.

But would she be able to live in the house where the person she has liked for years lived under the same roof, while she was married to his elder brother? She would have to. 

And just like that, the supposedly most happiest day of her life, changed into the saddest one. Or maybe not?

Vanisha looked at herself in the mirror. The girl in front of her was perfect. She had the prettiest lehanga of her dreams. She had the most beautiful makeup and the perfect hairstyle. The best. But she still didn’t look very good. Because what makes a bride beautiful is the smile on her face and the happiness in her eyes. Both of which were missing with Vanisha.

But she knew her mother would catch her in a moment, so she plastered a smile on her face. A genuine smile for her parents and promised herself that she could do it. 

Her parents came in followed by Vedant. The three people she had always cared about and loved the most. Her father’s eyes instantly filled with tears. Her lower lip wobbled but she shook her head clutching his arm.

He patted her head, kissed her forehead and then rushed out of the room making an excuse for work so that he wouldn't cry in front of her and spoil her mood. A tear fell Vanisha’s eye seeing her father’s tear filled eyes which she wiped with the tissue carefully and then looked at her mother’s eyes shining with immense love.

“Bilkul rajkumari lag rhi hai. Bhagwaan tujhe saari balayo (evil eyes) se dur rakhe.”

Her mother placed a black dot behind her ear and kissed her forehead. 

“Mai iski behno mai se kisi ko bhejti hu. Tab tak tu yahi rahio Vedant.”

Her mother said and left. Vedant took her balayein (warding off evil eyes) and gave her side hug. He held her for a while and rubbed her arm.

“Thik hai ab? You looked like you were freaking out.”

She nodded. He knew her so well. Tears pooled her eyes thinking about her wedding with his brother and not him.

“Mai ye kr toh paaungi na Vedant?”

She asked in a broken whisper. Her feelings overwhelmed her.

“Ofcourse! Aur tu akeli thodi na hai. Tere saath bhaiya rahenge hamesha. That man is in love with you. I know you told me you have some feelings for him but he is in love with you Vani. he is like crazy whipped. And he would be the best husband in the world. Mai likh kr de skta hu. I know my brother and I know that when he loves, he goes all in. Unke liye unki priority list mai tu top pr rahegi. You’ll never feel like you’re alone. Ever. And I guarantee that.”

Vanisha nodded and sniffed. She dabbed her under eyes to clear off the remnants of tears and checked her makeup. One of her cousins came in and Vedant took his leave.

Ved was so happy that he was glowing. And anyone with eyes could say that the boy was in love with his bride. He was asked to sit on the stage for the Tilak ritual.

His mother, who was instructing his father about the money envelopes, looked at him.

“Paani ya kuch bhijwau tere liye? Lambi chalegi rasam thodi.”

He shook his head and asked in a quiet whisper.

“Vanisha kaha hai? Wo nhi aayi kya abhi?”

“Yahi pr hai. Bridal room mai hai. Godh ki rasam ke waqt aayegi.”

Ved pouted like a kid making his mother hit his cheek playfully. Just then Vedant made entry and dropped himself beside his brother on the mattressed floor.