"Did you know that Coach Sir is getting married? It is supposed to be a surprise!" Pebbles took K2's hand excitedly.

"But who is he marrying?" K2 asked. He did not know why the idea of Randhir marrying someone sounded unappealing to him.

"I don't know, but there will surely be ice cream and other nice things to eat!" The girl replied happily. 

"Pebbles, where is your Mom?" Sanyukta asked the girl cautiously.

"She is not ready yet! She will be here soon." Pebbles led them through the door. There was a small gathering of K2 and Pebbles' friends and the children soon got busy playing games in the open space. There were no grown up guests yet, and Sanyukta wondered if anyone had been invited to attend at all!

The interior of the room was simply but tastefully decorated. Preparations for a Hindu wedding could be seen, overseen by Harsh, Suniti and Arvind. Randhir was nowhere to be found.

As soon as he saw them Harsh gestured to Parth. Vidushi handed Megami over to Parth and led Sanyukta into the private room inside.

"Where are Randhir and the bride?" Sanyukta whispered. She could not contain her curiosity any more. Almost as if on cue Harsh and Suniti walked in.

"Randhir is taking care of some last minute formality." Suniti smiled as she sat down beside Sanyukta and Vidushi.

"But the bride, is Randhir bringing her with him?" Sanyukta asked. Her palms and feet were unusually cold. Must be the air-conditioning, she thought.

"Sanyukta, there is some thing you should know before the wedding takes place. Renuka, Randhir, Parth and I hold eighty percent while Suketu and you have a twenty percent stake in our property, since you are Vishad's legal heirs. Randhir and Parth will eventually inherit our shares. But I want to make sure that Suketu and you lack nothing. Randhir is currently with our lawyer getting the paperwork ready. No matter whom he marries your interest shall remain secure." Harsh's phone rang just as he finished speaking and he left the room to take the urgent phone call.

" I am not sure I understand why Dad brought this up just now! Should we not be focusing on the wedding?" Sanyukta remarked.

"Is your son's inheritance not an important matter for you? If I were in your shoes when Randhir asked you to marry him I would have consented immediately. My dear girl, can't you see? Forty plus twenty makes sixty percent. As Randhir' s spouse you will be able to give K2 the ultimate advantage." Vidushi looked Sanyukta in the eye as she spoke.

"Really Vidushi! In a few minutes Randhir will tie the knot with his chosen one. We should stop this speculation!" It was obvious that Sanyukta' s discomfort was growing.

"Tell me, will you be able to deal with him marrying someone else and have kids with her?" Suniti asked. She had cared for Sanyukta selflessly when she had needed her help the most. She owed it to the girl to help her make the right decision.

"You know my mother dealt with it, so shouldn't I be able to? Not to forget, when I married Vishad, Randhir walked away into the sunset with Nicole! So yes, it has been done before!" Sanyukta replied.

"We know that that Vishad and Nicole were not meant to be your respective partners. Otherwise Vishad would be still alive and Randhir would not have left Nicole behind. And Anju did not bear her lover's child, unlike you. Sanyukta, you're on the brink, don't repeat your mistakes. If marrying Vishad was a blunder, letting Randhir marry another girl will be another." Suniti tried to reason with her.

"It is a little late to brood over these matters. Randhir has found the one he wants, why else would he rush into marriage otherwise?" Sanyukta sighed. 

"Silly girl, it is never too late! And if you must know, there is no bride waiting to marry Randhir, unless you consent to take him as your lawfully wedded husband!" Suniti' s words had the desired effect. The look of disbelief on Sanyukta' s face said it all!

"No! This is not happening! If this is meant to be a joke it is a rather tasteless one!" Sanyukta reacted sharply. No matter how strongly she felt about Randhir marrying him was out of the question as far as she was concerned.

When Harsh returned the tension in the air within the room was palpable. 

"She won't listen, it is your turn to convince her!" Suniti addressed Harsh.

"Sanyukta, listen to me! You owe it to Suketu and to Anju too! Do you want to deprive your son of the opportunity of growing up under the nurturing care of both his parents? He is the reason Randhir chose to stay back in India for. Randhir has changed, he wants to be close to both of you. And Anju will not forgive me until I let you have the happiness that you deserve. I know you feel as if you are being rushed into making this decision, but trust me, there is a strong reason for the timing! Besides, Randhir will not interfere with your independence and your career! So this is a win-win situation for Suketu and you!" Harsh's tone was gentle yet firm. He could not afford to have a negative answer. He owed it to Randhir and Suketu.

"Mom hated being branded a gold digger, and things have never softened between Renuka Aunty and us! You knew my mother well, she valued her dignity. She listened to her instinct which told her to walk away from you!" Sanyukta's voice was beginning to crack.

"Anju was gullible and Renuka took advantage of her feelings for me. Your mother was blackmailed into letting her love go. Sanyukta, I think it is time you understood that caste and class differences are no longer relevant. Suketu, Randhir and you should live together as a family!" Harsh persisted.

"How can I take anybody's word for it? If Randhir feels so strongly about involving K2 and me in his life why did he not reveal his plans to us?" Sanyukta voiced her doubt.

"Because you've already turned me down the other day, and the stubborn hidebound girl that you are, unless I rallied our well-wishers around the cause you would never consent!" Randhir breezed into the room. He looked stunningly handsome in a white linen kurta pajama paired with a cream damask silk vest.

"Is marriage simply a business deal to you, Randhir? You probably have some prenuptial agreement drafted and expect me to sign on the dotted line! Trust is the foundation of any marriage, and clearly you did not trust me enough to ask me formally to marry you!" Sanyukta tried hard not to tremble, so overwhelmed was she by her emotions!

"There is no prenup, Mowgli! And you are absolutely right, I did not propose formally! And to compensate for it, I am doing so right now, before these witnesses! Parth, make sure you to record this on your phone!" Parth immediately whipped out his phone.

"Until a few years ago, expanding the family business was imperative for me! Fortunately, I managed to achieve my business goals because Dad, Parth and Vidushi became my rock! Had it not been for them, Mowgli, I would never have the courage and conviction to accept that the void inside me was because I wrestled with my instinct and walked away from the two of you, my true destiny!"

" I am not easy to be with, because my mother's genes are quite dominant. Also I am not romantic like Dad or Parth, which is why women find it easy to let me go! I am also a little obsessive about cleanliness! I may turn out to be a boring spouse, but I am willing to work my way around the problem. So do you think, Mowgli, that you can accommodate me as a permanent fixture in the world you share with Suketu, Nanny and Gingerbread? I already told you, I suck at romance! I could not even pick a suitable ring for you, all I have is words!" Randhir instinctively grabbed Sanyukta's palms and squeezed them gently. He could see her eyes filled with tears.

"Don't cry, Mowgli! There is a crowd of a few dozen neighbours and well-wishers gathered in the room outside expecting that there will be a wedding! What shall we tell them?"He dabbed her eyes with a tissue. 

"Only if you promise before everyone that irrespective of what happens between the two of us you will never hurt Suketu! Despite of any rituals performed today, our relationship will remain provisional. Only after I am convinced that Suketu will always be your priority that we take things further!" Sanyukta wanted to insist on non-interference from Renuka in their personal lives, but she was aware of being on camera, she cut her speech short. She would have to wait for a more opportune and private moment to bring it up with Randhir.

"So does that mean it is a yes?" Suniti beamed at Sanyukta who simply kept her lashes lowered.

"I guess her silence is to be taken as consent! Let me get the priest to begin the rituals, our guests should not be kept waiting!" Harsh led the men outside, asking Suniti to lock the door behind him.

"Come on, my dear, we must get you changed quickly!" Suniti and Vidushi helped Sanyukta change into a traditional Kanjeevaram bridal saree. 

"You have to put on these!" Suniti opened a large velvet jewellery box to reveal a bridal necklace set, a pair of diamond studs and the traditional coral and gold chain and mangalsutra typically worn by Saraswat Brahmin brides. 

"But Aunty, all this?" Sanyukta stammered. Randhir had mentioned that he was too busy to buy a ring, where did all this gold come from, she wondered!

"This is our wedding gift to you, my dear! Because Arvind and I are giving you away during the nuptials. Since we are marrying off a daughter we must send her away in traditional finery!" Suniti pinned a large string of Mysore jasmine buds into Sanyukta's hair.

"You look perfect, my dear! Come, let us get you married! Anju's soul is watching, we must let her shower you with her blessings!" Suniti and Vidushi led the bride to the wedding altar. 

"K2, why did you not tell me your Mom was marrying Coach Sir?" Pebbles nudged K2.

"Arey, I did not know anything! Abby did not tell me!" K2 was truly bewildered to see his mother join Arvind and Suniti on the wedding altar. He rushed to join his mother.

"Abby, why are you marrying Coach?" K2 whispered into Sanyukta's ear.

" Because he asked if he could be a Dad to you, that's why! What do you think?" She whispered back.

"I am happy he is not going to be Pebbles' Dad!" K2 gave his candid opinion and Sanyukta smiled for the first time that evening.