Hello mere bachoon!! Missed me?? I missed you guys soo much!
I know I went MIA, but i did inform on my wall posts. For those lovelies who were unaware,
Good thing, I wasn't murdered.
Bad thing, I had exams.

Important:

I have got an offer from Inkitt. I cannot decide weather to take it or not. Please could guys suggest your opinions on it!
Pretty please!!!!

(This is the worst chapter until now! Really sorry)
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Everyone was busy preparing for the function. Bhabhi was getting things ready for the pooja. Mom and aunties were counting and dividing things to be distributed. Cabir was trying to feed the baby cow, who was brought for the ritual, and the baby cow was averting her mouth away from the hay. While I, on the other hand was savouring the man, who was my to be husband. And, subhash chachu was doing kapalbhati.

I didn't have much work to do today as everyone was assigned theirs.

"You know beta, this kapalbhati helps a lot to control my bp." Said subash chachu now starting with pranayam. He already has suggested me 10 different yoga I must try. He seem like an in house baba Ramdev.

I was behaving like baba ram rahim drooling over my to be husband, waving my legs.

Luckily It wasn't cloudy. But unluckily Manik was sweating. I hate sweating people. When chachu was done he went away for having his amla and alovera juice.

Manik came and sat beside me and gave a loud sigh of exahauthion. "Water?" I asked offering him water bottle. He took the bottle and drank half of it in one go. Tempting!! 

"Tired?"I asked and he shook his head. "But it'll be too hot today." He said sitting cross legged facing me and stopped moving my hanging legs and maintained a poise.

"What happened to this Cabir?" I asked him. "He seems a bit off today.." I added.

"Yeah. Cabirji is a varishtha members of kailash nagar yuva mandal, who organises ganpati of our area in Delhi. And dad isn't allowing him to go. But Cabir is Cabir, he always wants the forbidden." He told.

"Now?" I thought about the poor thing. Looks like he's going to cry any time.

"I'll talk to dad. He'll agree. Even I have to leave tomorrow as for ganpati is starting and it's Mumbai, too much work yar. The commissioner has already called twice. I can't delay more." He said.

"Don't you get tired working all days? I mean like irritated? You know I just crave for weekends. I can use phone, watch series, movies and no tension of waking up the other day. You don't even get a Sunday."

"Nah! Like I like working. It keeps me busy. I have something to do. And I don't know, i like watching movies and all but I never noticed that I don't watch them more often now." His words make me amazed. "But since you have came, i use watsapp a lot though." And these lines made me blush.

I was always worried how will we know each other. And today I got the answer. With time- it was. This is the thing about relationships, they take time to build. You don't need a list of questions to ask and answer, time answers it for you. In the matter of few days i got to know, Manik reads newspaper everyday. Like everyday. He watches news and more of discovery and national geography. His general knowledge is far more better than mine. Like history is on his tongue. He loves typical Indian home cooked food. And he eats a lot, like a lot.
He loves spicy food. He loves to drink dal and kadhi. I made kadhi yesterday and he drank four bowls. It made me so happy. He ate and my stomach was filling with happiness.

We talked for while, but he had to take a shower so he left and i too got busy in my work.

It was 10 when my mummy papa came. There other guests too. I went to mummy with a glee. But mummy papa first greeted my in laws. And started with their usual, bohot bura hua, Bhagwan ki marzi, shanti se chali gayin, atma, shanti and all.

In the mean time Manik too came. He touched my parents feet. He was wearing a kurta. They talked for a while and mom took mummy, dad took my papa and my papa took Manik away. I was still standing there alone. So all ignored I joined bhabhi and cousins.

Today was my free day. I was just meeting new relatives of Manik and touching feet. I was so engrossed in touching feet that I mistakenly touched feet of two useless people also. While Manik was serving my papa and looking after all other works too. All these places where they tell you, after being engaged in an arranged marriage, it's all just about the girl and the guy, it's all a lie.

There was simple food for lunch. Mummy papa suggested that they'll leave in an hour and even i will leave with them. I'll miss these people, specially Bhabhi, we two have bonded very well in these days. The cousins, the buas, the taujis, everyone. I have been a single child, and now looking at them, i do realize its beautiful to live in a joint family. I felt an urge to cry, but I didn't want to cry. I always feel embarrassed to cry in public. It always makes me conscious about what people will think. I just cannot cry in front of people. It makes me nervous.

I was just drinking water to avoid myself from breaking out, When Manik came. He was standing on the other side of the big water jug. Keeping his elbows on the jug, "tum bhi aj chali jaogi?" He asked. Aww don't make cry please!!

I wanted to meet him, talk to him in personal. But I couldn't speak up. The same thing was seen in his eyes, but neither did he speak. Both of us wanted the same thing yet both of us were tongue tied. We badly wanted our moment, but the courage was yet to come. Just with the feeling of this, my heart beats like a drum in my chest.

"Had food?" He asked.

"Ammm... not yet.." I said. "You?"

"Not yet!"

We nodded to each other and parted. I went back to the mothers and aunts. They were discussing about the wedding rituals and the things to be bought. The minor differences we had in the rituals. This all seemed so weird to me. Like I still couldn't believe that, I was getting married. I was engaged. Like all this seems so unreal sometimes.

"Nandu chal let's have food..." Bhabhi proposed.

"Han, you should eat, then we'll leave." Mummy said.

I and bhabhi went to backyard. No one was there. But soon Cabir and one other cousins came with plates full of food. Soon Manik and sahil Bhai followed them. Bhabhi and bhai took one plate. Manik took one and offered for us together to eat. Just the mere thought of eating from one plate gave butterflies in my stomach. This feeling is so much surreal. I love this small twists in there.

We all talked while eating, just not to each other. God knows how long it will take us to get into the talking comfort zone. He silently passed me the things in the plate without even me asking for them. And I silently did the same. Will we always be this quiet?

Once everyone left, we both stood there facing each other in the backyard. His hands in his pockets, while mine in playing with the cotton dupatta.

"Sooo...., kal se job?" He asked.

"Yaa... too much work is pending."I replied, "and you?"

"Yaa have to leave before ganpati." He said and stood on his toes for once and then again settled back down. Like he wanted to do, say something but was hesitant.

"You liked everyone here?" He asked.

"Very much... that i'll miss everyone." I said softly.

He chuckled happily. "We'll miss you too." And saying this he wrapped his one arm around my shoulder pulling me in a hug. While i was surprised and my heart beats raced like a drum. I clutched his kurta in my petty little fist and his hand moved to the back of my head and ruffled my hair a bit. And this was the most amazing thing he did. I just loved him doing this. Now I understand why newbies always stick around their better halves.

We parted and smiled at one another. "Text me once you reach. I'll call you in the evening." He said and I just nodded my head.

It was post afternoon when we were about to leave. We sat in our car and the Malhotras surrounding us for good byes. Manik's mom and aunts had hell lot praised me and I felt so proud inside, but as usual I was being modest about it. Manik touched my parents legs and talked to my papa a bit.

As I settled on the backseat, our eyes met, and both of us had a little conversation with our eyes. Nothing significant that we said, but still, the feelings were conveyed. And with him I realised, It's not always words that build the best conversations.

And with this once again we part our ways coming a little more closer.

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