'She fell in love with
his soul before she could
touch his skin.
If that isn't love, then
I don't know what is.'
-Bianca Lamarre

_________________

Give and accept – part 2

Sadhvi's POV

After my turn, Meheka was almost given the same things but with different responsibilities.

Where I was given the duties and responsibilities she was given the honor to be the Lakshmi.

It was my and Avrudh’s turn to give our blessings to Meheka and Avesh.

I with my own crown—the veil, walked upto to the couple and handed the blazer I bought for Avesh.
“I don’t know much about your choice so if anything, just say it and we will go together to change it.”

He looked at the item after opening the zip of the cover and grinned,
“I like midnight blue. Thanks bhabhi”

I blinked at the title when Avrudh bumped my shoulder with his, “My turn”

Ignoring the feeling I smiled at Avesh saying,
“Make my sister happy and if ever you find her a little spoilt then it’s mummy’s fault”

Meheka looked at me whining and the rest of the folk laughed. I left the place for Avrudh to join.

He fished a velvet box out of his sherwani pocket and handed it to her saying,
“I always looked at you like a little sister and now you actually are. Welcome to the family, Meheka”

Meheka out of curiosity opened the box and grinning at them looked at Avrudh, “They are beautiful jiju. Wait! Should I call you jiju or Bhaia ji or your honor?”

We all laughed at that.

“You can call me, Avrudh even I won’t mind.”

“No! that would be too disrespectful, afterall we have so many relations now”

Avrudh laughed, “It is okay. Decide first”

“Or better you decide what you are going to call your sister first after the marriage” Harpreet Bua proposed

Meheka’s mouth opened and then she smiled,
“It is decided then. I will call you Jiju because she is my sister first than eill be my Bhabhi”

I grinned

“then I will call you bhabhi, because he is my Bhaia first than jiju”
Avesh announced looking at me and then at his brother

We both shared a smile looking at each other. 

“Thank you once again Bhaia and Bhabhi”   “or jiju and didi”
they both touched our feets and we blessed them too, awkward we might feel.

Harpreet bua ji stood up to announce dinner when my brother interrupted

“Nobody asked me to give gifts”

“Because you are younger than anyone here Sanidhya” Papa ji said

“If anything honey, you are to receive them” Kanika aunty said

“Okay… I am not complaining”
we all laughed  
“but I have something prepared too”

We all looked at him.

He walked in front of Avrudh and me first, “I have this customized broche for both of you”

“When did you…” I was to ask

“Doesn’t matter, I wanted my share of promises too... from both of them” Sanidhya said holding Avrudh’s hand and taking him along to Avesh’s side

“I want you both to promise me one thing. Promise me, you are going to make both of my sisters smile and if they cry, they cry of happiness. Promise me no matter how many times they are going to ask you ‘am I looking fat?’ you are going to say ‘no’ even if they are”

Both I and Meheka gasped.

Avrudh turned to look at me, eyeing me suspiciously.

“I don’t want them running home everytime... because finally I am getting the house to myself. I will be the king. Finally!” a happy sigh escaped my brother's lips

We both got up from our places to pull his ears when Meheka beat me to it.
“You dog. How dare you? You said I never look fat, I am worried for nothing”

I wanted to laugh because everybody was laughing.

“That was to shut you up. You are growing like fungus day by day”

This time I gasped,
“You should not say that, not today atleast.”

I tried hiding my face from Avrudh's eyes, his continuous stare making me shy.

“Okay, okay, I am sorry Meheka, but I will tell you this tomorrow. Okay?”

We all laughed at that. Even Meheka too.

“Jokes apart though. Promised me you both will take care of my sisters”

“I promise”
Avrudh said and blinked assuring my brother.

“Cross my heart” Avesh said

The trio hugged and my heart soared like never before.
.

.

After dinner we were all talking. Discussing our lives.

Parents were settled in the living area talking among themselves maybe discussing dates for the functions now.

Avrudh and Sanidhya were busy talking about some presentation or maybe Avrudh was counseling Sanidhya about his future.

And I was talking with Meheka and Avesh. We were talking about my clinic and it’s work rate.

“It is my joint work with my best friend Rajveen.”

“They are both college best friends” Meheka added

“That’s great. You have two floors and every floor is the same or you have divided it on basis of specialization?”

“Not really. The treatment we provided is the same on both the floors, just different hands working on, the second floor, which is assigned to Rajveen has a yoga studio  and mine has a studio for lamas and Pilates classes”

“Oh! you guys work hard no wonder Meheka keeps on saying you drag her to cardio every now and then”

“She is lazy” I complained

She faking a gasp said, “No I am not. I am just tired mostly”

“Sure you are. Are you still tired Meheka?” I asked

“If only you could give me a back massage here” she turned offering my her back to me which I slapped gracefully

All three of us laughed.

I was almost done with my glass of wine when Avrudh and Sanidhya joined us.

Sanidhya soon initiated a topic which I couldn’t quite put a finger on—something about best place of dessert.
The proximity with Avrudh was deluding my mind.

He was standing so close to me with his hand kept firm on the mid of my back.

I wasn’t sure about the action being intentional or unintentional until I felt his eyes on me.

Definitely intentional.

I breathed in and he noticed me being aware of him, soon I felt his cheek against my own when he whispered,
“Let’s get your glass refilled”

When he pulled back he look at me waiting and a little in coma I was, I nodded.

“Excuse us” he offered his dimples to our company and took me out of the scene with his hand still on my open back, his warm skin turning November into June.

In the kitchen counter he kept my glass and said to the maid,
“One glass of white wine for the lady and she will be back to take the glass in a minute”

I looked him with raised eyebrows and he winked in response, holding my hand in his firm grip he dragged me into the study room.

Its been so long since I allowed someone particular to hold my hand and Avrudh holding it firm was something which wasn't settling right.

No I wasn't repelling, I was cursing myself for accepting.

Then there was the glass wall—which I never thought to be there, it broke my chain of thoughts.

I looked out of the glass and saw the city lights.

From behind I felt him before he reached me,
“I have something for you too”

I turned to look at him and found him a foot away from me. He asked with his eyes for me to look down and what I saw left me in daze.

He opened a blue rectangular velvet box and showed me a beautiful sun pendant.

“It kind of reminds me of you, I have this strange feeling of owning the wide...vast sky, everybody who all are a part of my life are residing there and I want you as my sun because you shine brighter than anyone”

I kept my face impassive because if it was a pick-up line, it definitely was beautiful and if it was his original line it was indeed very beautiful.

It was strange because all along I was looking a sun of my own and here he was making me his, in his sky.
This needed correction.

React something you moron!

“I- I don’t have anything for you. I am sorry. I didn’t…”

“Doesn’t matter. You can still give me something”

I looked up at him ashamed, he was so thoughtful for a man so powerful and wise, and I was an idiot.

“I feel like an idiot right now, Avrudh”

He smiled,
“I am expecting just one thing, Sadhvi”

“Anything. I promise.” I said

“Then will you allow me to help you wear it?”

I blinked at him.
Will it be too fast if I kiss the cuteness out of this man right now?

It might.

I nodded too much in shock to speak and turned to allow him. I pulled my hair off my back and he moved close.

The moment the pendant rested on my chest I was attacked with so many things at once that it was a tough choice, when I  chose only to smile.

He clasped it on my nape and his fingers lingered there for a while and taking it as my cue I turned to face him.

The man who was destined to speak commands only was allowing himself to seek permissions. In front of me Avrudh was making himself just a commoner like me, someone who asks and then acts.

He wasn't announcing or calculating, he was being considerate, he was so understanding.

The was letting a soft side of him out to me, I was sure this was something very rare because everything about the moment seemed pure to me.

“How do I look?” I blushed meeting his eyes

Now that all the things were off my neck, the previously given necklace by Kanika aunty, leaving my only long chain neck piece, I wanted to know his opinion on my new addition to accessory.

“Perfect”
he said with a face so difficult to read and I find myself intrigued to write a book on it.

I wanted to do so many things, so many things to him, for him, to return the favor.

He was so thoughtful to bring something for me as well. Despite any expectations.

I wanted to kiss him, on lips or on cheeks or on nose, hell I was even ready to hold his hands and kiss them.

I wanted to hug him tight that moment but like I said so many feelings so soon.

My story right now with his alien invasion was filled with so many mights but what's a story without uncertainties, right?

We stood there looking at each other with so many words at the tip of our tongues but nothing to utter out of our mouths.

It was just yesterday I was whining about being too old and not getting action but at this moment all the waiting and the tag of being called lonely forever felt worth it.

Hell, if I have been kept waiting this long for these feelings, then I take my previously given profanities back.

The wait suddenly felt worth it.
.

.

Late at night around 11 p.m. the family was sitting inside the library, after the long house tour.

“Avrudh and Sadhvi are older so it is not debatable for them to get married before Avesh and Meheka” Kanika aunty said

“I agree. I don’t want any of them to steal each others’ lime light. Marriage is special for everyone” my mummy said

“Nobody will be stealing each others’ spot light mummy, we will be happy sharing a stage”

I looked at Avrudh whose eyes were resting on the pendant around my neck, which I find myself playing with unconsciously since the past hour.

“No bacche, it will be good, given the prior situation. Avrudh and you will get married first and after six months from yours, Meheka and Avesh” Bua ji said
“Everybody agree?”

I met Avrudh’s eye.
We didn’t ask each other anything just stared only.

“I don’t mind. If that is what is suitable so be it” my papa ji said looking at Samarpreet uncle

“So we will look for a date to get Avrudh and Sadhvi engaged and then wedding?” Samarpreet uncle asked and more like nodded to himself.

All of them nodded.

Sanidhya, Meheka, Avesh were playing some board game on the other table and the elders were discussing date on the center table, here in library with me and Avrudh sitting across each other besides our mothers.

“Can I ask something?”
I said in a quiet voice I was a little scared to share my wish.

Harpreet Bua ji, my mother and Kanika aunty shared eyes and looked at me, the rest of them just shared waiting looks.

I turned to look at Avrudh,
“I don’t want a big  function just a simple engagement or more like a cocktail party, a small wedding more like a family function and a grand reception. If that is okay with you all?”

Harpreet bua ji said,
“That isn’t a problem daughter”

I nodded and said, “There is more. About the wedding.” I looked at Avrudh once again,
“Can we have the wedding in a temple?”

Everybody fell silent.

I kept looking at Avrudh and slowly a small smile met his lips. He blinked at me.

“The wedding is going to be wonderful” Harpreet Bua ji rubbed her hands together
“And unique” Meheka chimed winking at me

I smiled getting everyone’s approval.

Since all my dreams were coming true so why not this too.
.

____________________________

'Every word
you've ever said,
is written
somewhere in my
mind.'
-Crystal Woods

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Hello my dear readers,
Since i have 1k followers now on
Wattpad, I felt like to celebrate and
what's a celebration without double updates, right?
So here I am, yours truly with two chapters  in a row.

I hope you guys loved it because like is not an option. Just read Avrudh's words once again. Isn't he love worthy?!

Hit the ⭐ and make both Avrudh and Sadhvi smile.
I promise more romance ahead.
With love,
Ankita 🐿️