The mehendi and Sangeet were organised on the same day. The Henna artist was applying Mehendi on her hands, the songs were playing and everyone was dancing. She sees her father speaking with the guests while her mother looks at the food arrangements.

She called one of her cousins and whispered something in his ear.

He agrees and goes towards the sound system, he changes the music.

"Badan pe sitare lapate hue..."

Vineet and Ruhana listens and their eyes became wide. Vineet stares at Manvi and she smiles "go.." she says.

Vineet refuses, Manvi stands up and pulls him to the centre. "Come on papa.. Mere sangeet mein nahi dance karoge apne favourite gaane pe toh kab karoge?" she asked.

"Tumhari maa na raat ko mujhe couch pe sulayegi phir" Vineet said.

"Aisa kuch nahi karengi mumma.." Manvi insists and he finally agrees.

He pulls Ruhana and dances around her

Badan pe sitare lapete hue,

O jaan-e-tamanna kidhar ja rahi ho

Zara paas aao to chain aa jaaye,

Zara paas aao to chain aa jaaye

Ruhana smiles sheepishly.

Hamin jab na honge, to aye dilruba,

Kise dekh kar, haaye, sharamaaogi

Na dekhogi phir tum kabhi aaina,

Hamare bina roz ghabaraaogi

He pulls her into his embrace while Manvi adores her parents and finally enjoys her sangeet and Mehendi without worrying about the arrangements.

She whistles after the music end and shouts "once more.."

Ruhana moves towards her and pulls her along. She kisses her forehead and looks at her teary. She takes her balaye and Manvi smiles with tears brimming down her eyes.

"Kya mumma.. Aapko dance karne ko kaha tha mujhe emotional karne ke liye nahi" she said.

Ruhana hits her forehead from behind, Vineet said "mannu ab chup chap baithke mehendi lagwalo.. Sabko ghar bhi jaana hai"

Manvi sits down and enjoys the function. She closes her eyes and prays "Kanhaji mere jaane ke baad mere mumma papa ke khayal rakhne ki zimmedari aapki hai.. Sambhal lena unhe"

The function ends, a few ladies stays back to clear up the mess and arrange back the hall to the original as all the pre-wedding rituals had ended. Manvi wanted to help but her Mehendi hasn't dried yet.

"Kaki wo saaman waha rah gaya hai usko mandir mein rakh dijiye" Manvi said.

"Haan beta rakh rahi hun.. Acha tumne apna saman pack kiya?" Sharda asked.

Manvi refuses "nahi kaki.. Mumma papa ne jo new kapde aur baaki saman khareeda tha wo sab pack hai baki maine nahi kiya abtak"

"Samajhti hun jis ghar mein paida hue.. Pale usko chodke jaana bahut muskil hai! Aur sabse zyda muskil toh Ruhana aur Vineet ke liye hai aakhir ek lauti beti jo ho unki.." Sharda said.

Manvi smiled sadly,

"acha main chalti hun chintu yahi hai..." She replied

"thik hai kaki.." Manvi said and moves towards her room and removes the dried mehendi to the sink. She looks at the colour and Deep's name hidden in it.

Her phone beeps, she moves to the bed and picks it up. "Can't wait to find my name in your mehendi tomorrow!"

She smiles shyly covering her face with her palm. She then realises tomorrow is the big day and after that is wedding night. Her heartbeat increased thinking about it, Ruhana enters the room with milk in her hand.

"Mannu ye le dudh peele" she forwards the glass to her.

Manvi held the glass and drinks the milk. Ruhana notices the nervousness on her face and asked "kya hua?"

"Kuch nahi" she hesistated but Ruhana understood it.

"Hoti hai.. Mujhe toh bahut anxiety hui thi ek raat pehle lekin shaadi ki khushi itni zyada thi na.. Ki sab anxiety khatam ho gayi tere papa ke ghar jaake" Ruhana spoke trying to calm her down.

"Acha.." Manvi said.

Ruhana gave her some pieces of advice on how to handle everything in the house. Manvi silently listened to her and smiles "Thank you mumma aapne toh meri pareshani hi door kardi"

"Wo toh mujhe karni hi thi.. Chal ab soja kal bilkul bhi aaram nahi milega tujhe.." Ruhana tapped her cheek lightly.

Manvi asked "Aaj akhiri baar aapke aur papa ke beech so jau?"

Ruhana smiles and nods yes. Manvi gets happy and moves out to her bedroom. She stands at the door and sees her father counting the leftover money. She thought "kaha tha maine.. Itni dhoom se saare functions mat karo par sunni nahi hai.."

She walks inside the room and Vineet places the money back into the wardrobe. He turns and smiles "aaj bhi hamare beech sona hai?" he asked.

Manvi smiles innocently. She sees some bank papers on the table and reads the word "Fixed deposit". "Papa ne toh sab FDs tod di shaadi ke liye.."

She takes her phone and sends him something. Vineet's phone beeps, he checks her message and says "I love you Papa! Aapke jaise baap har beti ko nahi milta hai!"

Vineet smiles reading that and his eyes turn teary. He turns away and closes his eyes for a moment. Manvi hugs him from behind and says "aapne hamesha mera saath diya hai papa.. Chahe mere failures ho ya success.. Agar har pita aapki tarah ho na toh kisi bhi beti ko apna mayka paraya nahi lagega" 

Vineet turns and exclaims "ek baat yaad rakhna mannu.. Parayi nahi ho tum! Beti ho.. Guroor ho mera! Haq se tumhare naye ghar aaunga aur Deep ka Deep ka baap mujhe nahi rok sakta tumse milne se"

Manvi smiles "bilkul.. Aapko kaun rok sakta hai bhala? Mumma aur maine himmat nahi ki toh Deep kaise kar lega?" she asked.

Vineet keeps his hand on her head and blesses her. Manvi hugs him tightly and closes her eyes feeling the warmth of it. Ruhana smiles seeing father and daughter with tears of happiness and sorrow at sending away their daughter to a new home. 

The next day, Ruhana performs some rituals which were meant to be done by her while Vineet went to the wedding hall. 

She looked at the gifts which were to send to Deep's house.  Manvi saw all the gifts and sighed deeply "ye dono bhi na.. kya zaroorat hai itne expensive gifts dene ki.. " she murmured

She wasn't standing far so Ruhana had heard what she said as it was loud enough to hear "maine bola na apna ye hisaab kitaab yahan mat karo" 

Manvi sighed "lekin mumma..." 

Ruhana pulled her and made her sit beside her "Dekh mannu mana ki unlogo ne kuch nahi manga par shaadi mein kuch rasmein hoti hai jinhe nibhana padta hai... aur tere papa ne jo kamaya hai wo tere liye hi toh hai hmm.." she squeezed her cheeks lightly. 

"lekin ye zaroorat se zyada hai" she said 

"tu mujhse behes mat karo apne papa hi puch iss baare mei.." Ruhana replied 

"haan taaki mujhe aur daant padh jaye.." she made a face 

"toh apna kaam karo parlour jaana hai na.. bhaago yahan se tum" Ruhana said. Manvi got up and left from there. 

Chintu dropped her to the parlour, he then returned and Ruhana sent him to Deep's house with the gifts. He reached there in half an hour and Deep welcomed him inside. 

"ye kya le aaye ho Chintu?" he questioned

"chachi ne bheje hai shagun" he responded

Deep glanced at it and sighed "lekin maine toh mana kiya tha na" 

He asked him to back the things but Chintu refused as he will get scolded. He returned and informed Ruhana what happened there. He gave her back the gold ring which Deep had returned. A smile appears on her face. 

She thought to give it to Manvi so she can gift it to him as a wedding gift. 

Here Vineet was at the wedding venue along with the manager and asked "sab jaisa bataya hai waisa hi hai na?"

"Ji sir aap fikar mat kijiye! Menu wahi hai jo aapne kaha tha.. Stage bhi saamne lagaya hai humne aur mandap bhi sajaya hai bahar aap chahe toh check kar lijiye" Manager said.

Vineet rolls his eyes around the hall for his own satisfaction as he wanted everything perfect on his daughter's wedding.

His phone rings, he picks up the call "haan Roo bolo"

"Vineet.. Maine Manvi ka pura samaan pack kar diya hai! Tum please sharda kaki ke pote chintu se kaho car mein aake samaan le jaye" Ruhana said.

"Chintu? Wo yahan hai?" He asked.

"Haa.. tum akela kitna sambhalte toh mannu ne chintu ko subah tumhare jaane se pehle usko mandap pe bhej diya tha.." Ruhana replies.

Vineet smiles hearing her words "thik hai main bhejta hun use"

"Aur suno.. Khud bhi jaldi wapas aao.. Dulhan ke baap ko bhi ready hona" Ruhana said.

"Yes home minister sahiba.." Vineet agrees and disconnects the call. He heads towards the food area and asked Chintu to return home.

Chintu goes while Vineet makes some payments.

Deep's Home

Yamini and Ankush were looking at the gifts so far they had gotten from Manvi's house. They exchanged glances with each other. Most of them were more than what they could afford to give as they wanted the best for their daughter. Yamini was annoyed at Deep for returning valuable things. 

"Hamari sharafat ka kuch zyada hi fayda utha rahe hai ladki waale.." Ankush said.

"Shant rahiye.. Deep ne sun liya na toh gussa karega" Yamini spoke in a whispering tone.

"Are humne mana kya kiya toh ye log kuch denge nahi? Aise thodi hota hai" Ankush whispered.

"Ab kya hi kar sakte hai? Jaane dijiye na jitna bhi hai kaafi hai.. Engagement kitni dhum dhaam se hui aur suna hai shaadi bhi hall mein kar rahe hai" Yamini said.

Ankush thought for a moment, it was time for Deep's tilak and gudh chaddi. Everyone got busy with the rituals and a smile appeared on Ankush's face.

"Deep beta.. Abhi waqt hai baraat ke nikalne mein tum aaram karo" Ankush said.

Deep smiles hearing him "papa.. Late karna thik nahi hoga na!" he spoke

"Haan lekin kuch rasmein abhi baaki hai.. Yaminiji jayie mandir leke jayie aur aaram se wapas laana" Ankush spoke meaningfully.

Yamini understands his words and she leaves with Deep and a few relatives towards the temple. He takes out his phone and dials a number. He says something which leaves another person completely shocked and in disbelief.

At the Hall

There were rooms built for the bride and family at the corner end of the hall. Manvi came from the parlour and sits in front of the mirror. Ruhana places the dupatta on her head and glances at her through the mirror "Aaj meri pari sach mein pari lag rahi hai"

Manvi smiles, the glow of the bride was completely shining on her face. Indeed, she was one of the happiest brides and was excited about the wedding. Why wouldn't she after all every girl dreams of such a day in her life?

She turns and sees her father standing at the door. Ruhana also looks at him, she notices the charm missing on his face.

"Papa aap waha kyun khade hai?" Manvi asked.

Vineet smiles at her and said "bahut hi sundar lag rahi hai meri beti dulhan banke.. Ek dum apni maa ki tarah"

Manvi smiles sheepishly. Vineet thought "kya karun ab? Ruu ko batau ki nahi iss baare mein?"

"Mannu tum apna photoshoot karon main aati hun" Ruhana said.

Manvi stands up and goes out with the photographer to make exciting and different poses. Vineet stared at her with teary eyes, Ruhana asked "kya hua hai Vineet??"

"Kuch nahi beti ki shaadi ki khushi hai par jaane ka dukh zyada hai" he replied with a sad smile on his face.

Ruhana wasn't convinced hearing his words but before she could ask him something Manvi calls her to join the photoshoot. She goes away and Vineet recalls the phone call he had received a few minutes ago. 

Manvi calls him and he smiles at her. They click a family picture together.

To be continued...

Hash that was long one...❤️ ❤️