SURPRISE! SURPRISE!!

Difficult time's going on guys. Please stay at your homes and stay safe!

Please vote and comment! Motivates a lot!

Swara's POV-

Falling asleep was really difficult. I was having really stupid thoughts for some reason. What if Aditya runs away? What if he does not want to marry me? Did he really love me and the list went on and on.

" Swara, just go to bed and stop overthinking. Really? What on earth is wrong with you?" I scolded myself, sitting on the bed.

I then gulped down the glass of water and covered myself with the comforter. It was 1 and if I didn't sleep now, I will definitely have huge bags under my eyes tomorrow. Do I really want that? NOPE!

Then somehow finally, I let sleep take over after saying goodbye to my weird thoughts.

................................................................................................................................................................

" S, wake up! It's 9 in the morning and aunty is calling you downstairs. Also, you need to freshen up and get rid of this henna." I heard Aryan's annoying voice first thing as my sleep broke.

" Just let me sleep for 15 more minutes Aryan. I swear I will wake up then." I muttered, covering my face with the duvet and hoping that he would leave me alone.

" Swara, I have been trying to wake you up from the past one hour. Aunty will really blast now if she does not see you right in front of her eyes real soon. You will be the one to face the consequences, not me. So decide." He blackmailed and I rolled my eyes, opening them.

" Where is Tanya?" I asked him.

" Downstairs with aunty. Helping her do something. I am leaving for the venue to check the arrangements with grandpa and uncle. Please don't fall back to sleep. I bed of you." He said, exiting the room and I sighed.

Today, I am getting married once again. What fun! I thought sarcastically.

Leaving the bed, I took the henna off without applying a drop of water. I was prohibited and then applied some sort of oil that mumma had given me for fifteen minutes and then went to take bath. 

Giving myself good time, I freshened up and then went downstairs, it was another round of haldi ceremony for some reason. This time, I was just in a yellow suit. I had no plans to dress up and to top it all, no one forced me to. Thank god! Getting dressed in really not my thing.

As it was done, I again took a quick bath and then had breakfast, more like brunch. Oh god....I was so hungry!

It was just Mumma, Tanya and I at the house. Others were out.

" Ohoo....just look at your mehendi color. So dark. You know what they say? The darker the henna color, the more love you'll get from your husband and in laws." Tanya teased me and I had a taint of red as I hit her shoulder lightly.

" Shona, I know beta that you have been married to Aditya but I will have to talk to you about this. Beta, it'll be your wedding night." She started off with a serious tone and I paled. Literally. I was about to get the talk once again. The last time I had it was when I was fifteen.

" Mumma, you really don't need to. I know what you want to say." I told him honestly.

" I know that you know beta. Just be sure to be able to tell him no. Don't do anything that you are not comfortable with. He is your husband and I know that he is a great man. He will never make you feel uncomfortable in anyway but by chance, unknowingly if he does, just tell him that you don't like it." She said and I nodded.

" Don't worry mumma. I'll be fine." I assured her. Not that she needed it. She knows that he is a good man.

We had food and I was so thankful. Butterflies were still there in my stomach but the mice, finally were at rest.

" Tanya, beta at what time have you booked the appointment at the salon?" Mumma asked, looking at her.

" Aunty, it's at 4. I have got the bag really that we need to take there which has all of her things." She addressed us and in a while, the close relatives had started coming home for some rituals. Papa, grandpa and Aryan were also here.

I was asked  to change into a saree. Of course Tanya helped me and then we got downstairs for the rituals. I was made to wear red mauli which Aditya will untie later and was given gifts.

After all this was done, Aryan dropped Tanya and me to the salon and the people there started working on me like I was some sort of project for them. It was six when my phone went off. It was Preeti's video call. I picked it up as those people were working on my hair.

" Heyy Preeti." I greeted her.

She looked ready in a lovely green saree. So beautiful!

" Hii Swara, someone's excited to see you again!" She faced the camera to baby Ananya who was giggling a little.

" Preeti, she is so tiny and just of one day. Do you think it'll be okay to bring her amongst so many people?" I asked, frowning.

I didn't want my little princess to have any discomfort.

" Don't worry Swara. It's a five star hotel. The moment she feels uncomfortable, I'll take her to one of the rooms." She tried to assure me.

" By the way, Aditya bhai was trying to call you all day. We didn't let him." She teased me.

" Good! He should learn to be patient." I chuckled along.

" Oh, don't talk about patience. I haven't seen a more patient man than him. Swara, believe me, he has waited for you and only you for so long. We all could see the emptiness in his eyes when you were not around and then all of a sudden, the moment he found you, it was like he has found everything." She said and her every word hit my heart. She was totally right. 

" I know Preeti. He really has a huge heart, I mean, who does that?" I asked, wiping away the lone tear that threatened to flow down my cheek.

" Oh no Swara, don't cry. All is well if it ends well. See? Both of you are going to reunite today. With love this time." Tanya said, coming over to me as she wiped my tears and I nodded.

Hanging up, I was asked to slip in my lehenga. I went to the changing room and did so.

The salon people did the remaining and touch up and we were ready to go.

" Oh my god! Is that S?" Aryan asked, as he got down from the car. He were here to pick us up.

I nodded.

" You look......well......like a girl." He and his deranged ways of complimenting. I just rolled my eyes.

" Thank you." I said, knowing that it was the best I was going to get from him.

Reaching home, I saw tears in mumma and papa's eyes as I saw them. I immediately went on to hug them.

" Oh please, my princess is just going 7kms away. We all will meet on weekends." Grandpa announced and this cheered everyone up.

After this thought, no one was really sad anymore. Grandpa sure knows how to lighten up everyone.

I made an OM and SWASTIK next to the mandir wall and then we started off for the hotel. It took us 10 minutes to reach there and I was taken to a room and Aryan accompanied me.

" I am getting bored." I sighed, sitting. It has been half an hour.

" You wanna play cards?" He asked me, taking a deck out from his pocket.

" You are carrying them in your pockets and just sitting like that from the past half an hour with me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He started distributing them. We must have for another half an hour when mumma, mom, Tanya, Preeti and baby Ananya entered the room.

" Cool....cards going on? But you are needed down now. It's time." Preeti said as I saw others smiling. Mumma came to me and put on the veil.

Aryan and three other cousins of mine held each corner of the phoolon ki chaadar over the top of my head and Din Shagna Da started playing as I neared the stage. Oh god.....I know it's so cheesy but I really had that celebrity feeling. Totally.

I was in my own fairyland until I saw Aditya standing in front of me. He looked absolutely handsome, more like a royal in his white sherwani which had some golden work on it along with a red shawl pinned at one side and other side in his other hand.

I was just in trance and it broke when I saw his arm extend towards me. I hesitantly kept mine in his and got to the stage.

" I cannot begin to describe how beautiful you look tonight Swara. Words will fall short and yet won't do justice." He whispered to me.

Just a simple statement from him left me all blushing. Thank god for the veil!

" You look very handsome too Mr. Kapoor." I replied, looking at him and he smiled.

" Well if the wife is so beautiful, the husband will have to put some efforts to get noticed right?" He asked chuckling.

" Well.....that is true." I agreed, laughing and he laughed too.

We then exchanged garland but not before Karan and company lifted him up and Aryan and some of my cousins immediately lifted me to his level so that I could easily put the garland on.

After hundred photos of us as a couple and 1000 photos of mine individual, I was called for dinner.

" Thank god Aryan, I swear, one more photo and I would have blasted. I am so so damn hungry!" I told him as he walked me to where all our family and Aditya were sitting.

" Welcome....how was the session?" Karan asked me.

" Yeah, yeah make fun of me." I taunted him too as everyone laughed.

Aditya and I were asked to feed a morsel to each other and so we did. 

Then as we went on to eat by ourselves, I felt someone grab my non eating hand from under the table. I immediately looked down to see Aditya holding it.

" What do you think you're doing?" I whispered to him when no one was seeing.

" What? I am just having dinner like you." He replied as if he is the most innocent man on this planet earth.

" You very well know Aditya what I am talking about." I said, very slow so that only he could hear.

Still pretending to not know anything, he just continued to eat. I rolled my eyes.

As we all were done, Aditya went to the mandap and I was taken to the same room back for a while. I was not needed there for around half an hour so I could just rest but those half an hour were over just as soon and I was called back.

After the hawan, it was time for the pheras and I started to remember the last time we walked around the fire together. I was so stupid. I was just so angry and I was so irritated. Without even realizing, I has a small smile.

" Remembering the last time....are you?" Aditya asked, very slowly.

I just nodded, even without looking at him. I wasn't as daring as him to talk while the rituals were going on with so many people around.

" The last time, I had made a promise to myself, never to fall in love again. And here we are." He said, chuckling.

Gathering some courage, I decided to reply back.

" I was so annoyed on the panditji. He was explaining each and every vachan in detail and I was just mocking them. I had no idea that I'd be taking them again with you. This time. with all my heart." I whispered and saw a smile on his face.

After completing the seven rounds, we sat again and the panditji asked Aditya to fill my partition with vermillion.

As he took a pinch in between his thumb and index finger, mumma lifted my maang tika up and somehow, my eyes closed when I felt him doing it. 

It was the most unusual feeling in the world. Very different. Just like that, with the sindoor, he had once again colored me in his colors of love. I belonged to him just as much as he belonged to me.

Opening my eyes, I felt tears in them. Of happiness, sadness and various other ten thousand emotions I cannot describe. 

" From this day forth, you are husband and wife. In happiness and sad times, health and sickness. You are bound together for seven lives." The panditji declared and it was time for the vidaai now.

I threw the uncooked rice back as while moving forward, couldn't stop crying.

I know that it was just a matter of 20 minutes distance from mumma, papa and grandpa but still, I couldn't hold myself back.

As I hugged everyone, I cried more and more.

" S, stop crying. You will be here in Mumbai. Uncle visits office twice a week. Aunty's NGO is really near to the office and home is just 7 kms away." Aryan tried to assure me, nothing worked.

" Shona, I don't want one tear in your eye now. We are here." Papa said as he composed himself and I nodded, wiping my tears as I hugged him.

Mumma was crying and laughing.

" Shona, I love you beta and we all are always here for you. Papa and I are here my princess." She said, hugging me and I clutched onto her.

Then as I went to grandpa, he gave me two dairy milks. Just like when I was little. I hugged him tightly.

" Princess, if anyone troubles you, just give me a call. I'll see to it." He ordered, making me laugh while crying. I must really be looking like a joker now.

" Rajesh, bhabhi, they are our children. We won't let Swara be sad." Dad talked to mumma and papa.

 " I know Yash. We couldn't have found a better family for Shona." Papa replied as they hugged each other.

Then, I was made to sit in the car which I unwillingly did but kept holding grandpa's hand until the car started. As I waved bye to them and car drove away, fresh set of tears came to me again. 

Damn then! I thought, wiping them.

" Swara, here." I heard Aditya say as he pulled me in his arms and wiped my tears, kissing my head.

" Heyy...don't cry. Trust me, you'll see them more than so many times that you can imagine in a week. Trust me." He assured me.

I just hummed but did stop crying, wrapping my hand around his torso.

" I love you." I heard him whisper in my ear.

" Me too. Loads." I told him back and did not realize that I was slipping into sleep.

................................................................................................................................................................

" Shona....beta wake up." I heard someone. I slowly opened my eyes to see mom.

My head was resting on Aditya's shoulder. I sat up straight and rubbed my eyes a little.

" We are home." She said.

" Ohh...I don't know when I fell asleep mom." I told her.

" It's alright beta. I understand. It has been a long day and today is going to be a long one too." She replied and I nodded as Aditya and I got out.

" Now Swara, give this kalash filled with rice a gentle push with your right leg and then dip your feet in this plate with red alta." Mom instructed and I did as I was told and entered the house.

We then went to the mandir and I made my handprints near the wall with the red alta too.

" Now is the time for the post wedding rituals!" Preeti said, excited. I was too but I only wished that I could sleep for a little while more!

But then again......you don't always get what you want, do you?

Aditya's look for the wedding-

Swara's look for the wedding-

Hey guys! This is the next chapter. I hope you all like it. To unlock the next one, at least 140 comments are required on this one.

I love you all. Until next time. Byee!!