Nidhi's POV:

"Finally, you have graced your presence, Ms.Bride," Ravali greeted me with a tight hug as I entered the mall. 

True to her words it had been months since we last met like this, a day completely ours to roam and enjoy. After Granny's operation, I didn't maintain proper contact with her unless she reached out to me in the first place. In between we planned a few times to visit but never that plan became fruitful.

"Yeah. Look how much has changed. From Nidhi to Ms Bride already," I winked at her with a huge smile on my face. 

"That too before me, Nidhi! Like I never even imagined that you would marry before me and Varun," sulked Ravali with a pout on her face. 

"Like I did," I shrugged as we proceeded into the mall. I have decided to shop for some casual wear for further use and also for a proper hair wash at the salon here as I have another important occasion the next day and I am trying to look and be my best and give my best.

Because tomorrow is the day when I will be going to Darsh's house. Like it is my first time going to his home and meeting his mother and brother. Though we had met before in my home just a few days earlier, we couldn't have a proper chat together. At least I expected to talk with his brother Vihas, to apologise to him for my behaviour that day but I never got that chance at all.

He was courteous to me all the time and chatted only when required, the same as his mother. Within no time they left for their home too, so tomorrow is the chance to connect more with them on a personal level.

And this is something my family doesn't know. 

But even this event is not happening peacefully. Because of a slight slip of my tongue, I uttered my plan of going to their house before the engagement to meet them and that's it. A huge row broke in my house about that like how I could go to their home before engagement? what is the use of going there? it is not ideal and cultured for the daughter-in-law to go to her in-law's house before and many more questions from my family, especially grandma. 

They were worried and disappointed to such an extent that they thought I would be planning some new scheme to cancel this alliance because of which I am meeting them. But who could explain to them that this is not the case? I am just going for a casual meeting to spend some time with them and to understand them better and vice versa. 

As a part of my journalism work, I have come across many cases where the daughter-in-law of the house is tortured and abused by her in-laws and husband. I used to wonder why the girl and her family never tried to do a thorough check on the family they were marrying their daughter into. Now I want to talk to them and have a better view of them to understand how they are a people as not everyone will have such a smiling face as they show in public. 

Though I don't have any such negative feelings towards Darsh & his family and hope I will never do, it's just my idea to mingle with them more nicely which I feel should be normalised. But all my points of view went in vain when my grandma didn't agree as in my marriage her say is the last, not even my father has any say in this.

I almost dropped my plan of going to their place and dejectedly told Darsh what had happened on the phone. Fortunately, my grandma doesn't know about my late-night calls to Darsh as it is during that time when he is free and we can talk more, more like I can talk and he will listen. 

Darsh also became dejected like me as his mother had no such objections to me coming over to their home and was very much anticipating my presence in their home. That made me feel even worse because on my side there are so many objections and his mother has no problem with me visiting their home. 

That's when I made this secret mission of going to Darsh's home without the knowledge of my family. When I shared my plan with Darsh he was shit scared and straightly rejected this idea. Sometimes I think he is scared of my dad more than me and to date he considers my father as his boss only not as his would-be father-in-law. I wonder when that changes.

With much motivation and persistence I was able to bring in some courage in Darsh he agreed to my plan and I would be secretly going to their home before our official engagement. 

Apart from Darsh, Ravali is aware of this plan of mine and that is why she is assisting me and covering up for me the next day as well as in my home that I am going to meet her for my shopping and personal stuff when reality is far different.

We roamed for about 2 hours did a huge shopping and finally arrived at the salon to get a hair spa.

"When will you and Varun get married? Isn't it about time?" I asked Ravali who was sitting beside me, reading a magazine while the beautician was trimming her hair.

"Don't get to that topic, Nidhi." 

I tried to turn my head to see her but the steam machine on my head restricted my movement. Why is she sounding so low?

"Why?  What happened?" 

"We had a big fight. About marriage. His family is not approving me because they believe their son can get a better girl than me it seems, and he is unable to convince them to like me. My hopes are diminishing."

Her last words turned into whispers as though she didn't want to accept them. I felt bad listening to her and for not being there for her to share her pain. I've been too much caught up with my life that I didn't care for her and never listened to her before.

"What about your parents?" I asked her.

"They agreed initially but now even they are not liking the behaviour of Varun and his family. They just want to get me married so that responsibility will be off them and even I ran out of excuses," she said with utter hopelessness.

"I'll talk with Varun. Maybe...."

"Don't involve yourself in our mess, Nidhi. You are already occupied with many things so you enjoy," 

My suggestion was cut down with Ravali's suggestion and we remained silent for a while, but inside I made a mental note to give me a tight slap and then talk. 

"Nidhi?" Ravali called out breaking the silence between us.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure about that guy, Darsh?"

I was taken aback a bit at her sudden question. I am sure about him. Definitely, I am, I repeated this line before replying to Ravali with a Yes.

"Yes. Why do you ask suddenly?"

"Nothing. I just don't want you to even feel like me like you made a wrong decision. And take this as a suggestion only, be so sure of your man that even in your dreams you will never think he will back off from supporting you or choosing only his family and leaving you hanging behind. 

You still have time to do thorough research and make a good choice."

Her big and impactful monologue left me speechless. Her words hit me hard inside and instantly pushed me into a huge dilemma. 

I kept thinking about the events that happened in the past few weeks and what led me to accept Darsh so quickly. In retrospect, Just in two meetings, I accepted him when in practicality I didn't anything in detail about him. I don't know his basic favourites. I don't know about his family details from his end and not from my father. I don't know much about him.

But.... but it is his innocence and honesty that made me attracted to him. But am I in love with him? Or just attraction? And what is the feeling from his end? He always said he is attracted to me from our first meeting and is it just that for him as well? 

Tomorrow I am meeting his family and today I am evaluating my choices. 

Have I made the right decision?

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