Chapter 10

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Author's POV

The Malhotras leave after all the details have been finalized. Meera reaches home a few hours after they leave. The moment she enters  the house, she sees her father sitting on the sofa. 

"Dad? You are still awake? It's 11pm. You need you rest", Meera scolds him.

"I was waiting for you-"

"You shouldn't have. Now chalo, I'll help you up", Meera says holding his hand. He places his hand over hers and makes Meera sit beside him.

"Ok, but listen to me first. Only 5mins", Sameer says and Meera sits up waiting for him to continue.

"So, we finalized a date for your wedding. Is the 26th of June fine?"

"Thats just 20 days away", Meera exclaims.

"Yes are you happy?"

"Are you happy", Meera asks in return.

"Of course, I can't wait", Sameer says excitedly.

"Then I'm happy too", Meera forces a smile. "Ok, now get up. It's already very late. We'll talk about the rest tomorrow."

Sameer complies and Meera leads him up to his room. She then goes to her room and replays the conversation in her head. 20. Just 20 freaking days till her marriage. Just then her phone pings indicating an incoming message. She opens it to find a message from Alia, asking if she was free day after tomorrow for shopping. 

Right, shopping- for a wedding dress she thinks bitterly. Anyways she replies with a yes. A moment after she send the message, Alia calls her.

Alia: I'm sorry I called so late but I figured you are awake since you responded.

Meera: No problem Alia, you can call anytime.

Alia: Great, so I just called to finalize the time. Does 3pm work? 

Meera: Day after tomorrow at 3 right?

Alia: Yes

Meera: Ok done. Text me the location and I'll meet you there.

Alia: Awesome, I'll tell ma also. See you then, Bye.

Meera: Bye.

She disconnects the call and tosses her phone on the bed. After changing she lies down on the bed but sleep is the last thing on her mind. A million possibilities run through her mind. Her life after her marriage . A husband who couldn't seem any more less interested in the wedding. But she doesn't blame him, her condition is the same. After a few minutes, she forces these thoughts out of her mind and closes her eyes trying to sleep.

********

2 days later

Nandini goes to Abhimanyu's house in the morning along with Sameer. She finds him sitting on the dining table feeding Reyansh who is sitting on his high stool. 

"Abhi", Nandini calls out. He turns around and gets up after seeing them. 

"What are you doing here so early?", Abhi asks them.

"We wanted to talk to you"

"Haan chalo lets sit. Give me two minutes, Rey-", he stops in the middle of his sentence when he sees Reyansh push the bowl off the table. It falls on the floor and all the contents spill out. "Reyansh, why would you do this?". Rey just sits and stares at the bowl on the ground and then at Abhimanyu and giggle. Abhi goes to lift him up but Nandini beats him to it.

"He's become so naughty. Reminds me of you when you were a baby", She says while lifting him up and kissing him on his cheek.

"What did you want to talk about?", Abhimanyu asks changing the topic.

"Arey yes. We are going shopping today with Meera? Do you want to accompany us. You have to get a sherwani for yourself also and you can meet her also."

"Ma, there are more than 2 weeks for the wedding. I'll get one later."

"2 weeks is not a lot of time. Even Meera is getting her dress today. You also come along na. I can already imagine as a bride, She'll look absolutely stunning. But even if you come along its not like you can see her in that dress before the actual wedding, its considered as bad luck-"

"Ma, ma. I won't be able to come today. You all carry on. I'm getting late now, there is an important meeting I have to get to", saying this Abhi stands up and heads towards his room.

Nandini and Sameer exchange dejected glances and decide to leave as Nandini has a few preparation to do.

**********

In the afternoon

Nandini and Alia are waiting outside a designer boutique for Meera. Meera arrives a few minutes later along with Karan.  Karan had insisted on coming since the moment Meera had told Karan about her plans.

"This is-", Meera is about to introduce him when she is cut off by Karan himself.

"I am Karan and you must be Alia", he says and Alia blushes while Nandini glares at him. He pretends not to see that and turns towards her.

"I am Nandini Malhotra, Alia's mom", Nandini says

"I am Karan ma'am .This idiots best friend"

"Nice to meet you beta and please don't call me ma'am ", she says clearly charmed. Wow that was fast . She was glaring at him moments ago.

"I thought this was a girls day out ", Alia says .

"I dint ask him to come he just did.", Meera replies.

"And he is right here. ", he latches his arm to Meera's and says, "lets get on with it. We've got some shopping to do"

Nandini and Alia look at him with a amused expression while Meera gives them a apologetic look. They dint seem to mind Karan though.

"Okay, so first lets choose a dress for me", Alia says excitedly. They all agree and she asks the staff to show her lehengas . They bring out around ten of them hanging on the trolley.

She goes and tries each one and she finally selects one. She  looks gorgeous in it. Meera usually doesn't like spending so much time on shopping but with everyone and Karan constantly cracking jokes , she's actually had a good time.

Once Alia was done, it's Meera's turn. They bring out dozens of bridal Lehengas with heavy embroidery. Each one was so heavy, Meera was already dreading wearing them.

"After we find a dress for Meera, we have to go jewelry shopping", Nandini aunty said.

"Aunty -", Meera begins to say but Nandini cuts her off saying , "call me mom or ma as everyone does. Even you are my daughter, what is this aunty."

"Okay", Meera agrees. Its feels a little weird for Meera  because has not called anyone that in a long time.

"Ok what ?", Nandini probes her.

"Okay ma", Meera says . Nandini comes over and hugs Meera and Alia too joins them. Oddly for Meera .this felt nice. They stay like this for a few more seconds then break away.

"So what were you saying?"

"right so is it ok if I wear my mom's jewelry. Dad also wanted me to wear the ones mom wore for hers . "

"Of course. That would be great. "

"Okay now go on and try this out", Alia says thrusting a bag in Meera's hand.

Meera goes into the trial room to try the dress on. Its a traditional red lehenga. Meera comes out wearing it a few minutes later. Nandini likes it but Alia and Karan don't. The happens for the next few dresses to. Someone or the other doesn't like it. 

Meera is trying on the next dress while everyone else is waiting outside.  In the mean time Nandini decides to try calling Abhi once more. She had already called Nikhil and found out that he doesn't have any meetings in the evening. She dials Abhi's number and Alia asks her  put the phone on speaker.

Abhimanyu answers the phone. 

"Hello Abhi. Don't be mad but if you are free come here for sometime . We have get outfits for your Haldi, Sangeet and other functions.", Nandini tells him.

"Wait, wait. What functions. Ma, yeah sab ki zaroorat nahi hai. Can we just skip to the main wedding function?". Abhi says.

"What do you mean by zaroorat nahi hai. Of course zaroorat hai", Nandini tells him. Just then Meera comes out of the dressing room wearing yet another lehenga. 

"This is nice right?", Meera asks them hopefully. 

"yes, it is but we need something special", Alia says.

"This is the 6th one. They were all nice. Can't we just take one of them?"

"No. Absolutely not. Now go try the next one", Alia tells her." After this we have find outfits for the sangeet, mehendi and all also?"

"Are so many functions actually required", Meera asks them . The moments those words leave her mouth Alia and Nandini share a knowing glance as this was same thing Abhimanyu had said a few minutes ago.

Meanwhile, Abhi was still on the call and could hear their entire conversation. He was mesmerized for a moment when he heard Meera's sweet voice but immediately put that thought away. 

"Acha, now you go and try this one", Alia says while almost pushing her into the dressing room. After Meera leaves, Nandini turns her attention back to her phone. 

"Haan, what were you saying?", Nandini asks Abhimanyu.

"I was saying that can we skip all the functions. There is no need of them and I don't want a huge guest list, just both our families"

"But-"

"Please ma", Abhi requests.

"Ok, fine. But only if Meera agrees. I'll ask her"

"Ok, I have to go now, bye", saying this he disconnects the phone. Meera comes out wearing a simple red lehenga.

"How's this?", she asks

"Omg, its soo pretty ", Alia squeals

"No its just not pretty. Its amazing", Karan says.

"Karan is right it looks freaking amazing. You have to get it . You literally look like an angel right now and you don't even have any makeup or jewelry on. I can't wait for the weeding. You will be the most beautiful bride ever", Alia shouts while jumping with joy. Karan and Nandini agree with her.

"Okay so I'll get this one", Meera says.

Meera changes back into her clothes and after that Nandini finds an outfit for herself. Nandini also tells Meera about Abhimanyu's request and she happily agrees to it.

They pay for their dresses. By the time they are done everyone is  hungry. It nearly took  5hrs to get everything . They keep the  bags in their respective cars and go to a nearby restaurant. After they all finish eating , they go to their cars and head home after a long day.

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How did you like this chapter?

I'll include the pics of their dresses in the next chapter.

Pls comment and vote

xoxo

Sakshi



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