This chapter is dedicated to.. Srishtykr
and somi_1111.
Welcome to the family. ❤

And that's how I ended up wearing Sabina's wedding dress.. I wipe a stray tear and look at myself in the mirror.

"Gorgeous" I hear Saby say as she pins the dupatta in place.
"I don't want to marry him." I say meeting her eyes in the mirror.
"You should have said that to dad."
"How can I.. he's so ill.." I say sobbing and pick up a tissue to wipe my tear, avoid smudging my eye make up.

So,Yeah as Cliché Indian as that sounds.. He wants to see his daughter get married, before he goes in for his surgery.

++Flashback++

Ambar drove me to the hospital and I ran for the emergency ward, with him behind me.
"He has just been shifted to the Cardiology ward on first floor." The receptionist said and I made my way to the elevator.
"Samayra.. " Ambar followed me inside the elevator.
"What do you want ? Thank you for driving me." I said rudely unable to meet his gaze hiding my tears, but he just put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a one sided hug.
"He's a strong man. He's gonna be okay." He said as I sobbed on his uniform shirt.

The lift door opened and I was crying profusely, unable to form words. So, Ambar asked the ward boy for Mr. Jeet Gill and he pointed us to the room. I ran to the room and almost tripped on the sleek wet, mopped hospital floor, but Ambar caught my wrist.
He pulled me in and let me lean on his chest, crying and still shocked at my face not crashing on the hospital floor that he opened the door to the room.

"You two look so good, together" were the first words that my father said lying on the hospital bed.
Can you believe the guts of this man ?

"Shut up.." I said walking near, hugging him tight and finally break down crying in relief. He's fine. That's all I could pray for.
"You scared me" I said sobbing on his hospital gown.

"He scared all of us" I heard Mom say from the couch beside my dad's bed.
"What can I say, I like keeping you young folks on your toes. It's comforting to watch you worry about me every once in a while." He said and I slap his arm lightly.

"Ouch.. Is that how you behave infront of your future husband ?" He says and I frown at him.
"Dad.. Don't even get started." My tone and look were that of warning.
"What, you won't even fulfill my last wish on my death bed ?" He says trying to act serious. I turn my head to look at Mom sitting on the couch.

"Is he joking ? Tell me he is joking ?" I say and the tears well up all over again.
"Where are you going, son ? " Dad says and I turn to see Ambar leaving with the door open.
"Sir, I just wanted to make sure that she reaches here in one piece." He replies politely.

"You guys were together after work?" Dad says and I blush deep red at his suspicions, unable to answer.
"I found her outside my office parking, in no state to drive, So I just helped her.." he said.

"I.. I was there to pay him back for the food.. " I say hiding my face in dad's chest.

"Ah.. young love.." Dad says with a smile.
"I'll take my leave, Mr. Gill. Take care." He says obviously embarrassed at my dad's words.

"Oh no.. No.. First tell me, what do you think about my daughter ?" Dad says in a jolly tone, that even I was wondering if this man had a major heart attack a few hours ago.

"Dad.. stop it.." I say trying to make it less awkward for him. But it's dad we are talking about. AWKWARD is his middle name.

"Samayra.. Please.. I need to see you get married, while I am alive." He says giving me a puppy face. Are you kidding me right now ? Is this man trying to convince me of my destruction with puppy eyes and a small pout..

Unfûckinbelievable.

"Dad.." I was about to scold him when..

"He has his bypass surgery scheduled after 3 days." Mom intervenes.

"What ? Bypass surgery ? You have coronary artery disease..
After all this time telling you to cut down on bad chlorestrol.. You get diagnosed with CAD. See this is all your fault.." I say obviously getting angry.

"I need to see the doctor, how partial is the blockage and how.." I start mumbling as Mom keeps a hand on my shoulder.

"Sabina already asked him, there's a high chance that he won't make it due to diabetes and hypertension worsening the risk." She says in a tone of grief somehow laced with anger, at dad's unhealthy lifestyle and it felt like the world just came crashing down on my shoulders. My heart feels heavy and my head hurts in stress.

"Excuse me.. " I say and leave the room.
I walk out and towards the elevator, going to the top floor and then up the terrace. I push open the door, as the hot air hits my tear strained face, in contrast to the air conditioning of the hospital, and the smell of disinfectants and medicines.

I couldn't fathom the thought of a life without my father. My role model, my comedian and best friend. I want him to survive the surgery. But his health, age and the fact that his liver isn't very healthy either due to his alcoholic habits.. The risk that anaesthetics possess in a heart surgery is increased many folds.

If my marriage is what takes for him, to destress and get relaxed before the surgery, I'll do it.

I sit on the terrace, lost in my thoughts for a long time, as night falls and the sky darkens. It was a little before 8 pm that I went back to his room.

I opened the door to his room and see Sabina giving him some medicines and water.

"This is our daughter.. Dr. Samayra." Mom said as I turn to look at a pretty woman in her early 40's or maybe more. But she was everybit graceful and classy..
"Hello child, I'm Ambar's mother.. And you are sooo beautiful.. And we'll be so lucky to have you as our daughter-in-law." She says from the steely hospital chair where she was sitting with my mom.

What the fûckin hell is wrong with him ? He even called his mom so soon ? He didn't even wait for me to say yes?

"Auntie" i was about to say.
"Oh hush, just call me Mom, and give us tomorrow for all the wedding preparations." she said with a smile as she stood up and hugged me.
"The day after that, you're getting married to my son, and coming to our house." She continues as I nod and mentally cuss my destiny.

Looks like. I'm getting married to the bloody duck faced, ostrich legged human..

++flashback ends++

"It's time, They are ready for you. " My mom says entering the room.
"Oh such a gorgeous bride. " she says putting a dot of black kohl, which according to Indian superstition, wards off evil and doing what we Indians call as 'vaari jaavan' which means, to bless someone with their own happiness.

++++++++++++

Author's note

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