Maurvi's POV
It was a beautiful day and we just got engaged. My parents were overexcited and Noopur was on top of the world. Of course, her line was getting cleared.
I was really very happy and so was Gautam. Just then, I saw Shruti entering the party. I asked Gautam to look at the entrance.
Gautam looked in that direction and an instant smile came on his face. I asked him to call Sid and sent Siddharth to escort her to us.
I excused myself and went to where aunty was. She saw me coming towards her and smiled. I asked her if she could spare a minute. She excused herself and came aside with me.
" Aunty, Actually, I wanted to tell you something... "
" Yes beta, tell me. " She said lovingly.
" Can you see that girl in that pink coloured dress near the entrance with Siddharth? " I asked.
" Yes... What about her? And call me mom... " She said smiling at me.
" Mom... She... Sid... I mean Siddharth really likes her. You know what I mean ?" I said finally.
" Seriously?? " She asked me her eyebrows were almost meeting her hairline. I just nodded. She kissed me on my cheek.
" Will you introduce her to us? " She was very excited.
" Sure, I asked Siddharth to bring her to me, can you please come with uncle? "
" Yes, but I will come with your Dad, not uncle... " She smiled and left. I came back to where Gautam was.
" What are you up to? What did you say to mom? "
" I will explain everything to you later on. For now, just enjoy. "
" Why is he taking so long to bring her here.. " He asked.
" Buying some more time with her... Your brother is an expert in that. He knows, how to spend more time with her, even if she is not talking to him much." I smiled.
Just then uncle and aunty came to us. I saw Shruti and Siddharth coming our way and requested uncle to not look very excited. As he got super excited when he met me as his girlfriend. I didn't want her to get scared of uncle's over-friendly behaviour.
Uncle made a long puppy face. But the moment I smiled at him. He melted like butter.
He was very excited to meet the girl Siddharth liked.
Shruti came to us with Siddharth and congratulated both of us and then hugged me. Siddharth was standing behind her and he mouthed a Thank you to me and I winked at him. He was grinning like an idiot. A very sweet idiot.
" Thank you so much, Shruti. I am so glad that you came. Shruti let me introduce you to my family formally.
You have already met Gautam and Siddharth, here meet their parents too. Mom and dad, she is Shruti. She is in the same medical College as Siddharth." I said. She got a bit conscious and said hello to them. They smiled at her and aunty asked Shruti about her and her family, parents etc. After some time, aunty asked her to come with her and they went away.
" You know what ?? You are the best... " Said Siddharth and hugged me.
" Even better than Shruti??? " I asked wiggling my eyebrows. Siddharth scratched the back of his neck and blushed a bit. Uncle and Gautam burst out laughing. He went away to look for Shruti. Uncle was on top of the world. Gautam reminded him not to try anything funny with shruti. Uncle smiled, shook his head and went away.
Shruti's POV
I went to meet Maurvi and bhaiya. She was very happy to see me and introduced me to Siddharth's parents. They seemed to be very nice. Aunty asked me about me and my parents.
Did Maurvi tell them something about us?? Aunty was looking over-excited and she asked me for how many years, Siddharth and I were together??
I didn't know what to say... I finally said, " Aunty, it's not like what you think... we are just good friends. "
" Yeah, of course... " She smiled and caressed my cheek.
But just then Siddarth came and excused us away from his mom. Both uncle and aunty were very nice and cute. They seemed to be broad-minded people. I liked them.
" So, did you like my parents?? "
" Yes, they are very sweet and cool. "
" They liked you too... "
" What have you told them?? Your mom was asking all those sorts of questions. "
" Asking for your matrimonial biodata?? "
" Yeah... "
" Cool !! Fair enough, you asked for mine in our first meeting, my mom asked for yours. I love my mom... She never wastes a minute. The moment she got to know about bhai and Maurvi, she called her parents and the next day we went to her place and they had instant roka. "
" What?? Please stop your mom... My parents won't be so supportive. "
" Leave that on us, beta... I will talk to them. " I heard someone say that and I turned to see Siddharth's dad standing there with a broad smile on his face.
" But uncle... "
" Don't worry !! Just tell me what you want. "
" Ji?? "
" You like him?? "
" I... Uncle... It's not... We are just friends. "
" It's ok, I understand. Friendship is the basis for a good relationship. Sid, you like her? " He asked.
" Yes, dad !! But we have still, not reached that point in our relationship."
" Shit, both my sons are really slow... I saw their mom, liked her instantly, talked to her and asked for a date, she slapped me for my over-enthusiasm but I was very persistent and finally, she fell in love with me as well. You need to work on it. You both are adults, smart and educated. See beta, life is too unpredictable, it doesn't give too many chances... Sort out all the issues. Life is too short to be wasted like this... " I just nodded.
He was really sweet. I liked his whole family. But my family will not approve of all this.
********
The day after I came back from Jodhpur, I realised it for the first time.
" What is the matter, papa ?? " I asked.
" Nothing, I will handle it. "
" At least tell me..."
" It is just the workload. I am feeling a bit tired these days. "
" Papa, please get all your tests done."
" I am fine!! Just a bit overworked. "
" But still you are going for all your tests. Get ready !! "
" I am too busy for that. "
" I will not listen to you... Get ready. Why do you work so much?? "
" So what other options I have?? I have to take care of all this. I can't afford to rest. Who will take care of the business?? I don't even have a son. Bhai Sahab is lucky to have Nihal. He is so well educated and is taking care of the business so well. But, I have to take care of it on my own. "
" Oh, please papa, I live there... I know how well is Nihal taking care of everything. He is settled in Bengaluru with his wife and kids and never even calls Tauji or Taiji. What is the use of such a son if your parents are living alone in some other city waiting for him to come and meet them?? He is not bothered about them. "
" Still, he is their son, their support. He would be there in every way whenever they need him. We can't depend on our daughters.
" That is absurd Papa!!! "
" See, I know you are a doctor now... But I don't want to argue about it. I don't have so much energy to waste."
" But papa... You can hire good managers. "
" Leave it ... You won't understand. " He said.
" At least tell me... "
" I still have to find a nice groom for you. I hope the boy's family don't mind such a rebellious girl. "
" Papa, please don't change the subject. "
" I have to work more and more and cut down on expenditures, as I am saving money for your wedding. "
" Papa, you don't need to... "
" Leave that to me. Do not interfere in matters. " He said in a higher tone. But I called the path lab to send someone to take blood samples for all the regular tests. The reports came on the next day.
My father was almost fine but his Blood pressure was always on the higher side. He must take proper rest and must not worry so much.
I was looking at the roof of my room lying on my back. Thinking about all that till I drifted to sleep.