Abhay

I do my tie in a clean knot and look at the mirror one last time.

Perfection!

"Khud ko hi Nazar laga lo aap!" Shubhangi dressed in a light brown net lehenga laughs at me.

(How much would you stare at yourself?)

"For god's sake don't start fighting again." Mumma saunters in and immediately gasps looking at me. "Perfect."

"See!" I give my sister a proud look. She rolls her eyes at me. "You look stunning mumma."

She blushes. She is the only woman who is cute for me.

Till now.

" This is the last minute wardrobe change. The saree I finalized got sold to someone else overnight." She taps her forehead animatedly. And I can't help but bear-hug her.

My innocent mumma.

"But anyway this appears a much better option. That one was too heavy." She shows me her pallu.

"Yes. Yes. Angur na mile to angur khatte hai." My dad leans against the door in a three piece royal blue suit. Mumma glares at him. Where as he watches her completely bewitched.

(If you don't find grapes then the grapes are sour.)

"By the way you really are stunning", to which mum lowers her eyelashes. Their moment is broken by our dearest third wheel. Shubhangi.

"And I papa?" She interjects.

"You look pretty too my baby", he cups her face.

"And me papa?" I bat my eyelashes to which my mom and sister laugh.

"Nice", he raises his thumb. "But not more than me." Mr. Kabir Nair flexes himself.

"Chup rahiye. Noone beats my Chand ka tukda", my mom cups my face and I have to bend my six feet long height a little so she can kiss my forehead.

(Shut up. Noone can beat my boy.)

"It's time. We would be late." Papa says seriously this time, to which all of us nod. "Abhay take Shubhangi with you, me and your mom are coming in another car with all the gifts."

"And don't be nervous, you're my son", only I hear it and give him a thankful smile.

Shubhangi and I come out of the hotel room taking the car keys to my Mercedes. Mumma and papa behind us. Their voices get fainter as we reach the lobby waiting for the elevator. However I hear papa teasing mumma, "insaan purana hota hai Kaveri jazbaat to hamesha naye hi hote hai."

(It's the man that gets old kaveri, emotions remain young forever.)

She must have blushed.

My parents are my ideal. They are the reason I trust true love and old school romance. A perfect arranged love story. However I feel a little nervous about my engagement today.

Not because of taking a new step in my life but because of the one I'm getting engaged to.

Dr. Neitra Tiwary.

I step into the elevator with my sister by my side but my mind keeps going to the time I met my to be wife, for the first time.

Not exactly met.....I just saw her at her house while fixing dates of our marriage which is going to take place exactly one week from now at her native, Varanasi.

She would merely reach my shoulder. 28 year old, fair complexion with a cute button nose. Thin pink lips and dark eyes. However she didn't pass me a single glance. She sat by my side calm and composed, spoke only when necessary and never smiled.

I wonder how this marriage will turn out to be but I know one thing that she didn't appear happy with this proposal.

My father met hers at a business dinner few years ago and it didn't take much time for my mother to act as a match maker.

I agreed like I do at most of the times my parents ask something because they are my saviour and would never take any wrong decision for me.

Our car pull up infront of their bunglow which is decorated with several lights and flowers.

Impressive!

My sister throws her arms around me and hugs. "I am so happy for you. All the best." I caress her hair. "I am too." However I doubt it.

We walk into the huge gazebo filled with guests where our parents join us shortly.

Shekhar uncle joins his hands welcoming us. Our fathers hug and my mother smiles politely and exchange few words with hers.

My family settles in the first row of chair arranged in front of the stage where as I am made to sit on the special seat on the stage.

With soft music in the background Neitra walks towards the altar, dolled up in a heavily embroidered lehenga with light jewellery and minimal makeup. She looked breathtaking.

I smile at her which she never returns.

The ceremony began with me slipping the ring into her ring finger. Her soft palm feels like silk to my rough ones and I wish to never let them go.

She makes me wear the ring and perhaps, that's the first time she looks at me. She stares deep into my eyes with her robotic expression. She makes me uncomfortable! I turn my gaze away.

Her mother smiles at her and hugs her. They pull apart fast though, her expression still not giving away anything.

"Congratulations!" Mumma and Shubhangi hug me. I take blessings of both the families. Neitra does it as if forced to do so.

"Jiju!" Her little brother wraps his hands around my waist and I bend a little towards him.

"How old are you?" I ask him.

"Nearly 12", he smiles cutely. Ugh how this cuteness would disappear as soon as his teenage hormones kick in.

I was bratty when mine did.

"Don't you think your sister is a lot older than you?" I tease him so as only he listens to me.

"Even you're three years older than her", he knits his eyebrows making me smile.

"Smart."

The party starts and our families mingle with our guests leaving us on the stage in an awkward silence.

I turn towards her to talk however her cold expression makes me change my mind.

Why is she so weird?

I excuse my self to garden in the back with no human population and with a drink.

I gulp it in one go hoping to get more confidence.

My gaze drops to the person staring at her reflection in the small fountain holding the same glass as me which has a wine.

My phone rings distracting me from secretly watching my fiancee from the other side of garden under the full moon night.

"What?" I ask Rishi irritated.

"Chill bro! Congratulations on your engagement day. I'll be there by tomorrow. I know you are missing me." Dude creates his own happiness.

"Meri to aankhein taras rahi tujhe dekhne k liye." I scoff.

(As if my eyes are starving to have your one glance!)

"Acha wanted to tell you the drugs and injections are shipped, they would reach the godown by end of this month."

"Good news. I want to get over with all the transportation before Papa retires."

"Excited to be the CEO finally huh?" I am. It is going to be a dream come true. And I have worked hard for it.

Watching my father work as CEO in the biggest pharmaceutical company in India, first started by my late grandfather in 90s, has inclined me towards working for it and taking it to the top of the world.

"How's bhabhi though?" He asks in loooong teasing tone. And my eyes swiftly move back to the fountain.

(Sister in law)

"Beautiful", it comes out as a whisper.

She is still there watching herself in the water while the bottom of her long thick hair dip into it, but she cares less.

I watch her from a distance of few metres, how her hold tightens on the glass and her expression changes from cold to hurt to anger.

A raging hot she-devil.

"Ugh huh already head over heels." Rishi snickers.

Suddenly she throws the glass at the fountain, it breaks into pieces creating ripples into the water where her reflection wasn't visible anymore.

Her eyes meet mine as she turns and the first expression that she shows is of surprise however composes herself fast enough.

I am no longer listening to what Rishi is saying. I disconnect it immediately and in four long strides I'm in front of her, for the first time ......so close.

"Are you okay?"

She nods but doesn't speak anything. We stand in each other's presence leaning against the railing surrounded by pretty flowers, gazing at the same sky.

"You're not happy. I get it." I say.

"What makes you think that?" She questions still staring at the moon.

"Everything about you, ....maybe your eyes that is probably halting a storm, or maybe your lips holding few words but wanting to speak a million sentences, or maybe a slight redness of your nose indicating anger."

Her eyes land on me staring, for the first time ever I see her letting go off one emotion, grief with a hint of surprise. She masks it again.

She scoffs. "The eyes never weep, the words are never heard and about anger.....it is the only obvious thing about me, Abhay."

Her calling me by name fills me with a new kind of emotion...what do you call that feeling? Butterflies I guess.

She turns on her feet walking out of the garden.

"Anger suits you Mrs. Nair." I say a little loudly. She stops and turns towards me, knitting her eyebrows and then continues to walk.

It's still time to back off from the wedding.

I want to tell her for her peace of mind but I am not able to.  The two meetings itself with her, made it hard for me to let her go.

What if she loves someone else and is getting married for her family's sake. The thought gives me anxiety. I just hope on the contrary.

I walk into the party. Many guests have returned. Our families stand at the entrance saying goodbye.

Shekhar uncle casually side hugs papa and then me, teasing he says " Uncle is gonna be dad soon." I laugh.

Mumma hugs Neitra, the hug lasts a little longer than the one with her own mother. She says something into her ears which makes her give a miniature smile like it wasn't even there. Shubhangi waves her hand at her which she reciprocated with a strict nod.

Papa catches me staring at my future wife, wiggling his eyebrows he teases me.

Before settling into the car I give her last glance and surprisingly she is already looking at me. "No I don't have a boyfriend", she whispers as I pass by her.

I clench my teeth to supress a grin and look around to make sure noon

e saw us...which ofcourse noone did.

"How did you know", I whisper back....there's no way I said it aloud.

"The eye convo for an eye convo Mr. Nair."

She stared into my eyes one last time.