Part 70 B
Shubh Vivah!
Jaimala
10:27 pm
Sarovar Portico!
Shaan is riding the car with his Dad, Mom,and Dadi . The rest of the family and friends follow in the 10 or Mercs and the luxury bus. Dadi cant stop gushing and talking. Sunil smiles at her fondly.
Dadi: Seems like yesterday, when this tyke was a lil baby
Sunil: How can you forget his teen years ma? (shudders)
Dadi: I am talking about my love story, not your horror movie
Shaan: I wasn't that bad Dad, was I?
Sunil: I cant wait until you have yours and they drive you insane.
Dadi and him continue gushing Madz responds with her dry one liners between sending text msgs and answering phone calls. Sunil left his in his room intentionally "Today is Shaan and Khanak's day". Dadi actually snatched Shaan's phone and put it away. He is hoping she is carrying it.
Shaan has no response to the baby remark. He is just not thinking about babies right now. He is not even half way to where he needs to be in his career at 30. He smiles, when Khanak's image with the mehandi on her hands appears in front of his eyes.
"she tried to fight me and herself for months" "She is as stubborn and adamant as I am, who said being quiet is another word for flexible?" "If an arranged marriage is how they were going to come together, then so be it!" "Its not too bad actually!" "Her family dotes on her" "I have to ask her "why" she agreed to marry me! "I will never get the truth maybe, but I need to know. Her career seems as important to her as mine is to me. Looks like we are going to clash over it frequently"
Rests his head on the backrest, his pagdi and sehra are on Dadi's lap for now.
"Hmmm''.. can't wait to have her be with me!" (smiles) "She will go on unmindful of me sharing the room." His smile widened as his thoughts became more sensual. The word "Shantanu!" echoed in his ears. He could hear his heartbeat behind it, it drummed like a West African concert. Dhruv and Mayank were very happy for him and like "80 year old wise men" they both agreed that "only a girl like Khanak will keep him in line!" Though only Dhruv had met her in person twice, onec at engagement and once at his own wedding
Shaan would, conversationally talk about the arguments they have and Dhruv was overjoyed someone actually beat him. "Fierce and strong" the words formed in Shaan's mind.
He opened his eyes
Sunil: ma yaad hai how he almost got tattoos once?
Dadi: you were just over reacting Sunil. Akshay was too boring Shaan was a typical teenager, you couldn't handle it (smug)
Shaan: Dad I might just get one now!
Dadi: Umm... You could but you have to run it by the "boss" first! (winks)
Shaan smiles, because he knows what she will say.
Sunil: I mean his girlfriends, the late nites... (shudders)
Dadi: At one point he had 5! I always knew he will marry some one like Khanak.
Sunil: yep! They don't make girls like her much!
Madz: She needs to open up and talk more, warna mera Shaan bore ho jaayega
Dadi: She talks with Shaan Madhavi!
Sunil: looks like Khanak makes her point. A girl of few words for my wild child! Hmmm...
Ritu: Jee Uncle?
Aada: Tayyar hui?
Ritu: haan, hum to 10 baje tayar hain (opening the door)
Aada walks inside and stops. He is just not able to cover the distance between him and his daughter. Khanak looks at him deeply emotional. "Aada" is all she can manage.
She runs and hugs him, Ritu forces the lump in her throat down.
Aada looks at Ritu and says " Aaj sach mein iski shaadi hai?"
Ritu: Yes Uncle, aur kal yeh chali jaayegi Bombay
Khanak hugs him tighter upon hearing that "Aada main yahi reh jaaoon"
Aada laughs "Agar tu yahi rahegi to hame Shaan ko bhi yahi rakhna padega, ghar to itna bada hai nahi. Par koi baat nahi, ghar jamai ban jaayega"
Khanak: Aada Mazak nahi
Ritu: Mystery stop crying, your eyeliner will get smudged
Khanak: I don't care (fierce)
Aada: Tu jaayegi, waha khush rahegi aur uske saath waapis milne aayegi to hum khush
Bai and Dadi also enter and they all have a few moments together.
Bai hugs Ritu and says "Tere jaisi friend usko milni mushkil hai"
Ritu: Aunty Shaan uska best friend honey waala hai
Khanak: Nahi, kabhi nahi!
Ritu Tch tch tch! (disbelief)
Bua, Kaki, Kaka, the kids all crowd the room, her Bai is stunned she looks so beautiful. She is wearing a sparkling diamond necklace that has diamonds in tiers.
Aada and Bai whisper to each other "how lucky is she, unbelievable, weve watched movies, weve always seen this happen to other peoples daughters, but "ours"?
Bai takes some kajal from her eyes and makes a faint smudge behind her left ear.
Khanak: bai ab main itni bhi achhi nahi lag rahi hoon
(her heart races when she says that, she is waiting desperately to go in front of the man, the four and a half month cat and mouse game was approaching a milestone!)
Dadi: Gives her ashiirwad for "gode bharai"
Ritu laughs under her breath and speaks in Khanak's ears as if Khanak is responding "Hindi films ki tarah Dadi who to agle mahiney pakka news doongi"
Khanak: Stop it!(unsteady)
Ritu: This is so much fun! I cant wait for the next 6 hours I am so happy (gives her friend a squishy hug)
Kritik cant wait any longer, he finally enters the room, and Ritu gushes to him about how gorgeous her friend looks.
The photo and video guy take stills and movies inside with family.
Someone yells "Baraat aa gayi!"(from the outside)
11: 07 PM
They all leave her the next second and rush to look at the groom. Only Ritu is by her side. Preps her to start walking.
The female cousins, friends line up to be with her so they can all hog the video and pictures. The shehnai and the band is all too loud. Khanak feels like a jello creature. Her legs are totally not cooperating with her.
Khanak: Ritu! This is crazy! (through her dry lips)
Ritu: I totally agree and that's the way it should be
Khanak: I am terrified!
Ritu: You should be, he is evil!
There are around 100 people around him, phones ringing, people dancing, men shouting, squealing kids, he looks at a flower decked arch way at the entrance of the lawns.
There is a sudden flurry of activity and a group of women step out, he notices a shimmering piece of burgundy skirt, his heart does a somersault. The women in front step aside to reveal the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.
His family nudge him forward, he takes those final steps to his destination.
She takes tiny hesitant steps, his are wide and firm, he scales it faster than her.
She is looking at a spot somewhere near the foot of his Dad. The squealing girls start gushing now "Di! He is wearing traditional clothes" "Di dekhiye na" "Di he looks sooo handosme" "Di"
Time stands still!
The shehnai and the band play to decibel levels. Some one hands her a orchid and rose garland,
Bai: khanak beta aage badho
Shaan's Dadi: Aao beta!
Samar: Get him Khanak!
Akhil: bhabhi, change your mind and run away!
Akash: No bhabhi, don't go, stay!
The family laughs
Arjun: Shaan, looks like shes changed her mind man, I knew she was too good for you.
Shaan is just looking at her, does not say a word to his friends
She steps forward holding the garland and looks up at him and makes eye contact!
