Amara's POV:
"What about outfits?" Jia asked, her eyes practically glowing.
The moment I told her Vihaan proposed, she didn't even pause to breathe. First came the interrogation — every word he said, every look he gave, what the sky looked like, what song was playing in the background. Then came the planning. Big, loud, unstoppable wedding planning.
I couldn't tell if she was excited or over-excited. Probably both.
"We can buy there — in India," I said, folding another dress into my suitcase. "Vihaan's grandparents live in Jaipur, and it has the best markets for weddings. So, don't worry about outfits."
She froze mid-fold. "Wait—Jaipur? As in palaces, forts, royal wedding in Jaipur?"
"Exactly that one," I said, smiling. "And you'll be shocked after seeing how amazing the city is. The vibe there, the people, the colors—and his Nani ji and Nana ji. They're the most adorable, loving people you'll ever meet."
I paused for a moment, remembering my last visit during New Year — the smell of incense, his Nani ji feeding me laddoos while Vihaan pretended to protest, the laughter that echoed through those old sandstone walls.
"Jaipur," Jia said softly, half in awe. "Guess we're about to have the most beautiful chaos ever."
I laughed, nodding. "Beautiful chaos sounds about right."
"Amara, how long is the wedding going to be?" Mom asked, stepping into the room with a tray of breakfast. The smell of toast and coffee drifted in with her.
"I heard Indian weddings are pretty grand and take at least three days," she added, setting the tray on my desk.
I smiled, flipping through my notepad. "Actually, Vihaan told me a few things — Haldi, Mehndi, Sangeet, and then some pre-wedding rituals on the same day as the wedding. So, yeah…" I looked up at her. "Be ready for at least a week."
Mom's eyes widened. "A week? Goodness, that's more like a festival than a wedding!"
I laughed. "Exactly. And we'll be part of it."
Then I glanced at the clock and remembered, "Oh — I need to talk to him. We still have to confirm what time we're leaving."
Before I could even reach for my phone, it started buzzing — Vihaan calling.
"Speak of the devil," Mom said with a smirk, handing me the phone.
"Hello, Vihaan," I greeted, trying to sound formal.
"Hello, Mrs. Almost-Mickelson," his voice came warm and teasing, that familiar smile audible in every syllable. "Just wanted to confirm — flight's at eight tomorrow morning. Pack light, Ama. Jaipur's ready to spoil you."
"Too late," I said. "You already did that the last time."
He laughed softly. "Smooth. Spending too much time around me, aren't you?"
"Maybe," I said, pretending to sound casual but grinning the whole time.
Just then, Eric walked in, tossing an apple in his hand and looking every bit like he'd been eavesdropping since the first ring. "Tell my brother not to hog all the attention this time," he said, loud enough for Vihaan to hear.
Vihaan chuckled from the other end. "Oh, trust me, I couldn't if I tried. She's already the center of everything."
Eric rolled his eyes. "Great, now I'll be the forgotten Mickelson at my own brother's wedding."
I laughed. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to save you a seat in the background."
"Ha-ha, hilarious," Eric said dryly, but his grin betrayed him.
Then he leaned closer to the phone screen, his expression suddenly thoughtful. "By the way, bro… what do we call a brother's wife in Hindi?"
"Bhabhi," Vihaan said slowly, emphasizing each syllable.
"Bobby?" Eric repeated with a straight face.
That did it — Vihaan and I both burst out laughing. Eric looked confused, which only made it worse.
"It's not Bobby, Eric," Vihaan said between laughs. "It's Bh, not B. So— Bhabhi."
Eric sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. I'll learn from Diva. She's good with teaching."
"It's Divya," Vihaan corrected immediately, still chuckling. "You mix up one more vowel, and she'll never talk to you again."
Eric tossed a pillow at the couch and muttered, "Whatever," before walking away, cheeks red but smiling.
Vihaan's tone softened. "I'll pick you all up at six sharp tomorrow. Don't be late, Ama — Jaipur's sunrise deserves you there."
I smiled. "We'll be ready."
"Good," he said, voice dropping low and tender now. "Can't wait to see you."
"Same here," I whispered before the call ended.
Mom chuckled from the doorway, shaking her head. "I can already tell this wedding's going to be chaos — in the most beautiful way."
The whole day went into packing — and then unpacking again, because Jia couldn't decide what to leave behind. By the time we were done, the room looked like a small boutique after a storm.
Adrian came over in the afternoon, suitcase rolling behind him. "Alright, ladies," he said dramatically, "Captain Adrian reporting for duty. Does anyone here know how to fit a week's worth of clothes into a suitcase that barely fits a cat?"
"Clearly not you," Jia said, taking one look at his messy packing job.
I laughed. "Wow, you packed like a five-year-old running away from home."
"Hey, at least I remembered the essentials — charger, sunglasses, snacks," he said, waving a granola bar like it was a trophy.
Jia rolled her eyes. "You forgot half your shirts!"
"Details, details," he said, flashing his easy grin.
"Don't worry, Jia," I said, chuckling. "We'll find him some Indian outfits in Jaipur. He can start his 'Indian boy' era there."
Adrian smirked. "Oh, absolutely. Just wait till you see me in one of those long embroidered outfits — I'll outshine the groom."
"Try that," Jia warned playfully, "and I bet you can't match him when it comes to Indian outfits," she said with a dramatic expression. "He just looks most handsome in those. I've seen his pictures from their last trip," she added, pointing at me.
Adrian raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that so? You've been holding out on me, Ama — I didn't know I had such fierce competition."
I shrugged, trying to hide my smile. "You might want to bring your A-game, Adrian. Vihaan sets the bar high."
"Challenge accepted," he said with a playful wink.
The laughter that followed filled the room, soft and easy, the kind that only comes before something big — the start of a new chapter, a new journey waiting just over the horizon.
"By the way, I got a really special thing for you. I should probably charge for it," Jia said, walking toward the closet with that mischievous grin of hers.
"So, tell me, what's my bribe for it?" she teased, pulling out a long, rectangular piece wrapped in soft paper.
"Bribe?" I raised an eyebrow. "Depends on how special it is."
"Hmm," she hummed, pretending to think. "Let's just say... priceless." She handed it over dramatically.
I rolled my eyes but smiled, carefully peeling away the paper. For a moment, I didn't even breathe.
It was a framed picture — that day — the waiting room of Vihaan's office. The same day, I had walked out nervously after our first meeting. In the photo, I was mid-step, halfway to the door, and behind me, he was looking up — eyes following me — with that soft, unreadable expression I now knew all too well.
My heart fluttered. I traced the edge of the frame with my fingertips, remembering how cold and formal that day had felt… yet somehow, even then, there had been something warm in the air.
"Where did you even get this?" I whispered, still staring at it.
"Eric," Jia said proudly. "Apparently, your future brother-in-law knows how to sneak into Vihaan's gallery archives without getting caught."
I laughed, though my throat felt tight. "Oh my God, Jia... this is—"
"Perfect?" she finished for me, smiling softly.
I nodded, hugging the frame close to my chest. "Yeah. Perfect."