Aakash's POV
The last month dissolved into a gush of air. Today, I was finally heading back to Delhi, and the sheer thought of it sent a thrilling current through me. The biggest reason for this electrifying excitement was Esha.
After I proposed to her that night, Maa called the very next day. Her voice was an intoxicating blend of happiness, excitement, and breathless enthusiasm as she confirmed the news: Eshu said 'yes' to the marriage. That phone call felt like the starting gun to a new, incredible phase of my life.
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Flashback Starts
I was in my company's other branch, going through the motions of a standard workday. Lunchtime arrived, and as was our daily ritual, Maa called. Today, however, the 'hello' she gave was charged with an unusual, almost giddy energy.
"Hi Maa."
"Hi," she responded, and the enthusiasm was palpable. I could hear a smile in her voice. "Kaisa chal raha hain aapka din?" I asked, finishing my meal.
("How is your day going?")
"Accha chal raha hain, aur tera bhi accha chalega agar mein tujhe uski wajah bataungi toh?" she teased. "Kaisi wajah?" I questioned, pushing back from the table to head back to my work area.
("It's going well, and you'll do well too if I tell you why?")
("Why?")
"Esha ne rishte ke liye haa kiya hain. Ab bas tera hi intezar hain. Tere aane ke baad hum dates final karenge."
("Esha has agreed to the relationship. Now we're just waiting for you. We'll finalize the dates once you arrive.")
My steps froze mid-stride. The surrounding office noise vanished. It felt as if my heart had performed a spontaneous, dizzying waltz inside my chest. I was beyond happy—I was flooded with a powerful, almost overwhelming sense of elation, relief, and triumphant love. I searched my mind for a word to describe this perfect fusion of emotions, but none seemed grand enough.
"Tu kuch kyu nahi bol raha? Sun bhi raha hain ki mein kya bol rahi hu?" Her voice, now laced with fond amusement, broke the blissful silence. "Haa, sun raha hu," I stammered, my voice sounding strangely thick.
("Why aren't you saying anything? Are you even listening to what I'm saying?")
("Yeah, I am listening.")
Maa laughed, a warm, joyful sound. I started walking again, but the world felt different. Everything was sharper, brighter, and there was a huge, irrepressible smile plastered across my face.
"Tujhe Esha se baat karna hain? Woh mere side mein hi baithi hai."
("You need to talk to Esha? She's sitting right next to me.")
My eyes went wide in panic. Esha? Beside Maa? At the Academy? How could I possibly manage a casual conversation with my future wife, whom I was completely smitten with, under my mother's watchful and knowing gaze? The awkwardness would be unbearable.
"Maa, mujhe jana padega. Mera lunch hogaya hain aur mere colleagues mere liye wait kar rahe hain. Mein aap se baad mein baat karta hu," I rushed out, injecting urgency into my tone.
("Mom, I must go. I finished my lunch, and my colleagues are waiting for me. I'll talk to you later.")
"Sach mein?" She was clearly suspicious. I had, regrettably, shared my exact lunch schedule with her. "Haa," I insisted, and thankfully, she ended the call.
("Really?")
I breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't teased me in front of Esha. I practically jogged back to my cabin. Everyone noticed the blinding grin. My colleagues asked what special occasion had occurred. Eshaaa... I thought you were changing me, for the better, into a man who smiles too much.
That night, the call with Esha was the only thing on my mind. She picked up on the first ring. I instantly felt she had been anticipating it.
"Hey, kaisa tha aaj ka tumhara din?" I asked. "Accha tha, aur aapka?" she replied softly, a gentle warmth seeping through the phone. "As usual."
("Hey, how was your day?")
("Good, and yours?")
Then came the playful ambush. "Waise, kya aapke colleagues ne sach mein aapko lunch ke baad bulaya tha ya phir kya kahe samajh nahi aa raha tha?"
("By the way, did your colleague really call you after lunch, or you didn't know what to say?")
She knew! I realized Maa must have kept the phone on speaker. A wave of embarrassment mingled with amusement washed over me. "Tumhe kaise pata?" I asked, genuinely impressed.
("How do you know?")
"Kyuki jab bhi aapko kya bolna samajh nahi ata, tab aap ya toh random topics chedte hain ya koi excuse banate hain."
("Because whenever you don't know what to say, you either bring up random topics or you give some excuse.")
"Nice observation, sweetheart," I replied, my voice husky with affection.
"Seekha toh aap se hi hain." She replied.
("Learnt from you.")
We both giggled, sharing a moment of delicious, knowing intimacy. We talked for twenty minutes, the conversation a light, joyful dance, before we reluctantly ended the call.
Flashback Ends
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And now, here I was, coming out of the airport exit, immersed in my phone, searching for a cab. The airport was bustling. Then, right in the middle of the flowing crowd, my gaze locked onto a familiar face. Esha.
What was she doing here?
As she spotted me, her face lit up, and she waved, her expression radiating unadulterated delight. I moved toward her, my pace quickening. The moment I reached her, she didn't hesitate. She threw her arms around me, pulling me into a hug that was tight, warm, and overwhelmingly welcome. It instantly melted away all the fatigue of my travel.
"Tum yahan?" I asked, holding her slightly away to look at her. "Mein aap ko pick up karne aayi hu. Maine aapko nahi bola kyuki surprise dena tha."
("You here?")
("I'm here to pick you up. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you.")
I couldn't help but smile widely, breaking the hug but keeping her close. We walked toward her car, hand in hand, a simple contact that felt like a powerful confirmation of our bond. As we settled in—her in the driver's seat, me in the passenger seat—I felt a profound sense of home.
Esha's POV
I was just about to start the car when my gaze drifted to him. He was looking at me, his eyes full of such tenderness and deep affection that my breath hitched.
"Aap aise kyun dekh rahe hai mujhe?" I whispered, touching my chin self-consciously.
("Why are you looking at me like this?")
He didn't answer. Instead, he gently took my hand, lifted it, and pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to the back of it. My cheeks instantly flared to a shocking crimson. The sudden rush of shyness was intoxicating. I quickly diverted my gaze, pulled the shift into drive, and started the car, needing to focus on the road to hide my flush.
During the journey to his house, we chatted easily about his trip and my day. I was constantly aware of his presence. He had changed. The reserved man I first met had transformed into someone who gave effortless, charming flirts that never failed to make me blush and secretly beam.
We reached his house quickly. Meera Aunty, his mother, was waiting for us with a wide, loving smile. After a sweet, short chat, I took my leave, carrying a light, joyful feeling all the way home.
At home, during lunch, Papa dropped a bombshell of wonderful news: he planned to call Aakash and Meera Aunty tomorrow to finalize the dates for our engagement and wedding. The sheer speed of it made my heart flutter with anticipation. Later, I retreated to my room and channelled all my giddy excitement into a new sketch.
The next day arrived with a sense of momentous occasion. I dressed carefully and descended the stairs, the air thick with happy expectation. While preparing lunch, I felt a focused calm—until I heard the doorbell ring.
They arrived at noon, perfect timing for lunch. As I was serving Aksh and Meera Aunty, it happened. Aksh, seated at the table, reached out and found my hand under the tablecloth. His grip was firm and possessive, a silent declaration of ownership that sent a fresh wave of heat to my cheeks. I glanced around—thankfully, no one noticed. I tried to pull free, but his hold was resolute.
"Esha, tum bhi baith jao. Abhi khalo warna late ho jayega." Meera Aunty said warmly.
("Esha, you also sit. Otherwise, it will be late for lunch.")
Everyone was seated except me. I looked at Aksh, pleading silently. He finally showed mercy, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he slowly released my hand. I quickly sat down beside Abhi, glaring at Aksh, who responded with a subtle, utterly infuriating wink.
Soon after, the priest arrived. After a careful check of the auspicious days, he announced, "Shaadi ke liye do din acche hain. Ek 1 mahine baad hain aur dusra 5 mahine baad. Ab aapko hi batana padega ki aap kounsa chunte ho."
("There are two good dates for a wedding. One is in 1 month and the other is in 5 months. Now you'll have to decide which one you choose.")
Suddenly, all eyes turned to Aksh and me. We sat side by side, acutely aware of the scrutiny. Both of us desperately wanted the date to be a month away, but neither wanted to speak first, fearing we would look too eager. The silence was charged with mutual anticipation.
I gathered my courage, but Aksh spoke first. Meera Aunty started, "5 mahine ke baad ka date final kare kya? Ya, ek mahine ke baad ka fix kare?"
("Should we finalize a date after five months? Or should we fix it after one month?")
"5 mahine ke baad mein busy rahunga kyuki mujhe naya project aane wala hain." Aksh stated smoothly.
("I will be busy after 5 months because I have a new project coming up.")
A collective smirk appeared on the faces of our family members. I knew—and they knew—there was no new project; it was a transparent, adorable excuse born of his eagerness to marry me immediately.
"Theek hai, phir. Ek mahine ke baad ka date final kare kya?" Papa asked, looking directly at Aksh. He nodded instantly. Papa then looked at me.
("Okay, then. Should we finalize a date in a month?")
I lowered my head, the shyness overwhelming as I nodded, a small, undeniable smile spreading across my face.
Excitement surged through the room. Mumma, Papa, and Meera Aunty dove into a detailed discussion about preparations. Abhi slipped out to buy sweets. Aksh and I took the opportunity to escape to the garden.
"Bada accha bahana bola hain aapne," I teased, a low, fond chuckle escaping me. "Nice observation, sweetheart," he echoed my own words back to me. "Learnt from you, sweetheart," I replied, and we shared a delightful giggle, our private world momentarily enveloping us.
("I must say you have given a nice excuse.")
We were called back in shortly after. "Hum ne socha hain ki do hafte baad, tum dono ka engagement karte hain. Are you ok with this?" Papa asked.
("We've decided to get you two engaged in two weeks. Are you okay with this?")
Two weeks! The pace was breathless, but exhilarating. We confirmed we were perfectly fine with it.
The hours flew by. When they finally left, the house felt quiet, but full of promise. Later that night, I called Aakash, my heart light.
"Hamari engagement do hafton mein hain. How do you feel about that, Mr. Raichand?" I asked, my voice laced with playful challenge. "Eagerly waiting for that day, soon to be Mrs. Raichand," he replied, his tone smooth, confident, and full of captivating devotion.
("Our engagement is in two weeks. How do you feel about that, Mr. Raichand?")
We talked briefly, confirming the joyous, dizzying reality of our approaching future before we both settled down for a dream-filled sleep.
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Hey Folks!!
Shehnai is on the way!!! Eagerly waited for their marriage? For that, stay tuned!!
Hope you like this chapter. If yes, please like the chapter and comment on your favourite part.
Also, comment on the theories you think would happen next. Would love to read them.
Thanks for reading ❤️...