Vaishali had come quite late in the night but still had the audacity to wake me up, as she couldn't sleep without updating me about the 'current affairs' according to her. She forced me to hear about meeting Rano's aunt, Rudra being so generous and thoughtful and lastly giving the finishing touch with little bitching about Roopmati which the girls must have done after I left.

"'Day one' " I mumbled.

"What...? Asked Vaishali rubbing her eyes.

"Nothing"

"O ... You have been mentally doing a countdown to your wedding... hmmm... excited much... "

" Nothing like that. Don't talk rubbish"

"Lekha ... I have been your friend for so long ... You can be free with me... You can share your excitement with me... I won't judge you... So what if you are sixteen... Going on seventeen ..."

She sang the last part resonating the tune of the song from "sound of music".

"Shh... Don't sing English songs... Somebody might just hear you".

"But it's appropriate for the occasion... Hmm... hmm... hmm" She then started humming the tune.

I felt too grumpy to appreciate the humour. In fact, I was nervous about the future and the thought of again going through the same heartbreak. This time everything had a stamp of finality to it and no re-dos.

"Whatever..."

"What happened Lekha? Did I do something wrong ... did something happen... Ooo did you meet that witch again?... Did she come here?"

"No ...I just didn't have proper sleep so am having a headache"

"Oooo... No sleep..." Vaishali again went from a concerned friend to the devil in disguise one.

"Shh.. stop it. I am not in the mood. Just let me have some peace. Go to the other girls' room. I will take a little longer to get up. "

Vaishali looked at me with concern in her eyes but didn't say a word as she left.

I wasn't allowed my 'me time' as others barged in without even knocking.

When we start being annoyed with our friends for their lack of manners it's a big red flag about our state of mind. The little difference here was that these people I could not be rude with unlike Vaishali.

Even though there was love sometimes the feeling of gratefulness overpowered the kind of love we have for our friends where we use them as our personal punching bag knowing that they would still be by our side. Vaishali was my punch bag friend and I loved her for it but right then the feeling of any kind of love I might have had for her was absent.

She was the person who barged in first and if looks could kill she would have been ... To top it she smirked at me wiggling her brows.

I wanted to scream, ' let me die in peace', but these friends of mine would have just ignored me.

"Everyone will be coming in soon... Get ready fast" chirped Vasundhara.

" Why? again... Have we not finished with everything " I said in a tired voice because I was feeling so and also wishing that they would take the hint... No luck there it seemed.

"Ooo... You will love it. You will get all the gifts" said cheerleader Gayatri looking quite cheerful.

"I already got the gifts yesterday... I don't want any more" I whined poking my face in the pillow unwilling to face the world.

"This one you are going to like it better than the ones you got yesterday" added cryptic Vaishali.

When I had to leave this place, I seriously planned on leaving Vaishali behind because of the way she had joined the gang. Here I had thought that I would have at least have one sympathetic shoulder, who would actually just be on my side and agree upon anything I spouted. That is what best friends are for right? Then this best friend found the world where there were actually 'other' good friends too to choose from.

I was getting cranky and somewhere I felt scared. I didn't want things to end and this was the last day before the showdown.

" I just want to sleep more. I seriously and am not interested in gifts" I reconfirmed my decision.

"Even if ... They are our family heirlooms which only bhaisa's bride gets to wear" Gayatri said. It was her lollipop for me.

Especially not those I thought to myself sitting up straight and alert.

"Why...? I mean why today. Isn't the bride supposed to wear the family jewellery tomorrow during the marriage ceremony... Why to give it today" I asked.

It meant that instead of Roopmati getting it after the plot revealing ceremony, I was going to be receiving them on 'her behalf'. It was going to be quite embarrassing passing on the jewellery, even if maasa had to do it on my behalf.

"It is just a custom ... You are the bride so if you get it today or tomorrow ... What's the big deal. Tomorrow, as is everyone, will be busy with preparations for the baarat (wedding procession of the groom), so today is as good as any day. Plus, maasa wanted to deck you like a bride on her own today. Generally, the things are handed over to the parents of the bride by the menfolk of the groom's family on the wedding day but maasa out of love for her daughter-in-law wants to do it all on her own. She is besotted with you."

Gayatri looked at my reluctance with a puzzled expression, but I wanted to solve my confusion first.

"Does Rudra sa know? I mean... that taisa is planning this ceremony today itself" I asked.

"Yes... why? You want to meet him... Hmmm... Missing him... We can arrange something... but it would cost you" smirked Vasundhara with her one-track mind.

"No... was just curious... Alright, let me get dressed" I said making a move, now that I had no option left.

I should never have taken that promise from Rudra. I wanted to meet him and clarify but then seeing how he was the night before, I didn't think he would meet me. That was my punishment for being egoistic and hasty, now I was left in the dark with no clue to when the bomb would actually go off.

"Maasa has sent this poshak for you," said Vasundhara laying down another dress.

I wondered how much maasa was going to get hurt after she had been putting so much effort to make the occasion once in a lifetime thing for me. I was being given a new dress for every occasion. I wouldn't be getting so much of love and attention when I got married for real later on and that thought saddened me.

Dressed in a beautiful fuchsia dress and simple jewellery I, at last, got dressed. According to the girls I would be made to wear one heavy heirloom jewellery during the ceremony so it was for the best that I wore the light one.



The spread

By the time I arrived there was a large spread of all different kinds of gifts in the centre of the verandah. From dry fruits, fruits, sweets, clothes, jewellery to some kind of makeup, it was all spread around on thaals (huge plates) quite aesthetically. Some of the items had been presented in the shape of birds and animals.

" You better be full of praise for the arrangements... Gayatri and the rest of us have slaved the night while you slept to get things in order" whispered Vaishali.

I smiled at her and gave her a small thumbs-up, our small irritation forgotten for the time being.

I was made to sit in what I felt was like the queen's chair right in the middle. The other ladies were already seated on cushy mattresses spread on the floor all around, while some stood taking a closer look at the spread whispering to each other. After the previous night's show of the united front, the ladies seemed more subdued and even Roopmati was missing.

Considering the occasion, I couldn't help looking up for her particularly, and since there was no concentrated energy flow amidst the ladies I knew that she was absent. I gave a small sigh of relief. Being decked up with things which would ultimately belong to her was not the kind of celebration I enjoyed.

Maasa took her place beside me and placed a loving hand on my head as she smiled at me. Gayatri was like the actor on the stage who had to play dual roles so she quickly shifted from my side to her mother's as soon as she had helped me settle down.





Taisa first did my aarti and tilak and then placed a dress and coconut on my lap. Then with Gaytri's help, she put what I believed was the heaviest of the family necklaces around my neck and the earrings heavy enough to make my lobes touch the ground if not for the chain attached to it which went around my ear to give that extra support. Till the time they were done, I felt heavy and loaded like a Christmas tree. Taisa gave me a satisfied smile as she admired her handwork. I could feel her need to pour all her love on me and these gifts were her way of showing it.

"Taisa has planned to cover her elder daughter-in-law with gold so that no one can see her ... thus saving her from the evil eye" laughed Vasundhara.

"Why will I not want to show off my pretty daughter-in-law to everyone. She deserves all this and much more. She has made my Rudra want to marry ... I am very grateful to her" said taisa in a choked voice. She then made a fist out of both my hands and kissed them.

Vaishali leaned over and whispered in my ears " You have been decked up like a queen. I wish I had a camera to click pictures... Wish Rudra could see you."

Clicking a picture of me with so much of jewellery would have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, but again the reminder about Rudra and thus all of this being false just ruined it for me.

Taisa then fed me sweets with her own hand. Few other relatives from taisa's side of the family too came over and gave me gifts after doing my tilak.

With the number of sweets everyone tried to feed me, I didn't want to look at another sweet in this lifetime after all this was over. These people didn't understand excess when it came to sweets.

After that few of the ladies got up to dance on the beats of the songs being sung by the dholans to mark the occasion. I was allowed to go back to my room only after everyone seemed to have danced to their heart's content or perhaps they had grown hungry again as it was almost lunchtime

I heard that later there was another ceremony to be held for Rudra there so Gayatri stayed behind. The first thing I did as soon as I reached my room was to look in the mirror I had got from my time as it had a clearer view and indeed I felt like one very wealthy queen.

Soon maasa and the girls helped me remove all the jewellery and maasa took them away for safekeeping.

"In the evening we will have mehendi ceremony," said Vasundhara reminding me of the last ceremony before the marriage." Maasa has asked a lady from the neighbouring village to come to apply mehendi on your hands... She is the best around here"

I felt restless and wondered what Rudra was planning. Would he interrupt during the mehendi ceremony or was it going to be the ultimate humiliation of being ' left at the alter' kind? I again kicked myself for not having asked him this important question.

Hope you all liked this surprise chapter :)Trying to write the chapters at a faster pace. Keeping fingers crossed. :D