|Innaya|
"Innaya, honey, I'm so happy for you. Get ready sweetie. We have only two hours for your engagement."
I was sitting lost in my thoughts after I informed GrandMa about my decision, when Mom rushed in. I looked up, listening to the enthusiasm in her tone, along with the happiness radiating from her face. I noticed the pink and golden colored beautiful lehenga with heavy embroidery in her hands.
"What engagement, Mom? We just met. Aren't you rushing things?" I did not know why my family was behaving that way but it was surely getting annoying for me. This was too much in one day.
"Innaya, today is a very auspicious day for engagement according to our Priest and after two weeks, you two are getting married. You are aware that, there are no good dates for marriage until next two years," Mom answered, caressing my face lovingly, with tears brimming in her eyes.
"Mom, please!" I hugged Mom instantly. I could never see her in tears. If I have agreed to marriage then the date should not matter, right?
"Okay Mom, no need to get all emotional. I will get ready. You go downstairs. I know, you must be having lots of work." My feelings could take backseat for now.
"That's my daughter." Mom handed me the lehenga, caressing my face lovingly. Oh, Mom!
Just then two women entered in my room, dressed in beautiful designer clothes catching my attention. They must be from Eshan's family, I concluded.
Mom turned towards the door, welcoming them. "Please, come inside. I was just asking Innaya to get ready."
"Innaya, she is Jiya, Eshan's elder cousin Vihaan's wife," Mom introduced, motioning towards a woman in her thirties standing on her right side in her red embroidered Sari with a diamond necklace and earrings wearing a subtle make-up, her face held a comforting smile.
Stepping forward for taking her blessings, I was bending when in midway, she held me by my shoulders stopping me. She took me in her arms, whispering in my ears, "Welcome to family Innaya. I'm not that old you see."
I smiled at her jovial nature and stepped back. Before Mom could introduce me to another woman, I felt myself engulfed in the bear hug. "Oh sister-in-law, I'm so happy. You are so beautiful. Brother Eshan is so lucky."
I felt my cheeks burning up at her compliment and her adoration. Once she released me, I kept my gaze lowered at the floor.
"Oh Priya, at least first introduce yourself." Bhabhi chided that girl. 'Bhabhi, not bad Innaya. Weren't you the one, saying it is too fast and now aren't you adapting changes too fast?' My subconscious mind taunted.
I ignored the taunt and focused on the girl clad in beautiful white Anarkali dress, who just made me feel fluttered with her compliments.
"Oh sorry, hi sister-in-law I'm Priya, Eshan bro's younger sister," she introduced herself, smiling as if she was the happiest person alive. I greeted her back, returning a smile.
"Innaya, get changed. Jiya and Priya will help you in getting ready. I will see to other arrangements." Mom readied all necessary things I would need before going back downstairs to check other preparations, leaving me with my to-be-in-laws.
*
After an hour or so, we made our way downstairs where everyone else was present. I grew self-conscious, as the hall fell in silence and the people stared our way, to be precise towards me. Bhabhi and Priya had not allowed me to look into the mirror, saying something about their family tradition. I felt myself shaking little with nervousness.
I had my eyes downcast, nervous of their reactions. Through the corner of eyes, I saw Mom coming towards us and I felt relieved.
Once Mom reached to us, she caressed my face. Putting a black dot of Kohl behind my ear so as to protect me from evil eyes, she whispered, "You are looking very beautiful Innaya," providing me the comfort I needed. Nothing can be more comforting than loved one's assuring words and loving glances.
I smiled seeing the approval for my look in her and granny's eyes. Mom then held me by the shoulder and stepped aside making me face other people present in the living room.
Granny introduced me, pointing to the elder person standing in cream color sherwani accompanied by a woman clad in the red color saree, "He is Mr. Tushar Singhaniya, Eshan's uncle and beside him is Mrs. Sneha Singhaniya, his wife."
"And these two are Eshan's parents, Mr. Suhas Singhaniya and Mrs. Prerna Singhaniya," Granny said turning towards other couple. The man wore a purple and white sherwani and the woman wore a magenta colour saree with gold work over it.
"He is Vihaan, Tushar's eldest son," Granny completed looking towards the man clad in the brown and golden sherwani. I took blessings of all of them.
In all this introductory session, I had felt a pair of eyes on me from my left, following my every movement. Somewhere I had an idea of its owner, yet I refrained myself from giving in the temptation of looking that way.
After our brief introduction, Granny made me stand beside the person who stood at one place from the time I came downstairs. Eshan. The Priest did our Tilak saying some prayers before asking us to put the rings on each other's fingers.
Mom nudged me slightly, indicating to move forward my hand. I did as told and was aware of slight shivering of my palm. Blame it on nervousness, shyness or excitement, I had no idea.
'Innaya, this is it now no turning back at this point.'
I raised my lashes as I felt warm hand enclosing around my wrist. As I looked up, I noticed his honey brown orbs staring straight into mine with the emotions I couldn't decipher.
Clapping sound brought me out of our eye lock. I suppressed the urge of gasping at that beautiful piece of jewelery, as I noticed a beautiful gold ring in shape of the two hearts intertwined, one of those adorned with little diamonds sitting proudly on my ring finger. When did he put the ring?
Mom handed me the ring to put on his finger, which I did while trying to control trembling of my fingers holding the ring. I released the breath I was holding unknowingly, once I slid ring in his finger.
*
We sat on the couch as elders went to take dinner and discuss other things. I noticed our clothes matched. He was dressed in pink sherwani with golden and white stonework. Earlier when we met, he had worn Armani grey suit. I had not noticed his features keenly then as I was too shocked by the sudden news and his unexpected visit and was too lost in his captivating eyes.
As we sat next to each other, I could not help but notice him. He had the most beautiful eyes, I had ever seen. His chiseled and sharp jaw, his body though not muscular but enough to say fit and healthy appeared from his clothes. Dark black thick hair kept properly without too much of hair gel. He wore a light perfume, whose smell was unfamiliar to me. His whole aura was intimidating, powerful yet felt warm and welcoming to me.
"You are looking like a princess, very beautiful."
My whole secretive-checking-my-now-engaged-partner-soon-to-be-husband-unabashedly came to an abrupt end as his amused deep voice fell on my ears and I stared at his face in bewilderment, hearing his compliment. Once our eyes met, the intensity in his eyes had my cheeks starting to heat up. Embarrassed, I instantly lowered my gaze. Then I registered the presence of Priya, sister-in-law and Brother-in-law. I kept my head low unable to meet their teasing eyes and as we sat in silence, my blush only intensified.
During the whole evening, I was blushing, whenever we got teased, whenever Eshan had looked at me, when we were close to each other, whenever our skin came in contact. Whenever our eyes had met, I had felt an unknown feeling rising inside my heart. What was wrong with me? Why was this treacherous blush rising with his one look?
The whole ceremony was quite simple and sober affair with the presence of only two families.
*
We walked in silence towards my room as Eshan excused us saying, he forgot his wallet in my room. But I did not recall seeing any wallet in my room.
"Here, take this," Eshan offered forwarding a card towards me, once we were standing again in my room away from our families.
I looked confusedly towards his outstretched hand. 'Why is he giving me the card? It looks like the business card. Is he expecting me to be involved in business? Did no one inform him I am still studying?' I frowned as different questions started swirling in my mind.
"My number. I know you need time. You can call me anytime to ask me anything. I'm there," he answered, unknowingly clearing my confusion, emphasizing last words in an assuring manner.
I nodded a little, taking the card from him. Our fingers brushed in the process and I felt something stirring in my heart recalling his earlier words and now his touch. It wasn't a business card as I read the information over it. It was his personal visiting card.
We came down together as it was getting late for Eshan's family to leave. Soon bidding a bye they left for their home in their cars.
*