It was the D-Day... For which everyone was eagerly waiting.

Shivani woke early and went to freshen up....

She noticed her hands which are carved with beautiful design of mehendi were now dark brown as it took its colour overnight💖.

Gazing her hands she came out to find Tanu yawning.

"Kya Shivi!! 4 baje ka alarm kon lagata hai😩?", She complaint in half sleep.

"Madam aaj aapki shaadi hai agar yaad ho toh🌚", Shivani glared cum smirked at her and Tanu's eyes widened at the realisation.

She jumped out of the bed and hugged Shivani with such a great force...

"Whattt😲!! Oh god I can't believe it Shiviiiiiii it's finally happening...", Tanu squealed and started jumping around.

"Main itni badi ho gayi ki shaadi hi rahi hai..... God it's like a dream", Tanu said unbelievably.

Shivani laughed at her bestie's crazy excitement.

"Yes Tanu madam!! Aap bade ho gaye ho....😊", Shivani nodded her head smiling.

Tanu bit her tongue and came to her.

"Arre apni mehendi toh dikhao... Hum bhi dekhe humare JIJU ke pyaar ka rang kitna gehra hai😏", Tanu innocently smirked.

"Lae ye baat mujhe tumse kehni chahiye!! Dulhan tum hi naaki mai😒", Shivani rolled her eyes settling the bed.

"Arre mera haath toh sab dekhenge yaarrrr!! Big deal... I am excited to see the colour of yours😃", Tanu pulled Shivani making her sit on the bed.

"Tanu lis--", Shivani tried to explain her.

"Shutup Mrs. Malhotra... Lemme see", Tanu said taking Shivani's hands in hers.

"Ohhh myyy goddd!!! So dark Shiviii..... Wow beautiful💗", Tanu exclaimed staring her hands like a kid.

"A...ab ho gaya na!! Chalo", Shivani said taking her hands back.

"Haan haan chalo chalo tumhare pati dev wait kar rahe honge tumhare liye", Tanu smirked.

"Tumhara jyada nahi ho raha.🤨.", Shivani lifted her eyebrows glaring her.

"Arre jyada kaha se!! Aur ye tumhare pink pink cheeks hai na ye toh aur motivate karte hai mujhe tumhe chidhane ke liye....😌", Tanu laughed receiving a pillow on her face.

"Chup raho!! Ye sab teasing ka kaam mujhe karna chahiye kyunki shaadi tumhari hai....", Shivani said sarcastically.

"Haan haan par naya naya aashiq toh tumhara hai na.....😚", Tanu laughed running inside the bathroom.

"Pagal!!", Shivani muttered taking out her clothes.

*

It was 7 am when the rituals by the women were almost done....

Tanu was given dry fruits and milk as she couldn't eat till the marriage.

"Tanu ye khatam karke room mai jao.... Makeup artists are about to come", Shivani informed her and Tanu nodded her head.

Shivani was with Tanu in her room helping her to get ready while the hair stylist and makeup artist do their jobs.

"Shivi you go and eat something... Subah se kaam mai lagi hui ho..", Tanu suggested.

"Umm.. okay I will come in few minutes", Shivani left the room.

She was going towards the kitchen when she collided with Tanu's mother.

"Aunty aap ready hone nahi gaye!?", She asked.

"Just going beta!! Tum yaha!?", Aparna questioned.

"Wo kuch khane jaa rahi thi!! Tanu is getting ready so I thought tab tak fatafat kuch kha lun uske baad time nahi milega...", Shivani smiled.

"Haan haan beta jaao khalo kuch waise bhi bahut kaam karti hai!!! Wait mai cook ko bolke kuch banwa deti hun...", Aparna caressed her cheeks and was about to call the cook.

"Nahi nahi aunty mai bana lungi!! Aap ready ho jaiye", Shivani assured her.

Aparna left with a smile and Shivani went to kitchen.

She tried to find something eat though the kitchen was full of delicious dishes but she was not in a mood to eat anything.

"Apne aap hi kuch bana leti hun...", She said to herself and started making Pulao.

She was waiting for the whistle and just then felt two arms snaking her waist.

Shivani jumped a little at the sudden touch and turned around to see Abhimanyu staring her with a smile.

"Good morning☺️!!", He greeted.

"Good morning..", she said in a low voice and turned to the slab again.

"I was finding you since morning...", Abhimanyu pouted sitting on the slab.

"Wo... I was busy with rituals", she passed a small smile to him.

"Haan bataya Aparna aunty ne..."

"Sooooo.... Apne haath dikhao😁", Abhimanyu grinned.

"Kyun!?"

"Arre kyun kya mujhe dekhna hai!!!", Abhimanyu complaint like a child.

"B...baad mai dekh lena!!", Shivani tried to ignore the discussion.

"Nahi!! I want to see it now", he jumped the slab and pinned her to it.

Shivani's breath almost stopped for second at such intimacy.

He held her hands against his chest and observed it carefully.

Shivani was trying to read his expressions but his face was blank showing no emotions.

"K...kya hu..hua", Shivani asked a bit concerned.

Without saying a word Abhimanyu gazed up at her and pulled her in bone crushing hug.

"A....abhi!!?"

"It is so beautiful Shivi!! The colour ufffff... So much dark. I don't believe in these things but trust me baby my love for you is as deep as the colour of your mehendi and even more than that....❤️", He said digging his face in the crook of her neck.

Her heart smiled at the affection and love he showed and her face showed all colours of pink on her cheeks.

"Ahem ahem!!!"

Shivani jumped in his arms at the sudden sound and Abhimanyu broke the hug.

Shivani's eyes came out of the sockets watching Shweta standing there with a smirk.

"Ye kya ho raha hai...😏", She asked giving a cheeky smile to Abhimanyu.

"Ab....wo maa--", he tried to say but no words came out his mouth whereas Shivani freezed at the point biting her lips.

"Kya maa!! Jai ko bolke aaya ki kaam se jaa raha hun aur yahaaaa...", Shweta teased him raising her eyebrows.

Abhi's brain couldn't find an excuse to escape the situation.

"Ab ho gya ya kuch aur bacha hai🤭!?", Shweta chuckled.

Shivani was planning to dig a 100 feet hole and hide inside it....

Abhimanyu shook his head in a position response.

"Kuch rehta hai!?"

"N...nahi nahi!!"

"Toh jaa... Jai bula raha hai tujhe..."

As soon these words escaped Shweta's mouth, Abhimanyu ran from there leaving Shivani as scapegoat.

"Haanji bahurani😗!!", Shweta came closer rubbing her hands together.

"Ma...maa T..tan...tanu", she tried to walk away only to be pulled by Shweta again.

"Arre aise kaise!! Ye mauka baar baar toh milta nahi... First time aisa kuch dekha hai tum dono ke beech!! Toh maze lena toh banta hai😉!!"

Shivani's eyes were like glued to the floor and her cheeks invented new shades of pink.

"Shivani..", Shweta called her sweetly.

"Meri taraf dekho!", she lifted her chin and Shivani looked at her.

"Aise hi humesha khush raho beta...☺️💖", Shweta caressed her cheeks and Shivani's heart swelled up with happiness with motherly love.

Without a second she hugged her tightly...

"Meri bachi🥰!!", Shweta placed a kiss on her hair.

"Acha ab jaao jaldi se tayar ho jaao... Mere bete ke hosh bhi toh udaane hai...🤭", she laughed breaking the hug to which Shivani also chuckled.

Shivani nodded and went back to Tanu's room taking a plate of pulao with her.

"Itna time kaha lag gya madam!?", Tanu asked as soon Shivani entered.

"Khana banana koi jaadu ka mantar thodi na hai jo 2 minutes mai ho jaayega...🙄", Shivani rolled her eyes settling on the bed.

"Whatever😒!!!", Tanu gave her a bored look.

After a minute of silence,

"Abhi mila na tujhe!!", Tanu jumped like an overexcited kid scaring the make-up artist.

Shivani choked on her food and watched her 'how do you know' look.

"Tujhe kaise pata!?", Shivani asked coughing.

"Matlab mila😁!!!", Tanu grinned and she nodded her head.

"Comeon Shivi expected tha yaarrrr!! Bawla hua jaa raha tha kal raat se.... Aur mehendi dekhna toh bahana hai...😏", Tanu smirked resting her head on her palm.

"T..theek hai...na!! K...koi baat nahi!!! Tu apne makeup par dhyaan de... Kahi kharab ho gaya na bhootni lagegi... Jai bhaag na jaaye mandap se🤭🌚", Shivani giggled.

"Bhaag gaya toh tu hi laayegi!!"

"Main kyu laau!! Mujhe kya padi hai..."

"Haan bhai!! Ab dost ki kyu fikar hone lagi PATI jo pyaara ho gaya🙂!!! Paraya kar diya ab toh mujhe", Tanu sighed dramatically.

"Bakwaas mat kar...", Shivani glared.

"Mam aapka ho gaya toh thoda seedha baithenge!?", the beautician asked.

"Sorry!!!", Tanu apologized and turned to the mirror.

Shivani too finished her food and went to get ready.

After 2 hours...

Shivani was pinning her dupatta properly while Tanu was sitting in front of mirror taking selfies.

There was a knock on the door.

"Kaun hoga!?", Shivani went to open the door.

"Abhi hoga😏!!", Tanu smirked earning a glare from her.

She opened the door and smiled at Aparna...

"Ho gaye tayar!?"

"Ji aunty...!"

"Mummaaa...", Tanu shouted coming to them.

"Haayeee meri bachi!! Kitni pyaari lag rahi hai!! Nazar na lage...💖", Aparna adored her.

She took kohl from her eyes and put it behind her ear.

"Mujhse jyada jarurat Shivani ko hai iski...😗", she smiled at her.

Not understanding the meaning behind her words Aparna put the 'Nazar ka tika' to Shivani also.

"Okay now!!! Chalo tum baithi ab andar... Shivani tum mere saath chalo.."

"Whattt!! Mai akele kyu.. Mumma shivi ko bhi chhod jao na..🙁", Tanu pleaded.

"Akeli kaha!! Tumhari baaki friends aur cousins wagerah aayenge tumse milne...", saying this Aparna took Shivani with her who teased Tanu showing her tongue😛.

"Pagli!!", Tanu chuckled.

~~~~~~~~~~