LOVE OR ARRANGED ?

CHAPTER VII

AADHYA'S POV

I couldn't sleep properly last night and woke at 4 a.m. I came out of my room to walk in the garden only to see the lights in Minnie's room were turned on. I went towards her room, slowly peeped in and saw her crying holding Viraj's photograph. I heard her talking to Viraj's picture, "All I ever did was love you unconditionally and selflessly Vir. Everyone says love comes back multiplied, then why am I crying so much for you, even after you have hurt me. I feel like dying to get rid of this pain. It is as if this pain is choking me to death. Your words have shattered my heart and I don't know what I would have done to myself, if Sweety didn't take us out and diverted my mind from those stupid suicidal thoughts."

I felt my breathe stop at that moment hearing her words. I wanted to ask her everything right away but didn't want to scare her. I decided to divert her mind and keep her busy the whole day, till we meet Mr. Viraj and Mr. Arush in the evening. I knocked her door softly and asked, "Minnie, are you awake? Can I come in?" I heard some shuffling sounds before she asked me to enter the room. I saw her red eyes and puffy nose from all the crying and asked her, "Didn't you sleep properly Minnie, you look so sleep deprived and why don't you stop eating ice-creams in the evening when you easily catch cold?" She smiled and said, "At least have the decency to say good morning before starting your lecture sweety. Why are you awake so early?"

I stretched on her bed and said, "Just couldn't sleep properly. Why don't you fresh up while I get some hot milk for us. We can go for a jog. It has been long since we went for a jog together." She seemed pleased with the idea and said she will meet me downstairs in 10minutes. I silently went down to the kitchen and started boiling the milk when Mami walked into the kitchen clad in a beautiful saree. "Good morning Sweety! Why are you awake so early dear? You should have slept for some more time. And who is the second cup for?"

"Hey Mami, good morning! I couldn't sleep properly and decided to go for a jog with Minnie as she too woke early today. By the way, what are you doing awake at this time all ready? Do you want some milk or coffee?" Mami shook her head that she doesn't want anything and said, "How could I even sleep when it is such a big day for my daughters. Arvind and I are going to the mandir and will be back in a couple of hours. I wanted to pray for you both and your Mamu decided to tag along. I have texted Rani to prepare the breakfast for everyone if I am late. Ma and papa are not yet awake. If she calls you let them know that we are off to the mandir. I will also drop her a text. Both of you go and have fun. Do you have any plans for the day?"

I saw her arranging everything for temple and replied, "I am not sure. We didn't plan anything yet, but maybe a relaxing spa and some shopping would be good for us both. So, we will go to the salon after the breakfast if Minnie is ok with it. We haven't been out together for our girls' time in the last two months. Maybe we should do it today." Minnie came down running and gulped her milk before grabbing her bottle and said, "Yes, that sounds like a plan. I need some really nice beauty treatments to pamper myself. It would help calm my nerves. Let us go now. Bye mom."

I bid a bye to Mami, and we jogged out of the house towards the nearby park. After an hour, we decided to take a break and sat in front of a small pond in the park. Minnie drank water from the bottle she brought and passed it to me and asked, "Sweety, how do you feel about going to meet some stranger whom you didn't know till now. Did you ever have any dreams or plans for your wedding? Were you always in a thought to have an arranged marriage by meeting a prospective groom our parents find for you?"

I smiled at her and said, "Trust me when I say I never dreamt on how my wedding should happen. I just wanted to marry someone at the right time when our family would arrange my wedding. Though I don't remember much about my mom and dad, I know that we never met before their death as Nani didn't like the fact that mom went against her will and married my dad. I see Nani praying to the god every morning with longing eyes. I see she misses her daughter and would have done anything to be with her if she got a second chance. But her pride doesn't let her open about it near any of us. I want to give that peace to Nani by marrying someone of our family's choice. Doesn't mean I wouldn't tell her if I ever loved someone. It is just I didn't meet the person whose single glance would cause butterflies to flutter in my stomach and my heart to skip a beat. I would have clearly told my opinion as love is not a mistake. You never know whom you will fall in love with. By the way, what were your dreams about your wedding?"