Smita,😊

Here is my interpretation for Section 2 of Part 15

After popping the question, Arnav waited for her answer, but she was unable to find words as all her coherent thoughts had literally flown out of the glass pane of his car. All she felt was a mishmash of her emotions ranging from panic, fear to love all bubbling within her heart as though from a cauldron with a spell cast on it. She clutched at her heart trying to calm its thundering hoofbeat to a slow but comfortable trot that would go easy on her breath.

Arnav who was observing her in silence, seeing her emotional dilemma just drove on.

Once they reached RM Khushi tried to open the door but to her chagrin, Arnav caught hold of her arm as if to stop her. She looked at him in silence. He brought out a cloth bag and pulled out a pair of antique bangles out of it.

With a scrunched up forehead she wondered whether he was going to gift the bangles to Akash Jiju or her sister. But what was the reason? While her mind was being fertile with assumptions, Arnav slipped the bangles into her arms. They were beautiful set of bangles. They were gold bangles with intricate peacock design in gold filigree work inlaid with enamel making them a totally out of the world outstanding pair. They were simply beautiful and would capture the heart of anyone who happened to just glance at it. And possessing them was not an option she could ever think of! His two two word phrases answered her unasked question. My mother's and for you. Khushi was taken aback and asked for her? But.. and tailed off. He told her softly that it was for her kind heart that wants everyone to be happy, for selling her gold bangle to buy him what he likes best, plants.. Khushi was stunned to hear his explanation. She told him that if they belonged to his mother then Anjaliji should be the beneficiary. She told him in no uncertain terms that he had no right to give it away as per his whims and fancies. With a warm smile dancing on his lips, his eyes taking in her perturbed face, he told her that it was her legacy left for him, for his bride. It made Khushi stare at him with utter astonishment, that was vividly depicted in her eyes. She stressed that she was not his bride. He just modified it with a yet. Khushi being not the one to give up easily said that she hadn't given her consent making Arnav point out that neither had she given her dissent. Khushi took umbrage at his remark and sighed. Pretending not to see her indignation he asked her whether she liked them. Khushi knowing what they meant to him and the significance of him placing it on her arms, looked at them for a while and answered tremulously, that they were beautiful. Arnav who was overjoyed swooped down and kissed her cheek. Brimming with happiness, he whispered against her cheek that they were made for her. His Mama had personally selected the design had it order made for his bride. Tears pooled in her eyes. Rubbing his nose against hers he told her that his mother had put them in a box along with a letter for her had asked his Di to give them to her when he got married. Tears made a path of their own down her cheeks, making him kiss it away. Tucking her head in the crook of his neck he whispered to her not to cry and sat in silence relishing the fact they they were in each others arms. He told her in a soft whisper that those bangles had lain in his locker for years and he couldn't even bear to look at them. But now with his mind at peace, knowing fully well that both his parents would be happy, he was able to enjoy everything connected to his past and relish the sweet memories associated with them. He told Khushi that his mother would have loved her, pampered her, cherish her, not letting her lift a finger, heaping her with nothing but the finest of things, in silk and gold. Even when he was young, she had set aside things like sarees, jewels saying that were for her Chotey's bride. She had lots of dreams about her daughter-in-law. She was sure that she would get a wonderful daughter-in-law, who was an epitome of care, love, giving, forgiving and happiness. She always had told them that her daughter-in-law would take care of her and she would love her Chotey very much. She would look after her house and fill her home with laughter. She used to chide Arnav to straighten his room telling him what her daughter-in-law would think of his manners and her upbringing if he was unruly and untidy. He told Khushi that he used to get miffed at such talk and Di would have a whale of a time seeing his discomfiture and would be subjected to endless ribbing unmindful of his glares. He told her that now he was so happy that his mother had thought so positively about her and his mother with happy thoughts and a smile always had set aside many things for her. She had even kept stone studded sandals in a big box with an assortment of things for her which was in the store room. Khushi looked into his moistened eyes when he continued to say that his Di had teased his Mama saying that Chotey's wife would not wear them as she would not be able to fit into that particular size of sandals. But his Mama had just laughed. Hearing such conversations that had taken place more than fourteen years back, Khushi who felt that she was welcome not only at Raizada Mansion but even at Malik Mansion, The Sheesh Mahal, wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

While she was basking in the warmth of his love, warmth of the welcome that his mother had exclusively set aside for her, her cell rang breaking into the silence and the serene atmosphere. Pulling out her cell phone while moving away from him, she saw that it was from her Buaji. She was greeted with a loud enquiry as to her wherebouts and wanted to know if her Sanka Devi wanted her Buaji to pick her up from her office. Not allowing Khushi to say anything she berated in the name of her favourite diety, Nandkisore, saying what spell had Munshiji cast on her to have made her stuck to him. Or has he applied the adhesive, fevicol that says bond forever on her chair? Couldn't she even bear to be away from her work to attend her sister's mehendi?

At last, able to put in a word Khushi scrambling out of the car and said that she was right there. She entered the house with Arnav right behind her. NK who was happy to see his friend ran up to her and welcomed her and said that they were selecting designs for her mehendi design. Khushi smiled at him and greeted. The ladies who were lying in wait for her pounced on her. Di who was beaming seeing her with her Chotey said that they had been waiting for her and pulled her to come along. While doing so her eyes fell on the bangles that sent joy soaring in her heart. With a quick nudge she pointed it to Nani and Mami making them heave a sigh of relief. The incorrigible Mami told her mother- in- law that finally the bangles had adorned her hands and now they had only to bind Khushi to Arnav for seven lives with her feet tied. Khushi was led by Anjali to sit among the ladies and the three, Arnav, Akash and NK sat beside Babuji. While the mehendi lady sat by Khushi to start the design of her choice, NK moved to her side while Arnav watched them both. NK's enquiry of her choice whether it was the creeper or geometrical pattern, Khushi told him in a soft voice that she would go in for a creeper, knowing fully well that Arnav had his ears sharpened at their conversation. When a gentle breeze coming in through the window ruffled Khushi's silken voluminous hair a few silky strands caressed her cheek. Tucking them behind her ear she was fully conscious of Arnav's watching her, following her every movement with caressing eyes, that lit her up from inside. She heard NK compliment on her beautiful hair in his mix up Hindi, calling her hair Khulfi instead of Zulfon. The mehendi lady who was experiencing NK's goof's for the first time was stunned and the cone slipped through her fingers. Arnav who was waiting for an opportunity to be near his love, corrected him while taking a seat next to her. Sending a startled glance, Khushi kept her eyes on her hand. NK's goof led to a laughter riot and Buaji tweaking his cheek, told him that he was very naughty Nandkisore! NK who hated being squeezed ran for his life rubbing his cheek.

Arnav looked at Khushi's arms adorned with his Mama's bangles and felt peace settle both on his heart and mind. Under his watchful eye the mehendi artist drew an intricate design. When she asked with which letter she had to weave an intricate web of vines, Khushi found that she was unable to utter. She stammered to say A but just couldn't manage to come out with it. Then Arnav told on her behalf that it was an A. Khushi looked at him in surprise and again when the wind blew masking her face with her silky strands, Arnav with soft gentle touch taking his own sweet time, rubbing her cheek with his knuckles, caressing her already flaming skin with his fingers, before smoothing it away. Unable to bear the pleasure that his touch gave her, she squeezed her eyes shut.

The mehendi lady watched his stern handsome face transform with a soft loving look, adoring the girl in front of him. It made her look at Khushi with envy.

This update is about accepting one's fate.

It's submitting to one's destiny.

It's TO DREE ONE'S WEIRD.

The phrase TO DREE ONE'S WEIRD is quite interesting.

Here is a jist of how it originated and why it is apt in this context!

In "To dree one's weird" "Dree" is a very old word found mostly in Northern England and Scotland today meaning "to perform" or "to endure, to submit to." Although we use "weird" today primarily as an adjective meaning "strange or uncanny," it was originally a noun meaning "fate or destiny," or, in a personified sense, the three Fates themselves (who appear as the "weird sisters" in Shakespeare's Macbeth). Thus "to dree one's weird" means to endure one's fate or submit to one's destiny, and the phrase dates back to at least the 14th century.

In this update though Arnav did not get the answer to the question he asked earlier he was not perturbed. Once his car parked in front of RM he placed the bangles set aside by his mother for her Chotey's bride in Khushi's arms. When it was revealed that it was meant for his bride only, she tries to fight with destiny saying that it should be given only to his bride and he doesn't have the right to dispense it at his will. When she protests saying that she was not his bride he points out to her that she has not rejected the offer either. When he asks her did she like it she just says that they are beautiful and she has without thinking given him the verbal consent for his offer of marriage.

"Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect"

~ Wm. Paul Young, The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity

Then he proceeds to list out all the things that his mother had collected for his bride. He tells her all her hopes and dreams concerning her Chotey's bride! All the traits that she had thought to be in her daughter-in-law like the girl being an epitome of care, love, giving, forgiving and happiness, were the description of Khushi herself.

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans"

~ Allen Saunders

Finally there was a pair of stone studded sandals like Cinderella that were made for her. It is to be seen whether they are a perfect fit or not.

When the Mehendi lady asks what letter needed to be centered in the design, it was Arnav who got A written on her palm when she was tongue-tied and she doesn't object to it. She has neither removed the bangles nor denied having her hand decorated in his name. She has submitted herself to her destiny.

"You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it"

~ Goldie Hawn

Her wedding with Arnav was preordained and however much she fought against it, her fight would turn out to be of no consequence just like pitter patter of rain drops on a boulder.

"What's meant to be will always find a way"

~ Trisha Yearwood

It was inevitable to accept her fate and submit to her destiny which was entwined with that of Arnav Singh Raizada!

"There's nothing you could do to me now that I wouldn't want"

~ Tiffany Reisz

That is why it is TO DREE ONE'S WEIRD.

Thats it from me. Hope you enjoy it.

rulama2013-04-01 07:21:19