NIVEDITA AND VIREN: HUM TUM
CHAPTER 100
(Credit:Deepti)
( Credit :Fiza)
The next morning in Sharma house started on a very sad and gloomy note. The fact that today Nivi and Divya will get married made them happy but then the thought of them leaving this house made everyone sad. Nivi and Divya kept sleeping till late thanks to their hangover but unlike usual no one bothered to wake them up and scold them for sleeping till now.
At the dining table, when everyone assembled for the breakfast, Nivi and Divya as usual went to serve all their family members but Niyati and Hemlata caught their hand in the middle. They told Nivi and Divya to sit down while today they will serve the breakfast to the family. Food was lying in front of them in plates but no one bothered to touch it.Sensing the cause of sad and gloomy state of her family, Nivi and Divya cleared their throats loudly to gain everyone's attention. When everyone looked at them, they said together "We haven't mixed poison in the food, so you all can eat it without hesitating a bit."
Everyone gave them a sad smile and started eating rather slowly. After eating 2-3 bytes, Nivi saw tears in Keshav's, Pratap and Dadi's eyes. She felt bad a lot but recovering herself on time, she said "Dadi kya itna bekar breakfast banaya hai maine jo aap log rone lage?"
Everyone laughed at what Nivi said while tears spilled from their eyes. Nivi and Divya got up to wipe their tears and hug them.
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As Nivi looked at her reflection, she found herself looking just like the way she wanted to look on her wedding day. Dressed in a beautiful red lehenga, beautiful pearl, stone work done on it, making her look ethereal. The shinning green border of the lehenga magnified its charm. For a change, she was wearing a gold necklace which originally belonged to her Maa. Touching it, she remembered the shine and affection she saw in her Dadi's eyes when she wore it. "Agar aaj teri Maa yahan hoti to tujhe dulhan ke roop main dekhkar kitna khush hoti." She remembered how Dadi wiped some kohl from her eyes and placed a black tika behind her ear saying "kisi ki nazar na lage meri bacchi ko."
She remembered her words. She looked at her red bangles filled wrists touching them to convince herself that yes she is indeed getting married. She touched her maangtika, her golden-diamond nose ring tracing the chain which was extended behind her left ear, pearl encrusted armbands and her golden jhumkas to convince herself that everything is perfect. But still she felt that something was missing.
"You look very beautiful, Nivi. Stop staring at the mirror like you are seeing a ghost." exclaimed Niyati, dressed in a purple lehenga ,looking beautiful. Nivi smiled at her. Smiling at her in return, she stood up and made her way towards the door, saying "Now I must go to see if Viren got ready. Oh god so much work I had to do for being your bhabhi and Viren's sister."
Again, She touched her hairs which were neatly tied in a plait, a gajra of jasmine flowers wrapped around the plait.But what's missing?
Just then, Aditya walked in clutching something in his hands. He looked up and saw Nivi. For few moments, he wasn't able to take his eyes off from her. He smiled and said "My Nivi is just looking out of this world."
"Stop making fun of me Aditya." Nivi scolded him.
"But I am not teasing you. I said truth. You are just looking stunning. Don't know if Viren will be able to stand straight after seeing you today."
"Stop it Adi." Nivi blushed.
Aditya chuckled and said "Acha I just came to give you this. Maa always wanted to give you this. She made it with her own hands for you."
Nivi looked the duppatta he was holding. She took it and traced the cloth with her henna-clad hands. It was the most beautiful dupatta Nivi ever saw. Delicate golden embroidery done on the red dupatta, stones shining like diamonds. She turned towards the mirror, placing the duppatta over her head, hiding her half face with it. Perfect, Now she looks the bride she always wanted to be. She smiled at Aditya, hugging him tightly.
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Viren struggled with the sehra he was supposed to wear. He threw it on the bed in frustration. Just then, the door opened and Sid wearing a orange sherwani, came in holding his sehra in his hands. " Do you know how to tie that thing ?" questioned Sid. Shaking his head in denial, Viren said "Only Di knows how to tie that thing, but don't know where she disappeared. " Moments later, Niyati entered in Viren's room to see both of her brothers struggling with their sehra. "What happened guys?" said Niyati. Both of them looked her and grabbed her in a tight hug. "Whoa take it easy guys." Sid and Viren stepped back, with hope in their eyes.
"Di we can't tie our sehra, please help." said Viren.
Thinking something, she paced in the room sometime. Finally, she turned towards her brothers, with a mischievous glint in her eyes "Okay, but I want my gifts. I hope you guys remember, what I want as a gift?"
"Seriously Di? You are thinking about your gifts right now." Viren mocked her.
Shrugging her shoulder, she replied "can't help it Viren. It's a ritual. When sister of the groom ties the sehra around her brother's head, the groom is supposed to give her a gift."
Shaking their heads in defeat, Viren and Sid gave her two rectangular jewellery boxes. She opened them to see two beautiful diamond necklaces.
Smiling broadly at them, she said "I love you guys. Now come here, I will tie it."
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After getting ready, when Niyati brought Viren and Sid downstairs, everyone just kept looking at them. They all waited for this day so much. After Chanchal and Vandana did their arti and applied tilak on their forehead, Everyone started to move towards the mandap in decorated cars which was at 10 minutes walking from Sood's mansion, with Viren-Sid's friends bursting crackers and dancing on loud beats of dhols which accompanied them throughout the way.
When they reached at the entrance of the mandap, Keshav, Pratap and Aditya welcomed them. Naintara Dadi again did arti of Viren and Sid as everyone kept watching this ritual with smiling faces. After doing the arti, Dadi hugged Viren and Sid together and said "finally my dream of seeing you both getting married to my daughters is getting fulfilled."
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Nivi was sitting on her bed, lost in old memories when Divya dressed in golden lehenga came in, clapping her hands together in excitement. She looked at Nivi, caught her hands and said "Nivi baraat has already arrived."
Excitement bubbling inside, they waited impatiently for someone to come and take them to the mandap. Soon, Shruti and Sneha came to take Divya to the mandap. Nivi looked at them taking Divya down.
She turned around and looked at her room. Many memories flooded in her mind, making her feel sad. She looked at every part of her room, trying to memorize the images in her mind. Tears began to flow down from her eyes finally which she was avoiding since morning.
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The door once again opened. Nivi turned expecting Shruti, Sneha there but she got shocked to see Viren standing there. Red sehra tied around his head, he stared at her with dreamy eyes.
Dressed in red lehenga, Nivi looked like a fresh red rose, a faint blush on her cheeks and a glow on her face making her look more beautiful. From so many days, Viren tried to imagine Nivi's look as a bride but nothing came close to the reality. She was the most beautiful looking bride he ever saw.
When Nivi saw Viren staring at her in daze, she blushed, her cheeks turning red. She glanced at him. He was looking handsome in peach loose sherwani, red mojaris in his feet and red sehra tied around his head, just the way she imagined him as his prince charming. She saw the dreamy look in his eyes. He was staring at her with wide eyes, trying to believe that it's his Nivi actually. The silent response she got from Viren satisfied her that indeed she was looking beautiful.
When Viren didn't said anything for a long time, she walked up to him and shook his shoulder a bit and said "Viren are you ok? Why you came here?"
Breaking from his trance, he looked around, his mind still unable to react anything. Slowly, his mind registered Nivi question. He looked at her and replied "I came to take you down to the mandap. But I forgot everything when I saw you. I can't explain in words how beautiful you are looking right now."
Nivi lowered her gaze, blushing furiously.
Viren caught her hand and said "Come it's time."
He took her down and walking down on the rose petals formed path. Nivi kept looking at him, her mother's words echoing in his ears ""Nivi one day, Your prince charming will come in your life who will hold your hand and take you down to the mandap and then he will marry you binding your life with his with a promise to keep you happy always." While walking she saw Divya sitting besides Sid . They both were looking at her, smiling at them, like everyone else present for the wedding. Nivi caught the hem of the dupatta which she kept on her head, hiding her face behind it just like a bride. Viren brought her to the mandap. They sat down together in front of the holy fire, ready to enter in the new phase of their life together.
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While the Pandit kept chanting the mantras, Viren and Nivi kept looking at each other as if no one existed other than them in the world.
Soon, Niyati came and tied the pallu of Nivi's lehega with a pure pink colored cloth placed on Viren's shoulder. They stood up for the pheras.
While taking all the seven pheras, Viren and Nivi kept staring at each other. They promised to be with each other always, sharing the joys and pain of the life together, always supporting each other in the difficult time of their life and completed the pheras.
When Viren tied mangalsutra around her neck, she closed her eyes memorizing the moment in her eyes.
Viren brushed the maangtika away from her hair parting. Staring at her, he filled her maang with sindoor. Some of it fell on her nose. Viren wiped it away, smiling at her. Tears- happy tears spilled from her eyes.
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During the bidaai, when Nivi and Divya cried hugging their parents and Dadi, everyone got emotional and tried hard to not cry. As Viren-Nivi and Sid-Divya entered the Sood's mansion, Niyati did their arti together, teasing the newly wed couple. They played some after marriage games in which mostly Nivi and Divya won as Viren and Sid were in a mood to let them win.
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After getting teased for a long time, Viren entered in his room to see Nivedita sitting on the middle of the bed, her face hidden with the veil. As soon as he entered, he saw Viren saw Nivi clutching of her lehenga tightly in her fists. Her hands were wrapped around her knees, still he saw them shaking with nervousness. He himself was very much nervous.
Taking slow and small strides towards her, he sat on the bed closer to Nivi. With his hands, he lifted Nivi's veil to see her breathing deeply, her eyes shut with fear.
In an attempt to make her comfortable, he stopped and racked his brain to get something to talk to her. Finally, he said while smiling "Nivi open your eyes and look at me." Nivi refused to do so.
"So you don't want it?"
"What?" said Nivi opening her eyes instantly.
"I said you don't want it?" Viren repeated.
"No it's not like that Viren. It's just that..." Nivi trailed off feeling very shy.
"But you promised me didn't you?" questioned Viren managing a straight face.
"When? I didn't promised that." replied Nivi.
"No you promised that we will together open all the gifts I had kept for you." Viren argued.
Nivi's eyes widened and she said "You were talking about gifts?"
"Off course I was talking about gifts, but what you thought I was talking about?" spoke Viren. He knew what she thought.
"Nothing." replied Nivi, scolding herself mentally.
Viren caught Nivi's hand helping her to step down on the floor. For a long time, they kept opening all the gifts, Viren narrating the storied related to the gift, making Nivi laugh a lot. After that they made their way back to the dressing table. Viren removed the jeweleries slowly, his soft yet affectionate kisses replacing the jeweleries. Viren made Nivi face him while he kept her trapped in his arms. He leaned towards Nivi. Resting her hands on Viren's chest, Nivi too moved closer for a long, passionate kiss. Softly Viren made Nivi lay in the middle of the bed. With their hands entwined, they both stepped together in the new phase of their life.
7 Years later,
Nivi looked around searching for someone. She walked in the corridors of Sood's mansion and shouted "Neelakshi, where are you? Beta don't trouble your Maa."
Soon, a 5 year old girl dressed in black capri and red tee, came running towards Nivi. Her long hairs tied in a ponytail, her face wearing a scowl just like her father. Neelakshi was an exact replica of her father, except her long hairs, chubby cheeks and musical voice which she inherited from her mother.
"Maa how many time have I told you to not get worried about me? Don't take stress. You know na it's bad for my kid brother." she replied looking at her mother's baby bump.
Nivi knelt down and hugged her daughter. Kissing her cheeks lovingly, she said "Come, I will get you ready for the party. Don't you want to attend the party?"
Neelakshi shook her head in yes, her face lighting up with excitement.
Nivi made Neelu wear a baby pink lehenga which made her look very cute. She was tying Neelu's hairs in a french plait when a 6 years old boy came and hugged Nivi's saree-clad knees, exclaiming "Chachi."
"Ohho mere raja beta aa gaya, where were you till now?" said Nivi, caressing his chubby cheeks.
Vihaan looked at Neelakshi, and said "Chachi, Neelu and I made a portrait of you and Viren chachu as a gift for your 7th wedding anniversary."
Neelakshi slapped him hard on his arm and shouted "Vinu Bhaiya that was a surprise."
Laughing at cute antics of the kids, Nivi shooed them off saying "Acha now go to your Nitya Di and Neel Bhai. I will come down later with your Papa."
Kids ran off quickly, excited to meet Nitya and Neel. Now it was time to search for Mr. Viren Sood.
Nivedita kept looking inside all the rooms of Sood's mansion but Viren was nowhere to be seen. Cursing him under her breath, she went to their room. She closed the door and was about to turn around when a pair of strong arms was wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her closer.
Nivi jerked them away and turned to glare at her smirking husband.
"You are late." Nivi informed in a cold voice.
"Jaan I got stuck with work you know." explained Viren.
"Then go to hell. No need to come home to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary." Nivi declared.
Nivi turned to see their bedroom decorated with all types of roses, dimly lit candles giving a beautiful look to the room. She saw a pile of gifts of the edge of the bed. She was sure that Viren brought all these gifts for her. She smiled looking around.
Viren hugged her from behind. He knew he was already forgiven for his late arrival. He whispered in her ears "Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Nivedita Viren Sood."
"Happy Anniversary to you too, Mr. Viren Sood." said Nivi leaning back and resting her head on his chest, closing her eyes.
"Now you know what gift I want from you? I want my chotu Viren." Viren demanded caressing her baby bump slightly with his palms.
Nivi just smiled in response.
Suddenly Neelakshi came and exclaimed "Papa !!!"
Viren went past Nivi and picked Neelakshi in his arms. "Hey sweety-pie what's up?"
"Papa look I got an anniversary gift for You and Maa." said Neelakshi, giving him a gift.
Viren opened the gift to see a portrait of his and Nivi, embracing each other and in background, he saw Eiffel tower. Neelu copied their pic from their honeymoon, Viren thought looking amused. Nivi also looked at it.
Together they picked Neelakshi in their arms. Just like this, they always spent their day happily. With each passing day, Viren and Nivi's love for each other increased showing others that they are incomplete without each other. Yeah that's right it's what we call true love.
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