Do Anjaane

Chapter 25

After the Haldi that morning, Vaidehi and Veer had been given a guest room to relax and get ready before the wedding that evening. The rest of their family would be arriving closer to the time of the wedding. Vaidehi was dressed in a Kanjivaram saree with heavy gold filigree throughout. She was standing in front of the vanity, putting on her gold jewelry. She had done her hair in an intricate braid down her back.

While her grandmother, Nani, wasn't of Tamil origin, she had spent a majority of her childhood there. It was from her that Vaidehi had picked up a few cultural practices that she really liked, such as wearing Kanjivaram sarees for important occasions. Her husband knocked before entering the room, a long strand of tied jasmine flowers, or gajra, in his hand. "I had a feeling you would want these. If you'll guide me, I can put these in your hair while you finish putting on your jewelry."

She gave him a childish smile in the mirror, biting her lower lip, and nodded. It truly humbled him how the smallest of gestures made her so happy. Not that his family and friends were snobs, but his wife was just different. "Yeh saree, tumne engagement ke din pehni thi." (This saree, you wore it at our engagement.) Vaidehi turned around and gaped at him slightly. "Aapko saree yaad hain?" (You remember this saree?) "Nahi, mujhe saree mein tum yaad ho." (No, I remember you in this saree.) God, he would always say something or another that made her speechless.

Suddenly, Vaidehi noticed his sherwani, the one he had worn at their engagement. "Issiliye aap yeh sherwani pehna?" (Is that why you wore this suit?) "Tumhe kya lagta hain?" (What do you think?) She gave him a Gallic shrug and a sassy look. "Mujhe lagti hain...shayad sangathi ka asar ho raha hain." (I think...maybe you're getting influenced by the people around you.) Raghuveer smiled, turning on the charm. "Damn right." 'I'm sorry, Sidharth Malhotra, but my husband could give you a run for your money, and I wager he'd win,' she thought. Maybe it was just something in the Malhotra name. Vaidehi knew Maa and Chachi would agree.

"Umm, ab mujhe chalna chahiye, Radhika aur Shraddha ko dekhne." (Umm, I should leave now, to see Radhika and Shraddha.) Before she could leave, Veer wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, caressing the bit of bare skin. Lingeringly, he kissed both her cheeks, then her forehead. "Unke room tak drop karta hoon." (I'll drop you at their room.) The entire way to their room, he had his hand around her waist. As she entered the suite the brides were getting ready in, Veer's hand reluctantly slid from her waist, letting her go. But he held her wrist, making her turn back to look at him questioningly.

He kissed the back of her hand, then her palm, folding her fingers in as if telling her to hold onto his kiss. "Itni sundar lag rahi ho biwi, chodne ka mann hi nahi karta." (You're looking so pretty, wife, that I don't want to let you go.) A chorus of 'haye's echoed through the room, while Radhika even whistled. (Haye- Aww) Raghuveer let go of her, dragging his fingertips against the back of her hand, and shut the door behind him. God, he really wasn't letting the blush leave her cheeks today.