With Love, Nuri [2] [✔]

71. Practicing

[•Nuri's POV•]

We boarded the flight in a few hours and as per Ferit's prediction, we would reach Kerala before midnight. I felt extremely nervous and tense but when I looked over at Ferit in my next seat, he seemed as calm as ever. I gave up, "Aren't you one bit nervous about this whole thing?" I asked him as I buckled my belt. "No, and I don't understand why you are this worried" he replied, without taking his eyes off the magazine he was holding.

The pilot announced take off. The worst part of the whole journey. The plane began vibrating and shaking a lot. It added to my stress. I gripped my seat tightly, digging my nails into the handrest. I turned pale as usual, and Ferit glanced at me. I couldn't focus on him, I just wanted this shaking to stop!

His fingers intertwined in mine again, and I felt a lot calmer, though I had no idea what he was doing. An air hostess stopped near us, seeing me pale. "Is everything alright?" She asked, and the shaking slowly died down. "She is scared of flying, that's all. Aren't you darling?" he turned to me. I shot a murderous glare at him, as he caressed my hand.

The air hostess told me not to worry and when she left us, I pulled my hand away from him. "What are you doing?" I growled, "Practicing" he replied innocently and returned to his magazine. "What? If you plan to do any of that nonsense in front of my parents keep that idea to yourself" I crossed my arms and turned away disgusted.

"And also, I am not scared of flying" "Of course, I had seen that on the helicopter" He smiled mockingly, which made me rethink about this wedding. I tried to sleep ignoring him.

I woke up a few hours later and found that Ferit was reading a book now. It was in Turkish so I abandoned all hope of it entertaining me. The air hostess came by again, with a tray of drinks.

"Would you like one sir?" She asked Ferit, "Thank you" He said and took a glass. Payback time. "Drinking isn't healthy for you, darling. No thank you" I took the drink from his hand and kept it back on the tray. She nodded and left us. "What are you doing Nuri?" He frowned at me, "Practicing" I loved doing this. He sighed in anger and looked back at the air hostess.

Why was he looking at her?

"I have another thing to add in the wedding rules" I said, "Hmm?" He was too involved in his book. "While we are married, will you see others?" He looked up at me. "Huh?" "While we are married, will you go out with other women?" I felt as if I was being too straightforward. "Well, it's a fake marriage, so I don't have to be faithful to you" he said, and returned to his book.

"That cannot happen!" I snapped, and he raised an eyebrow. "If someone sees you then all this hard work will be wasted" "Fine, but you need to promise the same too" "Yeah, okay" I replied. I turned to stare out of the window on my side and smiled to myself.

×××

I had never been this nervous in my whole life. We were already in the Taxi, and Ferit was staring out of the window. "I think we should go back" I blurted out. "Nuri, relax. We are gonna do everything as we planned. There is no turning back now" He assured me. I gulped.

I had called my mother when we landed, and she was very glad to hear that. I didn't tell her anything about Ferit, except the fact that I was not coming alone. She probably thought that I was going to arrive with Fatoş, hence she readily agreed. The taxi entered the Hotel gates and I could see my parents waiting outside our house, even my aunt and uncle were with them.

Oh no.

Ferit peeped from my side, "Who are they?" He asked, "My aunt and uncle" I gulped. The taxi stopped and I got out, my legs shaking. Ferit got out from the other side, and the four elders were puzzled to see him. Ferit did everything in his calm and cool style, paid the driver, and I helped with the bags.

After the taxi left, I smiled at the four of them nervously. All eyes were fixed on Ferit, "Chechi!" Ankita came running outside excitedly, and she embraced me. She eased the tension thankfully, "Mr.Ferit?" She turned to face him. "What are you doing here?" "Good evening Ankita" He smiled at her. My mother stared at me for an explanation, "Mumma I told you right? This is the someone I was talking about" I turned to him.

"Who is he?" My uncle nudged his sister, "Uh... Mr.Ferit... He had stayed here for a week, a few months ago" My mother replied. "Just Ferit please" He corrected, "I came here to talk something important with Nuri's parents actually, I didn't expect others" He said honestly. My aunt smiled at him in her usual appealing way. She loved guests.

"Lekha, Nuri's aunt" She shook his hand, "This is my husband, Hari" Ferit shook his hand too. My aunt was being her best self- charming and friendly. Everything had gone well so far, but my mother wasn't that pleased. "What do you want to talk about?" She asked him with a serious face. "Can we talk inside? I can barely see you and dad in the dark" I said and they agreed hesitantly.

Ankita helped me with the bags and kept pestering me secretly. "Tell me please!" She whispered, "He's going to tell you soon" I said and as he was about to enter the house with shoes, I stopped him. "Take them off. My mother will hate you otherwise" He sighed and listened to me, for the first time.

[•Ferit's POV•]

I never thought it would be this hard to ask Nuri's hand in marriage. Her mother, father, aunt, and uncle were sitting on the opposite couch. Nuri and Ankita were standing near the front door. I looked around for a minute, Nuri's house was compact but well kept. There was a beautiful aroma everywhere.

"Well?" Her mother stared at me, and I felt slightly nervous. I glanced at Nuri for a second and turned to face the anxious four.

"I am here to ask Nuri's hand in marriage"

A deep silence engulfed the living room. "What the heck! Yes!" Nuri nearly crashed on the floor, when her excited little sister pounced on her for a hug. "Ankita" Nuri's mother's voice was stern, and Ankita fell silent. "Of course, yes. She's ready for marriage" Said Lekha, and Nuri's mother glared at her.

"Why do you want to marry her Mr.Ferit?" She asked, "I love her, ma'am" I stated and the four heads turned towards Nuri who was blushing badly. "I know that it's on short notice, but she insisted that I come here and ask you both" I said. Her father was frowning at me, and her mother turned to him. They shook their heads at each other, in a language secret to them.

"Leave us alone for a while" "Yes, take your time" I replied and followed the girls outside. "I wonder what is going to happen now" Nuri mumbled to herself.

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Last Edited: 17th January 2021