Chapter 3

Engagement Dinner

The girl was dressed in a pistachio color kurta and orange palazzo. She was wearing a pearl necklace with matching pearl earrings. Viren was bewildered at the fact that what she was doing here.

Vidhushi reached where Ajay was standing.

“You are looking stunning, my dear fiancée. Why don’t you pull your veil a little lower to hide your face? I don’t want to hit anyone on my function,” Ajay whispered so that only Vidhushi could hear. Her face turned crimson on hearing this.

“Are we jealous?” she chuckled and continued, “You are not looking bad either. I don’t want females ogling at what is mine,” Vidhushi replied. Ajay rolled his eyes playfully.

“Ahem, ahem. You have a whole life to talk to each other, let’s now start with the ceremony.”

“No, Ajay, speak as much as you can now, after marriage, you won’t be able to change a channel without permission. What do you say, Aakash (Ajay’s father)?” Chuckling, Vinod (Vidhushi’s father) said.

“I agree with you, Vinod, we can’t even wear what we want after marriage. Enjoy your liberty as much as you can.”

“Are we that bad? Complete the function on your own,” scowling, both mothers started leaving the stage hand in hand.

“Oh! Please, we were just teasing, please come back,” pleading, both fathers caught their partners’ hands.

The ceremony started on a happy note. Vidhushi’s parents came forward and applied tilak on Ajay’s forehead and gave him gifts. Then Ajay’s parents came and applied bindi on her forehead and gave her jewelry and clothes as a gift. It was time to exchange rings.

They had selected similar rings for each other. A platinum band with two hearts engraved on it and studded with a diamond each.

The girl in the pistachio kurti spotted someone and went toward the person.

“Good evening, boss.”

The man turned to face the girl. “Hi, Priya, how many times have I told you not to call me boss after office hours? Are you from the girl’s side or boy’s side?”

“I’m from the girl’s side. Vidhushi is my best friend.”

“I’m from the boy’s side. Ajay is Viren’s best friend and is like a son to me. How I long to see my only son being a groom,” Rai Bahadur sulked. Priya felt bad for Rai Bahadur, but she couldn’t do anything, hence she strolled from there.

Someone called her, and she turned.

“Good evening, sir.”

“You are Priya, my dad’s PA?”

“You are right, sir. How may I help you?”

“Please cut off the formalities. Don’t call me sir, this is not my office. Do I look like a rude, aged, and snobbish boss who is always after the life of his employees?” He laughed, and then added, “Your presentation in the morning was very good. I’m impressed.”

It was the first time she was looking at her boss in such proximity.

When he laughed, his eyes twinkled, and the laugh lines made him look even more handsome.

“Oh, shit. I’m checking my boss.” A snap of fingers brought her back. He smiled playfully. “You s***** out. Is he someone special?”

“No, sir. Nothing important. Anyway, thanks for appreciating me. I’m not the best judge as to who you are as I have met you today only. May I take my leave now?” she said, smiling, and hurriedly went from there.

Priya left Viren’s side and went to stroll around a bit. After some time, guests started leaving and only a few close ones were left.

At this moment, Viren bestowed his souvenir on Vidhushi and asked her to open it. Vidhushi’s jaw dropped on seeing the gift.

“What a beautiful gift.” She showed it to Ajay. It was a beautiful photo frame in rose gold polish. On one side of it was their name engraved. In the middle was the blank place to put in pictures and next to it was a beautiful swing on which a pair was sitting. The top was engraved with the words ‘Forever in love.’

“Thank you so much, Viren. It is a masterpiece.”

“I didn’t have your pictures; else I would have put them in.”

“You don’t have my picture?” Ajay said, smacking his head playfully.

“You are an idiot. I have your picture but not Vidhushi’s.”

Ajay forms an ‘O’ with his mouth.

Vinod came toward them, “All of you, come for dinner, the table has been laid.”

By the time Priya came, all seats were occupied, only one seat left was next to Viren.

‘I had gone to the washroom to freshen up, and it took more time than required. I should hurry up or else Vidhushi would arrange a search party for me. Oh no, only one seat is left, and that is next to Mr. Singh. Will it look nice if I sit next to my employer? What will people think? But who knows that? As such, it is getting late, and I’m famished,’ Priya thought.

Seeing her being hesitant Viren signals her to sit next to him.

“Where is Uncle? Did he have his dinner?”

“Dad has gone back as he cannot stay awake till late.”

After a little more chit-chat at the dinner, everyone called the night off. Priya was about to call a cab when Ajay intervened and suggested that Viren can drop Priya, moreover he was going in the same direction.

“It is okay, Viren, I will manage.”

“Priya, I’m going in the same direction, so it is not a big deal. As it is late at night, you will not find a cab, and it is not safe to go by cab at this hour.”

There was an eerie silence in the car. In no time, they reached her home. She thanked him and went inside.

“Priya, how did you come? I had asked you to call Piyush. You should not come by yourself at this hour. It is not safe.”

“Ma, Mr. Singh had dropped me. He was going this way, so Vidhushi asked him to drop me.”

“It is getting late, go, and sleep. Otherwise, you would be late. Do remember to tell me all the details tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, mom.” She kissed her mom and went away.