2) ᥫ᭡.EKANSH

I was sitting on sofa, settled on the centre of the stage for bride and groom- waiting for my bride Anaisha

Whenever i think of her or hear her name, I feel a different sensation, a different feeling in my heart i don't know what it is- but this is really very different i've never felt like this before.

She is daughter of Mr. Chauhan. He was an in our office. He has been working in our office for thirty years a trusted, loyal man I respect him a lot.

I still remember- I was in office that was a hectic day- back to back meetings, discussions were going on for upcoming project that project was very important for our company-

I was sitting in my cabin going through some important project files when my phone rang which was placed next to the file i was working on i lift up my head to see and and i frowned and a sigh escaped my lips after seeing the name that was flashing on my phone screen.

It was my little brother lakshya i picked up the call " Hello "

" Bhaiya when will you come home ? he was sounding different today.

" I'm going to be late..... Why ? Is everything alright? I asked in concern.

" Haa..... bhaiya wo dadi, you just come fast "
after saying this he hurriedly disconnected the phone.

" What dadi ? Hello lakshya? " concern creep in my mind-

Without thinking anything else I quickly picked up my coat from the couch took the car keys and left for home.

Without parking my car property i entered in the house almost running and saw that everyone was sitting in the living room, dadi was also there, without any delay I went and knelt in front of her " Dadi what happened ? Are you alright? I was very worried.

" Ekku yes I'm fine "

" But I got a call from Lakshya and he- " i stopped in mid sentence, turned and pinned him with a sharp glare. Who was standing behind maa's sofa opposite to dadi's sofa still in his college football team t-shirt with pale face.

I saw him swallowed hard " Bh.... bhaiya dadi, bhaiya listen....." stammering he started running when he saw that I was taking slow steps towards him.

" You wait..... This is heights lakshya come here " I was irritated and frustrated with his antics now, i ran after him to catch him.

" Arey bhaiya dadi told me to do it, dadi say something, tell bhaiya that you told me to do it.... " he ran behind the pillar and tried to explain-

As if I'm gonna believe him " you come here "

" I told you to call and ask him when he will come, not to make him worry " dadi laughed fully enjoying lakshya's state

" Wait bhaiya we will also help you " tanish and avni also started running behind lakshya

Whole family was laughing fully enjoying the scene-

Finally dadi stoped us " Stop everyone and site quietly. Ekku, go freshen up and have dinner, then I have to discuss something very important. " dadi smiled

" Why dadi ? Bhaiya is here, everyone is here, tell us now na " avni said curiously

" Yes dadi " tanish and lakshya joined

Dadi shook her head " Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet "

Tanish, lakshya and avni whinnied " Dadi no "

" Ekku go " maa said smilingly

i nodded and left for my room

I was thinking
What does grandma want to say ?

Thinking this- I went to take bath. After bath changed into black t-shirt and grey sweatpants and went downstairs. I had dinner and after that i joined everyone in the living room.

" Come beta sit " papa said

I nodded

" Bhaiya come fast " avni patted the sofa next to her frustrated and curiously

Tanish huffed " Yes bhaiya, dadi will tell us only after you sit down "

" Yes and I want to know what dadi wants to tell us " lakshya matching tanish and avni curiously and frustration.

I shook my head

Smiled at them and sat beside avni she grinned i patted her head lovingly

Dadi was sitting on the couch settled in the centre, maa and papa were sitting on the couch on her right, lakshya and tanish were sitting on the couch next to them, me and avni were sitting on the couch on her left.

A thick silence was there, everyone waiting for dadi to say, what she wanted to say.

Dadi, maa and papa were looking at each other and smilling- an known smile that says something big was coming

I frowned sitting all confused with their actions

Tanish, lakshya and avni also mirroring my confusion. Looking between dadi and maa papa.

" Dadi, why are you, maa and papa looking each other and smilling like this ? " Finally avni broke the silence.

" Dadi, bhaiya is here we all are here now tell us what you wanted to say. Tanish said

We heard lakshya's dramatic tired sound " Yes dadi say quickly I want to sleep too tomorrow is my football match. For that I have sleep properly, so that I can fully focus on my match tomorrow and win " he grinned

We all rolled our eyes this boy and then suddenly grandma dropped a bomb-

" I have liked a girl for you ekansh.

And silence..... Silence pin drop

I was frozen, my eyes widened i was not prepared for that- this was so sudden. I just can't even my brain was not functioning, i was just staring at her. It took me some time to register her words. Grandma has been telling me to get married for a long time but I have always been avoiding it. I had to take my business to great heights. I was processing what dadi just said.

Tanish, lakshya and avni were also shocked like me, staring at her with wide eyes

" Whattttttttttttt " the three shouted together

" Dadi what are you saying ? " shock and disbelief laced in tanish's voice as if he heard something wrong

Lakshya who was sitting suddenly gets up and says loudly " brother is getting married and we don't know. "

Even i don't know that I'm getting married i was still sitting in disbelief, so shocked and little frustrated by the news. This was unexpected, so sudden that..... that I can't process anything. When did this happen? Why didn't anyone ask me anything before? Although I know the answer because Dadi knew that I would refuse like I always did, so she didn't ask. But still since this is about my marriage dadi should have told me once. Should have asked me. I was not ready for this.

" But dadi How ? When ? Avni asked in shocked almost shouting

" Why are you three shouting like this and what do you mean by how ? Like your parents got married. This is the right age for Ekku to get married. Now he himself not getting married and when I asked him if he like anyone then tell me, he said I don't like anyone. But I want to see my grand grand children and my grand daughter-in-law and for that he have to get married. I want to see my ekku married now. " There was firmness but still a softness in her voice her.

Lakshya who was slipped from the couch after listening dadi, again adjusted himself on the couch said with bored expressions " You are right dadi, bhaiya is getting older, he is thirty two now anyway. "

And I was still in shock

" But dadi who is the girl ? " Avni asked ignoring lakshya- shock and disbelief laced in her voice with a hint of curiosity.

Smile formed on dadi's lips " She is daughter of Mr. Anand Chauhan. "

" Papa's right hand Chauhan uncle ? " Tanish brows frowned and confused

" Yes, Mr. Chauhan he has been working in our office for many years. They are a simple people. We met them last week at the success party of the deal we cracked last month. " papa said.

" We met them for the first time there and as soon as we saw her, I liked her in that very moment. She is beautiful, kind, sensible and mature girl. She knows how to respect elders. A perfect girl for my Ekansh. There cannot be a better girl than her for my ekku. " There was smile on dadi's face but firmness in her voice.

"But what's her name ?" Avni asked with widening and curious eyes.

" Anaisha, her name is Anaisha." Dadi said and that constant smile on her face.

"Anaisha " i repeated her name in my mind- finally coming out from my shocked state or better to say my statue mode because shock was still there fully and I still can't formed words.

" Really ? So why didn't we see them there? " Lakshya frowned

" Because you were busy in eating " tanish shrugged

Suddenly avni's load voice came-

" Wow grandma you have decided everything, now at least show us her photo" with full excitement and curiousity in her voice.

" Haa, haa tum bhi dekho " maa extended her hands but our over excited two kids lakshya and avni jumped and snatched the photo from maa's hand. Dadi, maa and papa shook their heads at my siblings this antics.
( Yes, yes you also look )

" WOW !! She is so beautiful. She is looking like a goddess." Avni and lakshya said with widening eyes looking at her photo. Their palm on their opened mouth with amusement.

Tanish, who was sitting at his place till now, now gets up and almost runs towards Avni and Lakshya " Hey, show me too"

Snatched the photo from them " She is angle, yaar"

And I was sitting and looking everyone there. Shocked, confused no no traumatized is the right word for the state am in. Marriage ? And that word hit me hard- Finally breaking the spell of shock- and i turned towards dadi fully still sitting on the couch.

" But dadi-" as soon as I started to speak dadi cutted me in between " No but ekku" she stopped me with her hand from saying what I always say. After a little pause she continued

"I have heard a lot that you don't want to get married. If you don't want to get married now, then when will you? Anaisha is a nice girl beta. She will be perfect for you. For your dadi this is my last wish i want to see you married ekku. Who knows whether I will be alive or not. Who knows how much time I have left, I am getting old now. I want to see. " Dadi said with a sad face and i know that dadi has deliberately made to blackmail me.

" Yes ekku now I want a daughter in law." Maa said with soft smile

" Ekansh beta maa is right this is the right time. " Papa said

And before I could say anything-

" Ekku this is my last wish, for me. Don't you trust your grandmother? I was the one who found your mother too. Atleast meet her once. I'm sure you will like her too. And if you don't like it, we won't force you. " Dadi said

I sigh then little nodded " Ok I'll meet her "

" Yeahhhhhhh " tanish, avni and lakshya was jumping in excitement

Then all three of them came to me and turned the photo towards me " Bhaiya you also see "

I turned my eyes to her photo and everything frozen my eyes stayed on her photo unmoved, staring " She is beautiful "

I was staring her photo when suddenly dadi's voice came " Now go everyone sleep. " Everyone nodded, wishes Good night and started going to their room. Papa patted my shoulder before leaving.

I was also going when my three monkeys came in front of me with their mischievous grin hands folded to their chests " Yes, bhaiya sleep well " tanish over grinning " You also have to meet her tomorrow " avni said with same mischief " Yes, first impression is the last impression bhaiya " lakshya said dramatically.

I glared at them " You three are taking too much. Go and sleep otherwise if I come to MEET you in your sleep then my IMPRESSION will turn your WELL SLEEP into a nightmare. " I said in a low voice streching the words meet, impression and well sleep.

" No no bhaiya we are going Good night !! " And they ran to their rooms

I shook my head smiling at their antics and headed towards my room-

I entered my room placed the photo on the bed and headed towards the bathroom when I came back to the room- the room my room since childhood but this strange emptiness i don't know why I was feeling this loneliness. Everyone was there with me, my family, i have everything, then why this strange feeling was there deep in my heart and then my eyes landed on her photo Anaisha 's photo i slowing picked it up, staring, and then an unknown, unexplainable releif took over me.

What was that ?

" Bhaiya bhabi is here, look how pretty she is looking" avni's voice came.

I came back to reality from my thoughts and when i looked up she was standing there in that red lehenga, looking like a goddess.