4. His home

Siya

Marriage was almost done since we both took the seven vows around the holy fire pond as he tied the mangal sutra around my neck with sindoor between my hair partition, not knowing if we were going to fulfill them or not.

"We will miss you," Sanaya said with a sad smile on her lips.

"I will miss you too." We shared a hug.

"Make sure to visit here regularly, after all, it's your home." She added.

I smiled, "I know."

"Karan son, please take care of our only daughter, we have grown her with lots of love and care," Dad spoke, taking his hands in his.

What dad meant by only?

Karan gives an assuring squeeze to dad, "Don't worry, Kamal sir, your daughter is in safe hands."

"Thank you so much."

"And, Adah, you remember our talk, right?" Mom asks me in a hushed tone.

I nodded to her, in the morning, she told me to never reveal our secret that I am not Adah but Siya to anyone. And after the marriage, I have to listen to my husband, have to take care of him, his needs, his family in every situation, and it doesn't matter what I should never go against him even if it means compromising my wishes and needs for them.

"Good." She says, with tears, taking me in her embrace, I also cried along with dad, mom, and aunt.

"After looking at bhabhi sa, I never wanna get married, mama." My sister in law, Kaya said, sadly observing our crying scene. I came across his family members during the dinner after marriage so I am aware of their names at least.

"Aww, some time is left for your wedding, don't worry from now on." Karan's mom, Sushma maa sa said, patting her cheeks, gently.

"And it's not your place to worry anyway because we all know your husband is gonna cry during bidaai." Sunny mocks, she slightly slaps his arms. We laughed.

"Jokes apart, kids," Karan's dad, Thakur sa Devendra spoke, "Kamal Ji, now allow us."

Dad nodded, Karan and I bent down to touch our parent's feet to take blessings. Sanaya came with a plate of uncooked rice. My eyes were narrow because of crying, and on top of that seeing this last ritual before I leave my house was more hard for me, it was a signal for me that 'its time for you to go to your husband's house, leaving everything behind.'

Sharing a last embrace with mom and dad, I turned around, taking the veil back on my face, I took some handfuls of rice and threw them behind me as good luck until I reached the car.

Karan and I sat in the same car as his family decided to come in another one. I said bye to them through the window for the last time as the driver started to drive the car.

"Stop crying." He said, giving me his handkerchief, "wipe them."

"Thank you," I said, taking it from his hand, wiping my tears off.

After that, neither he nor I spoke until his mansion came into view, "Stay." he mumbles, getting out from the car, and coming to my side to open my door, helping me to come out.

That's why he told me to stay.

His mom did arti of us and a few other rituals before I entered the house with a stunned gasped, I never had seen such a beautiful interior in my life.

"Okay, the last ritual of the day which is more like a game, " Maa sa said, smirking.

"Now what is it?" Karan asks, feeling like he got another boring task to do.

"Karan wait. Sunny bring it up." She says, and Sunny came up to the big brass bowl filled with milk and roses.

"Do we have to drink this?" Karan asks in sarcasm.

"Of course, not, son, we will put two rings inside that bowl, and you both have to find it whoever found it first will win the challenge." She explained, "Your dad and I also did this."

"And who won?" I ask with curiosity.

"Me, of course." She says, making us giggle.

"That's because I was trying to touch her hands instead of finding the ring." Thakur sa retorts with a smirk.

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes playfully.

"Mom, it sounds boring without the prize, " Kaya says.

"What prize?"

"Umm, maybe if bhabhi sa won, she will ask anything from Karan bro, and if Karan bro wins he will ask anything from bhabhi sa."

"Sounds good, so what's say?" She asks.

"I am okay with it." He said.

"Me too," I replied, shyly.

He places that bowl in front of us, we sit down on the cushion as we slowly put our hands inside the cold milk to find the rings.

"I am with Bhabhi sa." Kaya and Sunny said in the unison and came next to me.

"I am also with bahu sa," Thakur sa said.

"Sorry, Karan but I am with them," Maa sa said.

He rolled his eyes, "I am fine alone anyway."  and everyone started to cheer me instead of him, which give me some confidence, our hands were keep colliding with each other and I even mistakenly grab his fingers a few times so does he.

But the point is, where is the ring? We were trying to find it for 15 minutes now.

Karan removed his hand out of the bowl with frustration, "What the heck, where is it?"

"I couldn't find it either," I said.

"Sunny, did you put the rings inside?" Thakur asked as Sunny began to search his pockets and give us an apologetic look.

"I am sorry, I got so excited that I forgot to put them."

Karan shot him a glare, he threw the rings again in the milk, and before I could even put my hands in, Karan removed both of them, smirking.

"At least, Karan let me mix it up." Maa sa responded, annoyed.

"No need, Maa, the rule was to find them and I did."

"It's cheating, Karan bro." Kaya and Sunny protests.

"No, it's not, your Bhabhi sa is slow, don't blame me," He defends.

"I think, we should stop here and consider Karan the winner, after all, it's almost midnight, we need to rest to go to the office tomorrow without being sleepy in front of our employees." Thakur sa said in the favor of Karan.

"Right, so as per the rule ask something from Adah." Maa sa told him.

He looks at me with an intense gaze that made me averted my eyes to my feet, "Not now, I will ask when the time will come."

"What?! That's not-" He cuts off Kaya.

"As dad said, it's late." Is all he said, "Now, can we go and rest, Maa?" He asks.

She nodded, "Yes. "

I flashed her a small smile as thanks, "Let's go?" Karan extended his hands for me, I gently accepted, guiding me to his room.

"Bro, don't give much pain to bhabhi sa, " Kaya teases, making Karan lend a dead glare to her. Noticing his glare, she runs to her room, saying, "Okay, mommy, daddy, I am going to sleep, good night.".

Karan shook his head and continued to guide me towards his room. Once we enter the room, he locks the door behind me, mumbling, " Stupid girl," must be addressing his sister.

Scanning the room, it was 2x timed bigger yet wonderful than our entire house as a bed covered with roses was placed in the middle and my suitcases were right next to it.

I began to walk when I saw the milk glasses on the mini table, how do they know that I love milk so much? I grabbed the glass and drank in one gulp. It was so tasty that I finished another one too.

"What did you do?" Karan's surprised voice ranged.

"What did I do?" I question back.

"You finished both glasses?" He asks, in disbelief.

"Yes, they were so tasty I can't help." Something clicks me, "Wait, another one was for you? I am very sorry."

He chuckles, walking up to me, "It's fine." He says, cleaning the milk mustache from my upper lips.

"There's the closet room." He told me, indicating at the grey door.

"How do you know that I wanna change?"

"At the time of Phera, you seem to be uncomfortable in your heavy dress so it's obvious that you want to get out of this." He specified.

I didn't know that he was noticing my discomfort, "Right." I picked up my suitcases and went to the closet room, which was already filled with his dozens of clothes, shoes, and other accessories. There was another transparent door that led to the bathroom yet the washroom.

Dropping the clothes and jewelry aside, I took the shower, wrapping the towel around my midsection, removing some of my comfy clothes from my bags, I changed into them. I have to place my clothes on a hanger that I will do it later, right now, I am exhausted.

I came back, finding Karan over his phone on the balcony. He has already changed his sherwani into a top and shorts.

I jumped on the bed, throwing roses in the air that eventually fell back on my face, I giggled and kept doing it as Karan slept next to me and I stopped.

For a moment, I forgot that He and I are going to share the bed from now on. Wait! Is he going to touch me....?

"Don't worry, I am not interested in you." He states, reading my face.

"Neither am I, still, you are sleeping with me?" I question, raising my brow.

"Yeah, because it's my bed." He replies rudely.

"Okay," I said, grabbing the pillow.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I am going to sleep on the couch," I told.

"You don't have to." He stops me.

"So, are you going to sleep on the couch?"

He shakes his head in no, "Nope, we can share the bed equally, I will put the cushions between us like a wall." He suggested.

It still will be awkward to sleep with him, though, I don't think I can trust him. What if he touches me somewhere in the sleep, no! I can't let him!

"No, I am fine on the couch," I stated.

"As you wish." He says, turning off the lights.

_______

Meanings:

Mangal sutra, Sindoor = Things married woman wears after marriage.

Bhabhi sa= Sister-in-law