"What the hell I heard, Ani?" - Shivaay asked when all the three girls stood on one side and Shivaay was standing on the other side.

"Nothing!" - All three said in chorus in a fake grin. They were trying to make the situation calm.

"I heard everything." - He replied firmly.

"I think Ani, You both should talk about it privately. We wait outside." - Kalpana said and held gauri's wrist who was still in the shock of his visit. They both went outside and said shivaay wanted to talk to her privately when Divya made her way towards her room.

"But tomorrow is sangeet, How can we leave them alone?" - She asked.

"Things beyond our hands long before, Aunty." - Words escaped from gauri's lips who was still in shock. Kalpana pinched her wrist and she blinked twice at her.

"She meant the marriage, They are engaged right. He will in a few minutes, Divya aunty. Don't worry!" - Kalpana said and glared at Gauri as soon as Divya left the place.

*******

"What's happening, Ani?" - He asked her who was still standing at the same place in shock. Anika didn't know what to say, Even she was too shocked at that moment. But she calmed herself to console the human who was her partner in this particular crime. And the pregnancy before marriage is considered as crime still in India.

"Please sit." - She said holding his shoulders and made him sit in the bed. She kneeled before him.

"It just a possibility, Because I am late and over that time, We weren't safe. And technically that day was most unsafer days of that month. So It's just a possibility, Nothing is confirmed, Yet." - She said cupping his face. His lips parted to 'O' and he forgets to blink.

"Say something. Nothing went out of our hands." - She continued looking deep into his eyes. She wanted to figure out how much it shocked him. But she could read nothing.

"I don't know what to say." - He whispered and In no time, He hugged her to the tightest hug. She was blank when she felt his warm tears in her shoulder where he buried his face. That provoked the tears in her eyes.

On the other hand, He was in the emotional roller coaster. He heard something which he thought he never hears it in his lifetime. For him, It was a surprise after a surprise. He didn't think about anything, He fed up thanking God, On his first life, He undergoes shock and pain than Surprises and Happiness but in contrast now, He left with no words.

"Please say something." - She pleaded him which provoke the chuckle. He broke the hug and tugged her messed up hair behind her earlobes. The worried face slowly faded to normal when he kissed her cheek again.

"I left with no words. I don't know what to say."- He suppressed his smile and looked at her.

"Oh my god," - She exclaimed in shock and sat on the floor placing her palms in his knee caps. Now it was her time to get shocked. He sat next to her in the floor.

"Now, Can you please say something?" - He asked taking her right palm and caressing it in his lap. She tried to talk turning around But stopped. She left with no words.

"You're behaving like someone who wanted to be a father for a long time." - She said after a long pause glancing him uncountable times.

"Are you 23?" - She asked when he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"Can I tell you one truth?" - He asked She responded with a simple hmm. She looked at the night sky when she saw him seeing it.

"This universe is too weird, Anything can happen to Anyone at any time. I am happy that finally, all the dark clouds faded away from our life and now there's nothing to block the brightness to reach us." - He said looking at that. She looked at him weirdly.

"You belong to the earth, Right." - She asked him when she couldn't understand anything he speaks.

"Nobody belongs to Nowhere." - He replied looking at the skies.

"Oh my god, You have become mad in shock." - She said, He busted to laugh hearing her comment.

"Just a correction, Became mad in happiness." - He said. Her facial expression changed into worry.

"Now what happened?" - He asked her.

"You hate babies." - She yelled at him.

"Not mine and I love babies, You misunderstood." - He said in assurance.

"Please, I know how you ran miles away when our teacher brought her one year son to school." - Anika said looking at him.

"When did that happen?" - He asked her while trying to recall the past.

"Eleventh grade." - Anika replied in an instant.

"I was immature then and for your kind information, I have grown up." - He replied with a chuckle.

"Then why the hell you didn't speak about it in these 6 years." - She raised her tone due to his reaction, She never expected that reaction from him.

"Because we didn't get a chance to discuss it." - He replied. She remained statue in his grip.

"Babies are blessings, Ani. They are not a burden. I know nothing was confirmed, Yet. But we should be prepared for everything. Okay?" - He asked holding her chin and made her face him.

"Sometimes I feel like dating an old man who almost had every experience in this world." - Anika spoke. She was still in shock.

"I told you, Right. I came from the future." - He said while pulling her to his embrace. She playfully hit him in his chest.

"You're full of surprises." - She replied.

*******

Even he don't want to leave her. He had to go when Divya and Harsh knocked on the locked door and asked him to leave since marriage was in the hold in the next two days. But he called her as soon as he reached his house. He knows She must have frightened due to the unexpected events. He rested the call when she fell asleep talking with him.

The next day, The plan was simple, Haldi ceremony will be happening in the morning and the sangeet will be happening grandly in JW Marriott. Even it was happening in a short period, Their marriage almost hooked up the society they belong to. And nobody had no complaints about it. Initially, Anika asked her father to see the expenses, But eventually, she had to stay silent when her father heard none of her words.

Anika woke up late, None of her friends urged her to wake up soon. But Divya was shocked when she saw her in a messed up state when she came to her room. But didn't say anything. She got ready in a few minutes when her sister and her two friends helped out.

"How are you feeling right now?" - Gauri asked her while fixing the dupatta of her lehenga in her shoulder.

"Better than yesterday." - She whispered. Limited words shared between her friends but they understood everything.

They became slightly emotional when her sister slightly became emotional while applying Haldi in her face. Divya kissed her forehead And asked the reason behind lowness in her facial expression. She was not sad but worried about how will be seen if everything turns out to be true. But relaxed, Thinking whatever happens she won't go through it alone. Even Shivaay was equally responsible. Immediately after the Haldi ceremony, Another ceremony took place, Mehendi. She wonders how people managed to tired the bride and groom throughout the process of rituals. She was enjoying, She was laughing at her mama and mami's crazy dance moves, But it was a question which was deep in her heart.

"Why this much expenses, We are happy with a simple register marriage."

But she didn't speak up. She didn't want to turn down the excitement in their face even a little bit. But when she wore the lehenga after getting it fixed. She lost the words. She looks like another person. She wasn't looking like a princess, She was the princess. Oh, my dreamy mother!

She shifted back to the Purple lehenga which was chosen by her mother-in-law for Mehendi. She didn't know what to say, But it looked perfect on her like a lavish queen. Maybe that would be the difference between the mother and mother-in-law. Mothers want us to be a princess forever but Mother-In-law, They never fail to remember us the responsibility of marriage and being the queen of her own family. Well, That the growth.

Mehendi decorated her hand from the tip of her fingers to her forearms. The chillness she got when the Mehendi artist started her job was mesmerizing, She started to feel like a bride. The feel of getting married. The feel of their love finally going to reach the destination. For her, It was priceless.

"She's getting married to the next Pincode, Why should I cry?" - Anika heard her father's voice when he sat next to her and observed the designs in her hands.

"It means you won't cry when you send me off?" - She asked him in a shocking reaction.

"Nope. Never." - He assured her.

"Why?" - Anika asked him in an emotional tone.

"Because daddy loves me more." - Bhavya intrudes. Anika glared at her.

"I already decided when I got married to your mom." - Her father said and anika looked confused.

"I will tell you clearly," - Her father started while taking a piece of sliced lemon and gently placed it in her hands.

"You know about your mom, She was a great mom and No wonder, She was a great wife. But more than that, She was a great daughter. And you know one unknowing fact, She was the great feminist. Feminists not in the sense of those ruthless women nowadays. But she's one whom I admire all the time."

"She wanted to be independent, When your grandfather did her kanyadhan, She didn't speak a word against it but let her father do whatever he wants. But after that ritual whispered to me that, This ritual didn't matter to her, She said marriage is all about uniting families and there's no name of transferring the ownership of a girl from her father to a husband. She was clear in her point. And also said, Even She had to do the same to her daughters in the future, She will be happy for the addition of a new member or members in the family, Why she should be sad for the things that never matter to her. Whatever happens, you both always remain as our daughter and Marriage is the ritual of bringing two families together via two individuals. Understand." - His father asked while pinching her cheek when she looked at him shockingly.

She never saw this face of her father ever. She saw her father who was emotional when she said she's going to do an internship in L.A. She saw her father hugging her tightly taking in his arms when she got a panic attack after getting locked in the rehearsal hall. She saw her dad hugging her for the whole 3 hours the day after her mom died. She thought he might become so emotional when he will send her off. But something else was happing. You can't predict life.

"Moreover My best friend tej is going to be my relative after your marriage, Why I should cry when lots of happy things happening around me." - He asked her.

"But from tomorrow I am going to stay in his house." - Anika asked him and tried whether it will provoke the tears in his eyes. But she never thought she will get a reply like that.

"My dear daughter, For the past two years, You didn't visit your home once, I got habituated to see your face in computer screens and phone to the latest. So baby! Sorry, you try going in vain." - Her father chuckled hugging her. She chuckled back but couldn't hug him back due to the Mehendi.

They were on their way to the hotel. JW Marriott, Per night stay costs around 12 thousand here. And to the highest, All the 250 guests from her side going to stay there overnight as sangeet as well as marriage going to take place there. Her head started to spin when tried to calculate the expenses with her fingers. From nowhere, Her mind had gone to the future and imagined herself spending money for her daughter's wedding. She shrugged off her thoughts. Over then, She got a call from the person who was responsible for her thoughts.

"Hey! What's up?" - He asked her in a vibrant tone as soon as she attended the call. With his tone, She understood, He trying to be cool but inside he's more afraid than her.

"On my way to our wedding destination." - She replied through the phone. She was accompanied by Divya who was in the passenger seat, Her father was driving. Kalpana and bhavya were in the back seat and Bhavya sat next to her. Everyone ignored her wantedly.

"Everyone around you." - He asked concerned.

"Yes." - She replied with a smile.

"So chat?" - He asked her.

"Please." - She replied.

"Before that, Tell me you're fine." - He asked her.

"Better than yesterday." - She replied He was not ready to rest the call. But she rested the call and switched to WhatsApp in an instant.

"I am fine, Don't worry about me." - She messaged.

"Thank god. And anything happened?"

"No. Let's wait until tomorrow."

"Hope everything goes fine."

"It will, I guess so."

"Don't worry, Even anything happens, Nothing will happen to you alone, We both get an equal bashing. Moreover, Don't take stress, Whatever is meant to happen, It should happen.

"Babaji. Please. don't start again."

"Okay, I am leaving. These boys getting into my nerves now. See you in sangeet. Bye."

"Bye"

********

Sangeet officially started when they welcomed the groom with a high beat Punjabi song. He startled when he entered the entrance. Anika couldn't stop herself from chuckling at him. Eventually, he started to enjoy the beat when the groom's side behind him started to dance at the start. Om and rudy wrapped their hands around his neck and started to dance. Eventually, he had to dance until he reaches her who was in the middle.

She was in her navy blue sleeveless lehenga with white stones all over top. With a simple diamond necklace and flaunting earings and small white maang tika peeped out from her hairstyle. And the dupatta revealed her flat abdomen. When his eyes fell on her belly, He couldn't stop himself thinking about the situation. He composed himself and stood next to her.

"Hi!" - He breathed out with a wide smile.

"Hi!" - She replied with the same smile.

They took the seat in their respective seats while holding her palms tightly. Everyone's eyes were placed on them who looked so delighted to see the happenings. Both couldn't able to figure out whether it was happening for real. When it comes to hosting, Gauri and Rudy hosted.

"I never thought I would be a judge this reality show." - Anika spoke in the middle of her mama and mami's dance who challenged tej and jhanvi. They accepted the challenge and danced for Suraj Hua madam. It was too delightful to watch. They were so happy and their happiness was shown in the energy they were dancing.

"Don't know whether I am a judge or not, But I am feeling myself in their place in our daughter's wedding." - He said kissing her palms. She looked at him shockingly when he also imagined a daughter in his imagination like her.

"What happened?" - He asked her when she looked at her shockingly.

"Even I imagined it as a daughter when my dad pays off a huge amount for this wedding. I saw yourself in that image." - She chuckled.

"I hope it will come true one day." - He held her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"Can't able to figure it out, Whether I should be excited or scared." - She asked him placing her head on his shoulder.

"Don't know, If we pose like this to the pictures, Definitely it will be a visual treat when we see it in future," - He said kissing her forehead for the pictures, It came out so naturally. The smile, The happiness, The completeness.

*********