Part - 1

"Papa, please, Not again" Sanjana says in a disinterested tone.

"Sanjana, beta, see it's the right time for you to get married & start your new life" Sundar tried to make understand his stubborn daughter.

"But, Papa, how many times that I have to tell you I'm not going to get married, EVER!" She tells her dad angrily but in a gentle tone.

"Sanjana, you know your maa's health condition, she survived twice from heart attack but she is worrying she might not survive next time, she wants to see you married before anything happens to her" Sundar tells her gently caressing her head.

"Papa, nothing will happen to maa" Sanjana's voice quivers.

"I know Beta, we both wish for her healthy life but you should understand her worry too. Why you are denying to get married? Do you...Do you love someone?? If so tell me, beta. I'll get you married to him" Sundar says with an encouraging smile.

"Papa!" she admonishes him gently. "You know I don't do this love-shove thing. It's just I don't want any commitments. I want my freedom. I want to be only your daughter always"

"You will be darling. You will be our daughter always, that's not going to change ever. It's just you'll be having a new family to love u as well."

"Papa, all I want is you & maa. I want to be with you all my life. You don't have anyone to take care of you other than me."

"Sanjana, who will take care of you after us? You have a life ahead to lead & you need someone to walk along with you right?" That's when Jaanvi, Sanjana's mother enters her room with eyes full of hope. She silently asks her husband about Sanjana's decision for which he silently shakes his head in negation & Jaanvi's face falls.

"Sanjana" Jaanvi gently calls her daughter & sat beside her on the bed taking her hand in hers.

"Maa, please. Don't start with your sentimental talks & force me into this marriage."

"Sanjana, just listen to me. We are not forcing you into anything. It's a good marriage proposal. Sridhar's family has good name & reputation in the society. We just don't want this proposal to slip from our hands"

"But Maa..." she hesitates.

"Sanjana, we are not forcing you. You talk to this guy and if you like him, then we will take forward things or we will just drop the idea." Sundar tells her with a smile. She nods her head half heartedly not sure with the idea of getting married as she always dreamed for staying single & looking after her parents. Jaanvi smiles at Sundar, obviously relieved.

"Good. I'll inform Sridhar's, so that they can come & meet you tomorrow" Sundar says excitedly & walked out of her room to make a call while Sanjana lies on her mother's lap confused.

- - -

"Hi, I'm Gautham Sridhar" Gautham stretches his hand out to Sanjana for a shake.

"Hi, Sanjana Sundar" Sanjana takes his hand with a smile.

"Come" he guides her in to the cafe. Morning, at Sundar's mansion Gautham's parents had come to meet Sanjana & her family. They were so pleased seeing Sanjana & liked her in an instant & approved that she will make a best life partner to their son. Due to some urgent meeting Gautham couldn't accompany his parents to meet the Sundar's & he apologized for that to Sundar & even asked for his permission to meet Sanjana personally so now they are seated in a cafe.

"My parents liked you" Gautham tells her with soft smile.

"Same here. Maa & Papa are very particular about not missing this proposal. They were kept on going about saying you are a rare found, a gem of a person, a perfect husband a girl could ever get..."

"Whoa! Whoa! That's quite an overstatement" Gautham chuckles. Sanjana bites her lips to stop her blabbering.

"So??" Gautham asks. Sanjana looks at him puzzled that's when the waiter arrives at their side to take their order. Assuming he is asking what she wants to have she whispers "Latte". With a slight grin Gautham orders the waiter "Latte for the lady & Cappucino for me" & he dismisses him quickly. Then Gautham studies her for a while, she is squirming on her seat, fidgeting with her fingers as if nervous & her face is little upset.

"Are you not happy with the proposal?" Gautham asks her after taking a sip from his coffee.

"Um...uh...why do you ask the question?" Sanjana asks wondering what gives away to him that she is not much interested in this marriage.

"So I'm right. Are you forced into this marriage??"

"Well, I'm not forced, my parents will never do that." she says with pride.

"You don't like me?" he asks.

"No! um... I do like you. what's not there to like? You are good looking, well educated, successful, seems friendly too. It's just I'm worried"

"Worried?" Gautham asks confused though partly relieved that she likes him.

"Worried for my freedom, all the commitment & responsibilities, above all my parents. They don't have anyone to take care of them. All they have is me & once I get married & moved out... then they... I..." she struggles to explain her inner turmoil to him but he clearly gets from where she is coming from. "I just want to be with them. I love them" Sanjana finishes her sentence looking down at her knotted fingers. Gautham admires her with a pleasant smile on his face. She is so sweet & loving! He thoughts & that's the moment he fell in love with her.

"Sanjana" he calls her gently seeking her attention to look at him. Sanjana could hear tenderness in his tone & looked up at him.

"I Vow you, I'll never snatch your freedom away from u, you will be the same Sanjana what you are now even at the age of hundred"

"I don't want to live that long" she chuckles.

"But I do. I want you by my side even longer. You can say I'm greedy but it's true" Gautham tells her taking her hand in his & looking her with his compassionate eyes.

"And regarding your worries on commitments & responsibilities, one day or the other you have to embrace them right, you cannot keep on shunning away so why not now? But I promise you I will never be burdened you with anything you can't handle & always keep this in mind I'm with you to share your responsibilities, share you love..." Each & every single word of Gautham's holds so much promises which Sanjana could witness through his sincere eyes.

"And??" Sanjana is already melting to his warm words but still she needs answer for her biggest worry. Her parents!

"When you become mine, they will become my parents too & I know to take care of them well so you don't have to worry about them" Oh my! He is indeed a gem of a person! Sanjana thoughts.

"You like me?" Sanjana asks.

"More than like. If I didn't like you then I wouldn't be giving you all these vows" Gautham grins at her making her blush.

"Okay" Sanjana shyly whispers.

"Okay what?"

"I'll marry you." Sanjana smiles at him

"You will?" he asks her in surprise. He expected her to take some time to accept him & the marriage but she just knocked him down by her sudden acceptance. She nods.

"You made me so happy. Thank you" Gautham smiles taking her hand in his and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Okay, now shall we have some general conversation?" Sanjana asks with a smile.

"Sure. Tell me about yourself?"

"hmm... I am a jewelry designer. I run our family jewelry business with Papa's guidance..." she didn't know what else to say.

"Interesting" Gautham says with admiration. Sanjana pauses for a minute expecting him to tell about himself.

"I'm an architect" Gautham interjects. "I have a construction company. Building buildings are my passion."

"Oh, that's nice" Sanjana smiles. Then they talked about some random things, their likes & dislike, favorite foods, movies, etc.

"I guess we should leave, we are getting late." Sanjana says.

"Yep. Come I'll drop you home" After placing the bill for their coffee Gautham takes Sanjana's hand & leads her to his car. They remained silent just stealing glances & sharing smiles occasionally & soon they reached Sanjana's house.

- - -

"Gautham, welcome Son" Sundar invites Gautham warmly. Gautham smiles & took his future in laws blessings.

"Papa, I'm sorry for not coming to meet you all in the morning, I was held up in an urgent work" Gautham apologizes to Sundar.

Sanjana smiles happily hearing him call her father 'Papa' like she does.

"It's okay, Son." Sundar pats him affectionately & gestures him to sit.

"I have asked Sanjana to design our engagement rings" Gautham informs them. Jaanvi turns to her daughter in surprise that she had agreed for the marriage just by one talk with Gautham when they hoped for high persuasion.

"Sanjana, you are happy with your decision right?? You didnt agree for us right??" Sundar asks to make sure his daughter agreed on her own accord.

"Yes, I agreed for your happiness but I'm happy with my decision because I like him, Papa" she declares openly without any hesitance.

"I knew it. I knew you will surely like Gautham" Sundar says proudly. Gautham smiles.

"Then I'll leave Papa. I'll ask Dad & Mom to talk with you regarding the engagement date" Gautham says. Sundar nods.

"Take care of your health Maa" Gautham tells Jaanvi with a smile & she smiles back at him. Sanjana even told him about her mother's heart disease.

"Bye, Sanjana" he smiles showing his cute dimples.

"Bye, Gautham" she whispers back, shyly.

- - -

(8 months later)

"Hello darling" Gautham says picking up her call on the final ring

"Don't talk to me, Gautham!" Sanjana hisses at him

"Then why did you call me, Sweetheart?? If you don't want to talk then hang up so that I can sleep & dream on you" Gautham tells her in a teasing tone.

"Because I'm hell mad at you" she says pissed.

"Why baby? What, pray, have I done to earn your ire" Gautham asks confused.

"Why you didn't pick my call all day?"

"I was busy with work, Honey"

"Oh please, stop with your buttery "darling, sweetheart, baby, honey" words. It's only making me madder" she growls at him over the phone.

"I'm sorry but I can't help it, cup cake" Gautham tells & Sanjana could sense his grin over phone & it makes her grin too.

"You know well to calm me with your words" she pouts.

"That I do. If you were here then I would have calmed you with my other naughty ways"

"Naughty ways?"

"Calmed you with my charm, with my smile, with my kiss..."

"Shut up!" Sanjana shouts but couldn't control the blush creeping on her face. Gautham chuckles. He loves to rile her up & calm her too.

"So what's up?" Sanjana asks forgetting her anger over him.

"Ceiling" Gautham teases her.

"Gah! You are such an arse" She scolds at him for making fun of her. Gautham chuckles.

"Okay, Cool My sweet Jalebi. I just came home from work. Quite a tiring day but finally the work is over. I'm happy with the outcome" Gautham says to her while he stretches on his bed.

"Oh great. I'm happy that finally your project got over & it came well too for which you have postponed our wedding." she pouts. He smiles hearing her desperate tone.

"I miss you, Gautham. I'm tired of toying with our engagement ring & constantly thinking about you & counting the days, minutes & hours for our wedding."

"Just a night baby, tomorrow you'll be mine."

"Not tomorrow, Today! It's way past 12 am." Sanjana reminds him.

"Oh yeah. So what are you doing now?" Gautham asks.

"Talking to you & admiring my mehendi." Sanjana says with a smile as she looked at the letter "G" written on her hand. "And you?" she asks back.

"Lying on bed & talking with you while gazing the moon. Whenever I see the moon I feel close to you"

"Awe...Sir is in romantic mood huh? Well, from tonight you should look at me not the moon okay?"

"With pleasure madam! I'll look at your pretty face but tell me you want me to only look at your face or to do lot more?" he asks in a sexy tone which sends shiver to her spine.

"Shut up, Gautham" she blushes.

"Okay, now let me have my beauty sleep then only I'll look fresh in my wedding. You too sleep; I want my beautiful bride to look even more beautiful than ever"

"Okay, Goodnight, Gautham"

"Goodnight, Angel" Sanjana smiles hearing that & hangs up. She then looks at her engagement ring, a heart shape diamond studded platinum ring, simple & elegant designed by herself with Gautham's help & she is momentarily whisked back to her engagement day which took place two weeks later from their first meet in the coffee shop & she smiles remembering Gautham's Vows to her, it was the sweetest thing she has ever heard & it still rings in her ears

"With this ring, I give you My heart, My soul, My very life, I belong to you & only you. I'll make my life's mission to keep you happy & safe. I love you!"

... To be continued!!!

Hello guys, here I'm back with a short love story!

Hope you all will like it!

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