I'm having trouble with posting Virat's sherwani in hyperlink, so here's the link: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_c72S5c4jUbM/TDskAnASoxI/AAABDU/82C4V7VLoBQ/s320/pakistani-bridal-sherwani-suits.jpg
Part 5:
Manvi shot Virat a look that said 'Shut up NOW'. Virat shut up alright, but didn't give up his pouting while Viren teased him.
"Getting romantic are we, lil brother?"
"If anybody'd let me", Virat muttered under his breath.
Jeevika decided to ignore her devar's momentarily kiddish behaviour and instead walked over to Manvi with the bags in her hand.
"I did say 20 mins - no more, no less. Besides, it's almost 3:40...I
have to get Manvi ready..", her tone became serious then,"and you have
to pack her medicines. Don't forget"
Virat give up his pouting,
nodding seriously then. Her medicines. He'd forget his own things before
he forgot that. His memory shortly visited a time that had past - when
he'd had to rush Manvi to the hospital on the day of the wedding - the
lonely wait, the doctors cryptic answers, the test reports, the beeping
machines, the cold blanched hospital walls staring back at him as the
hours passed by...it was a nightmare he hated reliving.
Manvi watched Virat in silence then as he packed her medicines and
then didn't even protest when Di proceeded to kick him out as 'the bride
needs to change'. She knew he still wasn't over that incident. It
worried him to no end, not knowing where tomorrow might just possibly
lead them...
He could fool the world with his poker face, but not her. She always
knew what was stirring beneath the surface. Just like how he always
knew that about her, she thought with a smile.
"Mannu!", Jeevika hugged her once the two sisters had privacy.
"So, how'd my devar do?", she knew Virat was perfect for Manvi.
Manvi raised her left hand to show her sister the ring.
"How do you think he did?"
"Quite well, if I do say so myself", Jeevika said, unable to conceal the grin on her face now.
"Okay, let's get to work", Jeevika placed most of the bags on the
side except for one. It was quite heavy and Manvi was sure this one was
the one with the lehenga in it. She couldn't help, but be a little
excited now. Come on, which girl doesn't love getting new clothes?
Her sister placed her in front of the dresser table, ordering her to
close her eyes first. Then slowly and carefully, Jeevika took out the
material, holding it behind her in the mirror.
"Look now"
Manvi's breath stopped as she took in the Lehenga. Pretty was an understatement. It didn't do the lehenga any justice at all. It was every bride's dream dress.
"It's perfect", Manvi whispered.
Jeevika grinned at the look on Manvi's face. Virat was going to be absolutely blown away when he saw his Mannu in this, she thought with a smug satisfaction.
The next 15 mins slipped away quickly, while Jeevika went to work on her lil sister.
*********
Meanwhile, the three guys had gotten into Viren's car and were listening
to music to while away their time when Viren suddenly remembered what
he had to do.
"Ouch!", Virat pretended to be hurt, when Viren chucked a box at him from the driver's seat.
"Change", Viren commanded with a smile.
"What?"
"You didn't actually believe I didn't get anything for you on your wedding day, did you?" Though I did almost forget about, Viren thought to himself silently. Idiot. Jeevika would have killed him.
Virat stared at his brother, then at the box, which had now landed on the empty seat beside him.
"C'mon, Open it!"
Virat carefully slid open the cover to reveal a grey sherwani. Nice, he couldn't help thinking.
"Thanx, bro!"
"No problem. Now, hurry up and change!", Viren exclaimed, catching sight of the time. It was almost 4 am.
*********
Manvi's hair was down, parted through the middle for the mang tikka. She had minimum jewellery on, but it suited her perfectly.
"There",
Jeevika exhaled, looking on in satisfaction. Manvi was literally
glowing with happiness and Jeevika couldn't wish for more. Manvi hugged
her sister on impulse, crying suddenly.
"I'm going to miss you, Di"
"Me too", Jeevika tried saying through her sobs, forbidding Manvi to cry though in case she wrecked herself.
They
stayed like that, hugging for a while when there was a knock on the
door and Virat's desperate voice could be heard saying,"Aren't you guys
done yet? How come they're not saying anything? Do we have to break the
door? It's almost 4!"
Jeevika smiled, shaking her head at her devar's impatience.
"C'mon, let's go before they decide to break the door!", Jeevika said helping Manvi up, laughing at Virat's antics.
"How long does it take to chan", Virat stopped in mid-sentence as the door opened.
His jaw dropped open at the vision walking toward him. Was that Mannu? Woah.
Manvi tried to stiffle her giggling at the sight of Virat's open
mouth. As she took in the sight of Virat though, she couldn't help but
appreciate her jiju's choice. Her Mr. Chep was looking...sexy, she
thought naughtily.
Viren stepped on his lil bro's toe so as to break his trance.
"As much as we know you'd love to stand here staring at her, you have to
marry her first...so let's go", Viren chipped in, unable to help
teasing his brother.
That brought Virat back to earth. Marriage, right. Well, he was definitely ready.
"Uhhh, Jeevika, we have to go back home", Viren started off nervously.
He knew this was important, but they had to get back to the house in
order to maintain some appearances so that the marriage could be done
successfully. Otherwise the two households might put two and two
together and...
Jeevika nodded placing Manvi's hand in Virat's.
"I'm trusting you, Virat. Don't ever break my trust", she said, a serious edge to her tone.
Virat nodded.
Jeevika ran inside to get the clothes bags and handing them to their
uncle she said, "These are her clothes. Put them away with everything
else. Please take care of them", she said, her eyes betraying her
cheerful face as a couple tears streaked down.
"Their my children as well", chachu said with a smile,"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything."
Jeevika and Viren hugged their siblings one last time as they departed for home. Whatever was to happen now, would happen.
Only chachu was left with them now.
"Could you give us a minute, Chachu?", Virat asked, studying Manvi's apprehensive face.
Chachu took a look at Virat and then said,"I'll meet the two of you at the bottom, just hurry." Dawn was threatening to break within a couple mins.
Virat waited until his chachu had climbed down and then turned to face Manvi.
"Are you ready?", he asked.
Manvi looked up at him and as she did, she smiled, all signs of her hesitation gone as she held his hand tightly.
"Forever"
Virat smiled, knowing everything was alright then. They walked towards
the edge, him helping her down then as he remembered his chachu's words
of leaving no evidence. He didn't have to worry though, as his chachu
had his back. They'd no sooner reached the ground then that Chachu took
it out and walked ahead of them to the car. He'd taken his place in the
driver's seat as Virat opened the back door for Manvi. The first streak
of sunlight danced across the sky just then, causing dawn to break.
Virat and Manvi turned to look at the sky then. It was in hues of
reddish orange and birds were chirping as everything seemed to magically
come to life.
It was a new beginning.
⭐️ Done! What do you think about their wedding clothes? I googled 😆
How was it? Thanx for reading😳
EDIT: I wrote an OS on Manvi's Illness which is what Virat remembers when he thinks about the hospital: Never Letting You Go
your ss was great to read! & as for the lehenga - it was beautiful 😃 it would suit manvi so well! please continue the creative process & entertain us with another lovely piece soon! 👏