“Jija.” Heer hugged Ajabdeh and immediately felt she was home. They were standing on the stairs of the Punwar Mansion entrance Ajabdeh was pleasantly surprised to see her. Her hug felt warm and comfortable. Ajabdeh placed her hand on her sister’s head. No amount of video calls could make up for this feeling.
“Have you not been eating in Delhi?” She frowned at her sibling “You look thinner.” Heer shook her head and wiped her tears. “I missed you.”
“That is your surprise number one.” Shakti walked up behind her on the threshold.
“Best ever.” Ajabdeh smiled at him and back at Heer, holding her hands tighter in her own and kissing her cheeks.
“Wait for the rest to decide that,” Shakti warned. Ajabdeh shook her head. “Still the best. This is not replaceable.”
Her eyes met Pratap’s across to the portico of the cars where he was helping his mother out. He walked over to Heer and smiled at her.
“How are you?” He asked.
“We talk every day.” She frowned at his words “Remember?” Ajabdeh was taken aback by her words as she stared at her and then at Pratap confused. “Even if Jija forgets to call me, you never!” Pratap smiled at her and looked at his wife. Would she like this intrusion? He had never told her. Her smile said everything.
Heer had let go of her hand and walked up to Jaivanta and Udai to take their blessings. Jaivanta hugged her with a smile.
“Have you not been eating?” She asked almost in the same way Ajabdeh did.
Rukaiya walked up to welcome them in, smiling at Heer.
“Ready for the rest of the surprises?” She asked. Ajabdeh looked at her and back at Shakti. “You are scaring me.”
“I hope you didn’t tell her.” Rukaiya shot a warning glance at Shakti. He shook his head firmly in protest.”Not a word.”
“Good.” She took Ajabdeh by her hand “Come with me.” She glanced back at Pratap and added “You too.”
“Wait… where is Jalal?” Pratap asked while checking his watch “He said he will be here before me.”
“I haven’t talked to Mr Khan or…” Rukaiya’s face looked pale as Ajabdeh frowned at her “Have you been overworking? You look pale.”
“I am fine.”
“I will go call him and check where he is. Let’s wait for him, this was after all his plan mostly.” Shakti spoke, taking out his phone from his pocket to dial Jalal as Jaivanta, Udai and Heer walked up behind them. The screeching sound of a car halting made Shakti disconnect the call as they saw Jalal toss the keys to the assigned valet and walk up the stairs.
“Sorry I am late.” He spoke while taking off his sunglasses. “Khan Baba was not feeling well.”
“Is he fine now?” Ajabdeh looked worried.
“Oh he is fine he will join us first thing tomorrow morning.” He reassured her.
“So what are we doing?” Jalal asked, looking around.
“We are giving Jija her surprise and we're waiting so that you don’t miss it.” Heer smiled at Jalal. “Let’s go.”
Ajabdeh let out a small gasp when she saw the decorations. The drapes were in shades of purple and lavender, and the flowers in the background were sunflowers.
“You stole my lookbook!” She shot a glance at Heer then at Rukaiya.
“We didn’t steal your lookbook,” Jalal explained. “We just made it come alive.”
“What is a lookbook?” Jaivanta asked as Shakti explained it to her.
Rukaiya and Heer took Ajabdeh to go through the details of the decorations. The Victorian lamps with candles in them, the white fairy lights on the borders of each drape, the round pink and lavender centre stage, the canopy over it, and the four pillars of sunflowers. The background of orchids and lilies. The place looked straight out of a fairytale.
“Do you like the surprise?” Rukaiya smiled.
“Like it?” She smiled “I love it. Thank you. All of you.”
“Ahem! It was my plan.” Jalal smiled. “Thank me.”
“We executed it.” Shakti frowned.
“I gave you the lookbook!” Heer protested. They laughed together.
“Excuse me.” Rukaiya said, “I will go meet Ma’am and ask her if she likes it.” She walked over to Jaivanta.
“Let's go to my room Jija.” Heer smiled. “We will share a room. I have so much to talk of.” She remembered something. “But first…” She ran to Pratap.
“Dadabhai.” She smiled at him “Thank you for bringing us back home. This place looks so nice. This means so much.” Pratap stopped her by patting her shoulders.
“Complete your course and then I will ask you for expert advice on interiors.” He made her nod. “Now excuse me.” She teased “I will steal your wife away now. You won’t see her around at least till the Pheras.”
“That is okay but I have another complaint altogether.” Pratap folded his arms on his chest and spoke “Are all the surprises for Ajabdeh? What about me?”
“Oh, you will have yours when the time comes.” Heer winked and giggled making him raise his eyebrows. “Now I am so eager.”
“Don’t overthink it.” She reminded him as she walked up to Ajabdeh and dragged her away inside by her hand. Ajabdeh turned back once to look at Pratap who smiled at her with a reassuring nod.
“Listen, Rukaiya.” Jalal stopped her on her way before she could meet Jaivanta. “I didn’t mean to offend you that day.”
“I am not offended.” She looked away awkwardly.
“If it makes you uncomfortable we can forget whatever I said and move on.” He suggested. Rukaiya shook her head. “I am not sure why I said it.”
“Oh, are you not?” He stared at her words “I can’t forget what you said at all.” She sounded serious.
“So?” Jalal looked helpless “What can I do? I was being honest and…”
“We will talk of that once this wedding is over. Our aim now is this.”
“We will?” Jalal looked at her hopefully. Rukaiya smiled faintly and nodded affirmatively. “Excuse me.” She walked past him towards Jaivanta and Udai.
“Will you like to check the wedding attire of the bride, Ma’am?” Rukaiya spoke to Jaivanta “They have been made to order just as you told.”
“Sure.” She turned to Udai.
“I will see you in the room.”
Jaivanta was pleasantly surprised by the way the red and gold lehenga with pink veil looked. It had a hint of modernity in the traditional gaudy look. She inspected the Chunri. The pearl and green trinkets on it perfectly complemented the heirloom jewellery she had received from her mother-in-law. It was time to pass some of it on to Ajabdeh. She also inspected the Safa that was kept for the groom. His grandfather’s brooch would be a perfect fit on the beige and maroon combination lined with gold borders.
Satisfied, she approved the designs for Rukaiya.
Ajabdeh was sitting on the parapet as tiny fairy lights shone around the borders of the roof making her silhouette visible in the dusk.
Pratap almost tripped on one of the cables and that made her look up. Pratap was bored out of his wits by the lack of function he had at his own wedding. Shakti had made him sit all day in the room he shared with his brother and Jalal and was not letting him work at all.
"You can go meet some guests." Jalal smiled amused "Most of them have arrived."
"No thank you." He had snapped making them laugh.
“Oh, you are here too?” He asked, sounding unsure. She nodded affirmatively. Her face was calm. The gentle breeze made her hair sway and she was in her pyjamas.
“I thought this was my place of escape.” she shrugged. "There are too many guests around the place to even walk out of the room unnoticed.
"How did you…" he asked.
"The fire escape." She shrugged. "Ranima decided to call my uncle and his family to the wedding."
"She... what?" He raised his eyebrows. "They are here?" She nodded.
"And?" He asked, a little worried.
"They complimented on how you redesigned the place. Kakisa told Heer I played my cards well and bagged a fortune. And that they were very upset with the deception that I came here with you under a false name." She sounded like she couldn't care less. "Anyway, how about you?"
“I am very bored." He declared sitting down on the parapet beside her.
"Ratnawati was looking all over for you." She was amused.
"No. That's not the kind of entertainment I need at all." He protested.
"She is not that bad." Ajabdeh shrugged.
"Are we supposed to meet?" He asked all of a sudden, as though he was thinking aloud.
"What if Ranima finds out?"
"You sound like a child who bunked school." She shook her head with a slight hint of laughter. "Nobody knows I come up here."
"Not even Heer?" He asked a little surprised "I thought she knew everything."
Ajabdeh shook her head. "Some things are personal." Like my memories with Papa.
Pratap looked up at her. But you shared it with me.
"Are you alright?" He asked a little confused "You don't seem too …. Err…" happy? He lacked a better word.
She smiled a melancholy smile. "I just wish Maasa was here." She declared "She always wanted Heer and me back in this place, happy."
If she was here would we still be here? Pratap shook his head dismissing his own degraded thought. How could he even…
"You want to talk about her?" He offered to listen.
"I have to go." Ajabdeh got up to leave brushing some dust off her pyjamas.
"So soon?" He asked almost in a reflex. She nodded.
"I have a dress to try out with Ranima." She declared "It is supposed to be the best dress I ever saw in my life."
Pratap smiled at the nonchalant way she said it. Any other girl would be excited. But not her. Not for a dress.
"Have you written your vows down?" She asked curiously before leaving. He smiled.
"I thought someone said we are not supposed to discuss it." He stared at her amused.
"I am not discussing it." She defended herself "I am making sure you remember."
"Oh, I don't need to write them down. I remember." He added. Ajabdeh looked at him rather suspiciously before she walked away.
Ajabdeh could barely move in her dress. She looked at herself in the mirror. The choli hung to her upper body tightly, exposing her neck rather deeper than she liked and the strings were confusing to detach by herself. The lehenga was almost half her body weight and she could barely walk in it. It seemed to be pulling her down to the ground.
"This is too heavy." She declared, staring at Rukaiya. "I can't even walk properly."
"Oh, it's a matter of just a few hours." Jaivanta looked happy with the end results. "It suits you."
"But can't I wear something a little lighter?" She asked. "Perhaps a little less gaudy?"
"That is out of the question." Jaivanta almost snapped. " You are going to wear the family heirloom and what befits the bride of the Sisodiya house. You are not Ajabdeh Punwar anymore." Then who am I? Someone you can parade for your guests? So it suits the Sisodiya bride not Ajabdeh Punwar after all.
Jaivanta was firm on her words. "Rukaiya can you pass me the jewellery? Let's try those too with the dress." She saw Rukaiya nod at her client. A sudden realisation hit Ajabdeh. This is what they do. That's their job to please the client. Rukaiya was doing her job well. The mang tika followed the neckpiece, earring and Nath. The Sitahaar and bangles were added.
"With the right make-up and hairdo, this will look regal." Jaivanta looked satisfied. "The necklace belongs to my mother-in-law. She always wanted Pratap's wife to have it. The Nathni belongs to my mother." She spoke. Ajabdeh looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was her. Yet it wasn't.
The morning started with Heer helping the makeup artist and dresser with the first set of attires Jaivanta had chosen for Ajabdeh's rituals. It included a yellow handloom saree with a red border and blouse, jewellery made from fresh Jasmines and yellow roses and a sleek diamond pendant to go with her bangles. Heer watched the experts at work and once they were done Ajabdeh looked very different. She was never used to seeing her Jija dressed up.
"I got you something," Heer said as the crew left them alone. She opened a box and took out a pair of silver anklets from it.
"Maasa's anklet." Ajabdeh looked up at her sister with her eyes shining.
"She wanted you to have these. Always." Heer said, wiping away a tear with the end of her white dupatta that was teamed with a yellow dress.
"Come it's time for the Haldi." Rukaiya declared entering the room in a bright yellow sharara.
Pratap was trying to force a smile at the over-enthusiastic women who hovered around him. His kurta was yellow and the borders had a red lining. The women, including his aunts, cousins, and a few friends giggled and poked at him. It was then that Manwati who was sitting quietly beside him in an off-white Anarkali dress smiled and walked past the crowd making him watch in her direction.
The moment Ajabdeh saw Manwati the first and very unnatural thing she did for herself was give Maan a hug.
"How are you?" She asked as Maan smiled.
"A lot better. Nandini sends her apologies. She had been told not to travel by the doctor."
"Is she alright?" Ajabdeh asked.
"Yes." Maan smiled. "she is due next week."
"Stop chatting away girls." It was Sajja who smiled taking Ajabdeh by her hand. "You will have lots of time after the rituals."
That was when Maan moved away and Ajabdeh caught a glimpse of Pratap who smiled reassuringly. She approached the couch on which they were both made to sit for the Haldi rituals.
Jalal looked across the crowd at Rukaiya busy arranging for the lunch buffet when he walked up to her.
"I thought this is your best friend's wedding." He said, making her turn to stare at him confused.
"Pardon?" She asked as her brows narrowed together in ripples "I didn't get you."
"If you only concentrate on the wedding as a job how will you enjoy it?" He asked.
"I am not supposed to enjoy it. I am supposed to make sure everything is perfect for her." Rukaiya shrugged.
"And how will it be if you are missing everything?" He asked, " Ajabdeh will want you around."
Rukaiya watched him walk away towards the gathering.
Ajabdeh sat inspecting her face in the mirror after the ceremony and bathing.
"Do I look yellow?" She asked Heer.
"No." Heer smiled "You are glowing." That made her sister give her a disapproving cold stare.
"Here." Rukaiya smiled walking into the room to hang her lehenga from one of the curtain rods. " I will get your lunch here and then you can start getting ready."
Ajabdeh heaved a sigh staring at the lehenga again.
"I am sorry," Rukaiya spoke. "I know you don't like it but I had to do what I was told."
"I understand. It doesn't matter." Ajabdeh shook her head. "It's just a lehenga."
"No, it's not." Heer frowned. "It is THE lehenga."
"I bet Pratap will be surprised though." Rukaiya smiled. "She did look gorgeous."
"Dadabhai can't take his eyes off her today." Heer agreed.
"This is a marriage of convenience, Heer. I would like it if you both treated it as it is than pretend it's something it is not." Ajabdeh's words made Heer and Rukaiya stop smiling. It was Manwati who walked into the room just then and Heer left with Rukaiya to check on Pratap while Maan sat down on the window sill.
"Do you actually believe that still?" She asked Ajabdeh who looked up at her.
"Believe what?"
"That this is a marriage of convenience" Maan shook her head "And it's not developed beyond it?"
"I don't know Maan." Ajabdeh sighed. "Isn't that what this was?"
"Doesn't mean it always will be so." Maan smiled "You only said Dadabhai cares."
"No, I didn't say so." Ajabdeh protested.
"Well not in those exact words yes." Maan agreed. "But anyone who knows you both can see that this is beyond what it was supposed to be."
"What do you mean?" Ajabdeh asked.
"Well. If they didn't see it, Mausi would never have had this wedding in the first place." Maan added, "Everyone can see you two care for each other."
"Of course we do. He is… he is a …. Friend." Ajabdeh stammered.
"I am sure he is." Maan agreed "But you don't see the potential in your relationship. Or perhaps you are too afraid to."
"I don't…" Ajabdeh stopped as Maan leaned forward and put her finger on Ajabdeh's lip. "It's okay. Just make sure you keep the option open."
"Option? What option?"
"That you will perhaps fall in love with him, and he with you." Maan left Ajabdeh flushed.
"You do look like a real prince in this." Heer gushed as Jalal adjusted Pratap's safa.
"I know I am very handsome." He chuckled.
"Not as gorgeous as my Jija. Wait till you see her." Heer smiled.
"Does the Sherwani fit right?" Rukaiya asked.
"It is perfect. Thank you." Pratap nodded.
Jalal smiled at him. "Are you ready with your vows?" He nodded.
"Doesn't he look annoyingly confident for a groom?" It was Shakti who spoke, making all of them laugh.
"It is because this is all an act." Pratap made them stare at each other. "We are married already."
"But that doesn't mean the vows mean nothing." Shakti frowned. "stop calling it all an act. It means something."
"I didn't mean it was fake." Pratap clarified "It is just unnecessary."
"Say your vows like you mean them and that will be enough." Jalal tried to defuse the matter.
"Of course I mean them." Pratap nodded "It's just that she knows it already."
"Oh does she?" Rukaiya asked. "I just came here hearing her rant about a marriage of convenience."
An awkward silence filled the room. Pratap stared at her words for a few seconds then smiled.
"Here you are. Am done dressing up. You all can leave me alone now."
As they all dispersed, Heer gave him a hug and Rukaiya stopped at the threshold. She turned to see Pratap putting the safa down and straightening his hair.
"Umm… Mr Singh?" Rukaiya spoke unsure as the others left. "I didn't mean to upset you. It was so unlike me to say it like that. Whatever Ajabdeh said…"
"I am not upset, Rukaiya." Pratap smiled. "She is not wrong."
"But…" Rukaiya looked worried.
"But don't worry. We are working on the relationship." Pratap smiled at her genuinely. "And we are friends today. Maybe in the future…" a smile curved Rukaiya's lips as her eyes shone with hope.
"I just want her to be happy." She spoke. Pratap nodded. He did understand. And he too had hope.
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