The way I used to live novel Chapter 34

Daksha's POV:-

By the time, we both went inside the temple, Indra Anna and his family were already there. Eeshwar uncle(Aarna's father) and Shekar uncle(Dhruv's father) were discussing something.n When they saw me, they gestured to me to go near them. Arjun told me to go and involved himself in casual talking with Indra Anna.

I went to them and greeted them. They smiled at me and told me the main issue.

"Daksha, I called you here to ask your opinion on something. Shekhar proposed a marriage alliance between Aarna and Dhruv. I know it is too sudden but I want my daughter to get settled in her life. You know her and her situation very well. So what do you think about this proposal? " he asked me. 

I thought for a while and replied to him. "Uncle. I understand your concerns. In the past, if someone had said that I would be very happy after getting married, I would have laughed in their face. But now, I feel it is true. Though it has been only a day since I got married, it is so blissful and I am enjoying every moment of my married life. So, I think she too will find her own happiness after marriage. You are an elder and you know what's good for your daughter. If you feel this marriage will help her to get some happiness, then go ahead with this proposal without any hesitation." I told him and he smiled at me warmly. All the while, Shekhar Uncle was just watching us.

"I am sure of this proposal, dear. It's just that I don't know how to convince her for this marriage," he said with a frown.

"Uncle, don't worry. Your daughter respects and loves you a lot. She will never say a 'No' to any of your decisions. All you have to do is ask her and she will be ready to do anything for you," I said and passed an assuring smile at him.

Meanwhile, Aarna too joined us and greeted us. After talking with Aarna, Sekhar uncle gestured to Eeshwar uncle with his eyes. So, he asked us to take our leave.

We went to my Attayya but she was busy with preparations for the pooja. So, we stood aside and talked for a while. When Arjun approached us, Aarna teased us for a while and introduced herself. After that, she left from there, leaving us alone.

Soon an awkward yet comfortable silence fell between us. To break the silence, he cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Earlier, for what did they call you?" He asked me but I hesitated to tell him.

After thinking that Dhruv was his friend and there was no harm to tell him the matter beforehand, I spoke up.

"They are thinking of a marriage alliance between Aarna and your friend Dhruv," I told him. 

He looked at me for a while and started laughing with a strange glint in his eyes. "Really? Soon my friend is going to face hell. His life will become a roller coaster ride. Aarna will make sure of that. She is a perfect match for him. He sure will be hot on his heels after facing her antics. God! I can imagine his misery." He said all that while laughing carefreely. 

I just stood there watching him in amusement. "Have some shame. You are having fun at the expense of your friend. I pity him for having a friend like you and sympathize with him for going to marry a devil incarnate," I told him while trying to stifle my laugh.

He was still laughing. So, I too joined him.

"By the way, will your friend be okay with this marriage?" I asked him after a while.

"Don't you worry about that. Just like my mom, his mother is also a great drama queen. She will definitely convince him." He grimaced and I laughed again at that.

Soon, Attayya called us for the pooja. We went along with her. After the pooja, I sat with my parents at the temple.

They asked about my well being and after making sure that I was happy at my in-law’s home, they took their leave. My Anna didn't attend the pooja as he was busy with something.

We too started for our house after bidding them goodbye. Before going, my girls hugged me and asked me to take care of myself. I nodded at them and joined Arjun in his car, with Attayya and Ammu coming in another car.

Unlike earlier, this time the journey was completely filled with silence. We soon reached the house.

Immediately entering the house, Attayya asked the maids to serve the food to everyone. After having the food, I went to Ammu's room to get some rest.

In the evening, Ammu woke me up from my sleep. She informed me that I needed to get ready for my nuptial night, making me go insane.

“Nuptial night? God! I completely forget about that. What to do now? Damn! I am not ready for this step. Wait, I can explain my views to him and I think Arjun will definitely understand me." After thinking about this, I calmed down to some extent.

Attayya and Ammu made me wear a cream-colored saree and adorned me with some jewelry. After that, they made a simple hair bun at the nape of my neck and pinned some flowers on it.

When I was completely ready, Attayya handed me a glass of milk and ushered me to his room.

After entering into the room reluctantly, I saw that Arjun was already in the room and stood uncomfortably at the window of his room.

I cleared my throat to make him aware of my presence. After hearing it, he turned around and saw me. He smiled at me lightly.

I stretched my hand to give him the glass of milk and he looked at it with disgust.

"Do I have to drink this glass full of milk now?" Still looking at the glass, he asked me repulsively. 

I stifled my laugh at this. "Not fully. You have to drink half of it and I will drink the other half," I told him.

"Really?" he asked me as if some burden was lifted from his shoulders.

"Yeah," I told him with a laugh.

"Then you have it first. I will drink it after you," he said and looked at me.

I sighed and drank half of the milk. After that, I handed him that glass. He had it in a single gulp while closing his eyes.

I smiled at his antics and took the glass from him.

"God, it was too sweet," he said while licking the remnants of the milk on his lips.

"What? It was not. I too drank the same milk, right? Why didn't I feel it?" I exclaimed.

"You didn't drink the same milk," he retorted.

"I did."

"You didn't."

"Have you gone crazy? We both drank the same milk from the same glass," I told him irritatedly.

"We might have drunk from the same glass but not the same liquid," he said.

"Stop irritating me. How can it be possible?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"It is possible and the fault is yours. The touch of your lips added the extra sweetness to it. God, I couldn't take it," he said dramatically with a teasing glint playing in his eyes.

"Damn! Too cheesy." I rolled my eyes at him.

"What cheesy? I just tried to lighten up the situation, okay? It is damn awkward." He told me with a smile.