Part 1 – The Invitation

Delhi

“Khushi Singh Raizada.”

Arnav whispered, looking out the window from his private jet as it began its descent towards Delhi.  

He looked down at his ring and smiled, brushing his finger over it. A ring that his now fiancé had placed on his finger a little over six weeks ago when they were engaged. And now they were going to be married in five days.

Arnav Singh Raizada was getting married to the woman he loved more than life itself. A woman that made him do the unthinkable. Who would have thought that ASR could pull off his engagement the way he had? But he had, for her. It was solely to see the happiness on her face, and selfishly, he wanted to make Khushi officially his forever. Sooner, rather than later.

He had started planning the engagement prior to going to Delhi for a business trip couple of months back. First he had needed blessings from the two women who meant everything to him, his Nani and Di. That was easy since they were already eager to make Khushi part of our family. His family adored Khushi, and had already accepted her even before they knew about their relationship. The hardest part had been to convince her parents. More so her father than her mother. But, after they spent a few days together it gave them a chance to get closer for the one person that bound them together. He had left Delhi with their blessings, and was determined to be engaged in a couple of weeks.

But luck wasn’t on his side when he came back to find Sameer was in their life. At first he was thinking about holding off until the matter was solved. But there was no way he was going to allow Sameer to come in between their happiness. He decided to continue with his plan, making all the arrangements for their engagement, party and all, without her finding out. At the same time they worked on closing out the chapter of Sameer from their lives. Once and for all.

The engagement turned out exactly how he had envisioned it and more. It was a special day, and seeing her reaction throughout the day brought him immense pleasure.

But the wedding and all the rituals that came along with the package was all hers to decide and plan based on what she desired. He knew women had dreams growing up about their weddings, so he gave her full reign and sat back unless she needed his input. He didn’t believe in all of the rituals that her and both of their families planned for the next few days, but he would happily participate for her.

The only thing he was taking care of was their honeymoon. And he couldn’t wait to take his new wife away to paradise where it would only be the two of them for seven days.

“Wife.”  

He smiled at the way that sounded off his lips.

A few moments after the jet landed, he turned on his phone and instantly pushed the button that would connect them in matter of seconds.

“Am I speaking with the soon to be Mrs. Raizada.”  

After a sixteen hour flight all he wanted was to hear her voice, but all he heard was chaos in the background when she picked up the phone, mumbling an abrupt ‘hold on’.  

He made his way off the jet waiting for her to say something. A moment later, when she finally did speak, it was just as he had expected.  

“It’s still Ms. Gupta to you Mr. Raizada! I assume you just landed. Seriously, who comes five days before their own wedding. Here I have been running around like a crazy person for our shaadi, while lucky you gets to work. And, today is the Ganesh Puja and our Roka, and you are getting here now?!  Do you have any idea what I have been going through?”  

She frantically spoke in one breath, walking up to her bedroom after her mother’s final warning. His family was supposed to be arriving shortly for the puja to kick off the ceremonies for the wedding. And they were far from ready to host them.

“Deep breath, Sweetheart. If I knew this is how you were going to get, then I swear we would have eloped.”

She raised her eyebrow, with a slow smirk curving her mouth, walking inside her bedroom, then closing the door.

“Is it too late? Now that you are finally here- how about I sneak out and we go to the mandir? All we need is sindoor, mangalsutra, saat phere, and BAM… we are married. What do you think?”

His laughter soared through the phone, making her burst into laughter at the thought of how absurd she sounded. But things had been out of control since their engagement six weeks back.

She decided to multi task putting the phone on speaker, then proceeded to get undressed. She smiled seeing her mother had her clothes and jewelry ready, laid out on the bed. Now all she needed to do was get ready, but looking at the saree she knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I think that’s a brilliant idea. How about I pick you up in an hour?”

“You and I both know the consequences if we did that, though it would be amusing to see the reaction from our family. Okay baby, I have to get changed before Amma comes in here and dresses me herself. Are you coming straight here or going home to get ready?”

He walked out of the terminal feeling the Delhi heat in contrast to the cold weather he left behind in New York. After spotting Bala, his driver, he took quick strides towards the car. He looked at his watch mentally swearing for already running late for the puja.

“Actually I am going to Shantivan first, but I promise to be there soon. I just wanted to hear your voice and inform you that I had landed. I can’t wait to see your beautiful face. It’s been way too long.”

“Three weeks and two days to be exact. Please hurry up, I am waiting.” She sighed, putting the phone close to her chest after they hung up.

“Finally, he is here!” She squealed in excitement, jumping up and down in her room.

It had been weeks since they had seen each other, and now that he was here, all she wanted was to be in his arms.

How things had changed after their engagement. The inseparable couple was forced to go their separate ways. He went to his penthouse alone that night, while she went to her apartment with her parents.

It had been tough staying away while she was in New York, but at the same time he was supportive and respectful with her parents around.   

He had forced her to take a few days off from work right after the engagement to spend time with her parents. Arnav had also ensured her workload was cut back, taking it all on himself to give her time with their family to plan their wedding after the engagement.

They both decided to get married on New Year’s Eve with the wedding ceremony taking place after midnight. A new beginning of their relationship as husband and wife, with a new year.  

Both families were thrilled with the idea, but had wished for the wedding to take place back home in Delhi. They had happily agreed to respect their wishes. All that mattered was they were getting married.

She smiled, thinking about their argument when he mentioned she should go to Delhi with their families with only him staying back in New York. They went back and forth, but in the end he won since one of them needed to be in Delhi to overlook the arrangements. And since he took care of the engagement, it was her turn now to handle their shaadi preparations.

Khushi took a deep breath, looking at the wallpaper on her phone. A picture of them looking into each other’s eyes from their engagement party. She whispered.  

“I can’t believe that in matter of days, I will become, Khushi Singh Raizada.”

This kicks off the Shaadi Special as our favorite jodi from Stripped, Arnav and Khushi, embark on their journey to wedded bliss. Hoping you all will accept the invitaion to join me here for an eight part short story.

As always, Thank you for being here!

Love always,

Jigs