The Engagement

                                    

                                          


"Ram, what is this I'm hearing. You want to get married in a temple?"
Ram's eyes kept drifting toward the plate of sweets on the table, wondering how he could grab one without being noticed. They were at the Sood house to discuss the marriage proposal, so he had to stay focused and behave properly. But the sweets were too tempting. In his daydream, every voice around him was a murmur. Aditya, sitting beside him, nudged him with his elbow to snap him back to reality.
"Huh?" Ram threw a confused look. Aditya suppressed a laugh behind his hand. 
"I'm asking something, Ram. Why are you so lost?" Nandini tried hard to hide the frustration in her voice.
"Yes mom. I was about to tell you." Ram looked at Nandini and then at Meera. "Priya and I had a discussion about it. It makes no sense to go through the whole lot of rituals only for formality."
"But, why?" Nandini was exasperated at the thought of a simple wedding. She had imagined a grand wedding, something that would be the talk of the town. What would be the point of this marriage, if she didn't get to show off her influence over him. She gave a tight smile. "You are getting married, Ram. You are The Ram Kapoor. I want it to be the biggest, most beautiful celebration of the year."
Ram winced as his mother mentioned his name like a business partner. "I understand Mom. But Priya wants to have a simple ceremony, with only close family." He tried to make reason with his mother. "It makes no sense to have an extravagant wedding, given our circumstances...."
"Why Priya?" Nandini turned her attention towards Priya. She knew that once Ram made up his mind, it was nearly impossible to change it. But perhaps she could sway Priya. "Do you really want this? Don't you want to celebrate your special day with all your family and friends?"
Priya got flustered under Nandini's sudden imposition. She had indeed suggested a simple wedding to Ram, she didn't want to waste away all her life savings over a sham wedding. But she never imagined that it would be brought up so abruptly in front of everyone. She had assumed Ram would have discussed it with his mother before coming. It seemed he hadn't. "I—I'm fine with a simple wedding...."
Ram noticed as her cheeks turned to a shade of red. He jumped in immediately to stop his mom from pestering her further, mentally chiding himself for not discussing it beforehand. "I agree with Priya, mom. It would be best to have a simple ceremony at temple. And you did say you wanted the wedding to happen quickly. I think it will be good."
Nandini threw her hands up in exasperation. "Fine. Do whatever you want. But there will be no compromise on the reception. That will be done my way, with all the grandeur it deserves."
Ram nodded, relieved to have reached some form of agreement. "Thank you, Mom."
Meera stepped in with the plate of sweets. "Let the children do as they wish. It's their wedding, after all." She smiled warmly at Ram as she fed him a piece of the sweet. "Congratulations, son." She gently ran her hand over his hair in a comforting gesture.
Ram felt a wave of emotion wash over him at her touch. It was a rare moment of maternal affection, and it stirred something deep within him. He looked away, trying to control his emotions.
"I think we should have the engagement today itself," Nandini suddenly announced. She couldn't wait to see the face of those ladies at club, when she would deliver the news of Ram's engagement. After all, she had convinced Ram to get married, merely within a week.
"Today?" Meera's face went pale. "But we haven't prepared anything—"
Nandini gave a 'Are you kidding me' look to her. "Don't worry Meera Ji. I've already taken care of everything."
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"Thank you, Priya." Meera wiped a tear away from her eyes as she hugged her daughter tightly. Few days before, she would have never believed that Priya would ever agree to marry someone. Today, she was sitting together with a man, whom she herself chose to marry. 
Unknown to her mother, a storm brewed inside Priya. She stared at the engagement ring on her finger, feeling a mix of astonishment and discomfort. The large blue diamond sparkled brightly— a family heirloom, way beyond anything she could have dreamed of owning. Her eyes drifted over to the simple golden band on Ram's finger. She shivered as the disparity between them washed over her like a bucket of cold water.
Meanwhile, Ram was having his own little meltdown—literally. Sweat dripped down his neck, and he was doing his best to wipe it off without being obvious. The heat was killing him while Priya was sitting by his side, all calm and collected covered from neck to toe. How is she not melting? He glanced at her, saw her deep in thought, and decided to break the silence. "One look at you and people will assume you're at a funeral. Do you want to borrow some smiles? I have enough to share." He grinned widely.
Priya snapped out of her thoughts, startled by his sudden jab. How dare he comment on her appearance? Her lips twitched as she prepared to retort with something mean. But before she could fire back, her eyes fell on his absolutely bewitching smile. He was grinning so innocently, there was nothing ill-intended in it. The whirlwind of emotions within her subdued. Surprising even herself, she found herself saying, "Whatever you say, Mr. Ice-Cream." 
He blinked in disbelief. Did she just tease him back? Before he could recover, she called out to her sister, Sara. "Can you turn down the AC? Mr. Suit here looks like he's about to melt."
Ram's mouth fell open, caught between gratitude and shock. "Did you just give me a nickname?" he asked, raising his eyebrows, his voice matching the playful tone she had used.
"I can't believe how fast everything is happening," Meera chuckled slightly, at their lame attempt to tease each other.
Nandini, standing nearby, laughed too. "Yeah, I can't believe it too. That's why even Subham and Shivina couldn't make it today. They had other plans, and you know how it is with kids these days." Her laughter felt a bit too casual, brushing it off as if it didn't matter.
Priya noticed the shift in Ram's expression, the way his smile faltered ever so slightly when Nandini laughed off his siblings absence. The disappointment in his eyes was unmistakable, and it stung her heart. How could they not be here for him, on such an important day? She could understand the feeling of having an absent family member. Without thinking, she reached over and gently placed her hand on his. Her touch was soft, hesitant, but filled with unspoken comfort. She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone, even if his own family wasn't here.
As Ram felt her touch on his hand, something warm jolted through his body. He stared at their hands, barely able to believe what had just happened. Priya—serious, guarded Priya—had reached out to him first. It was the first time someone outside of his small circle of friends had truly seen him, truly understood the hurt he was hiding. He looked up at her, his eyes softening, and gave her an assuring smile
Brinda and Aditya, standing in a corner, noticed the change in expression of Ram. "Do you see that, Adi? Don't you realize it yet? This marriage might be starting as a compromise, but Priya is a genuine person. And our Ram.... he deserves someone real. Someone who sees him." Brinda tried to pursue him to see the honesty in Priya.
Aditya remained silent; his gaze fixed on Ram. He had always seen Ram sitting quietly at family gatherings. Today, for the first time, he didn't look as alone. There was a quiet comfort between Ram and Priya, an ease, that hadn't been there before. Aditya wanted this happiness for his friend, to see him finally share his life with someone who understood him. He couldn't ignore the fact that Meera was in jail for seven years, but Brinda's words were forcing him to allow himself the hope that maybe, just maybe, Ram had found someone who could truly stand by his side.