My Destined One

Pre-wedding Ceremonies Part 2

Meera's POV

  Monday mornings are never loved by anyone. My case was no different. I loathed it the same way the others did. However, today was different. It was Monday but it was better as I didn't have to face Aarsh, at least for today. I know from Wednesday he won't be coming, and now I just wished that he doesn't come even tomorrow. I was determined since the time I stepped inside the building that I will avoid him like a plague. How? I had no idea. I had a goal in my mind but not a path. Maybe god felt pity on me and that's why he decided not come. I was worried when I heard that he still needs a bit rest as wedding preparations are having toll on his body, but was somewhat relieved when I heard the fever was not there anymore. Everything was going as good as possible. Great.

  The day was uneventful if described. I worked as usual. Well not only me, the entire office, for the first time really seemed usual. I was about to leave the work, when Vivek bhai called me and said that I need to get some Aarsh's signs on some documents and we need it in the meeting tomorrow. We can't delay it anymore. I gulped. It's an easy task for anyone, but not for me. I promised that I won't step inside his house alone before the marriage and here I am breaking the promise just after a day. Great! I reached his home, ring the door bell, waited for it to be opened. Lalita Didi opened it. I entered and straight way made my way to his office. Lets get done with it as soon as possible. Phew!

  I entered the office after I knocked twice. I saw he was in his home cloths, sitting on his chair, working on his computer. I went to his desk, stood on the other side. I understood he didn't notice me. To get the attention, I cleared my throat which broke the silence in his office. "Am sorry I didn't see you here. What is it? Is it for the documents or something else?" He asked me, leaning on the back rest of his chair. What shocked me was the playful tone in his words. It was very slight but not unnoticed. I cleared my mind from unnecessary thoughts and focused on the job I was here for. "Well... its just the documents only. I need your signatures and that will be all." "Ok, give me the file and please sit down. It will take a while for me to read it." I simply took the offer as I was quite tired to keep on standing. 

  Its been quite a while since he's reading the file. Sometimes I felt that he was looking at me, I tried not be bothered with that. I kept on staring here and there, played with my phone and did whatever possible to kill the time. I was playing a game on my phone when I heard him ask, "What's there on your neck?" I looked up, gave a confused look as it took time to wrap my mind around his question to understand. s**t, its been quite a while I didn't do touch up. It completely went out of my mind. Maybe the foundation became splotchy there a bit. "Where?" I said while trying to hide it. "Yes, exactly where your hand is." "But I don't feel anything. No pain, no itchiness." "No but something is there. Here take the tissue and wipe it off. I think you got something there." No, no, no, no, I can't wipe it. If I did it, the makeup will be removed. "Wait, lemme go to the washroom, I will clean it there." And the very next moment, I found myself to the near by washroom from his office.

  I entered the washroom. True to my nightmare, the make up was splotchy at that spot. I did a light touch up, checked many a times. When I was 100% sure it was alright then only I left the washroom and went back to his office. "Oh, you came back. Am done reading the file, I have just signed it. Here, take it. That will be all then. And by the way, tomorrow I will be not in the town. Am going somewhere." "Where?" I blurted out before I can stop myself. "I mean if I need you, I should know whether I can call you or not." "Well, I advise you to manage by yourself tomorrow as the place am going is quite far and am pretty much sure there will be network issues. I will comeback on Wednesday, well I have to cause my family will be here. And from Thursday I want you either here or at Sana's place. The choice is yours. You have the invitation from both side." "Well, its fun at bride's place before marriage and groom's place after marriage. So I call for bride's side now." "Well as you wish." "So that will be all I guess, see you."

  I was almost at the door when I heard him call me again. "Meera, wait." "Yes." "Well, I heard you were there when I had fever." s**t its happening. He is digging it. "Yes. I was. I came for signatures, but you were ill and Didi had to rush home." "Ya, I know that. I heard you stayed that night." "Yep. So?" "Ummm... I don't know how to say this ... don't take it other wise. May be it's a hallucination. But, did something... happened.. that shouldn't have happened?" "What do you mean?" "I want to know did something ... anything happened?" "No. Nothing happened. Why do you ask?" "Well, after that night everything felt normal, but nothing was normal. My mouth tasted different, well that was may be cause I was sick." No you i***t, you tasted me and that felt weird in the morning. Just shut the f**k up. "Then there was a bowl of water with a piece of cloth. When Lalita Didi came, I asked her and then she informed me that you were there and left early morning because of an emergency. Why did you leave? Why didn't you wait for me to get up?" 

  What should I say now! "I ... ahhh... left cause I had to go somewhere in the morning. So I needed to go home and change and then had to rush there. So when I was awake, I saw it was quite early, saw that you didn't have fever, left a note for Didi ad then went back home." "Is that it?" "Ya... that's it." "Ok, you can go. See you soon, I guess." Finally. I came out of the office, went to the front door and soon dashed out of the property. f**k, that was close. He didn't remember anything but still he was close on finding it out. Thank God he didn't ask me about the mark on my neck. I went to the main road, got a cab and went home as soon as possible. I shouldn't have come here alone. I shouldn't have. Its a good thing he doesn't remember any of it. But still, standing infront of him after everything made me felt uneasy. 

  Well, Thursday came quite early. I hadn't had a talk with Aarsh after Monday. Firstly, I didn't need to and secondly I wanted to avoid him as much as possible. Its Mehendi night today. Girls put henna on their hand. Its a belief that darker the colour of your henna, the deeper is the love of your partner. Yes, it sounds strange and at some level absurd, but it is what it is. Sana wrote Aarsh's name on her palm. It was a night full of fun and chatter. Well, practically tomorrow they will be a married couple so let them enjoy and have fun. Most of our friends are here. Well, just like me, they chose Sana's side before marriage and Aarsh's side after marriage. Well, nobody's gonna blame them. We were gossiping when all of a sudden Sana's mom came and clapped her hands to get out attention amidst the loud music. "Who will go to Aarsh's house to bring the turmeric tomorrow? Come on come on, decide it now so that her father can do the arrangements soon. We also have to send lots of gifts to their house."

  Well, it was a huge responsibility to bring the turmeric and give the gifts as per the arrangements were done. Its better to send some one responsible for these jobs. All of a sudden Maithili stood up from her sit and said, "No matter what, who is going and who is not, I don't care, I will be for sure going. I don't know who will be my companions but you have to bear me no matter what." As if we don't bear you already. I said in my mind. Vidushi then spoke up, "If you are the one going, we must send some one who is expert in these kinds of work, cause honestly speaking you won't be of any use there." Hearing her honest confession, everyone laughed in the room. Poor Maithili. "So who will officially take the responsibility huh?" Sana's mother asked again. "I think Meera is the perfect one for this job." Sanjay beamed all of a sudden. Why? "I mean come on, she does this kind of work under Aarsh. I have heard it and seen it many a times. He makes her do all the arrangements in an event. And she is quite responsible too. At least compared to all of us. Give her some people who will listen to her and your work will be done aunty." He explained his suggestion.

  Sana's mother looked at me with hope in her eyes. I felt a bit sad but smiled at her and said, "Don't worry aunty your work will be done. Send some of Sana's cousins with me and I will make sure everything is done as if you yourself were there." She gave me one of her brightest smile and went away from there. I settled back down when I heard Shagun near my ears, "Are you sure you wanna go to his house babe?" "I had to. He is my boss, somewhere or the other I have to face him no matter what. And I told you he doesn't remember anything." "But that doesn't change your attitude towards him. Meera, I thought you made him weak. But after knowing everything, being a person who is just watching it from outside, I can say he makes you way weaker for him than you can ever imagine. I still remember how he used to stare at you back in class, how he was different with you. f**k, his chats were not at all friendly. He used to flirt with you." "Will you stop it? I still remember what he used to do. You don't have to remind me of anything." "I am trying to remind you the promise you took. You promised yourself that you will distance him from yourself, ignore him, neglect him in some way. But what happened? You ended up working in his company as his PA. Wow. Such a good way of keeping a promise. Meera, after you started working with him, there isn't a day you don't talk about him. You are whipped Miss Sharma."

  Listening to her made me angrier by the seconds. I know whatever she is saying its not wrong. Its true from every bit. But it is what it is. "I am not whipped by any one. And please lets not discuss it anymore here, ok? Am pretty sure after tomorrow night we don't have to talk about on this topic any more, alright?" She looked at me for a few seconds, may be thinking something. But after that she smirked and said, "We will see." The nerve of this girl. If she hadn't been my best friend then I would have smacked her face hard, making my handprints stick on her cheeks for days, at least. Bloody hell. When will this goddamn marriage be over for once and for all? Right now am just counting the minutes. Phew!