Kitchen:
“Aarohi, today is your first day after marriage in our house. So you can prepare one sweet dish while I will look after the rest of the breakfast”, Priya, Advaith’s mother, told Aarohi who just entered into Kitchen for making breakfast.
“What should I prepare, aunty?”, Aarohi asked confused about what everyone in this family likes to eat.
“First of all, you are now the daughter of this house so you can call me Mom. And about the dish then you can make anything, whatever you are best at. No one will judge you here.”, Priya said lovingly caressing Aarohi’s head who smiled widely in return.
Though her terms with Advaith were not good, she was happy that at least other members in the family is accepting her wholeheartedly.
Aarohi started preparing kheer (An Indian sweet dish)a sweet dish and once she was done, priya said, “Aarohi, go and give coffee to Advaith. He needs his coffee first thing in the morning.”
Aarohi nodded and took the mug of coffee for Advaith before going to his, sorry, now their room.
Keeping the mug of coffee on the side-table, she open the curtains letting fresh sunrays enter the room, and Advaith who was in deep sleep groaned lifting his head and opening his eyes a little saying, “Aarohi close the curtains. i am sleeping a little more.”, Advaith said sleepily yet coldly before going back to his sleep while Aarohi replied, “Mom told me that you need your coffee in your bed so your coffee is kept there on the side-table.”
“Aarohi, though Mom asked you to do my work but you don’t have to do all this because I seriously don’t like anyone intruding in my personal life.”, Advaith said with stern face before getting up and walking into bathroom without having the coffee, once again leaving sad Aarohi behind. but soon she gathered herself as somewhere she already knew that this was coming.
Aarohi was setting the bed when she heard Advaith’s cellphone ringing. First, she ignored but when it did not stop ringing for the third time, she thought of checking it if in case it is some important call. She picked up his cell only to keep it back with heavy heart as soon as she saw ‘Love’ flashing on the screen.
“Your cellphone was ringing. It was from Love.", Aarohi said before hurriedly walking out of the room, whereas Advaith pressed the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was so confused and scared about how he will explain Aamira about this sudden marriage, and how will he handle both the relations at same time as somewhere down his heart he knew that even Aarohi wasn’t wrong at her place.
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“Bhabhi(sister-in-law), had bhai (brother) told you about his and Aamira’s affair?”, Aashi, Advaith’s sister, who saw Aarohi working alone in kitchen came and sat on kitchen slab, before asking the question which made Aarohi stiffened at her place.
Aarohi didn’t knew what to say and so she meekly bobbed her head in yes making Aashi sigh sadly.
“Bhabhi, I know the circumstances in which you and bhai got married was not expected. But please you don’t get sad. Everything will be fine with the time.”, Aashi tried her best to explain Aarohi about the situation and all Aarohi could do was to pass a small smile before saying, "You are too good Aashi. Thank you for making me feel better.”
“You can always share anything with me if something is bothering you. You can always count me in as your friend.”, Aashi comforted Aarohi who nodded in return and here Aarohi won one more heart without much efforts in less time.
“ok so—what have you made for your first Chulha Rasam?”, Aashi asked trying to lift-up Aarohi’s sad mood and it did worked as Aarohi started telling her about all the dishes she has prepared for her first ‘chulha-rasam’
[Chulha rasam is an Indian ritual where the daughter-in-law for first time have to make something sweet for breakfast]
~~~~~~~~~
“Leave it, don’t serve it to me. I don’t like sweet dish.”, Advaith stopped Aarohi from serving the Kheer which she had made specially for her ‘chulha-rasam’. And Aarohi nodded with heavy heart before walking to Priya for serving it to her.
“Aarohi, give kheer to Advaith also. Advaith she has made something sweet for the first time. Don’t say no to it. Atleast taste it a little for the sake of her happiness only.", Abhiraj, Advaith’s father said calmly yet sternly making Advaith sigh in frustration but still he had it little after Aarohi served him.
“Aarohi, kheer is really tasty. Seriously, you have magic in your hands. And here is the gift from me, Priya and Aashi for your first chulha rasam in our house.”, Abhiraj praised Aarohi and passed a box of heavy diamond necklace as saugat (gift), making all smile except Advaith who was getting really pissed off with all the drama.
“Advaith, while coming home from the office, you also get some gift for her. Husband has to give a gift to his wife for her first cooking.”, Priya suggested Advaith who nodded reluctantly as he can never ever go against his Mom. Typical mumma’s boy he is!!
They were disturbed by the door-bell and a butler opened the door to welcome Abhoy Basu who came to take his sister for ‘Rasam of Paghphera’.
{Paghphera is a ritual in India where newly wed bride visit her own house at first day of her marriage.}
“Aunty I am taking Aaru for the paghphera rasam. I will drop her by the evening.”, Abhoy, Aarohi’s brother proposed after sitting on sofa with others, while Advaith had already left upstairs to his room for getting ready for the office.
“No need to come for dropping her. Advaith will pick her up in the evening.”, Abhiraj said when he saw Advaith descending the stairs.
“Dad I have an important meeting. I won't be able to pick her from her house.”, Advaith immediately countered back as soon as he heard his dad’s suggestion for him to pick up Aarohi from her house in the evening.
Here he was trying to keep his distance from Aarohi, and his family were behind them to get them more and more close.
“Advaith work can wait but don’t neglect the fact that you are now a married man and your responsibilities have doubled. You are picking up Aarohi from her house in the evening. I will handle all your meetings.", Abhiraj declared once again, making Advaith grit his teeth and he glared at Aarohi, who looked away not being able to handle his angry gaze.
This was all observed by Abhoy but he thought of giving some time to them to adjust with the current situation before getting to any conclusion about them.
Soon Aarohi left with Abhoy for her place while Advaith also left for office with frustration in his mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Oh, look who is here! My sweet lovely daughter. How are you my child?”, Mishti , Aarohi’s mother, exclaimed as soon as she saw her daughter entering house.
Aarohi smiled widely seeing love and wait for herself in her mother’s eyes before replying, "I am good mumma. How are you and papa?”
“We all are also good but we miss you a lot. Didn’t Advaith come with you?”, Mishti asked looking behind her to find Advaith, while Abhoy handled the situation by saying, "Mom, let her at least enter first Advaith had some important meeting so he could not come with us. But he will come in the evening to pick Aaru.”
“oh, come inside. Itheve made all your favourite dishes. Your dad has gone to the market to get your favourite rosho-gulla", and there started chatting about Basu family.
{Rosho-gulla is a famous sweet in kolkata city of India}
………………
“Aaru, you are not having any problem at your in-law’s house, right? Advaith is behaving well with you?? I know the situation in which you got married was not favorable. But now that is your house and you are now the part of that family. So you have to take care of that house just like you used to take care of this house”, Currently Arnob and Aarohi were sitting in veranda of their house, spending some father-daughter time, where Arnob kept forward his worries for his daughter in front of her.
“Papa everyone are very nice in the family. And Advaith is also very nice with me. I know the situations weren’t good but he didn’t let me feel left out. Infact yesterday night he sat with me and encouraged me to give a chance to our marriage. Advaith is very understanding. He is treating me very nicely.", Aarohi said while pushing backvher tears to that were threatening to fall, as she could clearly see worries on her father's face and she never want him to take tension for her. He was already a heart-patient and tension is not at all good for him.
“I am relieved now. I was so worried for you since last night that I could not even sleep properly. But now I am happy that you are comfortable there.”, Arnob exclaimed with relief making Aarohi’s heart churn for lying to her father but she was helpless as she cannot let her father worry more for her own problems.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Evening:
It was eight in the evening and Basu family were chatting when Mishti said, “Aaru, call Advaith and ask when he is coming to pick you up. It is already dinner time.”
Aarohi’s eyes widened thinking about how she will tell her family that she doesn’t even have her husband’s number, while her parents were waiting for her to connect the call to Advaith.
