Wearing a beautiful soft peach colored heavy organza printed saree sent by Tejaswi, alongwith a beautiful pearl necklace and pearl stud earrings, Meera came down in the living room after finding the stairs with lots of difficulty.
“Good morning, Meera.”, Tejaswi wished her as soon as she saw Meera coming down the stairs, and Meera immediately bent down touching her feet to take her blessings. Tejaswi blessed her before asking one of the servant to bring some red chilies from the kitchen.
“You are looking really beautiful.”, Tejaswi said and took the red chilies from the servant before rotating them on Meera’s head for seven times to ward off any evil eyes, and then gave it back to the servant asking him to burn those chilies in the garden.
“You want tea or coffee?”, Tejaswi asked sitting with Meera on the sofa and Meera politely denied saying she will have it afterwards.
“We usually have ritual of Chulha Poojan (A ritual of cooking food on first day in the in-laws house), but it is not a compulsion. So, if you want you can perform this pooja.”, Tejaswi said and Meera frowned as she was not aware of this ritual and Tejaswi happily explained her about the ritual in details.
Though Tejaswi had not expected but Meera immediately said that she is willing to do this ritual, much to Tejaswi’s happiness as she believed that nowadays girls are forgetting the importance of rituals. But looking at how Meera was more than happy to perform these rituals even when Tejaswi gave her an open option, made her happy.
“Come, I’ll show you the kitchen.”, Tejaswi said and Meera smiled not missing to notice that sudden happiness on Tejaswi’s face when she willing agreed to perform the ritual.
“You can prepare any sweet dish you want. Everything else will be taken care of by the chefs here.”, Tejaswi informed to Meera after introducing her to the chefs in the kitchen and Meera observed everything with interest.
“Ma’am do you need help?”, The head chef came towards Meera and asked after Tejaswi went out, and Meera thought for a moment before asking, “What does everyone like for breakfast?”
“Vivaansh sir only have black coffee and omelette in his breakfast. And for Tejaswi ma’am and Sheetal ma’am, we prepare as they order.”, The head chef informed briefly and Meera nodded her head and the head chef ask again, “Are you preparing breakfast for Vivaansh sir?”
Meera flushed a little before she nodded in no saying, “I am vegetarian so I cannot prepare omelette.”
Few minutes later, Meera had her pallu tucked around her waist and all the chefs were surrounded around her, sometimes looking at what special she is preparing and sometimes getting the ingredients she required. In short span of time, everyone started loving her as she also tried her best to answer their curiosity with laughter and smiles.
Huge wall clock in the kitchen struck five minutes to eight, and Meera was shocked looking at everyone rushing in and out of the kitchen if their life is on fire.
“Ma’am, is it done?”, One of the chef asked in hurry and Meera nodded replying, “Almost done. Give me five minutes more.”
“Ma’am, Vivaansh sir needs everything prepared on the table before sharp eight.”, The chef said getting panic and Meera looked up at her with strange expression.
However, ignoring everything right now, Meera concentrated on decorating the dish before finally taking it out to the dining area.
~~~~~~~~~~
Vivaansh who was about to sit on the head chair on the dining table, frowned looking at Meera coming out from the kitchen with a dish covered with lid in her hand.
“What is this? And why are you coming out from the kitchen?”, Vivaansh asked frowning and Meera smiled a little at him while keeping the dish on the table and then said looking at Tejaswi with a smile, “Aunty told me about the ritual where the bride has to prepare something sweet on her first day in her in-laws house. So, I just prepared this sweet dish.”
Vivaansh looked at his mother who nodded agreeing to Meera’s words, and he then looked back at Meera before slightly nodding at her side as they all sat on their chairs. Meera sat on the left side of Vivaansh whereas Tejaswi on his right side.
“By the way, she is your mother as well. You can call her mom.”, Vivaansh said casually while looking down in his plate and Meera looked at him chewing on her bottom lips before nodding meekly at him.
“Meera, make yourself at home. Here have something.”, Tejaswi said passing a dish on bread butter towards Meera, trying her best to make her feel comfortable.
“What have you prepared?”, Vivaansh asked while he himself opened the lid and peeked at the dish made by Meera, and she instantly replied with excitement, “Rabdi Ghevar. This is a special sweet dish of Rajasthan.”
“Serve it to me.”, Vivaansh said with authority and Meera glanced at Tejaswi who was busy in having her breakfast, and then she slowly served the piece of ghevar in Vivaansh’s dish while struggling to hide her reddening cheeks.
Vivaansh was busy having bite after the other of the delicacy, and Meera sat there in anticipation waiting for him to say something.
“Vivaansh, she is waiting for you to say something about the dish.”, Tejaswi said to Vivaansh in hush tone and Meera immediately looked away being caught.
“You should try it yourself.”, Vivaansh said referring to Meera, before taking another piece of ghevar from the dish and Tejaswi nodded her head at him disbelief when she saw Meera’s face saddening a bit.
Meera then immediately looked at Tejaswi and the later one smiled at her saying, “This is delicious, Meera. He is just teasing you.”
Meera took a sigh of relief, controlling her urge to glare at him. She then served breakfast for herself when she saw Vivaansh forwarding yet another big box towards her and she looked at him with frowns.
“This is also a ritual where the family members gifts something to the newly wedded bride after she had prepared sweets for them.”, Tejaswi answered instead of Vivaansh and Meera nodded before taking the box which Vivaansh had given her. And then even Tejaswi gave her an envelope asking her to open it. Meera opened the cover and her eyes widen taking out two tickets to Bora Bora Island.
“This will help you both to spend some time together and know each other better.”, Tejaswi said smiling and Meera again looked at the tickets in her hands before looking up at Vivaansh who was already looking at her waiting for her answer.
“If you are not ready to go right now, then we can plan it later.”, Vivaansh asked after looking at her confused expressions and Meera glanced at Tejaswi and smiled lightly at her before saying, “I want to go.”
“Great. You guys continue with your breakfast. I am going upstairs to my study room for attending a meeting.”, Vivaansh said wiping his hands and mouth and Tejaswi nodded her head in disbelief before saying, “Complete whatever meetings you have for now. But don’t forget that you have to take Meera at her house for Pagphera Rasam. Also, I want you to keep your schedule free for almost a month when you will be going for your honeymoon. “
Vivaansh chuckled glancing at Meera who was staring at Tejaswi with wide eyes on the mention of “Honeymoon”.
“You are scaring her, mom. And yes, I will take her to her house tomorrow.”, Vivaansh said the first part to Tejaswi while pointing towards Meera and she immediately composed herself. While he said the second part looking at Meera who then nodded her head slightly in agreement.
Meera kept looking at his retreating figure as he climbed the stairs and was amazed to witness his new shades after their each and every encounter.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Meera, this is Venisa, your personal handmaid. She will give you a tour of this mansion.”, Tejaswi introduced a girl, almost same as Meera’s age and Meera looked at Tejaswi shocked.
Personal handmaid?
However, Meera followed the girl named Venisa who took her at the first floor in the east wing.
“This is the east wing. And this whole wing belongs to Vivaansh sir and now you as well.”, The girl said while walking up to the first floor with Meera following her.
“There is also a lift behind the stairs, in case if you don’t want to use the stairs.”, The girl said further and Meera sighed feeling a little under pressure.
“This whole east wing is divided in five floors. First floor has home theatre, library. And also Vivaansh Sir’s study room where no one is allowed to enter without his permission.”, The girl informed showing her each and every room and Meera like an obedient child nodded while trying to remember the tricky directions.
“Second floor is a complete personal space for you. This floor has three more master bedrooms alongwith yours.”, The girl said pointing towards the three doors at the other end of the corridor, extreme opposite to their bedroom.
“Your room has sitting area, a huge bedroom with washroom attached, and then on the right side has a door opening to the stairs which will lead you to your and Vivaansh’s sir respective walk-in-closet alongwith in-built bathroom in it. Also there is a huge open balcony on the left corner of the room. And some couches and sofa are also arranged there for enjoying the view.”, The girl said but did not entered the bedroom finding it a awkward and Meera really appreciated this.
Then the girl lead her upstairs on the third floor where a beautiful open swimming pool was made, much bigger than Meera had ever imagined.
“This is an open swimming pool and you can have a beautiful view of sky from here at night .”, The girl said dreamily and Meera smiled looking at how excitedly the girl was explaining each and every thing.
“And then above this, there is a rooftop terrace with some cozy sofa and couch set-up there. So, this was a mini tour to your personal space.”, The girl said dramatically making Meera chucke before she asked, “Then what about mom?”
“They stay in the West wing. Tejaswi Ma’am has room on the first floor whereas Sheetal Ma’am has her room on second floor. Everything else is same in both the wings.”, The girl replied politely and Meera nodded understanding.
“Vivaansh sir does not like much interfere so no one comes in this wing without some urgent work or without Vivaansh sir calling them. So, you will have your complete privacy.”, The girl said further as they were now coming back towards the living room.
“Uhh…what does Mom meant when she said that you are my personal handmaid?”, Meera asked hesitantly, and the girl smiled before replying, “Everyone in this house has their own personal servant. Vivaansh sir has Kevin who takes care of his each and every thing. And similarly, even Tejaswi Ma’am and Sheetal Ma’am has their own personal servant to handle their work.”
Shock would be an understatement to express how Meera was feeling at the moment. Weird rules and protocols of this house was making her feel awkward.
“So, you will be there with me all the time?”, Meera asked frowning and the girl replied immediately, “Most of the time.”
“There is a garage in the other building beside this mansion where Vivaansh sir has a collection of beautiful and unique cars.”, The girl informed and Meera looked at her raising her brows and asked, “Does he like cars that much?”
“Don’t you know!? Vivaansh sir is crazy about his cars. He has more than 100 cars in his collection and most of them are imported from out of the country. He has this huge five storeyed building made specially for his cars.”, The girl informed dramatically and now Meera was surely feeling dizzy with all these luxurious talks.
Finally, they came back to the living room after taking a ‘mini’ tour of the mansion, and Tejaswi smiled calling her towards herself before she introduced her to a lady in black saree, “Meera, meet her. She is Sheetal Didi, my sister-in-law and Vivaansh’s Badi Maa.
