Just then, a young woman dressed in a peach-colored silk saree approached Asha ji, holding a child's hand.
Seeing her, Asha ji said warmly, "Where did you disappear to, dear? I've been searching for you everywhere!"
The girl was none other than Shivani.
Before she could respond, the little boy chirped in, "Mom, I had to pee! So Didi took me to the toilet."
Asha ji laughed and said, "Oh, I see," and taking them both by the hand, she led them toward Niranjan and Meeta.
Meanwhile, Abhay ji and Niranjan ji were sitting together, laughing loudly, reminiscing about their old school days.
Just then, Niranjan's eyes caught sight of the girl walking toward them. He nudged Meeta excitedly.
"Look, Meeta! What a beautiful girl!" he whispered.
"Where? I don't see any girl," Meeta said, scanning the crowd.
"There, right behind Asha ji, the one in the peach saree!" he pointed eagerly.
"Oh, that girl," Meeta said, pulling a face. "Yes, she's beautiful — but she's already married. Look, a child is holding her hand."
Niranjan let out a long sigh.
"If only she weren't married... I would've made her my younger daughter-in-law!" he said dramatically.
Watching them whisper and giggle, Abhay ji grew curious.
"What's going on? Tell me too!" he asked.
Niranjan shrugged. "Ah, what's the point? She's already married..."
Abhay ji frowned in confusion. "Married? What married? Tell me clearly! You're talking in riddles!"
(Just as they were talking, Abhay ji's phone rang, pulling him into a call. He missed the rest of their conversation.)
When Abhay ji hung up, Niranjan pointed behind him.
"We were talking about that girl — the one behind Asha bhabhi — holding the child's hand. If she wasn't married, I would've asked for her hand for my son!"
Turning around, Abhay ji finally caught sight of the girl — Shivani.
He looked confused. "Which girl?" he asked.
Laughing, Niranjan teased, "Man, you have four eyes — two God gave you, two science did — and you still can't see?
The girl in the peach saree walking just behind Asha bhabhi!"
Abhay ji grinned and shot back, "Looks like the lack of hair on your head has made your brain slip into your belly, you fool!
That girl is my daughter."
Niranjan and Meeta stared at him, shocked.
"What?!" they gasped.
Abhay ji smiled proudly. "Yes! She's my daughter, Shivani. And this little one is my son, Aditya."
He turned to Shivani and Aditya, saying warmly, "Come, beta, say hello to your uncle and aunty."
Shivani and Aditya both greeted respectfully, "Namaste, Uncle! Namaste, Aunty!"
Shivani then bent down to touch their feet, and seeing her, Aditya quickly followed.
Impressed, Niranjan and Meeta exchanged glances.
Niranjan said, "Yaar, your daughter isn't just beautiful, she's so well-mannered too."
Meeta nodded enthusiastically. "Bhai sahab, your daughter is truly a gem! And behen ji — you've given her such wonderful values."
Without wasting another moment, Niranjan said eagerly, "Friend, I want to ask for your daughter's hand for my younger son. Will you agree?"
Hearing this, Shivani blushed deep red and shyly slipped away, Aditya trailing behind her.
Abhay ji chuckled. "I would love to... but what if your son doesn't like my daughter?"
Niranjan waved off the concern. "Don't worry about him!
He already said — 'My father's choice is my choice.' If I say yes, he says yes.
So, what do you say? Is it a yes?"
Abhay ji laughed and nodded. "It's a yes."
Clapping his hands, Niranjan declared, "Done! My son is returning from America next week.
The day after he arrives, we'll have their engagement. Agreed?"
Abhay ji hesitated for a second, thinking about how fast everything was moving — then smiled.
"Alright, agreed!"
---
On the day of the engagement, Shivani wore a dazzling emerald-green lehenga.
Her fair complexion glowed so brightly, it seemed as if she had bathed in pure milk.
Asha ji called out to Riya, Shivani's best friend,
"Beta, could you go upstairs and check if Shivani's ready?"
Riya and Shivani were close as sisters — even though their worlds were vastly different.
Riya's father was a humble farmer, while Shivani's father was a retired professor and an emerging businessman.
Shivani was fair like a pearl; Riya dusky, resembling the divine bond of Radha and Krishna — or Krishna and Sudama in friendship.
When Riya entered the room and saw Shivani, she gasped.
"Yaar, if I were a boy, I'd have eloped with you right now and married you!" she joked.
Shivani frowned and snapped, "Get lost! Don't even show your face to me!"
Riya immediately caught her ears in apology,
"I'm sorry, yaar. I know you were waiting for me that day... at the inauguration party."