The sun has risen, its rays gently filtering through the window, though not yet bright enough to illuminate the entire room. The soothing sounds of birds chirping and the soft rustle of the wind create a calming morning ambiance, almost lulling someone back to sleep.
She awakens to discover it’s only 5:00 a.m., she usually wakes up at 5:30. For a moment, she simply gazes out the window while still sitting on the edge of her bed. Her messy braid, cascading down her shoulder to her waist, sways slightly as she finally stands up and walks to the washroom. After freshening up, she returns to her room, tidies her bed, and retrieves her yoga mat from beneath it to commence her daily routine.About 30 minutes later, she finishes her yoga session. As a true chai enthusiast, now she heads to the kitchen to brew herself a comforting cup of tea, enjoying the serene silence of the house. She was working quietly to avoid waking her parents. Their home is a two-story building, where she and her parents occupy the ground floor, while her younger brother who currently resides in a hostel on his college campus, living on the first floor.
She returns to her room with her chai, settles into the chair by the window with her book, and begins to read. Reading and writing bring her immense joy; they have a soothing effect on her mind and help her stay away from overthinking.
Previously, she was a teacher, a role she enjoyed, but her passion for writing eventually took precedence. Now, she earns a decent living from her writing. Although she has faced criticism from relatives and others, it has not diminished her determination to follow her dreams. Furthermore, her parents have always supported her unwaveringly. Others’ opinions no longer mattered to her; although they used to make her sad, she has now learned to simply ignore them. Before she knew it, half an hour had gone by, and the sun's rays grew more intense. She stood up, placed her book on the shelf beside the window, and headed off to take a bath.
Afterward, she emerged dressed in her maroon printed kurta paired with matching pants. She dried her hair and combed it into a braid before making her way into the hall, where her parents were already seated, sipping tea.
“Good morning, Maa… Good morning, Baba,” she greeted them as she took a seat.
“Good morning, beta,” they replied almost in unison. She spent some time with them before rising to head to the kitchen. “maa main breakfast bana deti hoon ..aap baitho yahan .”
Amrita and Anurag exchanged smiles as they gazed at their daughter. "humari beti kitni badi ho gyi h Amrita, kuch dino mein hi wo humse door bhi chale jayegi ". Anurag remarked to his wife when they found a moment alone. Amrita simply nodded in agreement. “Lekin hum usse wo baat batayenge kaise ” she pondered, lost in thought. Anurag glanced at her before responding, “We’ll talk to her this evening, and I trust our daughter, she will understand.”
Later that evening, Soumya was busy setting the table after helping her mother prepare dinner. After they finished eating, they stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. Her father in the mid of their talking and laughing, said , “Soumya beta, we received a marriage proposal for you. After learning about the young man, we felt he was a good match, and his family seems nice too.” He turned to Soumya, watching closely for her reaction... and to say that she was surprised would be an understatement . She was taken aback; it was the first time her parents had ever mentioned marriage to her, and now she felt uncertain about what to do. However, her father continued, “maine abhi unhe milne ke liye haan nhi kaha h soni . ”
As she was still trying to process all of this, her mother chimed in, “Beta .. kabhi toh shaadi karna hi hai ,abhi waqt bhi achha h aur aise rishte baar baar nhi aate ..ek baar unse mil lo , jaan lo aur tumhe achhe lage toh hi hum aage badhenge .” Her mother said while gently patting her hair.
By now, they had arrived home after their walk. They settled in the living room, exchanging glances between each other and their daughter. Soumya had remained silent ever since they shared the news. After a period of quiet contemplation, she finally turned to look at her parents and found them gazing at her, eagerly awaiting her response. “Maa, Baba,. achanak se mujhe kuch samajh nhi aa raha par agar aap dono ko ye thik lagta h toh mujhe koi dikkat nhi h , “main unse milne ke liye taiyaar hoon, Baba,” she said while glancing down at her hands.
Amrita and Anurag were filled with joy as they listened to their daughter; their beaming smiles spoke volumes, and Soumya felt a surge of happiness seeing them like that. “hum jante h ye sab kuch bahot achanak se ho raha h soni par jo hoga wo achha hi hoga ,” Amrita said softly, stroking her face. They called her by soni at home .
After spending some more time with her parents, Soumya retreated to her room and sat on her bed, lost in thought. She was taken aback by the marriage proposal. Yet, she held no reservations about the sacred bond of marriage; deep in her heart, she envisioned a day when she would unite with a man chosen by her parents, a man who she would liked .
She had agreed to meet him, yet a flutter of nerves stirred within her, contemplating the myriad of possibilities. Their encounter was set for the day they would journey to Delhi for her maternal cousin's wedding reception—just three days away.
What if he didn’t find her appealing? She wasn't the slender figure society often praised; she was curvy, yet in her own eyes, she was beautiful.
After much contemplation, she resolved that the only path forward was to embrace her true self.
As she nestled into her slumber, one name reverberated through her thoughts, that her mother had revealed, "Anand" his name.
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