Boxset: Destiny Decides.. & Destiny Embraces..

by P. G. Van

  Srini laughed as he understood what I had told Nate. I turned to look at him and asked, “Srini, I know you understood what I said to Nate, but what is so funny?”

  Srini’s laughter finally subsided and he looked at Nick and asked, “She doesn’t know, does she?”

  Nick smiled and shook his head. The beautiful smile eased the tension just a bit and I asked, “Nick, what is Srini talking about?”

  Srini spoke out of excitement before Nick could respond and said, “Meera, Nick may not speak Telugu very well, but he understands every bit of it.”

  I covered my mouth with my palms and looked at Nate, and she had the exact same expression. The boys were smiling at each other as they enjoyed the situation.

  “Nick, why didn’t you tell me?” I asked moving towards him and put my arms around him.

  Nick smiled at me and said, “I thought you knew. I did pick up most of my Telugu when I was here for three years. Srini helped brush up my skills.”

  “I am so glad to hear that,” I said to Nick smiling and added whispering in his ear, “I know I upset you with the Rajput thing, but I promise we will talk about it before I decide to do anything about the ceremony. Please give me my happy Nick back.”

  Nick smiled and planted a kiss on my forehead and teased, “I have been around all along. Where have you been?”

  “I love you, Nick. I will see you at the mehendi event tomorrow because I know you will not go to the temple with us later today,” I said smiling as the cars approached us.

  “I am going to the temple, love,” Nick said winking at me, as he followed Srini to the car. I blushed and smiled at him.

  I followed Nate to our car and headed to my grandparents’ place where my mom and stepdad were waiting for us.

  “Meera, this is so exciting. I am so happy for you guys,” Nate said on our way back giving me a hug.

  “Happiest time of my life Nate. I never thought Nick could be mine,” I said looking at the beautiful engagement ring on my finger.

  “We knew all along how crazy Nick was about you,” she said smiling and added, “That ring is just stunning, and I can’t believe he bought it the day he saw you at the farmer’s market.”

  “I know,” I said rolling my eyes and added laughing, “I still don’t understand what he saw that day for him to go get a ring.”

  “It’s true love Meera,” Nate said in a deep tone.

  “You are right Nate, and I know why,” I said smiling to myself.

  “What is it?” Nate asked with excitement.

  “I will tell you after your wedding, Nate. I am not going to let any of my stuff take anybody’s attention away from the most memorable days of your and Srini’s life,” I said in a firm tone.

  “Oh c’mon, why do you have to do this?” Nate whined.

  “Best thing to do right now,” I said smiling at her.

  “The best thing is for you and Nick to get married at the same time as us,” she teased.

  “Nate, seriously? We just got engaged,” I said laughing.

  “Just so you know, everyone in the family will be thrilled if you guys got married during this trip,” Nate said grinning at me.

  “I know, I know, but we need more than just our family for the wedding. Nick’s family needs to be here, and I told Nick that we should wait until Sam gets married,” I said to her looking out of the window.

  Nate squeaked at what she heard and asked, “So Nick wants to get married now?”

  I shook my head when I realized what I told Nate without thinking through the consequences. I smiled at her and said, “Relax Nate. He asked, and I said we should wait and he was fine with that.”

  “Don’t get used to getting everything your way Meera. One of these days Nick is going to be very adamant about something,” Nate teased.

  “I know,” I said nodding, as I knew that Nick and I were going to have a clash about the Rajput ceremony.

  “Meera, I was kidding,” Nate said realizing that my tone had changed.

  I smiled at her and did not say anything.

  “Do you think mom and dad will be up by the time we reach home?” Nate asked with excitement.

  “Yes, I am sure they are up. They are still jetlagged and stressed out about the things that need to be done before we start the pre-wedding stuff,” I said to Nate

  “I am so glad you were able to take care of most of my stuff, and I am so glad our extended family stepped in to help out with the arrangements,” Nate said putting her arm around me.

  “I know. It’s amazing how much time people took out of their daily routine to get all the stuff set up and ready to go,” I said feeling blessed and added smiling, “The team that is taking care of the event arrangements is just awesome.”

  “Are you all set with your sari and jewelry for the wedding?” Nate asked with excitement.

  I blushed and said smiling, “Nick got me a beautiful sari, and his mom sent a beautiful necklace and earring set for me to wear for the wedding.”

  “Is that for your wedding or my wedding?” Nate asked laughing.

  “Nate, you are being ridiculous now,” I said shaking my head.

  “Sorry, but the way you were blushing, I almost forgot that I am the bride,” Nate said thoroughly enjoying herself and asked, “So we are on for the dance performance at the Sangeet event right?”

  “Yes, sis and I also got a new dance outfit for the performance,” I said with excitement. The Sangeet ceremony was a few days away, and I was ready for my classical dance performance that Nick promised Nate and Srini for their wedding. The Sangeet ceremony seemed like the right event to add on the dance performance as it is an event when the bride’s and the groom’s family get together for a night of fun and dance.

  “Don’t tell Srini, but I am looking forward to your dance more than the wedding,” she said laughing.

  “Aww, thanks Nate,” I said touching her cheek with my palm.

  Nate smiled and asked, “So, tell me how your past week was as Nick’s fiancée?”

  I laughed and said, “Well, it was good. I was glad he came a week early. It was just about the time I was losing it. I had started doing weird things like wearing the anklets he got me when I ran in the morning.”

  “It must have been tough, Meera. I still don’t know how you did what you did and how Nick let you leave him for so many weeks,” Nate said shaking her head.

  “It was only a few weeks Nate, but I will tell you it wasn’t easy,” I said smiling at her.

  “Why was Nick staying at a hotel when we have so many spare rooms at Nani’s (grandma) house?” Nate asked surprised.

  “Really, Nate? That’s the most important thing to think about now?” I teased.

  “No. What I meant was that he was away from you for so long, he would have loved to hang out with you,” Nate said explaining herself.

  “A few weeks is not a long time Nate, and he spent all day with me at the house and would go back to the hotel to take some meetings later in the day,” I said smiling.

  As we pulled into the driveway of our grandparents’ multilevel family home, I saw a car parked outside that looked familiar. I saw Nick and Srini standing in the patio outside the main entrance.

  “Are you guys lost?” I asked, as I got out of the car looking at Nick.

  Nick smiled and said, “Srini wanted to see Nethra so we had to come here before we could go to his place.”

  “Really?” Nate mocked Nick. I ran into Nick’s open arms, as I knew why he was there.

  “I am not upset or angry at you, Sameera,” Nick whispered in my ear as he tightened his hold around me and added, “I trust you to make the right decision.” My heart raced to the mountains with the intensity in his voice.

  Nate laughed, as we stood hugging each other and said to Srini, “So much for you wanting to see me Srini.”

  “Nethra, please remind me who the bride and groom are?” Srini teased.

  Nate giggled and said, “I told Meera they should get married
since we have family and friends who will be here to attend our wedding.”

  “They should,” Srini agreed.

  “Stop it you guys,” I said to Nate and Srini, my voice muffled against Nick’s chest as he held me close to him.

  I looked up at Nick’s hungry eyes and whispered, “You have no idea how hard it is for me to be away from you.”

  “Are you guys done talking?” Nate asked giggling and added, “We feel left out here.”

  I ignored Nate and said to Nick, “I don’t want you to go back home without me. We can go back to San Francisco together after I perform the Rajput ceremony.”

  “I will, babe. You are going to need me there for the ceremony,” Nick mocked.

  “What?” I asked as Nick started to laugh shaking his head.

  “Nick, I need to go home to see my parents and will be back in a few hours to go to the temple. Are you coming or staying here?” Srini asked impatiently.

  “Nick is going with you, but after I am done talking to him,” I declared, smiling at Srini.

  “Nick, why do I need you at the ceremony?” I asked looking at him.

  “I will tell you if you come stay with me at the hotel,” Nick teased.

  “Nick, I am not falling for your tricks, and you are not going back to the hotel,” I said urging Nick to go with Srini and added, “Srini is going to be lonely if you don’t go with him.”

  Nick laughed and followed Srini to the car that was parked on the street.

  It was almost half past five in the morning when Nate and I quietly went upstairs realizing our parents and grandparents were surprisingly still asleep. The endless tasks they had to handle as the wedding date got closer was taking every joule of energy from them.

  Nate and I spent an hour unpacking and putting away her stuff in her room. She looked through her outfits purchased in India and tried on the blouses for the saris. I was relieved she was happy with the fit of the clothes that were made for her.

  I stepped away for a few minutes to grab my outfits for Nate to see. When I showed her the beautiful pink sari that Nick bought for me, her eyes widened and she said in a high-pitched voice, “Meera, you have to save this for your wedding. It’s beautiful and too special.”

  I smiled and said, “I know, but when I told Nick that I wanted to save it, he told me that he would buy me another outfit for our wedding.”

  Nate clapped and hugged me with joy and said, “That’s right, you are going to be a half Bhatia very soon.”

  I laughed and teased, “Don’t be silly, Nate. I won’t be a half Bhatia; our kids will be half Bhatia.”

  Nate laughed uncontrollably as she had not expected me to say what I had said about our future kids.

  The few weeks I spent in India had given me the opportunity to clear my thoughts. I was able to make peace with the fact that things could be perfect and hurdles were part of life. I was confident that with Nick by my side, no obstacle was too big to handle.

  My mom walked into the room adjusting her hair standing by the door smiling and asked, “When did you girls get home and why didn’t you wake me up?”

  “Mom,” Nate cheered, as she got up to give my mom a hug and added, “I love everything you and Meera picked out for me for the wedding.”

  “I am very glad to hear that, Nethra,” my mom said smiling at her and added, “Looks like Meera showed you her stuff also. So I take it that you two are all set for the wedding?”

  “Yes, I am,” Nate said overjoyed and added in a teasing tone, “Meera is still debating if she should get married a day before or a day after my wedding.”

  My mom failed to catch the sarcasm in Nate’s statement and almost fell off the chair. She looked at me in disbelief.

  “Nate,” I snarled.

  “Meera, we can make it happen if that’s what Nick and you want. You know you will make us very happy and especially your grandparents,” my mom said in a calm voice.

  “Mom, Nate is kidding. Please don’t get carried away,” I said giving Nate the dirtiest look possible, as she giggled uncontrollably.

  “Meera, I know Nick is ready to get married, and I am not sure why you are putting it off?” my mom asked sounding unhappy.

  I took a deep breath and stopped myself from telling her about the Rajput ceremony I wanted to perform before I got married and moved on with my life. I didn’t want to add the new information that came to light about the Rajput family and add to the chaos that my parents were dealing with, as they got everything lined up for Nate’s wedding.

  “Mom, I am not putting it off. We can’t just decide to get married and do it without his family here,” I said hoping it would distract her.

  “You can have another ceremony after we go back,” my mom said firmly.

  “Ma, please. Let’s not make this about me. It’s about Nate and Srini,” I pleaded.

  “I really don’t understand your reasoning, Meera. When you know that the love of your life is ready to marry you, why wait? Your grandparents are not getting any younger and want to see their granddaughters married and as parents, your dad and I can’t ask for more than our daughters getting married at the same time,” my mom glared at me and added, “Please do not take the guy who searched for months for you and worships you for granted.”

  I took a deep breath looking at my mom in silence and realized that I could not disagree with her.

  My stepdad walked into Nate’s room and looked at the three women in front of him. As if he knew something was up based on the expression on our faces, he stood at the door not uttering a word.

  I managed to gather my voice and said, “I understand what you are saying Ma. I get it that it’s the ideal thing to do, but I don’t want to steal Nate’s and Srini’s special time away from them.”

  “We don’t mind at all, and I told you that already,” Nate interjected.

  My mom and stepdad looked at me and I said in a low voice, “I am not against it, but I need time to think and discuss this with Nick.”

  “Promise me that you will talk to Nick about it today,” my mom asked, and I nodded in silence.

  ******

  A few hours later, I stepped out of my bathroom wrapped in a towel with my hair wrapped in another towel. I let out a scream when I saw Nick sitting on the built-in bench of the bay window in my room looking at me.

  “Nick, how did you get in?” I asked as I had locked my bedroom door before I went to take a shower. Nick laughed and showed me the master key of the house as he walked towards me. The only person who had a master key was my mom, and I knew instantly why she sent Nick to talk to me.

  As he walked closer to me, I held on to the towel around me as my heart started to race. Nick chuckled and reached for the towel wrapped around my hair and undid it letting my long damp hair hit my waist. He started rubbing the towel gently against my hair and asked, “What did you want to talk to me about? Your mom told me you have been waiting to talk to me.”

  Cool thrills ran through my body in spite of the hot and humid weather as he continued to caress my hair with the towel. I looked up at him smiling and said in a low tone, “It’s nothing, Nick.”

  “When my future mother-in-law wants me to talk to her daughter with the sense of urgency that she showed, I am pretty sure there is more than just nothing,” he said without being distracted. Taking his lips to my cheek, he whispered, “and I don’t understand why you are hesitating to tell me what that is.”

  I took a deep breath and gripped his biceps as his lips moved lower along my neck and rested on my collarbone.

  “Nick,” I said pulling away slightly and complained smiling, “You know I can’t talk when you do that.”

  He laughed and said putting his arms around me, “Sorry, please continue, and did I tell you that you are a bad liar.”

  “Nick, I don’t want to be rushed into something because someone wants to see us get married,” I whined looking into his eyes.

  He looked into my eyes and said, “You are a big girl, you
need to think about how important the ‘someone’ and the ‘something’ is for you and make a decision based on that. As your fiancée, I will do whatever makes you happy.”

  I looked at him in silence as I felt the blow in my gut. I felt the blow deepen when I realized the ‘someone’ was none other than the family I loved and the ‘something’ was getting married to Nick.

  Nick looked into my eyes and said, “You should talk to your parents and tell them why you want to wait to get married.”

  “Oh no, I can’t tell them about the ceremony,” I said shaking my head and added, “It is too much for them to handle, and I don’t know how they will feel about me performing the Rajput ceremony.”

  Nick smiled and asked, “How come you told me?”

  “Because I knew you would support me, and the ceremony is for my future family,” I said smiling at him.

  I was fixated on performing the ceremony to relieve a family’s burden of unrequited love. The family I was going to be part of had carried the burden for decades.

  “Sameera,” Nick said interrupting my thoughts and asked teasing me, “Has someone else managed to mesmerize you while I was not with you?”

  I laughed as he brought his lips to mine, and his hands wrapped around my waist pulling me against his taut body.

  Nick and I went downstairs almost thirty minutes later to find Srini, Nate, my parents, and grandparents looking at us with eager eyes. I could tell that they were hoping that we would tell them something about a combined wedding.

  “Nick and I talked about it and he is good with whatever I decide to do. I need to give it some more thought,” I said breaking the silence.

  My grandma was the first one to speak up, “What does that mean, and when will we know?”

  “Nani, please. You guys are being greedy. Why do you need both your granddaughters married at the same time?” I asked as I walked towards her and sat on the armrest of her chair putting my arms around her.

  “Nikhil, you are being too nice to her,” my mom declared looking at Nick. He smiled and looked at me but did not say anything.

  “We should go, isn’t it getting late for the ceremony at the temple?” I said urging Srini and Nate to get off the couch looking at Nick and asked, “Did you eat breakfast?”