BECOMING MRS. RAISINGHANIA – EPISODE 1
“Sejal, hurry up! Di must be waiting for me at home.”
Riddhima tapper her foot impatiently and waited as her friend purchased the packeted food from the cafeteria. Despite her sister’s pleas, she’d come to submit her final semester thesis project and she couldn’t believe how stupid she could be. She should’ve known this would take longer. As her friend held the packets of food in her hand, Riddhima grabbed onto her hand and walked outside, hurriedly.
She was sure, her sister would kill her, if she didn’t find her at home at the correct time. Riddhima remembered insisting her sister to tell their mother of her reluctance for the marriage, but she hadn’t wanted to talk her about it. She’d realised a few days after, though, the reason behind her sister’s reluctance.
The two of them hadn’t seen their mother so ecstatic in a while and they hadn’t wanted to bother her with the unwantedness. She’d talked about the alliance for days, especially enlightened with how the eligible bachelor of the city was going to be her son-in-law in a few months. The two sisters had found it extremely difficult to burst that bubble of her happiness, but it’d to be done some day – although, they didn’t know when.
Riddhima strapped the belt across herself and reversed the car out of the parking hurriedly, almost hitting one of the pedestrians inside the campus. But she couldn’t care with all the tension bubbling within her mind.
Sejal (holding on tightly): Riddhima, if you drive this way, then home or no, we will certainly be in the hospital.
Riddhima: And if I drive carefully, Di will admit me in the hospital.
Sejal: She’s going to reject the alliance anyway. Why are you so worried about that?
Riddhima: That’s the thing! If she’d to agree, then there was nothing to worry about.
Sejal: I still can’t believe the two of you are rejecting this alliance. (twisting toward her) At least, you could’ve married him, na?
Riddhima: Sejal, I’ve asked you not to bring up that topic several times. You know I don’t believe in…
Sejal (interrupting): I know. But some day or the other, you will get married, right? Till when will you keep believing all this?
Riddhima: I won’t get married.
She accelerated the car and took a sharp turn, almost making Sejal jump out of her seat. She didn’t want to clarify her beliefs every single time. They weren’t wrong, they just weren’t as per the ideal perception and she hated the kind of reactions she always received. Why were someone’s beliefs always so questionable in the society?
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Uma Raisinghania hurried around the house, instructing the helpers to set-up everything properly. This wasn’t the first alliance she’d been looking into for her son, but definitely the first one her son had willingly agreed for. As the thought settled in her mind again, her lips curved into a broader smile again, allowing herself to recollect that Vansh had finally agreed.
“Look at that smile on your face, Ma! What makes you so happy?”
Uma Raisinghania turned around toward her daughter and smiled at her, the smile on her face only broadening. Her children have always been the source of her happiness and she’s always set them as her priorities, from the day she’d stepped into this family. The two twins had been barely two years old when she’d gotten married, and she remembered how her heart had almost broken into fragments, seeing them cry for love.
She didn’t know if her kids remembered that she wasn’t the mother who’d given birth to them, but they’d never reminded her of that. They’d accepted her so well, like their own mother, that she couldn’t think of a house without them. They were parts of her soul, which she could never let slip off her fingers.
Ishani: Wait, you’re again thinking of Vansh agreeing for the marriage, na?
Uma (nodding): I can’t believe he’s liked some girl, you know? He’s always just asked me to like someone for him.
Ishani: I know! The fact that you chose the girl and he liked her is what makes it the best, you know? (holding her mother’s hands) As long as Vansh is happy, I’m happy.
Uma: The two of you have always been so protective of each other since the day I saw you both. Sometimes, I’m just worried for Angre and Ragini, you know?
Ishani: Ma!
Uma (laughing): I was joking. Acha, go check now if Siya is ready. Otherwise, if the girl’s family arrives, she’ll get angry and keep telling me that Chachi didn’t remember about her.
Chanchal (walking in): Don’t worry Bhabhi, I’ve already asked her to hurry up. (seeing the decorations) I was just coming around to ask if everything was done, but I guess, we are. Isn’t it?
Uma nodded at her sister-in-law and looked at the time on the clock, wondering where Vansh had gotten stuck. He’d promised her, he’d return early today, but it was beginning to get late. The girl’s family was, probably, already on their way.
“I told you I’ll come early, Ma. Please stop worrying.”
She turned around toward Vansh, the worries from her mind slowly dissipating. “You’re late.”
Vansh: I know. There was just some…
Ishani (interrupting): Haa haa, we know. Every time Ma asks you to return early, you’ve last minute work.
Vansh: Shut up, Ishani. I tried calling you to inform you, but you must’ve been busy talking to Angre.
Ishani (unlocking her phone): You didn’t…
Uma (interrupting): Okay, no arguments now. Vansh, please go change. The girl’s family must be here any time now.
Vansh nodded and ascended the stairs toward his room, hurriedly. It was, after all, a very eventful day for the Raisinghania family.
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The Goenkas and Raisinghanias sat together, discussing about their own lives and families. Riddhima had looked around the house, realising why the family was so well-known around the city. The Raisinghanias were extremely affluent and she figured, they didn’t leave a chance unturned for the commoners to understand whose house they were stopping or passing by.
Her sister had called for her help several times in the past hour, sitting opposite to her, in between the family members of the Raisinghanias. Within a few minutes into the conversation, Riddhima had realised that the family members weren’t snobbish because of their wealth, instead they’d seemed too warm and welcoming. It’d almost seemed that they’d already considered her sister a part of the family, and Riddhima had giggled quietly looking at her sister’s helplessness.
But she hadn’t seen the proposed groom – the Vansh Raisinghania. Why, she didn’t know. She figured, it was almost impossible to be snobbish when surrounded by such a welcoming family and she’d explained to herself, that he’d been busy with some work. After all, he hadn’t been the most eligible bachelor just like that.
Moments later, when she saw Vansh Raisinghania descending down the stairs, she stared at him, almost being awestruck by how he looked. The magazines, she realised, had never been able to capture his gorgeousness in its truest essence. Now, that she saw him in front of herself, with a confident personality, strong physique and a handsomely chiselled face, she couldn’t believe how false the magazines seemed.
Vansh smiled at her from the distance, the corners of his eyes crinkling and she looked away, flushing red. How embarrassing of her to be caught staring at him? She mentally berated herself and looked down, lacing her fingers in the lap. She decided, she wouldn’t look up right away – not unless a few moments had passed and the memory had begun evaporating from her mind.
Uma: Vansh, take Ragini inside. I’m sure, the two of you want to talk to each other.
Vansh (looking at his mother): I’ve been wanting to tell you, Ma. (pursing his lips briefly) I want to marry Riddhima, not Ragini.
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Thank you for reading, and do let me know what you think of this episode!