Chapter 20: Chapter 20

"Where are we going?" Sanaya did not know where Nick was taking her to. After work, Sanaya was going to grab a bus but suddenly Nick told her to get in his car.

"In my home," he answered when he was seated next to her. Sanaya glanced at him questioningly, "Your home?"

"Yes. My parents want to meet you," he responded.

"Wait, what? Your parents? Are you kidding me?" Sanaya widened her eyes hearing him.

Nick stared at her, giving her a serious look, "I am not kidding."

"Stop the car!" Suddenly she shrieked. But the car did not stop. Sanaya let out again, "Hey, stop the car."

"Keep going on," Nick ordered his driver. "Nick!" As Sanaya took his name sounding angry Nick gazed at her saying, "My family is not so scary. They will accept you and love you so don't be scared."

"But it's... I am nervous. I am meeting your parents." She countered.

"Don't be. I will be there with you too. So relax." As he explained, she sighed. When the car finally stopped, Sanaya took a deep breath.

As Nick saw she was not getting out of the car he opened the car door for her. Sanaya glanced at him and gulping, she kept staring at him.

Holding her hand Nick pulled her out of the car and asserted, "Let's go now."

Nick was sauntering ahead when Sanaya was following in his footsteps. As Nick halted suddenly she knock her head on his back. Swiveling towards her he questioned, "What are you doing?"

"I ... I was just following... behind." She retorted.

As he held her hand suddenly Sanaya broadened her eyes, she whimpered, "What are you doing?"

"Holding your hand," he resolved.

"It's your home. We are here to meet your parents. If you hold my hand and they see it, it won't look good. Let my hand go." She announced but he did not listen to her.

As he strolled into the living room Sanaya hid behind him.

"Bro..." Raina was playing with her phone but seeing them she got up and ran upstairs.

Sanaya was holding a corner of his suit and hiding behind him.

Nick whirled around and glanced at her. As she saw him she strode away.

"Are you that much nervous?" Hearing him she bobbed her head.

"Look at me." She raised her head and glimpsed at him as he told her to do.

Suddenly he cupped her face as he proclaimed, "Calm down. I am here." Sanaya winked her eyes and took a deep breath.

He was like a sudden breeze, she felt confident. She opened her eyes and looked straight.

Nick held her hand when Raina walked downstairs.

As Sanaya saw Raina and two middle-aged women she looked at Nick. "Let my hand go, they are coming." Said she.

"Why are you guys standing there? Take a seat, dear." As she heard them saying so Sanaya sat on the couch when Nick sat next to her.

Like Sanaya thought they were not scary but she started liking them. They gossiped for nearly an hour.

Sanaya had a great conversation with them and even Nick's father and uncle joined the dinner when Raina kept talking to Sanaya.

"So when did you guys planned to get married?" As Nick's dad questioned Sanaya muffled on food.

"As soon as possible," Nick answered.

Everybody looked at him when Sanaya began beating on her chest gently as she almost choked up.

"Seems Nick can't wait to marry you, Senaya." Hearing Maxwell's teasing Sanaya decided not to look anywhere other than her food. "It's Sanaya. But you, call her sister-in-law from now on." Nick said, gazing at Maxwell and everybody burst out in laughter. Usually, they would not dare to do it but today Sanaya was there, Nick was acting nice and patient.

"So should we start from tomorrow?" Raina spoke enthusiastically.

Nick had his eyes fixed on Sanaya, how she was eating faster. "You will choke up if you eat so fast. Take your time."

Sanaya smiled sheepishly at him and glared at her plate again.

"We will celebrate Bengali pre-wedding rituals first. So tomorrow will be a good start." Nick announced in a serious tone while looking at Sanaya.

"What is he trying to do? Oh my God, I just want to finish my food and then go back to my home." Sanaya mumbled.

"Ben... What?" In the conversation, Sanaya did not talk much. She noticed how his family accepted her, they did not say anything that why he was marrying a girl from a different country, different religion.

After dinner when Sanaya and Nick were going to leave Raina held Sanaya's hand. "You want to say something?" Sanaya asked.

"Yes. I can't wait to see you being my brother's wife. I am very happy, I know my brother is hard to understand, he doesn't talk much but he is a good person. I am so happy that he fell in love with you." She said smiling while looking at Nick who was away, talking to Maxwell.

"I hope you guys will get all the happiness in the world. Please take care of my brother from now on, never make him sad, never hurt him." Raina could not hold her tears for her brother. It was like a dream to see him get married like all the time he would throw a fit and push all the girls away. Even nobody could say anything to him but now, he himself said he wanted to get married and he chose the girl himself.

Sanaya gave her a reassuring smile when she explained, "Don't worry. I will do my best to make him happy and I will try to be a good wife. I will never hurt him." As they hugged each other everybody smiled when Nick and Maxwell were talking.

Sanaya felt connected with Nick's family even though it was a first-time meeting.

"So what comes first?" Sanaya was sitting next to Nick in the car when Nick questioned her.

"Huh?"

"You said you wanted to celebrate Bengali pre-wedding rituals."

"Ohh yeah. There are twenty-five types of rituals we Bengalis celebrate as our pre-wedding rituals." When she said so Nick was listening to her with attention. He said, "I want to know them."

"Ok. First, it's Adan Pradan which means finalization of the date. Both the families of the bride and the groom meet to finalize the date of the wedding. This happens after the bride and the groom have liked each other and agreed to get married. Priests accompany the families as an auspicious date needs to get decided according to the Hindu panjika. Some families also exchange gifts to mark the beginning of the new relationship." She explained.

"Ok. So what's Hindu panjika?" As he questioned she responded, "The Hindu calendar or Panjika, refers to a set of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and South-east Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes."

Nick seemed to not understand it totally but some. He never had any idea about it so he was curious. He asked, "Ok. So next?"

"Second, it's Ashirbaad which means the blessing. For this ritual, the family of the groom visits the bride to shower her with blessings and gifts as a symbol of her inclusion in their family. The same is done by the bride’s family for the groom too on a different date. The bride and the groom are blessed with Dhan or rice with the husk and dubyo or trefoil leaves. The gifts include gold jewellery, family heirlooms, etc. The bride is expected to wear this jewellery on the wedding day. On this occasion, close friends and relatives join in and the ritual is followed by a grand lunch. But we won't be celebrating this for our wedding."

"Why not? It sounds interesting." Hearing him Sanaya answered, "There are a lot. You haven't listened to all yet."

"Ohh." Then Sanaya continued, "Next is Aiburo-bhaat means the Last Meal as Unmarried. This ritual involves a meal comprising of the favorite dishes of the person about to get married." Sanaya continued to explain then...

"Ok. So there are twenty-three rituals in total? And we won't be celebrating all?" As Nick questioned Sanaya nodded her head, "Yes. We won't. There are twenty-five but in my family, we do twenty-three rituals."

"Are you sure you are ok with this?

"Hmm. I am." As she said so Nick held her hand. "Ok, what you wish. Tell me if you want anything else. I will arrange it."

Sanaya smiled and kissed on his cheeks, making him surprised. "..." He was looking into her eyes when she smiled, blushing. Sanaya held his hand and declared, "Actually I am happy... Now, I am going. Good night."

As she got out of the car Nick kneaded his cheek and ordered the driver in a cold tone, "Drive."

Sanaya was happy, the new life she was going to have with Nick she wished it would be filled with happiness. But Nick ...