There was unusual hustle and bustle in the small house of the Sharma family today, because the groom's family was coming to see Anutithika.
Anutithika lived with her parents, younger brother, sister-in-law, and nephew.
From the Sharma house came the clinking of utensils, the sounds of sweeping and mopping, the creaking of the fan, and furniture being dragged. Everyone in the house was busy with their own work; there was chaos in every corner.
Younger uncle Ashutosh ji said in a strict tone, "Look, everything should be perfect. No mistakes. The groom's family is coming for the first time."
He was saying this because he himself had brought this proposal.
Mother Pooja ji, while sweeping, called out, "Anuti! Mop the veranda properly. And Kritika, check the kitchen as well."
Both replied together, "Okay, Mom."
Father Ritesh ji said while heading out, "I'm going to bring sweets. You all handle the rest."
Mother replied, "Yes, go quickly. And don't bring sweets from Bittu Halwai. His sweets are old and expensive."
Uncle agreed, "Yes brother, bring them from Chandu's shop."
Anuti, sweeping and thinking to herself, muttered, "Yes right, it's a matter of uncle's honor."
Shravan, dragging furniture, said, "Let's move the sofa here so we can sweep underneath it too."
Anuti thought irritably, Great, increasing work! Who's going to look under the sofa? Will the groom's family check under it first, or look at me?
Sister-in-law Kritika came from the kitchen and said, "Mom, all the food is ready. When the groom's family arrives, we'll fry hot puris."
Anuti smiled inwardly, broom in hand, It's not a big palace, but the drama is like the Chief Minister is coming.
Anuti's house was small—two rooms, a hall, and a kitchen.
One room was for her parents, the other for her brother and sister-in-law.
Anuti slept in the hall, and her belongings were kept in a very small room on the terrace.
Anuti was the life of the house—mischievous, scolded the most, carefree.
Her sister-in-law loved her a lot because her mother never differentiated between daughter and daughter-in-law.
And Anuti was practically a full-time mother to her nephew Shriyash.
But right now, Anuti was scared. While mopping, she thought, I don't know why I'm feeling so strange. Maybe because someone is coming to see me for marriage for the first time. If they don't like me, Mom will taunt me again.
Mother noticed Anuti lost in thought and said softly, "If you overthink like this, you won't get any proposal. And anyway, your face isn't anything special."
She loved her, but like a typical Indian mother, she was always worried about her child's marriage.
Father was always practical and supportive.
Brother was the most quarrelsome, yet mature.
Lost in her thoughts, Anuti accidentally kicked the bucket, and water spread all over the house.
She panicked, first looked at the floor, then at her mother.
Mother angrily said, "You can't do a single thing properly. Whatever work you're given, you ruin it. That's why we don't even ask you to do anything."
Hearing this, Anuti looked at her mother in shock and thought, So I work like an ox all day, and then you say I do nothing? That's unfair, Mom!
And in her mind she shouted, Inquilab Zindabad!
Shravan laughed and said, "When she gets married tomorrow, she'll mess things up there too."
Anuti thought angrily, Laughing a lot, aren't you? Just wait, my time will come.
Mother scolded Shravan, "Why are you standing there laughing like Ravana? Help clean up. We don't have much time."
Anuti happily started mopping again.
Shravan said angrily, "I won't do it, Mom! She spilled the water, tell her to clean it. Even if the guests come swimming in this pool, I won't do it."
Anuti threw the mop at him and said, "Get lost!"
Shravan's shirt got half wet.
He threw the mop back, but Anuti escaped.
Anuti resumed mopping and thought angrily, It was already hard to mop one room, now the whole house! This is called wet flour in poverty—no, not wet flour, a wet house!
She was exhausted now and started mopping while sitting and lying down.
Seeing this, Shravan mocked her, "Mom, your daughter herself has become the mop!"
Furious, Anuti again threw the mop at him and said, "Now you do it!"
And she went to take a bath.
Mother said, "There you go, teasing the moving bull again."
Shravan, with a helpless face, started mopping.
Thus, preparations were going on in the Sharma household.
Mehra House
At eleven in the morning, sunlight was peeping into the room. The atmosphere was calm.
Mother Swati ji knocked on the door and said, "Avyansh! Wake up, son. Today we're going to see a girl for you. Wake up!"
Avyansh turned over and said, "Let me sleep, Mom."
Hearing her voice, Avyansh's father Dilip ji came upstairs.
In a stern voice he said, "Wake up, useless fellow! Everyone is waiting downstairs!"
Hearing his father's voice, Avyansh quickly opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling for a while, then reluctantly got up.
Father said to Swati ji, "Only a daughter-in-law can fix him now. I'm going downstairs to sit with his uncle and aunt."
Mother replied, "Yes, I'm coming too."
Avyansh opened the door and his mother came inside.
The room was slightly messy but big and beautiful.
Avyansh was a bit moody by nature—if he felt like talking, he would, otherwise silence. He was a 28-year-old police officer. After last night's night duty, he had gone to sleep only at 8 a.m.
Because of his duty and his past, Avyansh didn't want to get married. But due to his father's and grandfather's insistence, today he was going to see the daughter of his friend's brother.
Mother Swati ji took out clothes from the cupboard and said, "Quickly take a bath and come. It's already 11:30. We have to leave at 12:30. You have just one hour. Get ready fast and come downstairs. Everyone is waiting."
The Mehra family had a big and beautiful house. They had recently renovated it.
On the ground floor were the hall, temple, kitchen, rooms for grandparents and parents, and some extra rooms.
On the first floor were the rooms of Nikhil and Nikita (Avyansh's elder brother and sister-in-law), sister Shubhi, sister Sana, brother Ayush, and a guest room.
On the second floor were Avyansh's room, the gym, and other essential rooms.
Uncle and aunt lived in Dewas due to work. Their children Sana and Ayush lived at home, but during vacations they went to Dewas to meet their parents.
After some time, Avyansh came downstairs ready.
Seeing him, Sana said, "Brother, you're looking very handsome!"
Avyansh was wearing a white shirt and brown trousers. Hair neatly set, shoes shining. Someone always in uniform looked completely different today.
Avyansh walked ahead without saying anything.
Ayush teased, "Ohho! Brother is in a big hurry to bring a sister-in-law."
Without turning back, Avyansh said, "Anyone who doesn't get into the car within five minutes can stay at home."
Hearing this, Sana and Ayush ran.
Seeing them run, everyone laughed and came outside to see Sana and Ayush fighting over who would sit in front.
Aunt put her hand on her head.
Everyone smiled and sat in the car.
Grandfather scolded them and sat in the front seat himself.
Ayush said sadly to Sana, "When two monkeys fight, the cat takes the butter."
Sana said irritably, "Yes, brother. Grandpa could have shown generosity and said Ayush sits in front while coming and Sana while going. But Grandpa turned out very clever and sat there himself!"
Ayush lightly tapped Sana's head and said, "He's elder, Grandpa. Show some respect."
Both Sana and Ayush sat at the back with Grandma.
Grandma laughed and said, "That's how this old man is."
Hearing this, Sana and Ayush laughed.
Shubhi, Nikhil, and Nikita couldn't come as they were out of town.
Everyone got into the car and left.
Amidst all the laughter, Dilip ji was worried—would Avyansh forget his past and say yes to this relationship, or would he reject it again like before?
Back at the Sharma house, almost everything was ready.
At the gate, the fragrance of sweets… and inside, Anuti's restlessness.
What will happen next?
How will their first meeting be?
On one side, the fun-loving Anuti; on the other, the moody Avyansh.
Perhaps today, the first page of their destiny was about to be written.
But the question remained the same—
Will these two become part of each other's story without their consent?
Will Avyansh say yes to Anuti, or will Anuti mess something up?
To find out, stay tuned to Arrange Marriage: Stranger to Lover.
By: Limanshi Kashyap