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Once the pleats were secured, he knelt slightly to fix the lower folds, then rose again and reached for her jewellery box. Without her pointing out, he picked out her matching earrings. After making her wear them, he took the necklace and clasped it around her neck, his fingers brushing the Mangalsutra already resting there.

Finally, he took a pinch of sindoor between his fingers and filled the parting of her hair, an intimate gesture that always made his heart clench. She met his eyes through the mirror, her eyes shining with unspoken emotion.

Draped in the saree her husband had so lovingly helped her wear, she looked every bit the woman who had turned his world upside down.

A year had passed since Nandini became his wife. And yet, moments like this, dressing her with love, with reverence, still left him in quiet awe.

It reminded him of everything they had built and how far they had come. Even now, there were moments when he still couldn’t believe it was real.

She was his.His bride.

And he knew, he’d ever get tired of reminding her of it, again and again.

Priya’s Villa – Serene Meadows (Late Evening)

Guests mingled across the lawn, each one more excited than the other. Waiters moved fluidly through the crowd with trays of drinks, the air scented with a mix of jasmine, sandalwood, and mango blossom.

Varun’s parents stood near the patio, warmly greeting friends and relatives, their faces lit with quiet joy. After all the waiting and planning, they were finally watching their son step into his happily ever after. And it showed in every smile, every proud glance they exchanged.

Inside, Varun stood by the couch in the living room, visibly nervous in his blush pink kurta set. He was doing his best to act calm, but his eyes kept darting towards the staircase.Like every five seconds.

Shaurya caught him in the act and smirked, walking over with a glass of juice in hand.

“Easy, Buddy,” he said, nudging Varun. “She’ll be here soon.”

“I swear to God, if she takes any longer, I’m climbing that staircase and dragging her down myself,” Varun muttered, half serious, half panicked.

Shaurya snorted, clapping him on the back. “Yeah? Go ahead and try that. You’ll face both Priyaandher mother’s wrath. You’ll be engaged and exiled in the same night.”

Right then, the murmurs in the crowd quieted as people turned towards the stairs. And there she was.

Priya stepped out, looking beautiful in a blush-pink lehenga embroidered with matching threadwork and sequins that caught the light with every step. (Yeah, they were twinning. And, of course, it was Varun’s idea.) Her hair was swept to the side in soft curls and a maang tikka glinted on her forehead. She looked every bit the modern bride-to-be.

Varun forgot to breathe. For five whole seconds, he just stared.

Then he whispered under his breath, “I’m so screwed.”

Shaurya grinned. “Buddy, you’ve been screwed for a year now. This is just making it official.”

As Priya walked towards him, their eyes locked. Her smile deepened, and just like that, all of Varun’s jitters seemed to melt away. He stepped forward to meet her halfway, offering his hand like it was second nature to him. She took it without hesitation.

The priest cleared his throat from the side, signalling that it was time for the ring exchange. A hush fell over the guests as the couple stood before their families, their hands joined, their hearts racing a mile a minute.

Shaurya quietly slipped away for a moment and returned with Grandpa, guiding him carefully to the front so he could witness the ceremony up close. The old man’s eyes sparkled with emotion as he took his seat.

Then Shaurya returned to Nandini and stood beside her. They exchanged a quiet glance, overjoyed to see their best friends, Varun and Priya, exchanging rings, sealing a promise that had waited patiently for its moment.

And as if the evening couldn’t get more perfect, there was more good news brewing.

A villa in Serene Meadows had recently become available, and Varun had wasted no time in buying it. After the wedding next month, he and Priya would be moving in just down the lane.

Which meant the two couples—Shaurya and Nandini, and Varun and Priya—would soon be neighbours, just a few houses away.

Shaurya and Nandini were thrilled with the news of being so close to their best friends. But it was Grandpa who looked the happiest. He now had both his children and their closest friends within arm’s reach, and that, for him, was priceless.

After the rings were exchanged, Varun and Priya stepped forward to take blessings from Grandpa and their parents.

Priya’s mother, Mrs. Mehra turned to Grandpa with a smile.