Chapter 1

Mumbai Airport, India:

Shashi Gupta sat in the wheelchair as he scanned the outpouring crowd for his daughter. Aman stood next to him, craning his neck from one side to the other. His mother, Garima, placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you go and take a look around? She should be here by now." she said anxiously.

"Yeah Maa..I'll go and see..." and with that Aman headed over to the enquiry counter. He pushed a slip with the flight information towards the friendly looking lady.

"Can you tell me whether this flight has landed yet?"

"The flight landed 15 minutes ago. The passengers should be making their way out right now." she gave him a smile.

"Thank you." Aman smiled back at the woman and made his way back to his parents. "Maa, her flight landed a while ago....she should be here soon."

Garima turned to face her husband. "Did you hear that? Our titaliyaa will be here soon...then you can tell her everything you want without hesitating...I know she won't say no..."

I'm so sorry, Khushi...even I can't get you out of this. Aman sighed internally.

Shashi looked at Aman, who understood Khushi more than anyone. "Aman? She'll agree right?"

"Papa...um..she...she wouldn't say no...you have fulfilled all of our wishes...now that its our turn to fulfill yours, I'm sure she won't refuse..." Aman said half convincingly.

"Is that Khushi?" Garima questioned, squinting and pointing at a slender girl.

Aman turned around to find his sister dressed in a plain white v-neck t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and flats. She was grinning from ear to ear as she approached them, pushing the luggage trolley ahead of her. She waved enthusiastically to him and he broke into a jog. The two siblings embraced each other and Aman immediately lifted Khushi off her feet and gave her a twirl.

"How are you Bhai?? Oh, I'm missed you so much! Where is Papa? I want to see him! I am so scared..." She was already on a rant and she'd only seen her brother for a few seconds.

Aman wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned her to face their parents. Seeing her father on the wheelchair instantly brought tears to her eyes. Leaving Aman behind with her luggage, she rushed towards Shashi and gave him a big hug, letting a few tears escape her eyes. She pulled back and looked at the man who was always so strong, but now looked fragile.

"How are you Papa?" She sobbed lightly.

"I'm feeling loads better now that my Khushi is back...otherwise, how can I dying man be?" Shashi smiled wistfully.

"Please Papa.." Khushi squeezed his hands. "Dont say things like that. Nothing is going to happen to you...Bhai is a doctor na? He's already working with a research group who's trying to look for the cure for cancer...and I know they'll find it..."

"That's my Khushi....always optimistic..." Garima smiled down at her.

Khushi finally acknowledged her mother's presence and stood up to give her a hug too. Aman caught up with them and looked on as the two women consoled each other.

"Lets go home...you should rest...we have a lot to catch up on..." Garima suggested.

Meanwhile, In Raizada Mansion, Mumbai:

"Someone call her doctor!!" A man roared, making the walls of the room tremble. 

A lady clad in an elegant sari ran into the room to see what the commotion about and soon she had joined in as well.

"Mummy-ji! Arvind....what happened?" The lady took a seat next to the unconscious lady.

"Someone please call her doctor!" Arvind said weakly, looking at his mother.

"HARI PRAKASH!! Call the ambulance goddamn it!!" A much younger voice roared much like his father. "Don't worry dad....I'm making sure her heart's beating!" he called out, counting off the compressions in his mind as he delivered CPR to his grandmother. 

"How can I not worry, Arnav?? She's my mother!" Arvind said desperately.

Arnav checked his Dadi's breathing and pulse again before resuming the compressions. "Mom! Go and call Aman as soon as possible..."

"Aman and Akash....I'll call them both!" Asha muttered and left the room, frantically dialing a number.

"Dad...continue the compressions...I'm going to get the AED!"

As his father took over the compressions, Arnav ran out of the room and within minutes, came back with the device in his hands. Just as he was setting it up, his Dadi regained consciousness. Arnav went back to her and checked her pulse, which was stronger than before and was at a normal rate too. 

With the help of his father, he carried his still groggy Dadi to their car and drove off to the hospital. As soon as they stepped into the emergency ward, Devyani Raizada was whisked away by the staff, leaving her family waiting outside the room.

Arnav, Asha, and Arvind paced around impatiently for what seemed like forever. At last, the doctor stepped out and closed the door behind him gently.

"Don't worry, she's stable..." He held up a hand as soon as he saw all three of the Raizada's open their mouths to question. The elderly doctor looked at one of his favorite residents and colleagues. "Dr. Raizada...I'm sure you recognized the symptoms and everything..."

Arnav nodded solemnly. "Cardiac arrest."

"Precisely." Dr. Sharma turned to face Arvind and Asha. "In layman's terms..a heart attack....it was minor one, though....this is her second heart attack in the last year...I won't beat around the bush Mr. Raizada....your son is a capable doctor and he knows what this entails...a third attack will, most likely, be fatal for her..."

Arvind burst into tears while Asha and Arnav, who were much stronger emotionally, consoled him. Dr. Sharma gave an acknowledging nod to Arnav and left, giving the family some privacy. When Arvind seemed to be getting himself back together, Arnav sent a quick text to Akash and Aman, letting them know that they didn't have to come anymore.

"Arnav...can I go see her?" Arvind questioned.

"Dad, she's asleep. Dr. Sharma said she's stable...when she wakes up, you can go meet her." Arnav patted his father's shoulder.

"I want her to talk to me...I want her to speak..." Arvind looked longingly at the door behind which his mother rested.

"Arvind...keep yourself together...if you break down like this, how will Arnav and I deal with it?" Asha pleaded, squeezing her husband's hands.

"Mom...should I call Anjali home?" Arnav asked.

"No...let her study...if need comes, we'll call her and tell her to come back. She wont be able to focus on anything and her exams are coming up." Arvind interrupted their conversation.

"He's right...you know how Anjali is...she'll leave everything and come back as soon as possible if she finds out." Asha agreed.

Gupta House:

"HOW CAN I DO THAT BHAI?? THEY WANT ME TO MARRY SOME GUY THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW!!" Khushi said exasperated at the idea of arranged marriage that her parents had presented a few minutes ago.

"Khushi...relax...I know what you mean and I understand....I even told Maa that you will not be happy with the idea..." Aman sighed and paced back and forth in front of Khushi's bed, where she sat crossed legged, fuming. "But you know, Khushi...they're not going to get you married to some random hooligan...they'll find someone decent...and any guy that is a prospective groom for you will have to be approved by me. You trust me, dont you?"

"I do! And I know they'll find a good guy for me but Bhai...how do I promise that man to share my life with him when I'm not in love with him?? Forget love, I won't even know him properly....I'll barely get the chance to get to know him!" Khushi spoke animatedly, confiding her fears and worried to her brother.

Aman looked taken aback at her outburst. "You didn't say these things to Maa and Papa, did you?"

Khushi shook her head defeatedly. "No...After you left after your friend called, Maa and Papa sat me down and Maa said that they want me to get married...Dad said that he wants to see my doli (bridal procession) leave this house before his Arthi (funeral procession)." Khushi shuddered visibly at that horrendous thought.

"and then they gave you the whole 'Kanyadan is every father's greatest right' lecture, didn't they?" Aman narrowed his eyes.

Khushi sighed and nodded. "What should I do?"

Aman took a seat next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders while she took the liberty to rest her head on his shoulder. "I can't say anything to you on this matter...its your life, Khushi. No matter what you decide, your Bhai will always support you."

"If they'd asked you to get married, you would have said yes without a second thought." It wasn't a question but rather a statement. She knew Aman that well.

Aman smiled lovingly at her. "Yeah. I would have. But that's what I would have done...it doesn't mean that you have to do the same."

Raizada Mansion:

Devyani Raizada had been discharged soon after she woke up and now she lay on her plush bed, surrounded by her lovely family, her grandson next to her, holding onto her hand.

"This time...I've survived. But I know that next time...I won't be able to fight death..." she rasped out, looking intently at Arnav.

"Please Dadi...How many times have I told you to not say things like that?" Arnav kissed her hand. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Devyani shook her head. "If you worry so much about me then why don't you agree??"

"Dadi..." Arnav groaned. "Not that again. We've talked about this...I'm not done studying yet and I honestly haven't thought about getting married..."

"Then think about it Arnav...before I leave this world..." Emotional blackmail was one of Devyani's best skills and she was not ashamed of using it, especially on her stubborn grandson.

"I'll think about it when I find the right girl...for now...I haven't come across anyone..." Arnav tried to squirm his way out of this situation.

Arvind and Asha looked at Devyani, well aware of her plans. If talking sweetly wasn't going to get Arnav to agree, then she would try other means but Devyani Singh Raizada would make sure that Arnav agreed. To some extent, Arvind even felt sorry for Arnav because Arvind had gone through this exact argument with his mother when he was younger.

"You think your parents were in love before they got married?" Dadi frowned sternly. "They hadn't even met each other before...they met directly in the mandap."

"But Dadi..." Arnav began but Devyani turned her head away.

"its okay. It's fine. Just leave me alone. All of you. A dying woman can't even ask her grandson to bring her a bahu (granddaughter-in-law)!"

Arnav swallowed a lump in his throat. Was he wrong to be so adamant about this? being married couldn't be that bad, could it? His parents seemed happy together. His friend Akash was dying to get married. Weddings were generally categorized as happy occasions, right? so they couldn't be that bad? Arnav Singh Raizada did everything in his power to fulfill the wishes of his family members then why was he being so stubborn about this?

If his family found some girl for him, surely they would find someone he could get along with, someone that would be compatible with him. And if it didn't work out, in this day and age, divorce was always an option, too. Agreeing to Dadi's demand now didn't mean that he had to get married tomorrow. He could buy himself more time by refusing prospective alliances. That way, Dadi would be happy because Arnav had agreed to get married and Arnav would be happy because Dadi would be happy. It was perfect.

Minutes of silence later, Arnav gave his Dadi's hand a gentle squeeze. "Seeing me married off will make you happy?"

"Happier than you could imagine." Dadi smiled at him, knowing deep down that she had succeeded at last. It was written all over his face!

Arnav nodded thoughtfully. "Okay then. I'm ready to get married."

Gupta House:

Khushi paced back and forth in her room, trying to solidify her decision. She had made up her mind but now she was just finding enough confidence to make that decision a strong enough one to put through. She knew there was no backing out of this once she told her family. Her dad had never refused her anything in life. Every whim, every demand, every request was fulfilled by her parents and brother and if the only thing her Papa was asking of her was to get married, then so be it.

She, however, had a condition. Whoever they chose for her would have to be approved by her brother and herself, both. When it came to her safety and well-being, she could count on her brother with her eyes closed, she knew. If Aman approved the guy, then there wouldn't be any issues in the future.

So she made her way downstairs where she found her parents in the living room. Shashi was readering the newspaper while Garima sat there with knitting needles, probably knitting a scarf for Aman. Aman was reading some patient files and looked up at her when she approached them.

"Maa..." Khushi spoke confidently to get their attention. "I have one condition about this marriage thing."

Garima and Shashi exchanged a glance while Aman's jaw dropped slightly. He could tell what Khushi had decided and he was surprised, to be honest.

"Whoever the guy is...Bhai will have to approve him." Khushi deadpanned, letting them know that there were no exceptions to this.

Garima rolled her eyes. "You don't even have to put that in words. We already know that Aman won't let you marry a guy if he doesn't approve of him."

Khushi nodded and glanced at her brother with a nervous smile. "Okay then..." she took a deep breath. "I'm willing to get married."