Simran’s POV

The morning after the engagement felt like sunlight spilling through the curtains soft, warm, and a little unreal.

Jodhpur’s air carried that strange mix of excitement and peace, the kind you feel when something big has just happened, but your heart hasn’t yet caught up.

Our suitcases were half-packed already. Maa and Papa were busy thanking Sarthak’s parents for their hospitality, while my younger brother, Aarav, was busy teasing me like it was his new full-time job.

“Bhabhi banne wali ho toh attitude bhi badal gaya,” he said, waving a ladoo in front of my face.

{“You are going to be a sister-in-law, so your attitude has also changed.”}

I rolled my eyes. “Aarav, bas kar. Tujhe toh sabse zyada maza aaya tha engagement mein.”

{“Aarav, stop it. You had the most fun at the engagement.”}

He grinned. “Of course! Sarthak bhaiya’s friends fed me cake three times! Mujhe toh yahan hi reh jana chahiye tha.”

{“Of course! Sarthak Bhaiya's friends fed me cake three times! I should have stayed here only.”}

Everyone laughed, and I caught Abha aunty smiling fondly from across the room. She had that gentle aura. She is a kind of woman whose presence made you feel seen. “Simran beta,” she called softly, “come, have breakfast with us before you leave.”

“Ji aunty,” I said automatically, though she’d told me twice now, “Call me Maa. From today, you’re our daughter too.”

Her words caught me off guard. I smiled, a little shyly, nodding.

It still felt strange, this new world of belonging and its like I am stepping into something unknown but welcoming.

Sarthak was helping his father outside, arranging our luggage near the car. He was quiet as usual. But when his eyes met mine briefly across the courtyard, something in my chest stuttered.

It feels like a calm warmth, like sunlight after a long winter.

---

We all gathered near the main gate before leaving. Jodhpur’s house walls gleamed behind us, the air heavy with goodbyes and laughter.

Sarthak’s younger brother, Mohit, handed me a small gift - a box wrapped neatly. “Bhabhi,” he said with mock seriousness, “yeh Jodhpur ki yaad hai. Mat bhoolna hum jaise pyaare devar milne mushkil hain.”

{"Sister-in-law, this is a memory of Jodhpur. Don't forget that loving brothers-in-law like us are hard to find."}

I laughed. “Acha? Tum toh shuru se teasing mode mein ho.”

{“Okay? You have been in testing mode since the beginning.”}

“Family tradition,” he said proudly.

Their youngest, Aryan, added, “Sarthak bhaiya toh aapke liye already serious lag rahe hain. Bas shaadi ke baad toh…”

{"Sarthak Bhaiya already seems serious about you. It's just after marriage…"}

“Kuch zyada bolne ki zarurat nahi hai,” Sarthak interrupted quietly, his tone calm but words were final.

{“There’s no need to say much,”}

The boys snickered. I bit back a smile.

Because of the way his voice dropped when my name came up, the way his eyes softened but stayed firm.

When the families hugged goodbye, I felt a tug inside me. I hadn’t expected to grow attached so quickly - to his parents’ kindness, his brothers’ teasing, and especially, to him.

He stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“Safe journey, Simran,” he said finally. His voice was low, steady. “Text me when you reach?”

“Of course,” I said, trying to sound casual trying to hide what I am feeling inside.

There was a brief pause - the kind where words felt too heavy, too fragile to touch. He reached forward slightly, not to hold my hand, just… to tuck away a loose strand of hair that the wind had blown across my face.

I became frozen on my place and for a heartbeat, everything stilled - the noise, the laughter, the honking from the street. It was just his fingertips brushing lightly near my temple, his eyes holding mine with a quiet intensity.

And then, as if realizing what he’d done, he stepped back, clearing his throat. “Take care.”

It became hard for me to say anything so I just nodded my head, slipping into the car before my smile gave me away.

---

The road back to Karnal felt longer than it actually was. The laughter inside the car slowly faded as everyone got busy with their own thoughts. Aarav slept halfway, Maa hummed some old song, and Papa took work calls in between.

But I kept replaying moments - the way Sarthak had looked at me, the way his family had treated us, the unspoken comfort of being around him.

I didn’t know what to call it yet. It was quieter. Like something that had just started to take root.

By the time we reached home, the evening sun was slipping below the rooftops of Karnal. The house looked familiar, but everything inside me felt slightly… different.

After dinner, when everyone went to rest, I stepped out to the balcony with my phone. Jodhpur’s sky felt far away, but somehow, I could still feel its warmth lingering.

I typed:

“Reached home safe. Thank you for everything, Sarthak.”

His reply came after a few minutes.

“Good. Glad you did. Everyone’s missing you here already.”

I smiled. “Everyone?”

A pause, then:

“I meant… my family.”

And then another message followed before I could reply —

“Okay, maybe me too.”

I stared at the screen, feeling that flutter in my chest again.

For the first time, I realized how easily his few words could disarm me - not because they were grand or poetic, but because they were real.

Somewhere deep down, I knew - this quiet man from Jodhpur had already started to carve a space in my heart.

And maybe, just maybe, I don’t want to stop him.

Hi 💕

Kese hai aap sab..

I am back with a new chapter as promised so, do share your reviews.

Have a happy reading...

To milte hai kal ek naye naye chapter ke sath.