CHAPTER 15

As they cuddled under the stars, Kishika smiled at Rithvik, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation for their future together. "So, have you thought about where you want to go on our honeymoon?" she asked.

Rithvik leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment. "I was thinking maybe we could go on a road trip. I know we never got to do that before, but I think it would be fun to explore different places together," he said.

Kishika's face lit up with excitement. "That sounds amazing! Where would we go?"

"Well, I was thinking we could start in the north and work our way down. We could visit the Himalayas, see the Taj Mahal, and maybe even go down to the beaches in Goa," Rithvik suggested.

Kishika's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That sounds like an adventure! I can't wait," she said, squeezing Rithvik's hand.

As they talked, Rithvik's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was his parents calling. "Excuse me for a moment," he said, answering the call.

As he spoke to his parents, Kishika overheard them discussing the wedding. "Yes, we've decided to have the wedding in Udaipur, in our ancestral house. It's where we've always celebrated our family's important milestones, and we want our wedding to be no exception," Rithvik said.

Kishika couldn't help but feel excited at the idea of getting married in such a beautiful and historic location. She knew that it would be a wedding to remember.

As Rithvik finished his call, he turned back to Kishika. "Sorry about that. My parents wanted to discuss the wedding plans with me," he said.

Kishika smiled. "It's okay. I overheard you talking about the wedding location. I think it's a beautiful place to get married," she said.

Rithvik grinned. "I'm glad you like it. And I can't wait to show you around the city and all the beautiful places there," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Kishika smiled back at him. "I can't wait to see it all with you. And we should also plan where we want to go for our honeymoon."

Rithvik nodded eagerly. "Yes, that's a great idea. Where do you want to go?"

Kishika thought for a moment. "Well, I've always wanted to visit Europe. Maybe we could go to Italy and see all the beautiful cities like Rome, Florence, and Venice."

Rithvik's eyes widened. "Italy sounds amazing! And we could also try all the delicious food there."

Kishika laughed. "Yes, I can't wait to try all the pasta, pizza, and gelato."

They continued discussing their plans for the future, including where they would live and what kind of life they wanted to build together. They both agreed that they wanted to travel and see the world, but also have a cozy home where they could spend time together.

Eventually, they decided that their wedding would take place in Rithvik's ancestral house in Udaipur. It was a beautiful mansion with a sprawling garden and a stunning view of the lake.

Rithvik suggested, "We could have the wedding in the garden with a beautiful floral arch and lots of fairy lights. And we could have a reception on the terrace with a live band playing our favorite songs."

Kishika smiled at the thought. "That sounds perfect. And we could have all our friends and family there to celebrate with us."

Rithvik added, "And we could also have a traditional Rajasthani dance performance. It would be a great way to honor my heritage."

Kishika nodded, "Yes, that's a great idea. I'm so excited for our wedding and everything that comes after."

Rithvik took her hand and said, "Me too, Kishika. Me too."

As they talked more and more, the night started to fall. The stars came out, and the temperature began to drop. Rithvik noticed that Kishika was shivering and he quickly got up and went into the tent. He brought out two blankets and draped them over them both.

"Thanks," Kishika said, snuggling closer to him. "This is amazing. I never thought I could feel so comfortable and safe with someone."

Rithvik wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "That's because you're with me," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

They talked some more, sharing their dreams and aspirations, and discussing how they would make their marriage work. They both knew that it wouldn't be easy, but they were determined to make it work.

As the night wore on, they started to feel tired. They both crawled into the tent and lay down on the soft blankets that Rithvik had prepared. They snuggled close to each other, their bodies entwined as they drifted off to sleep.

The night was cold, but they were warm and comfortable inside the tent. They could hear the sounds of crickets and other nocturnal animals in the distance, and the occasional rustling of leaves as a gentle breeze blew through the garden.

As they slept, they dreamt of their future together. They saw themselves exploring new places, going on adventures, and creating beautiful memories. They knew that their journey would be difficult, but they were ready for it. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

In the morning, they woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the warmth of the sun on their faces. They got up, stretched their limbs, and walked hand in hand around the garden. It was a beautiful morning, and they were excited to start their new life together.

After they decided to get freshened up, Rithvik headed towards his room to take a shower. He turned on the shower and let the warm water cascade over him, washing away the sweat and grime from the previous day. Once he was done, he got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He then walked over to his closet and pulled out a light blue shirt and navy blue trousers. He put on a black belt and matching shoes, then combed his hair before heading out to the breakfast table.

On the other hand, Kishika walked into her room and headed straight for the bathroom. She turned on the shower and let the water wash over her. Once she was done, she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off with a towel. She walked over to her closet and pulled out a floral dress with a pair of white sandals. She quickly got dressed and walked out of the room.

As Kishika walked towards the door, she suddenly saw a cockroach on the floor and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Aaaahhhh! Rithvik! Cockroach!!!" she yelled.

Hearing Kishika's scream, Rithvik rushed towards her room. "What happened? Are you okay?" he asked, looking concerned.

Kishika pointed to the cockroach on the floor. "There's a cockroach on the floor. I can't stand them. Can you please get rid of it?" she asked, looking at Rithvik with pleading eyes.

Rithvik chuckled and walked over to the cockroach. He picked it up with a tissue and threw it outside the window. "There you go. All gone," he said, smiling at Kishika.

Kishika breathed a sigh of relief and smiled back at him. "Thank you so much. You're my hero," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Rithvik hugged her back and kissed her forehead. "Anything for you, my love," he whispered.

Rithvik chuckled and teased her, "I never thought my brave and confident Kishika would be scared of a tiny little cockroach."

Kishika pouted and playfully hit him on the chest. "Shut up, Rithvik. It's not funny."

Rithvik continued to laugh, unable to contain himself. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But you have to admit, it was kind of cute."

Kishika rolled her eyes and laughed along with him. "Fine, it was a little cute. But don't tell anyone, okay?"

Rithvik raised his hand in a mock oath. "I swear on our love, your cockroach secret is safe with me."

Kishika smiled and hugged him tightly. She felt grateful to have someone like Rithvik in her life, someone who could make her laugh and feel safe at the same time. They stayed in each other's arms for a few more moments before finally letting go and getting ready for breakfast.

As they walked towards the dining area, hand in hand, Kishika couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness and excitement for their future together.

They sat down at the table for breakfast, and Rithvik poured them each a cup of coffee. Kishika took a sip and sighed contentedly. "This is so good," she said.

Rithvik smiled at her. "I'm glad you like it. So, what do you want to do today?"

Kishika thought for a moment before asking, "What are we doing today?"

Rithvik's expression turned serious as he answered, "My mom messaged me this morning, saying that she wants us to go to the jewelry shop. Apparently, she's ordered some jewelry for you."

Kishika's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh wow, that's so sweet of her. I can't wait to see what she's picked out for me."

Rithvik chuckled. "Yeah, my mom has impeccable taste when it comes to jewelry. I'm sure you'll love whatever she's chosen."

Kishika smiled back at him, feeling grateful for the warm and welcoming family she was about to become a part of.

Kishika's phone rang, and she quickly looked at the screen. It was her mother calling. "Hey, Mom. What's up?" Kishika answered.

"Kishika, Rithvik's mom just called us. They're coming over today, along with Rithvik's dad, sister Sara, and her husband Rohan. You need to come home quickly," her mother said in an urgent tone.

Kishika's eyes widened in surprise. "Today? But we were planning to go to the jewelry shop," she said, turning to Rithvik.

Rithvik looked at her with a smile. "Don't worry, we can go to the jewelry shop later. My mom probably wants us to pick out something special for you," he said.

Kishika nodded in agreement and turned back to her mother on the phone. "Mom, we're coming home now. We'll be there in half an hour," she said.

As they got ready to leave, Kishika couldn't help but feel excited about meeting Rithvik's family. "I can't wait to meet everyone," she said to Rithvik as they got into the car.

"I'm sure they're going to love you," Rithvik said, smiling at her.

They arrived at Kishika's house within the promised time, and as they entered, they saw Rithvik's family waiting for them in the living room. Kishika's parents greeted them warmly, and Rithvik's family reciprocated with equal warmth.

After exchanging pleasantries, Rithvik's mom turned to Kishika. "Kishika, I have some jewelry that I think you'll like. We need to go to the jewelry shop to pick it up," she said.

Kishika nodded in agreement, and they all headed to the jewelry shop. As they entered the jewelry shop, Kishika couldn't help but be amazed by the beauty of the ornaments on display. Rithvik's mom walked up to the shopkeeper and introduced herself. "We're here to pick up some jewelry that we ordered for our daughter-in-law," she said with a smile.

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with a thick moustache, nodded and led them to a section of the shop where the jewelry was kept. "We have some exquisite pieces for you to choose from," he said, gesturing to the display case.

Kishika's eyes widened as she looked at the collection. There were necklaces, earrings, bangles, and rings made of gold, silver, and precious stones. She turned to Rithvik's mom. "I don't know which one to choose," she said.

Rithvik's mom smiled. "Don't worry, we'll help you pick something that suits you perfectly."

As they started browsing through the collection, the shopkeeper approached them. "Would you like to see some of our exclusive pieces?" he asked.

Rithvik's mom nodded, and the shopkeeper brought out a velvet box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful necklace with diamonds and emeralds. Kishika gasped in awe.

"It's stunning," she whispered.

Rithvik's mom smiled. "Try it on," she said.

As Kishika put on the necklace, she could feel the weight of the diamonds and emeralds on her neck. She looked in the mirror and couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. Rithvik's mom nodded in approval. "That looks perfect on you," she said.

As they were finalizing the purchase, Riya asked the shopkeeper, "What does 'sunaar' mean?"

The shopkeeper grinned. "It means 'goldsmith'," he said. "My ancestors were goldsmiths, and I've continued the family tradition."

Riya smiled. "That's amazing. You create such beautiful pieces."

The shopkeeper nodded. "Thank you. It's a labor of love for me."

As they left the shop, Kishika couldn't help but feel grateful for the wonderful family she was about to marry into.