Dhruv's POV

"Where is the pagdi?" Kabir yelled from his room. Karan and I entered his room and saw Sachi panicking. Like someone stole all her money.

"Where did you keep it?" She yelled back. Why are they yelling?

"Can you both stop yelling?" Karan said.

"He lost Bhai's pagdi." Sachi said, pointing at Kabir.

"I kept it in my room. I don't know where it went." Kabir said pitifully.

"Ok. Ok. Let's find it. It must be in your room." Karan said calmly. Bless Karan. If he weren't around, this wedding would have turned into a mess. It's not just planning the wedding but also babysitting these two over-enthusiastic humans with zero crisis management skills.

"Wait—is that the pagdi? Why is it under the bed? And why does it look like it fought a dog and lost?" Karan said with shock.

"WHAT?!" I said in panic. I bend to see under the bed.

There it was. My ivory silk pagdi was flattened and chewed up like a chew toy. And comfortably curled up on top of it—Gabbar, Kabir's demon in a cat's body.

"OH MY GOD, Gabbar, chew the pagdi. Eww." Sachi said, showing disgust.

"How did this happen?" Kabir asked in confusion as if he didn't know what his cat was capable of.

"Do you even need to ask?" I said and glared at him.

"Bhai It's not my fault. I left it on the desk." He said with a pout.

"I swear if my wedding gets ruined because of your cat, I will kill you."

"What do you mean by my cat? It is our cat, part of our family. If Gabbar hears you disowning him, he will feel so sad." He said dramatically.

"You still have the mood to joke." I said sternly.

"Relax, Drama Queen of Rajasthan. I'll go bribe the cat with leftover paneer tikka. I don't know where he got this obsession with paneer tikka." Kabir said and rushed out of his room.

He came back with a plate of paneer tikka. He placed it under the bed at a slight distance from the cat. The cat has to move to eat it.

"Come on, buddy. Get up. Be a good boy." Kabir said.

The cat kept looking at the paneer tikka, certainly tempted by the food item. But she didn't get up. She turned her face and closed her eyes, sleeping again.

"Too late. He's claimed it," Sachi sighed. "Try to move him and he'll scratch your soul out."

"Well, guess he's the groom now. Long live Gabbar Singh Rathore." Karan said, trying to control his laugh. I don't even know what Kabir was thinking when he named the cat Gabbar. What runs in his brain? Looking at this makes me question my decision to let him adopt this demon cat.

"I've already asked my team to prep a new pagdi." Karan said, saving my blood pressure from collapsing. "You weren't going to wear one covered in cat drool anyway."

"You are my lifesaver, or else Bhai would have killed me." Kabir said dramatically.

"Have always been." Karan said nonchalantly.

"Since you are here, let me show you my outfit." Kabir said and moved towards his wardrobe. Kabir held up the sherwani like it was the crown jewel. It was a blinding shade of mustard yellow with hot pink embroidery and sequins. I had to squint to protect my eyes. Is he really planning to wear that sherwani?

"Ta-da!" he said with jazz hands. There was a full five seconds of stunned silence.

Then Sachi broke it. "You are not wearing that."

"Why not?" Kabir asked, offended. "It's festive!"

"It's a crime," I muttered.

"You'll give people headaches; please spare them." Karan said helplessly,

"It's traditional!" Kabir argued, clearly wounded.

"It's tragic," Sachi corrected.

"I think I saw something like that on a TV soap in 2007. On the villain. The perverted ones." Karan said.

"It's got personality." Kabir insisted.

"It looks like the personality is loud, unemployed, and desperate for attention." I said, crossing my arms. "Are you trying to steal my 'thunder' It's my wedding, in case anyone forgot."

Kabir gasped dramatically. "How can you say that? I am merely being the dazzling younger brother. If anything, I'm making you look better by contrast. You're welcome."

"I'd rather not have guests go blind to appreciate me." I said in a stiff tone.

Gabbar, come out dragging the pagdi. He left the pagdi and started moving towards us. He meowed softly as if in agreement. "Meow."

"Even your cat is judging you." Sachi said, pointing at Gabbar.

Kabir turned to the cat. "Do you disagree, Gabbar?" On which the cat nodded.

"You traitor. My Gabbar betrayed me. Now where should I go? Whom can I trust now?" Kabir said dramatically. Gabbar flicked his tail and resumed ignoring everyone. Went and slept again in the pagdi.

Karan stepped forward and plucked the sherwani from Kabir's hands like a bomb technician removing a suspicious object. Keeping it at some distance from him.

"This is going in the 'never again' pile." He said.

"That was a limited edition!" He said, placing his hand on his heart. Showing his heartbreak.

"From where a circus sale?" I asked sarcastically.

"Kabir. Please wear literally anything else. You're cute when you're not blinding." Sachi said, her voice gentle but firm.

"I'm cute always," Kabir said, smoothing his hair and winking at the mirror. My goodness. Where was this idiot when God was allocating brains to everyone?

"Oh my god," I said, rubbing my temples. "This wedding is going to turn my hair grey.

"Don't worry, the pagdi might be destroyed, but your hair is still thriving. For now." Kabir said cheerfully.

"I swear to God—" I started, but Sachi grabbed my arm before I could launch the nearest pillow at him.

"Focus. We've still got ninety-nine problems, and your psycho cat is one." she said.

"You guys are so dramatic," Kabir said.

"You dare to call us dramatic." Karan said.

"This mess is because of you." Sachi said, keeping both her hands on her waist.

"Guys, calm down. It's going to be fine. Karan has a replacement. Gabbar's been fed. The world is not ending." Kabir said, laughing now.

"Not yet," I muttered. "But you better keep that cat ten feet away from my wedding sherwani."

"Deal, unless he takes a liking to your sherwani and plots to murder it," Kabir said.

"Don't you dare," I said, dead serious.

"Relax," Sachi said with a snort. "If Gabbar eats your sherwani too, we'll just make him the official groom."

Karan chuckled. "We'll rename the event Shaadi: The Cat-tastrophe Chronicles."

"I hate all of you," I said, turning to leave the room before my blood pressure hit dangerous levels.

"We love you too, Bhai!" Kabir called after me. He hopped on my back. Like a monkey making me stumble. Karan came and supported us, preventing us from falling.

"Bhai, how can you forget me?" Sachi said and hopped on me from the side. One monkey wasn't enough; another came.

"Bhai, even I am here." He said, hugging me from the other side. At least he didn't jump on me, or else all of us would have landed on the floor wincing in pain. Even Gabbar came and held my pants to draw my attention. As if saying, 'Even I am here.' Kabir's cat is just like him. I looked at him, and he meowed with a smug look. Idiots. Idiots. Aakriti. Baby, I hope you don't run away after seeing their madness.

Aakriti's POV

I sit in front of a vintage mirror in just a blouse and shorts. The makeup artist is doing my makeup. The lehenga is kept to wear after I am all ready, as it is very heavy.

Will Mom come? I am anxious that my distant attitude will spoil anything remaining between us. I am looking forward to meeting her. I want her blessing on my biggest day.

Meera entered the room and placed an envelope in front of me.

"What's this, my wedding gift? Are you giving me a blank check or some property paper?" I tried to joke and then stopped, realizing how terrible I am.

"A courier just arrived. It's from your mom." My smile dimmed, realizing what might be in it. I quickly take the envelope as slowly as possible. Let it be false. Let it not be what I am thinking.

I tear open the envelope carefully and start scanning the letter.

My dearest Aakriti,
I wish I could be there with you today, more than anything. But Meera's final exams will start in a few days, and she's very nervous. She needs me here. I regret not being at your wedding, but I know you'll understand.
Blessings to you and Dhruv. I hope it's a beautiful day.
Love,
Mom.

I read it twice to confirm her words, then folded the paper. My fingers tremble. The silence around me grows heavy.

"Is everything okay?" Meera asked me. She gestured to the makeup artist to leave us alone for a moment.

"She's not coming. My wedding isn't as important as her stepdaughter's exam." I said bitterly all the fantasy came crashing.

Meera hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"This could have simply been said through a message. Why make it dramatic by sending a letter and all?" I tried to pretend to not be affected by her absence. But only I know how hurt I am right now. The last piece of our relationship that I was holding shattered. Nothing left between us. Even the namesake relation ended right now. I didn't even realize that I was crying until Meera wiped my tear. She gently patted the tissue so as to not ruin the makeup. I held my emotions back.

"All these years I was never her choice; she never cared, but I thought today would be different. That maybe—maybe—I'd finally come first." I stood up and went near the window.

"Maybe I've spent too long trying to earn something she never intended to give. Now I promise to myself to not seek it any longer. Her, her care, her love. Anything and everything related to her no longer matters to me." I declared as I set the letter ablaze with the flame of a scented candle. I saw the letter turning into ashes the same way as my hope did today. After a few moments of silence, I straightened my shoulders, looked up, and smiled at the sky.

Papa I won't allow that woman to ruin this day. I am marrying a wonderful man. Even if there is no love between us, I know I will be happy with him. My wedding matters more than she does. It's her wish to not come. Let her miss it.

"Meera, call the makeup artist. I need to get ready for my wedding." I said, smiling at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked with concern, and I simply nodded. Let me look ethereal today, as my wedding is not going to happen again and again. 

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