episode 20

Aditi’s father, Avinash, was still concerned about the dowry matter. He had heard about the customs and traditions that often went along with marriage, and he wanted to ensure there was no misunderstanding. He cleared his throat and turned to Aryan.

"Mr. Singh," Avinash began, his voice steady but serious, "I need to ask about the dowry. We don’t have a lot to offer, but I want to understand what is expected from our side. What is your family asking for?"

There was a brief pause. Aryan looked at Aditi’s father, and for a moment, there was a flicker of tension in the room. But then Aryan spoke, his voice firm and clear, breaking the silence.

"Sir," Aryan said, looking directly at Aditi’s father, "In my family, dowry is absolutely unacceptable. We do not ask for, nor do we expect, anything in return for marriage. I do not want anything. This is not about money or material things for me."

Aditi’s father blinked in surprise, unable to immediately process Aryan’s words. He had prepared himself for a negotiation, for the mention of gifts or certain expectations, but Aryan’s response was not what he had anticipated.

"You... you don’t want anything?" Avinash asked, trying to understand. "But the tradition—"

"I understand the tradition, sir," Aryan interrupted gently, his tone sincere. "But in my family, we believe that marriage should be based on respect, love, and mutual understanding—not material exchange. I do not want anything from your family. If Aditi agrees to marry me, that is more than enough for me."

Aditi’s heart skipped a beat as she listened to Aryan speak. She had heard of families who demanded dowries, and she had feared that it would be the same in this situation. But Aryan’s words were a relief, though still hard to fully believe. She looked at her father, who seemed to be processing Aryan’s offer, the tension in the air slowly lifting.

Avinash stared at Aryan for a long moment, the weight of his words sinking in. He could see the sincerity in Aryan’s eyes, and it was clear that Aryan was not interested in the traditional dowry customs that had often burdened families.

Sunita, feeling conflicted but standing by the family traditions, said to Aryan’s mother, “We can’t marry Aditi first. In our family, the older child must marry first. That’s just how it’s always been.”

Aryan's mother, understanding the family customs, responded thoughtfully, “I understand. However, I have one more son, Abhishek. Why not call your daughter Meera and see if my son, Abhishek, likes her? If he does, we can talk about a possible match. That way, both of my sons will be married.”

This suggestion took Sunita by surprise, but she considered it. "We’ll talk about it," Sunita replied. She turned to Avinash, her husband, and they both exchanged a knowing look. They understood that they needed to talk with Meera, but they weren’t sure how she would feel about the idea.

After some discussion between Sunita and Avinash, they decided it was time to call Meera into the living room. Sunita went to Meera’s room and gently asked her to join them.

Meera came into the living room, wearing a simple salwar suit. She looked at her parents, wondering what was going on. Sunita motioned for Meera to sit down.

“Meera,” Sunita began, “We’ve had some discussions with Aryan’s family. They’ve made an offer for Aditi, but there’s also an opportunity for you. Aryan’s family has another son, Abhishek. They are interested in you, and if you agree, we could talk about a proposal for you.”

Meera was startled by this news. She had never imagined such a thing. “But why me? What about Aditi?” she asked, still processing.

Avinash spoke gently, "Aditi is younger, and Aryan’s family suggested this could be an option if Abhishek is interested in you. We wanted to discuss it with you, as it's important to us that you’re involved in this decision."

Meera felt overwhelmed. “But I don’t know Abhishek. I’ve never met him. How can we decide like this?”

Sunita smiled gently at her daughter. “We understand that, Meera. There’s no rush. We just want to know your feelings. If Abhishek likes you, we can consider the match.”

After a few moments of silence, Meera nodded slowly. “I need time to think about this. I don’t even know what to expect from a proposal or meeting someone I don’t know.”

Sunita nodded. “Of course. Take your time. This is a big decision.”

Later that day, Aryan's family arranged a video call with Abhishek, so Meera could meet him virtually. Meera hesitated at first but then agreed to the call.

When the video call began, Meera saw Abhishek on the other side. He seemed calm and friendly. They exchanged polite introductions, and Abhishek asked her about her studies, her interests, and her family. Meera answered as best as she could, trying to keep her nerves in check.

After some light conversation, Abhishek mentioned that he was happy to meet her, though he admitted he hadn’t yet had the chance to meet her in person. He told her that he respected her family's traditions and would like to continue getting to know her if they both agreed.

Meera’s thoughts were a whirlwind, but she tried to stay composed. “Thank you for the call, Abhishek. I’ll need some time to think about everything,” she replied.

As the video call ended, both families continued discussing the matter. Sunita and Avinash spoke privately about how things were progressing with both their daughters. They wanted to make sure that whatever decision was made, their daughters felt comfortable and happy with the outcome.

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