The sun was high in the sky when the matchmaker, Ghanshyam ji, returned. Aasha’s mother, Jaya, wiped her hands on her saree and hurried to make tea. Rupesh ji sat quietly, listening as the matchmaker spoke.

"Main aapke liye ek aisa rishta leke aaya hoon jise na nahi keh payenge aap," Ghanshyam ji said, his voice filled with pride. "Ladka bada ghar ka hai. Baap zameendar hai, bahut gaon ki zameen unke naam hai."

Rupesh’s eyes lit up. "Kaun hai ladka?"

" Devraj Singh," Ghanshyam ji said.

"Ghar me sabse bada beta hai. Sarpanch banne wala hai agle chunav me," Ghanshyam ji said, " aise ghar me ladki rani ki tarah rahegi."

Jaya set the teacups down. “Ladke ki maa kaisi hai? Ladki ko apni beti ki tarah rakhegi?” she asked, her voice laced with worry.

"Woh toh samay ke saath pata chalta hai, behenji,” Ghanshyam ji shrugged. "Bas thoda dahej... woh toh har jagah ki baat hai.”

Jaya exchanged a worried glance with her husband. But a house as grand as that? It felt like an opportunity they couldn’t refuse.

“Main ladke waalon ko yahan bula loon? Ladki dekhne ke liye?” Ghanshyam ji asked.

Rupesh ji swallowed hard and nodded. “Bula lijiye.”

         -------------------------------------------

Aasha sat with her siblings under the neem tree, braiding Pinki’s hair while Pappan and Bobi chased each other around.

"Didi, tu humse shaadi ke baad milne aayegi na?" Manu asked, sitting with his chin on his knees.

Aasha smiled, trying to hide her sadness. "Roz aaungi," she promised.

Poonam poked her. "Jhooth mat bol, ladki ki shaadi ke baad uska ghar wahi hota hai."

"Toh kya hua? Main tum sabko apne ghar bula lungi," Aasha said, wrapping her arms around Pinki and Manu.

Bobi, holding a broken kite, ran to her. "Didi, agar tere pati ne tujhe daanta toh?"

Everyone went quiet. Aasha forced a laugh. "Main usse keh dungi ki mere bhai mujhse zyada taakatwar hain."

They all laughed. Poonam laughed too, but her eyes lingered on Aasha a little longer, simply because she is not a child that can be misleaded.

          ------------------------------------------

The house buzzed with quiet excitement after the matchmaker left. Jaya sat on the floor, sorting through lentils, her fingers moving mechanically while her mind raced. Rupesh paced the small room, hands clasped behind his back, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Socha tha ki itna bada rishta kabhi hamari beti ke liye aayega?" Rupesh’s voice was filled with disbelief. "Devraj Singh... bade zamindar ka beta. Sarpanch banne wala hai itni gaon ki sarpanchi uske naam pe hogi."

Jaya nodded, her heart swelling with hope and fear. "Beti ki kismat chamak gayi, ji. Itna bada ghar, paisa, izzat... Aasha ki zindagi sanwar jayegi." She wiped her hands on her saree, her voice softening. "Par... waha kaise rahegi hamari bholi si Aasha?"

Rupesh stopped pacing and sat down with a sigh. "Sab theek ho jayega, Jaya. Wo samajhdar ladki hai, sab sambhal legi."

Jaya bit her lip. "Haan... par zamindar ke ghar ki bahu banana asaan nahi hota. Saas kaise hongi? Sasur ji kaise honge? Ladka to thoda kadak sunne me aaya hai..."

Rupesh forced a smile, trying to push away her worries. "Bade ghar ke ladke thode ghussail to hote hi hain. Par izzat se rakhenge hamari beti ko. Aur dahej ki chinta mat kar... kuch bhi ho, hum apni bachi ki shaadi bina shaan ke nahi karenge."

Jaya’s eyes welled up, but she blinked the tears away. "Par ji... kheti se jo milta hai wo to bas guzaare ke liye hi kaafi hota hai. Sona dena padega, kapde, bartan, aur gaay-bhais ka riwaz bhi hai na unke ghar mein."

Rupesh held her hand gently. "Jaya, hum kaam pehn ke bhi reh lenge, par Aasha ki bidaai dhoom dhaam se karenge. Sone ke kangan ka intezaam ho jayega. Gaay ke liye chinta mat kar, main ek aur fasal uga lunga."

Jaya chuckled through her tears, her heart aching and hopeful all at once. "Aasha to roti roti jaayegi... kabhi kabhi mujhe lagta hai wo bachpan me hi reh gayi hai. Abhi tak raat ko dar lagta hai to Poonam se chipak ke soti hai."

Rupesh squeezed her hand. "Beti ke sapne bade dekhne chahiye. Jab wo waha ki bahu banegi, sab log kahenge ki Rupesh ki beti ne ghar roshan kar diya."

Jaya nodded, trying to believe in his words. They sat in silence, hearts heavy with mixed emotions — happiness for their daughter’s bright future, fear of the unknown, and an unwavering determination to send her off with dignity, no matter the cost.

         --------------------------------------------

The next afternoon, the house buzzed with activity. The floor was swept, the courtyard washed, and the children scrubbed clean and dressed in their best clothes. Aasha wore a new suit, her hair neatly braided, and a small bindi placed carefully on her forehead.

Pinki peeked out of the window, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Gaadi aa gayi! Itni badi gaadi, didi!" she whispered, giggling.

Aasha’s heart thudded. She clutched her dupatta tightly, her fingers trembling.

"Maa... sach me wo log aa gaye?" Aasha’s voice quivered, her eyes darting to her mother.

Jaya cupped her face, her smile gentle yet strained.

"Haan beta... darne ki baat nahi hai. Bas shaant baithna, nazrein jhuka ke baat karna."

Rupesh rushed to the door to greet the guests. Devraj’s family entered — his father, tall and serious, with sharp eyes that missed nothing. His mother, Kamla, with a stern face and heavy gold jewelry clinking as she walked. And then there was Devraj, standing silently behind them, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his face hard and expressionless.

His mother, Kamla, sat with her back straight, her eyes scanning every corner of the house. She picked up her tea, took a small sip, and then placed the cup down with a slight frown.

"Cheeni thodi zyada ho gayi hai," she muttered, wiping her mouth with the edge of her saree.

Jaya’s hands shook as she quickly stood.

"Arre, main abhi doosri chai bana laati hoon," she said, panic in her voice.

Kamla raised her hand to stop her.

"Chhodiye, rehne dijiye. Ab kya baar-baar chulha jalana," she said, her tone dismissive.

"Aapki beti k bare m bohot suna h," Devraj’s mother, Kamla, said, her voice laced with subtle arrogance. "Gaon bhar main baat chal rahi hai ki ladki sundar hai aur ghar ke kaam me nipun."

Jaya smiled nervously. "Ji....hamari bitiya bohot masoom hai. Sab kaam sikh liya hai."

Devraj’s father, Mahendra Singh, stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Parivaar to theek lag raha hai... ladki ko bulaiye."

Jaya wiped her hands on her saree again and went to fetch Aasha. She found her daughter sitting with a pale face.

"Aaja beta... bas ek nazar dekhenge," she whispered, stroking Aasha’s head.

Aasha stood up, her legs shaking as she walked into the room. She kept her head low, her eyes fixed on the floor. Her heart pounded even louder now, her chest tight.

Devraj’s gaze snapped to her the moment she entered. He leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, watching her carefully.

"Naam kya hai?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

Aasha’s throat felt dry. She swallowed hard.

"A-Aasha..." she whispered, barely audible.

"Zara paas aao" she called, her voice sharp.

Kamla’s eyes roamed over her, taking in every detail — her fair skin, her long hair neatly braided, the delicate gold nose ring glinting in the light.

"Kaam-waam aata hai? Saaf-safaai, kapde dhona, rasoi?" she asked, tilting her head.

Aasha nodded quickly.

"Ji... sab aata hai," she whispered.

Kamla raised her eyebrows.

"Sab aata hai? Theek se bolna, yeh koi khel nahi hai. Sasural mein subah se raat tak kaam hota hai," she said, her words laced with warning.

Jaya clasped her hands tightly.

"Woh toh bachpan se sab kar rahi hai... ghar ka sara kaam sambhalti hai," she said, trying to defend Aasha without sounding defensive.

Kamla hummed, not entirely convinced. She leaned back, her bangles clinking as she folded her arms.

"Lekin bohot patli hai, khaana peena nahi deti ho kya?" she snapped, looking at Jaya.

Jaya’s face burned with embarrassment.

"Nahi, behenji, aisa kuch nahi...." she mumbled.

"Dekhiye, ladki toh theek lag rahi hai... sundar bhi hai. Par aaj-kal sirf sundarta se ghar nahi chalta, aur humein hamare Dev ke liye sabse acchi cheez chahiye," she said, glancing at her husband.

Devraj didn’t speak again, but his dark eyes stayed on her, heavy and cold.

Mahendra nodded slowly.

Rupesh cleared his throat, sitting up straighter.

"Ji, aap bilkul theek keh rahi hain," he said carefully.

Mahendra nodded slowly.

"Baat dahej ki bhi toh hai," he said casually, placing his empty teacup back on the tray.

Jaya bit her lip and Rupesh wiped his sweaty hands on his dhoti.

"Jo humse ho sakega... hum poora karenge," he said, his voice trembling but steady.

Kamla sniffed, adjusting her pallu.

"Koshish? Koshish se kya hota hai? Ladka humara zamindar ghar se hai, kal ko sarpanch banne wala hai. Gaon ke sabse bade ghar mein ladki aayegi... toh izzat se aani chahiye," she said.

"Gaon mein baat banani hai... sone ke gehne toh poore hone chahiye. Khaat, almari, mixer, TV... aur ek bike toh kam se kam chahiye," she listed, counting on her fingers.

"Aap log acche lag rahe hain... ladki bhi shareef lagti hai. Hum soch ke jawab denge," he said, standing up.

Kamla rose too, giving Aasha one last, piercing look.

"Umeed karti hoon ladki neeti-seel hai. Sasural mein ladki ki izzat uske bartav pe tikti hai," she said, her words dripping with veiled warning.

Jaya folded her hands.

"Ji... humne achhi parvarish di hai," she whispered.

Kamla didn't respond. She simply turned and walked out, her anklets jingling with each step. Devraj followed silently, his expression unreadable.

But, he pauses at the door. He glances back at Aasha, his eyes intense and unreadable.

Devraj: "Hum jaldi jawab denge."

His voice is low, but there’s a weight to his words that makes Aasha’s skin crawl. When he leaves, Aasha quietly turns to her mother.

Aasha: "Maa... unki aankhein darra rahi thi mujhe."

Jaya wiped her daughter’s face.

"Beta, bade ghar ke ladke thode se roop ke kathor hote hain... lekin shaadi ke baad sab theek ho jaata hai."