“Naveen, whatever’s troubling you, you can talk to me. What’s going on?” Sangram asks again, his voice steady and calm.

“I’m just a little worried about Didi… I don’t know what must have happened there. I’m not even sure if she liked the guy or not. What if she said yes just because of pressure from Maa and Bua?”

“But isn’t it also possible that your sister genuinely liked the guy?” Sangram suggests gently.

Naveen looks at him. Yes, that could be true too, he thinks.

“Now what are you thinking?”

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m worrying for no reason. She could’ve liked the guy without anyone forcing her.”

“Exactly. So there’s nothing to worry about, is there?”

“But… what if he’s not actually a good person?”

“Hmm ?”

“I mean, sometimes the truth only comes out after marriage. Everyone puts on their sweetest face as a facade, just to get the match finalized,” Naveen replies, his tone turning serious.

“That can happen with anyone.”

“But it shouldn’t happen to my Didi.”

“Pandey, I think you’re overthinking this. You’re a smart man. So I’m sure your family and your sister are just as wise. I know that your sister is everything to you—but your parents love her too! So I dont think they would just hand over their daughter's hand to someone without reason, would you?”

Naveen softly laughs at Sangram’s words and nodded.

“You know… there’s only one thing in life that I’m truly afraid of,” he says hesitantly.

“You? Afraid? That’s a surprise. Our little tornado is afraid? Did you forget that you are a commando?” Sangram teases.

“Not because I’m a soldier, but because I’m a brother. I am worried for my sister. I don’t want anything from life—except one thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“If I’m ever martyred… I just want to make sure my Nanda Didi is married before that. I just want to be her happy with a great career and a great husband. She’s five years older than me. She raised me like her own child. She always says that I am his first child. She’s...She is my biggest responsibility. Everything else can wait. First, my Nanda Didi.”

“You’re not dying anytime soon, Lance Naik Naveen Pandey,” Sangram says with a grin. “We’ve got a lot of enemies to take care of before that.”

Naveen only smiles in return.

“You care so much for your sister, but what about your parents?”

“Even if I’m gone, Didi will take care of them perfectly. I have no worries there. She’s been handling everything alone anyway. My only concern is—will she ever find someone who takes care of her? Someone who respects her deeply, someone who looks after her the way she looks after everyone else? She’s twenty-five, but she talks like she’s sixty. I want someone who brings out the child in her again. Someone who’s truly her partner.”

Sangram nods thoughtfully and said,

“And I feel… maybe she’s already found someone like that.”

“I hope so, Sir,” Naveen whispers, hope glinting in his eyes.

“She has. And listen, if this match works out—you’re giving us a party, right?” Sangram says, trying to lighten the mood.

“Of course, Sir! You must come to Nariyapur!” Naveen responds enthusiastically.

“So I have to come all the way to Nariyapur just for your party?”

“Not just for the party, Sir. You have to come for the wedding! If Didi’s wedding is fixed, you have to be there. Or else, the wedding won't happen. You’ll be the chief guest for all of Nariyapur!” Naveen said enthusiastically.

“I’ll be there,” Sangram replies with a smile, patting his shoulder.

---

As soon as they return to base, Naveen calls home. What he hears is exactly what Sangram had predicted.

Nandini and Raman’s match has been finalized with the agreement of both families. His mother, Rani Devi, is practically glowing with happiness as she shares the news.

“But did anyone ask Didi? Please let me talk to her,” Naveen insists.

Rani Devi sighs and says that Nandini has locked herself in her room ever since the boy’s family visited.

“See?! Put her on the phone. Now it’ll be clear whether you all pressurized her or not. Bua ji must have been there too, right? I know it. This has her name written all over it.”

“Yes yes, we’re the cruel villains in her life,” Rani Devi snaps. “And stop saying nonsense all the time! Here, talk to her yourself.”

She knocks on Nandini’s door. When she opens it, she silently hands her the phone and walks away.

“Your beloved brother thinks we’re forcing you into marriage,” she mutters on her way out, disappearing from sight.

“Hello, Navi,” Nandini says softly, a smile curling at her lips as she holds the phone to her ear.

“Why are you sitting alone? Aren’t you happy with this match? They did ask you before saying yes, right?”

“Alright, alright—enough!” she cuts him off mid-sentence.

Naveen falls silent.

“It’s nothing like what you’re imagining. And tell me—do you really think Maa and Baba would ever force me into something against my will? Have they ever imposed their decisions on us just because of what people said? Ever?”

“No.”

“Then they won’t now either. Never.”

“Then why are you sitting alone?”

“Just like that.”

But Naveen knows exactly what her “just like that” means. He knows this about his sister—she only retreats like this when she’s battling some inner turmoil, trying to come to terms with something she hasn’t fully accepted yet.

“You are happy with the match, right?”

“Hmm.”

“What does hmm even mean? Just say yes or no.”

“Yes, Baba. Yes.”

“They’ll let you keep studying, right?”

“Yes. They said so.”

“Everything’s settled properly, isn’t it?”

“Navi…”

“What? I missed the whole thing—at least let me ask a few things!”

At that, Nandini chuckles softly.

“Maa told me they even gave you a ring.”

“Hmm,” she replies, gazing at the delicate ring sparkling on her finger.

“Looks like they came fully prepared. Everything went smoothly?”

“Yes, everything went fine. Tell me, you’re coming next month on leave, right?”

“That’s not certain yet. I think I’ll only be able to come for the wedding.”

“What?! I’m telling you now—the date will only be fixed once you come back.”

“Okay, I’ll try. Alright then, bye. I’ll call later.”

“Bye. Be safe… and stay blessed.”

---

Somewhere deep down, the thought gnawed at Naveen—he wasn’t there for one of the biggest decisions of his sister’s life. He wanted to be involved in every little detail. If nothing else, he wanted to stand beside her.

But how could he break the vow he made to his country?

And the truth was—he loved what he did more than anything else. Even more than family.

That very oath to serve the nation… was now about to take him far, far away from his home, his family, and from his beloved Nanda Didi.

Forever.