Chapter 22

Part: 21

Angad ran out to stop Kripa but she already left the place. He sighed heavily "My life, my friends, mere marzi. Why should she bother about it?"

 
He recollected Devyani's phone conversation, "Abb ek aur musseebat, why did Dadi come all of sudden? Why is so stubborn for my marriage with that Nainital girl? I could have asked Kripa about the girl, but I lost chance. Dadi told I have to go to see that girl this evening. Is there a way to avoid it? Idea!!! Aaliyah sey pooch letey!!"

He called Aaliyah and informed everything. ""kahin, wo ladki Kripa toh nahin? Wo bhi Nainital sey hai!!"
"Nahin, the girl lives here only." Angad said but felt if Aaliyah is right as the girl is basically from Nainital.
"Chalo, yeh acha hi hua. Say 'yes' immediately if it is Kripa, samjhey?" Aaliyah warned Angad before hung up.

He is irritated and headed home to face his dadi "Kripa ho toh bhi kya hua? I'm not ready for marriage."

 
Kripa entered into the house angrily and stumped into her room ignoring Gayatri's enquiries.

She fell across the bed and buried her face into pillow. Tears are flowing without her notice. After few minutes she relieved from her disappointment and turned her face sideway. "Yeh kya hua mujhey? Why am I so disappointed? It's my fault to fall for Angad. Teacher always told me that Angad is confused about girls and she wants him to settle soon before late. Now she is coming with him this evening to introduce to me. What would be his reaction? He likes Misthy. What if he behaves the same way with every girl? Womanizer!!! Casanova!!No God. This shouldn't be true. I don't say yes to this alliance unless I study him well. I should know what other habits he has. He drinks, girl friends, what not he has all types of bad habits. He is not the person I was dreaming. He is not the same Angad. What I know about 'my Angad' too? " She wiped her flowing tears.

Gayatri came into the room while Kripa is shuffling her questions and answers in her mind.
"Kripa! Maasi jee apni family ko lekar arahi hai. Taiyyar hojao"
"Kripa turned her face away from her and wiped her eyes "Mamma! I don't like to go with this alliance."She couldn't say it out seeing Gayatri's excitement.
Gayatri is excited as if they are coming to fix the match. Gayatri is sure that Devyani doesn't do anything against Kripa.

Kripa got up to get ready and picked a red sari to wear. She remembered how Angad was behaving with Misthy. She put back the sari and took another one. She shuffled atleast dozen saris and sighed for not deciding with one. "Yeh Angad ke saamney gorgeous bann ney ki koyi jaroorat nahin" she picked a black sari with thin border. She lose braided her hair and put silver jewelry.

Devyani came along with her family. Suryaban and Gayatri warmly received them. Angad surprised to enter Kripa's apartments and suspiciously looked at Devyani but she is busy with Naina. "This is definitely Kripa!!!" his heart started jumping with strange mixed feelings.

After formalities of introducing among other, Devyani asked to bring Kripa.
"Kripa!" Angad swallowed "Toh akhir yeh meri Kripa hi ghar hai. Meri? Yeh kabsey? What do I do now?" Before he decides Kripa came, covering her right shoulder with her sari ends, walking along with Gayatri. Angad stood unintentionally and dropped his jaw to see Kripa in typical traditional way.

Devyani changed her looks on both of them and smiled in her mind. Naina pulled Angad to sit him down. Angad gave a pale smile at Suryaban and sat down as staring at Kripa.

Kripa took blessings from Naina, Dilip and Devyani and sat besides Suryaban lowering her face. She is cursing Angad in her mind and circling the sari end to her forefinger. Angad is piercing her with looks in disbelief "Yeh kya? Dadi mere liye Kripa ko chunli? Is this just coincidence? Humara kismet? Should I say yes to this alliance? What if I lose Kripa? Does Kripa know before all about this? Is that the reason she jealous of Misthy? Does she already thinking I'm her own?"

Suryaban understood Angad is mouthwatering to see Kripa, his beautiful daughter. He felt proud and asked Angad if he has any questions to ask Kripa. Kripa lifted her eyes and looked into Angad's. Angad is backed off to see the anger in her eyes. "Yeh kya roti rahi? Why her eyes are red? Yeh kya sach much mujh sey pyar karney lagi? What would be my answer?"
Kripa lowered her eyes again cursing Angad "Yeh kya poochega mujh sey? I'll ask him if I get a chance, if he is serious with this relationship."

Devyani startled to notice some tension between them and asked Kripa to take him inside to talk privately if Suryaban has no objection. Suryaban gave permission and Kripa got up and looked at Angad gesturing to follow her. Angad hesitantly followed her to study room upstairs.

"Tum bhaitho mein coffee laati hoon." Kripa about to leave and Angad stopped her "I'm fine now, I don't need any coffee" Kripa stared into his eyes. Gayatri called Kripa to take coffee for Angad. Kripa looked into Angad's eyes again and walked out to bring coffee. After a while, Kripa entered the room with some snacks and two cups of coffee. Kripa gave a cup to him and started sipping hers.

Angad is gathering words to start conversation. "If this is normal situation I would have jumped and talked to her but now after she mistook Misthy, how could I start?" Angad is getting tensed by each second passing by. Kripa is observing him from corner of her eyes and smiling in her mind.

Angad settled his throat "ahem…ahem" he paused and looked at Kripa and gave pale smile.
"Wo..Kripa!...mein…wo…" he sighed for not getting enough guts to express his thoughts.

Kripa finished her coffee and relaxed in sofa "kya hai Angad? Why are you so tensed? Agar mein pasand nahin hai toh batade, I don't mind." Kripa rolled her eyes drenching her teeth silently.

"It's not that Kripa! Actually, I'm worried how to tell you." He paused "I'm not ready for this marriage. I want some time to think." He paused again to see surprised Kripa. He continued, "Kya hai ki Kripa! Actually I have my own dreams about a wife, my wife, my life-partner, mere hamsafar, mere jindagi.." Kripa stopped him in mid sentence "wo sab ki ek hi matlab hai, you proceed, what are your dreams?"

Angad stared into her eyes "I always dream about a girl who could win my heart at first sight." He got up and walked towards the window in a corner of the room and continued," Wo lakhon mein ek, khubsoorat, haseena, intelligent, understanding, caring, loving. Ussey dekhtey hi mere hosh udjaay, mere neendey chrayi, har waqt mere khayalon mein aayi. Bus wo aisi hona chahiye ki I should feel my life is incomplete without her."

Kripa is changing her colors when listening to his thoughts. "Wow he has good expectations!!"
Angad turned to Kripa "Abhi tak kissi ladki ko dektey ismein ek bhi khayal nahin hua. I never felt like I should marry this girl. I know many .. many girls..none of them match to my dreams. I don't say I don't like you but I don't feel the way you expect from me. You may be dreaming about me but.." he stopped when he saw Kripa staring at him parting her lips. Kripa closed her mouth, swallowed and lowered her eyes to escape his looks.
She smiled for her dreams about him "he is right. How could I demand he should love me? What traits I have that he dreams about? May be he is right!!" She lifted her face and looked into his eyes. She got a mischief on her face on seeing innocent Angad's face "Mein tumhey lakhon mein ek nazar nahin aayi? Tumhari khwabon mein kabhi nahin aayi? Wonder!! I thought you always think about me!! "

Angad smiled "tum lakhon mein ek hi ho..stupid, fool, innocent" he patted her head "Nahin Kripa! I'm serious. I don't feel like I dream. I'm not ready for this marriage. I need time. Dadi toh manengi nahin. Wo tumsey bahut pyar karti hai. You have to help me to avoid any further action in this matter." Angad sat beside her.
Kripa sighed and leaned back "Dadi!!" "Tumhari dadi bhi pagal hai. She believes we both make good pair. We are made for each other and she wants to tie us."
Angad dropped his hand around her "wo kuch bhi sochey, you have to help me"
Kripa stared at him and looked at his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him with a mischievous smile "mein nahin kari toh? Why should I help you?" She rolled her eyes and tongue and lowered her eyes with shy.
Angad lifted her face up "Do you love me?"
Kripa stared into his eyes struggled to stop tears and shook her head sideways "Not when you don't" she ran out of the room.

Angad sighed and pressed his temples. Dadi walked into Kripa's room. Kripa wiped her tears and smiled at dadi and lowered her eyes. Dadi understood her and caressed her cheeks.

"He doesn't want to marry now. He doesn't love me," she hid her face in Devyani's chest.
"Abb shadi karney ko kaun keh raha hai? Pehley engagement karengey then will go for marriage when he is ready." Dadi caressed her back.
"Nahin Dadi! Aisa mat kariye. I don't want to hurry the matter too." Kripa moved from her to see into her face.
"Jhoot!! You are lying. He loves you." Dadi squeezed her cheek.
Kripa puzzled "how could you say that? He clearly told he doesn't love me." She again suspected if Angad was teasing her.
You said "'dadi', as you promised me that you will address me 'dadi' when Angad loves you"

Kripa sighed and hit her head "Aap bhi na. kahin na kahin interprete karti hai" she stumped her feet to the bed and sat cuddling her knees.
Dadi smiled at her pout "Angad ko main sambhaloongi, wo confused hai. He is just running behind nothing. Tumhara Angad tumhara hi hai" she pressed Kripa's chin and kissed her pout. Kripa giggled wiping her lips "Dadi!" she looked into her eyes and blushed "mein dadi iss liye kahin ki aap Angad ke dadi hai"
"Mein Angad ki dadi wo paida hotey hi hua tha aaj kuch new nahin, and you clearly know that"
"I mean, wo.." Kripa couldn't get words and irritated. "mein aapsey baat nahin karoongi. Bus it's clear that Angad doesn't want to marry now and not me that all. And don't force me to tie to your stupid pota. Don't raise his topic in front of me again" she turned other side of the bed and lay covering her face with pillow.
Dadi laughed and walked out of the room.

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