Chapter 4

Chapter 2-Jaspal

He finally found her hiding under the desk in their father's study.She refused to even look at him.He wondered if she knew of her punishment. She had always been too perceptive for her own good.Silently joining her,he decided to wait for her outburst.To his dismay, instead of anger,he ended up tears.Sighing ,he attempted to awkwardly comfort her.Emotions had and never would be his forte,but he couldn't leave his baby sister sniffling on the floor.He held her till the sobs stopped.They sat side by side in silence.

"Are you angry with me?"he asked her,fearing the answer.

Her silence answered his question.

He sighed.

"Had I tried defending you,both of us would have gotten into trouble."

She looked at him incredulously.

"Do you mean to say that you ratted me out to save your own skin?"

"No, that's not what I meant.Let's think practically.Daarji was hell bent on punishing you.He knew it was you.Had I tried defending you further,I would've been punished as well.And frankly speaking,it doesn't benefit us at all."

She looked unconvinced.

"My little monkey,consider the situation now.You're punished and I'm not.Which means I'm in a position to help you."

He chuckled as the realisation slowly dawned upon her.He continued,

"Remember one thing, we're a team.We need to learn to trust each other no matter what or who decides to come in between us.Got it?"

She nodded.

"So veerji,are you saying that you'll help me sneak out tonight?"

He shook his head .

"Not until you tell why you decided to dump mud on maasi's head."

She bit her lip and hesitated.Then remembering her promised reward,she decided to plow ahead.

"We'll,she was sort of insulting Inder veerji,she called him a name which I don't quite remember and said that it was a wonder his other children hadn't shown up yet.But veerji,Angad is my only nephew right?He doesn't have any siblings right?"

Jaspal was at a loss.It seemed that stories of his brother's moonlight serenades had made their way around the city.He definitely did not look forward to the ceremony that night.

Prabhjyot continued,"She also called you a fool.And that made me angry,so I decided to dump mud on her head."

He was shocked.Never had anyone defended him like this.He hugged his sister ,close to tears and resolved to protect her at all costs.

"Vaise Veerji,are you getting married?"

That effectively killed the moment.

"Why would I be getting married?"

She shrugged her shoulders and replied,

"Bebe said that you had a girlfriend you were hiding from Daarji.She told me I could have an extra jamun if I found her name."

"And why would I tell you this?"

"Because I am your favourite sister after all."

That was not something he could refute.Grudgingly,he appreciated his mother's guile and applauded her smarts.

He was torn between annoyance and love for his mother.While it was touching to know that his bebe was invested in his life,just not in the important bits, he definitely did not appreciate her attempt to bribe his sister.

"Tell her that it's Harminder Bajwa."

Bebe later called him to talk him out of it, berating his taste in women and resolved to find a girl herself after consulting his daarji.

He wondered if he hadn't jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.The thought of his daarji getting involved was terrifying.He even considered wooing the said Harminder Bajwa but desisted once he assessed the practical difficulties associated with wooing a married woman.

As long as he didn't get married to a stickler for ethics and rules,he'd be fine.

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The ceremony was going to be a disaster he could feel it in his bones.His daarji had taken the stage to welcome everyone.The entire family was there with the not so obvious exception of Prabhjyot.Most people tended to forget about the youngest Brar,often assuming her to be Inder veerji's illegitimate child who had to kept away from view.At this point, he wasn't sure whom he was angrier with,his brother or father.

Atleast his Manveer parjai didn't ill treat her. Though he still wasn't sure how exactly she would react if his brother actually did bring a child home.Anyhow,that was a problem for another day.He still had to figure out a way to sneak Prabhjyot into the ceremony. Unfortunately,a certain individual had taken it upon themselves to keep an eye on him throughout the evening.

He had tried throwing her of,first playing with his nephews and then taking a walk around the perimeter.His tail had stuck to him.

"Little brother,you seem rather lost in thought."

It took all his strength to not scream at her.Forcing a smile,he turned to her,

"Jassi di,do you plan to stick to me all night? Won't your husband mind?"

He felt a sickening sense of satisfaction as she reddened.Had they been younger ,she would have cuffed him then and there itself. Thankfully,the presence of the public protected him though he had no doubt he'd pay dearly for that comment later.

He turned towards the stage where his father was about to make the announcement.

A crash sounded at the entrance to the venue.

Every head turned.At that point,he desperately wished for the earth to open up and swallow him whole.

There stood his Inder veerji as drunk as a sailor.