Chapter 20

Chapter 17-Jaspal

The silence was very awkward as they sat in the living room of the Babbar residence. The tea and snacks on the table were untouched, discomfort prevailing. Manveer parjaai glared at Parminder who was steadfastly ignoring her while Mrs.Poonam and Amrit ji seemed positively furious.He had a nagging feeling that he was missing out on something.He caught Gurleen's eye ;she shrugged her shoulders, as clueless as him.

His daarji looked very uncomfortable;this was new to him.Finally,Bebe cleared her throat and addressed Gurleen's mother,

"Poonam ji,we have already talked over the phone.We've come over to request Gurleen's hand in marriage for Jaspal.I know it seems sudden but in the short time we've known her, Gurleen has made quite an impression on us.I know we are not not as affluent as some of the other families from whom you know doubt got a lot of proposals,I can assure you that she'll be loved in our household.My son,Jaspal is a good man.He will do right by her.While I confess that he's never been in a serious relationship before,I believe he has enough maturity......"

Jaspal felt like gagging while bebe droned on.While it was flattering to know that his mother had such a high opinion about him,he really didn't need them aired in public, Especially in front of people who probably didn't give two hoots about them.True to his words Poonam Ji's face turned stonier with every word while Amrit tried to stifle his laughter.Gurleen raised an eyebrow at him,no doubt amused at his expense.Remembering the incident at the sarowar for which he still had not apologised,he blushed.She was definitely laughing at him now.

His bebe did not seem inclined to stop.She was finally in her element and intended to make full use of it ,he mused.

"Poonam ji,rest assured we will not accept dowry.Just send Gurleen, she's a diamond unto herself."

Manveer parjaai cleared her throat,"Before we negotiate shouldn't we ask for Gurleen's and Jaspal's opinion first?"

"That's not necessary Parjaai.After all , don't the elders always take the right decisions?What would these two know about it?"

It was Jassi di

Jaspal frowned at the flippant way she addressed the two of them.Moreover, the glint in her eye unsettled him.

"Is there something you'd like to tell us di?"

She smirked and held her silence.This irritated him greatly.Before he could open his mouth,his bebe suggested the two of them to talk privately.He glanced at Gurleen who subtly nodded.He rose;she led him to her mother's study.Closing the door,she bade him to sit and took a seat beside him.

"Gurleen ji,I........"

"Jaspal ji ,I know neither of us has a choice in this matter.This is meeting is merely a formality.They've already decided the dates haven't they?"

Jaspal was stumped.

"I'm sorry about this.Just say the word and we can break the engagement.",he pleaded.

She smiled sadly at him,

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way.If this engagement breaks,the world will know that I've been rejected by the Brars.I don't need to sell out what happens next do I?"

"But we aren't even engaged yet."

"In the eyes of the world,the moment your parents stepped through the door,we were all but engaged.Truth be told I knew something like this was bound to happen the day you returned my sarangi.However, I didn't expect your father to act so fast."

"The Ahujas were planning to speak to your mother next week and Daarji got desperate."

She pondered over his words before replying ,

"There's something else which has been nagging me.Mummy and veerji are clearly not happy with this proposal.Yet they insisted that I accept it wholeheartedly."

He shrugged his shoulders,deciding to address the more important topics first.

But tell me honestly Gurleen ji,do you have any objections to marrying me?If you had a choice, would you have chosen me?"

The ensuing silence made his heart break a little; he ignored it.

"And what about you Jaspal ji, would you have chosen me?"she asked in return.

He wanted to say yes but he desisted.

"Anyways, let's leave these hypotheses behind.We need to accept the fact that we'll be married soon.I'm not expecting love to bloom between.You don't have to force yourself into anything.I'll be happy if our relationship is stable and functional.I don't expect anything more than that ."

"I agree ,"she replied,smiling genuinely for the first time that day.

He smiled back.

They returned to the living room. As their families discussed dates and other negotiations, Jaspal found himself observing two people,one was Gurleen who had a smile plastered on to her face,as she no doubt slowly died inside, and the other one was Daarji who seemed oddly relieved.He remembered Gurleen's account of her mother's odd behaviour and remembered if his father had a hand in it.

Jassi di looked ectastic,which disturbed him.She clearly knew something they did not.He'd have to look into that.And Manveer parjaai looked downright miserable;while he understood her reasons,he didn't necessarily agree with them.The only people who were truly happy were his parents who were enthusiastically making wedding plans and Prabhjyot,who had made herself at home on Gurleen's lap,talking a dime a dozen.

He looked over at Amrit ji only to be met with a glare.The roka was a week away and the wedding six months.He fervently prayed he'd make it through them alive despite having a circus of a

family and murderous in laws.