Part-15
"Say something assuring"- Mayank requested as he fixed his hair and straightened his already super neat shirt for one last time .They were now only two doors away from Nupur's house. She squeezed his fingers and said "I'm equally nervous".
"Promise me, you'll still love me no matter what your parents decide"
"I promise"
and with that she rang the bell.
He took a deep breath. He was now entering the examination hall to take his most important and probably the hardest exam ' which he would ever come across.
Her mother answered the door and she smiled at him, which immediately made Mayank relax a little and then she invited them in.
Nupur was glad her mother wasn't shocked when she had told her about Mayank last week. Infact, she wasn't even surprised, she stroked Nupur's hair and had simply said "Meri baachi badi hogayi hai ... Ek bar milna chahti hoon. Agar pasand aaya toh baabuji sey baat karugi". She was positive her mother even had tears in her eyes.
Soon the dad came down the stairs. Nupur's chanted a thousand prayers with every step he took. Mayank's heart froze or maybe it was racing too fast for him to realise. His already greying hair was neatly combed and parted, his face was still and his body looked quite fit for an old man.
Mayank instantly made a quick mental note; Nupur had her father's eyes and her mother's smile.
They shook hands and he looked at Mayank from top to bottom trying to decide what his "first impression " of his son-in-law to be , but Mayank didn't feel intimidated. He was a father after all...
Soon the Dad fired bullets of questions one after another. What his aims were, who was in his family, what career aspirations did he have ' to name a few. Mayank could see Nupur and her mother giggle from the corner of his eye as he answered the questions, one by one, loud and clear. The women went to prepare lunch, leaving Mayank with her dad. He dreaded it like - Medic students dreaded their admission interview, like a newly graduate dreaded his first job interview ' if anything else ; may be worst.
They talked for almost an hour, about Mayank's life , his father , his studies. He seemed glad as he found out Mayank was offered a scholarship to Melbourne University and even more when Mayank told him he didn't go because he couldn't leave Nupur behind. He told Mayank about his village , his family and a little about Nupur's and Gujan's childhood. As they spoke , Mayank started day dreaming of may be going fishing one day with the man who sat infront of him - Carefully listening to every word he was saying , judging his every move. Trying to decide whether or not Mayank was good enough for his Daughter ..
As the dawn started breaking , it was time for him to leave ..
" byee.. Mayank beta .Tumse milke acchaa laga "
' said the mother , looking at the pink-flushed Nupur as she did so.
" Phir aanaa .. dinner key liyey "
' the dad said , shocking all three of them.
"ofcourse aayega "
' the mother said.
"Tumey kaise paata woh aayega "
' he teased.
" Mujhe pata hai woh aayega "
' she wouldn't give up.
And for the first time Mayank realised, behind this stone mask that her dad had on him, lies a jolly friendly man. And her parents reminded him of how him and Nupur might be like , in 25 yrs time. As he shook Mayank's hand again, there was a change. It wasn't like their first handshake. The only problem being , Mayank couldn't tell what this change was.
Mayank knew the mother liked him, as Nupur had guessed. "There is no woman in this world that you cannot charm" ' she'd reassured.
But he had no idea how he had fared with the Father. He had smiled and nodded, as Mayank spoke, but he did everything in a very Matter-of-fact sort of way ,except for when they were bidding him goodbye. He was positive her father had developed a liking in him but he wasn't sure just how much. Did he like him enough to give Nupur's hand in his?? Enough to accept him as their son in law ?? Sadly , he didn't have answers to any of his questions.
For a split of a second , Mayank tried to imagine what would happen if her parents say NO . He couldn't even think about it - words failed to describe what woud happen ... Mayank without Nupur would be like -- he searched for a right comparison and short listed the list to -
Like Dexter without his Lab
Like SpongeBob without His pants
Like A guitar without its string
Like A Bird without his wings
Like John Abraham with his perfect body
Mayank without his Nupur would just be a Nobody..
As he walked home , he thought about the day's events , one by one. Everything had gone so smooth. Easier then they'd ever imagined. He didn't find Nupur's father as scary as she'd described him. Both her parents were rooted, traditional, honest and conservative but at the same time ; friendly , socialable and even maybe funny .
Mayank started to worry; why wasn't anything wrong , why hadn't her father kicked him out of their house yet , why hadn't her mother announced her wish to get Nupur married to some doctor. Why everything was is much in order ...
And the thought stuck to him that may be everything was going perfectly because he and Nupur were indeed meant to be. Nupur and Mayank. Mayank and Nupur. Forever. May be this was their fate ,their destiny ....
The worst thing about examinations are that you don't get the results straight away. The wait for the results wreches you, worry you deep down to your soul.
Luckily Mayank had never failed any of his exams and he hoped this one would share the same fate.
Edited by Sunita182 - 16 years ago
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