"Yes, I do not feel comfortable with this whole process of choosing a girl. And I specially don't feel comfortable putting Chaudhary Mohinder Lal through ditress if you reject his second daughter too."
"Sardar jee, why are you being so cynical? What is the guarantee that I would reject the girl?"
"And what is the guarantee that you won't Savitri? You and your lofty standards have been my greatest foes. Even that day had the decision been left to me I would have said accepted Sameera as my badi bahu. Bachhe ma-baap da nakskha hunde ne. [Children are like maps of the parents.] And after meeting Handa Sa'ab I was convinced that any daughter of his would be a perfect choice for our Maan. I wash my hands of this whole affair. I only implore you not to antagonize Maan in any way."
Savitri gave a long hard stare to her husband while speaking to Nayantara, "Puttar, just tell Dev ji to meet me in a day or so. I will give a call to Mohinder ji about the change of plans."
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(morning, August 22...)
"Ahaa!! Kulche chholey!! Aaj taan main pakka mota ho jaunga. Sara da sara main kalle khaa jaunga," Mohinder tickled Lucky who was sitting next to time. Lucky giggled at his father's claim to eat all the food and quickly stuffed a bite in his mouth.
"Lucky araam naal kha," Rano chided him,"aur tussi mazak band karo jee."
"Oye hoyye," Mohinder winked at Rano, "you look so pretty when you get angry Rano jee."
Rano blushed at his flirtatious compliment, "Chup karo jee. The girls are coming."
Meera and Geet walked in to the dining table and laid down the kulchas and another serving of chholey. They were soon joined by Sameera who brought in the pitcher of Lassi.
"Acha, kudiyon...there has been a slight change of plan. The Khuranas will not be visiting on 24th as discussed earlier. They have preponed their trip by a day, that is tomorrow itself."
"But papaji," Sameera spoke up, "tomorrow is Nonu's birthday!! We are to go there. Infact Daman jiju is comin to pick us up in the afternoon so that we can go to help Nandini Di in the arrangements," she huffed at the sudden change of plans. Meera and Lucky sat clueless and Geet mirrored Sameera's expression.
"Sammy puttar shaant," Mohinder patted her cheek, "how many times I have told you dimaag thanda rakhya kar. They are not coming in the morning or even by afternoon. They are coming in the evening and till that time we will be back home after celebrating Nonu's birthday. Infact we will also be able to help Nandini wind up the things after the lunch is over. The Khuranas wanted to visit the Golden Temple on Sunday, so they plan to stay the night there. Now I couldn't deny them their plans to visit the holy shrine could I?" he attempted to pacify Sameera.
Rano spoke up seeing Sameera reluctantly agreeing to her father. "You girls are not to worry about all these things. Just do as you are told and be on your best behavior. I know my girls will not let me down."
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(morning, August 22...)
(Khurana Kothi...)
"Don't worry Chaiyyiji," Dev addresed his mother-in-law. "Me and Nayantara will surely come along. After all I do want to take the credit to be the one who got Saale sa'ab hooked," he grinned.
Tasha stood outside her mother's room eavesdropping on the conversation of her mother, jiju and didi. The moment she saw Chaiyyiji taking Dev jiju and Nayantara Di inside her room, rather than sitting in the drawing room as usual she became alert that something was up. And just like her Sashi Di...oops Sasha...had trained her, she took her place by the door to hear what was going on inside. Chaiyyiji had filled in Dev jiju with the plans of the Amritsar trip and they were to leave tomorrow for the same. Hmm...would Sasha be interested in Maan veerji's bride-hunt? Pata nahi! I will simply tell her and let her decide. Otherwise if tomorrow she finds out about it on her own, she will skin me alive. Thinking along such lines she hurried towards her father study where the telephone was kept.
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"Ohh, such an important decision is being taken and I am being kept out of the loop," Sasha gritted her teeth. The noise crackled through the telephone making Tasha cringe.
"Dev was informed, he has been asked to come along but Romeo has been ignored. Kyun? I will not take this insult lying low," Sasha voice screeched through. "I am sure Dev and Nayantara must have instigated Chaiyyiji against my Romeo."
"But Sashi Di..."
"Tasha..."
"Oops, I mean Sasha, Dev jiju did not even know about the plan till he arrived home. Why are you blaming him?"
Sasha fumed hearing Tasha being logical for once. Truth be told Sasha always begrudged Dev for not furthering the alliance between her and his elder cousin. When Chaiyyiji had suggested the match, Sasha had thought it would have been a perfect opportunity to go one-up on Nayantara, as that cousin in question was much more richer than Dev's family, she would have been elder to Nayantara in relation as her jethani and the guy was very good looking too. But Dev had discouraged the alliance revealing that his elder cousin was in love with a girl who belonged to another caste and hence was unmarried till then. Had Dev not meddle in my affairs then I would have been married to that guy. Once married I would have made him forget about that behenji girlfriend of his. The parents had eventually come around to their match and that left Sasha to be married to Ramesh Saberwal. Sure he was a Bank Manager and very respected in their circles but it was not the same as being a queen she could have been. And since then Sasha had always despised Dev, including Nayantara and Maan who had supported him.
"Don't argue with me Tasha!" she hissed, "Now listen..."
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(noon, August 22...)
(Amritsar...)
"Take care and don't trouble you jiju much," Rano bid the girls farewell as they headed to Nandini's home with Daman.
"Bye Ma..."
"Kal jaldi aa jana..."
"Tell papaji to give us a call in evening..."
Daman looked back from the passenger seat, "Girls get comfortable and Kakku don't lean out from the window. Roll it up..."
"...and draw the curtains. Jee pahji," Geet grinned back admiring the car that always fascinated her and Meera.
Three of them settled in their cushioned seats. Daman being a senior officer in the Punjab School Education Board was authorized an Ambassador car which had luxurious interiors like velvet covers and curtained windows. They had never seen such a beautiful car before. And Meera and Geet were being their usual excited self, jumping on the seats.
"Meera...Kakku...sit still," Daman scolded them mildly.
"Sorry pahji," Sameera replied giving the younger two a pointed look.
"Hmm," Daman glanced at the girls again, "how are you faring in your studies? And Meera what is the plan after final year?"
"Picnic!!!" the three of them screamed.
"Pahji, you had promised a picnic after Meera Di graduates," Geet chimed.
Daman let out a laugh. "You girls are always thinking of ways to have fun. Kadi serious bhi ho jaya karo." [Be serious for once.]
"Chaar din di zindagi hai pahji..." Sameera trailed off letting the implication sink. Geet grinned thinking about the same, Serious hoyye meri jutti!
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(noon, August 22...)
(Khurana Kothi...)
"Sashi will be never let me live in peace. She is still as troublesome as she was before marriage. And to add to my headache she has planted a clone of her's in the form of Tisha to make sure my blood pressure always remain high." Savitri was pacing around her room.
"Thand pao Chaiyyiji," Yash tossed the apple he held, as he stood leaning against the wall grinning at his mother's flustered form. Only Maan veerji and Sashi Di could make his mother go out of form, Veerji for all the right reasons and Di for all the wrongs ones.
"Yash, do you think that if Sashi tags along any family will agree to an alliance with us? She only has to breath and the air is filled with acid!!"
Yash had overheard Tisha talking on the phone. And the part where Sashi Di had planned the surprise hijack on the Amritsar trip. Landing up at Khurana Kothi at the last moment so that either they take her along and soothe her ego. Or cancel the trip altogether and soothe the insult she felt was dished out to her. And right now his mother was having a panic attack and racking her brains to outsmart her daughter who was being too over-smart.
"Yash, send this message to Dev ji right now," Savitri handed him a folded piece of paper.
"Chaiyyiji," Yash groaned at been given a task, "can't you just give him a call?"
"No, I will not take the risk of Tisha eavesdropping again," Savitri spoke sternly leaving no room for arguments, "You do as I say."
Yash sighed at the tough but rare tone that his mother took with him. He had some special plans for the evening which will now have to be rescheduled. Koi na Pooja, milega mauka dooja, he mentally consoled himself and his 'special' friend.
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For those who may be wondering Nonu is Nandini and Daman's son. Name changed from Chhotu to Nonu...coz aevin I felt like it😆 Thank you Shradha aka -pixie- for the suggestion**********************************************************************
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