Aitbaar(Trust)(AK FF)Pt-29-31, Pg-74, 05-14-2014 - Page 7

Part-3

After sometime Angad knocked on her door and opened it and found her writing some notes………

A: Chale?

Kripa nodded and folded her books neatly and kept it in the closet…...

They were about to leave when Dilip came home from the office and smiled at them both………

D: Ja rahe ho……..Have a nice time……….Aur ek baat Angad, dekho ki Kripa kuch apne liye khareede……..

A: Sure dad……Bye…….Dilip waved at them and smiled looking at them talking and smiling at eachother……….

Av: Aap kab aye………Avantika said coming in the living room……….But Dilip was in his own thoughts and did not look at her……….Dilip, kya hua……She said looking at the empty space he was looking at……….

D: Kuch nahi…….bas Kripa aur Angad abhi abhi gaye……….

Av: Haan……….Acha hai Kripa bhi jara ghum aye…………Kitne dinon ke baad ghar ghar jaise lag raha hai…….Saab sath sath……….

D: Hmmm………Avantika, tum se ek baat kehni thi…….He said walking in and sitting in the living room tiredly..…..Bahot dinon se ek khayal aa raha hai maan mein……..

Av: Kaisa khayal….She asked smiling and putting the magazines on the table properly…….

D: Kripa achi ladki hai, ache khandan se hai………

Av: Ji…….Aur dil se bhi kitni saaf aur bholi bhi hain…….She said smiling and thinking about Kripa…….Par bahot chinta hoti hai mujhe uski……Kitni chup chup se rehti hai, na bahar ana jana, na doston ke sath uthna baithna…….She said sighing……..Na kahun, to bhi kitchen mein aakar kuch na kuch karti rehti hai……Filhal to thik hai, humare sath hai……..Par……..

D: Mujhe bhi chinta hai uski Avantika……..Itne saalon ke baad bhi woh saab kuch dil se nahi apna pa rahi hai……..Aaj bhi khoyi khoyi si rehti hai…….Uss hadse ne do uski sari jindagi hi badal di…….He said sighing………Aab itni bhi choti nahi thi, ki saab kuch bhul jaye……..Ma baap ko aise yun achanak khun se lat path dekhna, alvida kehna……..Apna saab kuch chod kar kisi aur ke sath jana……..Janta hun kitna mushkil tha uske liye.…….Issiliye soch raha hun ki, agar uski shadi………Aur aab Angad bhi to……Suddenly Avantika came out of her thougths, knowing what Dilip was about to say………

Av: Kahin aap Angad ke liye to…….Dilip smiled, not at all surprised that she had guessed about his thoughts so soon……..

D: Haan Avantika…..Aaj unn donon ko sath dekha to ye khayal yakeen mein badal gaya hai ki Angad ke liye Kripa se achi jeevan sathi to koi nahi ho sakti……….Aur Kripa ko bhi ek aise jeevan sathi ki jaroorat hai, jo usse apne atith se nikalkar bahar laye, duniya dari sikhaye, apne pyar se usse humesha khush rakhe.……Bahot kuch saha hai uss ladki ne……..Mein usse duniya ki sari khushiyan dena chahta hun, aur kahin na kahin, mujhe Angad par pura bharosa hai, ki woh mera ye aarman pura karega……….kripa aaj uske parivar ki kami mehsus karti hai, aur Angad se shadi karke, usse apna khud ka parivar bhi mil jayega, ma baap, bhai behen……saab kuch aur hume humari bahu, jisse hum beti mante hain……..He said sighing ……

Av: Par Dilip, Kripa to abhi abhi 19 saal ki hui hai………Abhi choti hai woh……Uska to college bhi pura nahi hua….…. She asked worriedly…….

D: Kripa choti jaroor hai, par tumhe pata hai na, ki kitni samajhdar hai……….Mujhe Kripa par pura bharosa hai…….Woh humare ghar ka hissa ban chuki hai Avantika, aur mein usse issi ghar mein humesha ke liye humare sath rakhna chahta hun, apni beti banakar, iss ghar ki bahu banakar, taki woh humse dur na chali jaye……..Mujhe Kripa Angad ke liye bahot pasand hai…….He said once again smiling at Avantika…..….Aur agar Kripa Angad ki shadi ho jaye, to woh Angad ke sath hi college join kar sakti hain wahan………Aur phir unn donon ko kuch akele samay bhi mil jayega……….Ek dusare ko janane ka samajhne ka……….Aur raha Angad ka sawal, to usse hum mana sakte hain………Kripa ko to koi aitraaj nahi hoga, mujhe uss par pura yakeen hai……..!! Avantika sat there stunned………She never thought about Kripa and Angad's marriage ever, but now that Dilip had seeded the idea in her brain, she was hoping somewhere in her heart for it to come true………..Kripa was a lovely girl, though shy and Avantika loved her like her own……….Who better than her for Angad……

Av: Magar Dilip Angad se puchna to jaroori hai na……….Agar usse ye rishta pasand na ho to……..kya woh manega………Iss rishte ke liye? Aur kya aap ko yakeen hai ki woh haan karega aur Kripa ko khush rakhega? Agar usse ye rishta manjoor na ho, ya usske apne hone wali patni se kuch aur umeed ho, to?

D: Angad ko bhi koi aitraaz nahi hoga Avantika………Aur kya tum Angad ko nahi janti…….Uska swabhav, uska caring nature, tumhe to saab pata hai na……..Kripa ka bhi kitna khayal rehta hai usse….…He said stubbornly……..Tumhe to pata hai na, ki agar usse aab tak koi pasand hoti, to woh batata jaroor……..Aab yahan bhi jab raha, itne dost the uske…….Ladkiyon ke sath bhi bahar jata, par maryada mein rehta……..Kabhi ussne hume shikayat ka mauka nahi diya……..Aur aaj tak kabhi kisi ladki ke bare mein baat karte dekha hai usse? Aaj tak usne apne career ke alawa kisi ke bhi bare mein baat nahi kiya…….Issiliya, mujhe yakeen hai, ki humara faisla woh manega……Aur jaroor Kripa ko khush rakhega………Mujhe apne bete par pura yakeen hai……...Agar tumhe ye baat thik lagti hai to Kartik aur Priya ke sath inki bhi shadi ussi din kar sakte hain, Angad aur Kripa ke sath baat karke……….

Av: Itni jaldi? She asked shocked…….

D: Avantika, Angad ke pas samay kahan hai, badmein to do saal ke liye wapas chala jayega……….!!

Avantika looked down worriedly………..Par shadi uske ane ke do saal baad bhi to kar sakte hain na……..Aur ye bhi sochiye Dilip, itni jaldi ye saab………Aur Kripa wahan kaise adjust hogi…………Woh to kahin bahar bhi nahi jati akeli……….aur wahan…….

D: Angad rahega na wahan uske sath Avantika……….

Av: Humare aur Angad ke sath rehne mein bahot bada farak hai Dilip……

D: Janta hun……….issiliye sochta hun ki jo kaam hum nahi kar sakte, woh Angad jaroor karega……..

Avantika looked at him confused………..Aap kehna kya chahte hain……..?

D: Dekho Avantika, ye baat tum bhi achi tarah janti ho aur mein bhi, ki Kripa hai to badi sushil aur ache sanskar ki, par uska sansar bas hum aur humara parivar ho gaya hai………..Mein ne abhi tak iss baat par gaur nahi kiya, kyun ki socha ek baar college chali jaye to apne aap doston mein mil jayegi………..Par pichle ek saal se usse dekhta aa raha hun…………Tum hi socho………thik hai jyada bahar jana pasand nahi, par iss tarah khud ko sabse alag kar dena…….Na bahar ghumna firna, na doston ke sath time spend karna……..Bas ghar, kaam, college aur padhai………Aise kaab tak chalega…...Aaj kal ke zamane mein ye thik baat to nahi na…..Agar abhi kuch nahi karenge to, shayad kabhi kuch nahi kar payenge………

Av: Par Dilip………she said looking at him worriedly………

D: Janta hun ki tumhe uski chinta hai Avantika, aur inn 6-7 salon mein woh humari liye beti se kum nahi hai, aur issiliye sochta hun ki aaab samay aa gaya hai ki hum usse khud apni jindagi handle karne ka mauka de, taki ussmein confidence develop ho aur agar Angad sath ho to tumhe pata hai tumhe chinta karne ki jaroorat bhi nahi hai...…..Jab se Surya aur Gayatri chal base, hum ne usse itna sambhal kar rakha hai, ki aaj woh issi char deewar ko apna sansar maan rahi hai, jo thik baat nahi………!! Angad ki baat humesha thik lagti thi mujhe, par keh nahi paya, ye soch kar ki choti hai, aur usne apne mama papa khoya hai………..Par aab beti mana hai, to uska acha bura sochna bhi to humara kaam hai na………!! Yahan humne itna apna pan diya, phir bhi woh hume apna na saki……..Abhi bhi chup chap sehmi si rehti hai……..Kya ye baat thik hai?

Av: Par Angad?

D: Avantika, aur ek baat ye hai ki iss umr mein bache jab ma baap se dur rehte hain, apna rasta kabhi kabhi bhul jate hain……….Apne sanskar, apna desh bhul kar kabhi kabhi galat raste par nikal jate hain……….Agar aise waqt par koi apna wahan ho, kuch jimedariyan ho, to bahot sahara mil jata hai……….Angad teen saal se akele hain wahan……..aur do saal abhi aur hai……….Kripa uske sath hogi to usse sahara bhi mil jayega aur Kripa bhi dheere dheere uske sath duniyadari samajh legi………..khud par jimedariyan ayegi to uska bhi confidence badega, aur bahar ana jana bhi hoga……….Aur Angad ke doston ke sath apne doston ke sath mil jayegi…….….Aur mujhe Kripa par pura bharosa hai…….Woh wahan Angad ka pura khayal rakhegi aur Angad bhi to uska khayal rakhega………..Dheere dheere ek dusare ko janane pehchanane ka mauka milega aur pyar bhi karne lagenge……

Av: Par itni kum umr mein shadi…….!! She asked worriedly…….

D: Hum bhi to chote the Avantika jab humari shadi hui……….Dekhna saab thik ho jayega………Aab mujhe khudgarj hi samajh lo, par mujhe ye Angad ka vahan akele aise rehna, kuch thik nahi lagta………Janta hun ki woh aisa kuch nahi karega, par bhir bhi, ek galat kadam aur saab kuch bikhar sakta hai………Kripa jayegi uske sath, to mujhe bhi thoda chain milega……..Issase ek teer mein do nishane lag jayenge, aur donon ki chinta nahi hogi hume……..Aab woh dono, bade hain, apna dekhbal kar sakte hain…...Janta hun ki choti hai woh, par ye Kripa ke liye bhi thik hoga……..Aab to Angad bhi wahan acha khasa kamane laga hai…….Scholarship bhi mil rahi hai, pichle do saal se…….Uska wahan jo fees ke liye paise mein ne diye the, woh bhi usne do saal se hath nahi lagaye…….Kripa ka to Arts subject hai, jo itna expensive bhi nahi hai……..Aur Angad iss saal kaffi shows karne ka bhi soch raha hai, shayad part time job bhi lena chahta hai, doston ke sath uske……..Usne kaha tha mujh se ki masters ke sath, usse college mein part time job offer kiya gaya hai aur woh accept karne ki soch raha hai….….So, woh dono ek dusare ko sambhal sakte hain, ek dusare ko sahara de sakte hain……..Kripa bhi apne atith se bahar nikal kar age badh payegi……..Akeli jimedari hogi to thoda khulkar baat bhi kar sakegi……..Humare uppar utna depend bhi nahi rahegi, jaise ki aab hain….….Issilye, mein ne ye faisla kar liya hai……..! He said sighing……..Avantika started saying something, when Dilip looked at her, determined………Avantika looked down and kept quite, feeling unsure and uneasy while Dilip started planning about it immediately……...Not giving any chance to Avantika………He kept talking, while Avantika sat there worriedly, deep in her thoughts…….She did not know why, but she felt that they were doing wrong by burdning Kripa with responsibility at this age……..! She was smaller than Aliyah, and further marriage was not a play……It was a life long commitment, and Kripa at this age was not capable of taking her own decisions…….She knew that she will abide by their wishes…….And that is what bothered her most……..But, the good news was she will be forever with them and she knew that Angad would be a good husband to her…….And may be as Dilip said, she might be more open to them and accept them……

She had always felt her hesitation, but neither Avantika nor Dilip ever tried to talk to her, feeling she might not like it or feel hurt……Angad had always tried to interfere and she remembered how she had stopped him……..Was it possible that what Dilip was thinking would happen………Would Angad support Kripa and……..The thoughts were interrupted by Aliyah and they stopped their discussion and got up to do their work, as Aliyah said she was hungry……..

Other side, Kripa and Angad unaware reached Kartik's office and Angad met Priya and congratulated her hugging her lightly………Priya thanked him and then grinned at Kripa…..

P: I am so glad to see you Kripa……….Mujhe to laga tum dubara shopping ditch karogi……she said grinning………..Chalo chale…….She said keeping all the files in the locker……….

K: Bhabhi, mujhe kuch lena nahi tha, issiliye mana kiya tha last time, aur kuch nahi……….Aunty ne shadi ke liye to dresses le liya………She said shyly………

Ka: To aur le lena…………Kya farak pad raha hai………He said grinning……….Kripa smiled and went with them………

They all went out to the nearby shopping mall and purchased few clothes……..Even Angad bought some for himself for the marriage and forced Kripa to take few……..Kripa gave up and took couple of dresses and then they all went to nearby restaurant and had lunch……….

They were late by the time they reached home after dropping Priya and went to their rooms and fell asleep……..Thankfully even Aliyah was asleep, so Kripa too did not have much trouble and slept peacefully………….

Next day early morning, everyone were on the breakfast table while Avantika and Kripa prepared breakfast and set the table………..Avantika looked at Kripa with new eyes that day and smiled even more, which Kripa noticed but kept quite…….She felt Avantika's eyes on her many times and she had even kissed her on her forehead when Kripa had asked her to sit and she would do the rest……….Kripa felt slight difference, but could not point out………….While Dilip came and sat on the table with a big grin……….He looked at Avantika and then at Angad, who was reading newspaper……….

D: Angad, tum se ek baat karni thi……….!! Kripa beta, tum bhi baitho…………Avantika……..He said looking at her and she nodded with a smile…….She had talked to Dilip about her fears and after a lot of discussion, she finally agreed and was slowly accepting and loving the idea.…….She had for some reason asked Dilip to talk to them separately, so they don't feel akward, but Dilip had something else in mind and she had given up……..Kripa looked at them confused and so did Aliyah, Kartik and Angad………

A: Ji papa, kahiye………

D: Beta, meine aur tumhare mama ne kuch tair kiya hai……….Humari sari aashayein tum se judi hai……….I hope tum hume nirash nahi karoge………Angad looked at him confused………

A: Sure papa, anything for you…….He said sincerely and Dilip sighed with relief and smiled at Avantika……….Angad looked at Avantika and saw the happiness in her eyes, and knew something was cooking up………And then he saw them looking at Kripa, who was staring down deep in her own thoughts………..Kahiye na papa, kya baat hai…….He asked now feeling a little unsure and wanting to get this over with……….

Av: Beta, hum chahte hain ki Kartik ke sath tumhari bhi shadi ho jaye………Angad looked at them wide eyed and then frowned a little….

A: No way papa, I am just 24………I did not even start my career………Aur shadi? Iske bare mein to mein sochna bhi nahi chahta……..!

D: For your information, mein bata dun ki meri shadi 22 saal ki umr mein hui thi, tumhari ma to 17 saal ki thi………Par saab kuch manage karke, apni responsibility puri ki na humne………Aur shadi karlega, to tumhari patni tumhe age nahi badhne degi kya……? …he asked frowning…….balki mein to ye kahunga, ki woh tumhe age badhne mein madad karegi aur tumhara sath degi…………Aur waise bhi, tum hi ne to kaha na ki aab tum acha khasa kama lete ho wahan…….Stage shows aur baki programs mein………Aur aab to job bhi join karne ka soch rahe ho……..Aur kya chahiye…….?

A: Dad……don't tell me, you found a bride for me already……….he said rolling his eyes and Aliyah chuckled……….Dilip and Avantika smiled at eachother and then looked at him,………

D: Kuch aisa hi samjh lo……….Angad looked at them shocked and so did Kartik and Aliyah……….Kripa looked at them all quietly, a little curious to know who they had in mind for Angad……..

Al: You are joking, right dad? Aliyah asked still chuckling and Dilip looked at her seriously…….

D: Kya tumhare papa aisi baton mein majak karte hain Aliyah? He asked a little angrily, as Aliyah was trying to laugh it off………Aliyah looked down bitting her lips cursing herself for interfering……..She knew that in matters as serious as education and marriage, etc. her dad would never just joke……..She was sure that he was serious…….

A: Dad……!! Common dad……..! Itni bhi kya jaldi hai……Let me finish my MS, do stage shows, phir shadi ke bare mein sochunga…….! And no way I am going to marry a person I don't even know…….!! He said sighing and shaking his head……..

Avantika smiled………..chinta mat karo Angad………tum usse achi tarah jante ho aur mil bhi chuke ho……..! Bahot achi hai woh aur hume pura yakeen hai ki tumhe bhi pasand ayegi, humari choice…….. Every one looked at her with a frown and she looked at Dilip who nodded and continued……..Dilip looked in Angad's eye and slowly told him about his wish at last………

D: Hum chahte hain ki tum aur Kripa shadi kar ek ho jao………He said looking at her and then at Kripa…….Isse iss ghar ki bahu banao taki woh iss rishte mein bandhkar iss parivar ke sath humesha ke liye jud jaye………Humare sath reh jaye……….he said with a smile looking at Kripa, who came out of her thoughts and looked at Avantika and Dilip stunned……..Even Aliyah and Kartik sat there open mouthed looking at their parents, not knowing where this has come out from so suddenly……….Avantika smiled through her tears and slowly raised her hands and caressed Kripa's cheeks……….

Av: Tumhe mein ne humesha apni beti samajh kar hi pala hai……….Par aab mein chahti hun ki tum bahu bankar iss ghar mein humesha ke liye reh jao……..Kabhi hum se dur na jao.……..Kripa kept looking at her too stunned to speak a word……….And then suddenly looked down, nervously biting her lips……..

Angad was the one who was most stunned in all this……….

D: Kaho Angad, apne mama papa ka ye sapna pura karoge? Hume Kripa bahot pasand hai……….He said with a smile and patted Angad's shoulder………..

A: But dad…….how is this possible……….? I mean…..

D: Kya tum kisi aur se pyar karte ho Angad? He asked and all eyes turned to Angad, except Kripa, who looked down, her heart pounding, fearfully thinking about what just Dilip had said……. Angad looked down and shook his head……Nahi papa, aisi koi baat nahi hai………Par Kripa is still small………She is in college…….And………

D: Bas agar yahi baat hai to mein tum se ek baat keh dun Angad, ki Kripa choti jaroor hai, par bahot samjhdar hai aur apna ghar sambhalne ki kabiliyat hai usme…………Aur rahi uski college ki baat, to tumhare sath woh bhi wahan college join karegi……..Tum donon sath reh sakte ho……..Ek dusare ko jaan sakte ho…….Ek dusare ki madad kar sakte ho………..Uske education ki jimedari meri hai………Mein sara intajam kar dunga………Aur tum to rahoge na uske sath……..Aur aisa bhi nahi hai, ki usse khana banana ya ghar ka kaam sara sambhalna padega………Tum ne kaha na ki wahan kayin jagah ghar ka khana pack karke milta hai………Tum log woh le sakte ho, aur chota studio le lo, to donon ko kafi ho jayega……Cleaning mein bhi asani hogi..…..beta, meri aur ma ki bahot iccha hai ki Kripa iss ghar ki bahu bane………Hum bhi to chote the, jab humari shadi hui thi…….Dekho saab kuch sambhal liya humne...Jimedariyan saab kuch sikha deti hai………He said smiling and looking at Kripa…..…Kripa beta, tum kya kehti ho iss bare mein……….He asked with a smile, but Kripa couldn't even look up……..Avantika looked down a little guiltily, knowing somewhere in this they were being selfish and unfair to Kripa, but she also loved the idea of Kripa being their daughter in law……..! She slowly caressed Kripa's hair and tried to smile……..She couldn't stop herself and asked about her…….

Av: Kripa beta, bejhijak apne dil ki baat kaho……….Hum to bas tum saab ki khushi chahte hain……..Agar tumhe koi aitraaz ho to batao hume………Khul kar baat karo, taki hume tumhari marji bhi malum ho……Agar tum abhi shadi nahi karna chahti to bhi koi baat nahi……Tum apni dil ki baat batao hume…... She asked with love, caressing her hairs………

K: Ji Aunty, jaisa aap saab ko thik lage………she said slowly not looking up at anyone………..Angad looked at her with wide eyes and then closed his eyes…...He somehow knew that she would say the very same and looked at Avantika who wiped her tears with a smile……….Avantika and Dilip knew that Kripa would say the very same, but Avantika felt bad for making her take such a big decision this way………

Av: Kripa, mein aur tumhare uncle ye chahte hain, to iska matlab ye nahi hai, ki tum par koi jabardasti hai…….Bas, hum tumhe humesha ke liye apna banakar yahin humare sath rakhna chahte hain……..Aagar tujhe sochne ka waqt chahiye to………

K: Nahi aunty, aapne kuch soch samjhkar hi ye faisla liya hoga……..Mujhe iss rishte se koi aaitraj nahi hai.……..She said slowly not able to look at anyone and Avantika sighed and then looked at Dilip a little accusingly, for not listening to her about talking to them separately……..But she knew somewhere that Dilip had planned it out in such a way that both Kripa and Angad would not say no.…...Dilip looked away a little guiltily, but came out of it soon enough and smiled happily, that his plan worked..…! He was a determined person some times, and for some reason, he had strong feeling that Angad and Kripa would be happy together and would accept his decision with time…….Mostly, he never interfered with the kids matter and was very open and let them do what they wanted……Even accepted Priya, who was Kartik's choice without any hesitation……..But somewhere, choosing Kripa for Angad was something, he wished with all his heart and he knew that this was the only way both would not say no and abide by his wishes……Though he knew he was being unfair, he had confidence in his decision and was determined as well…….Even though Avantika had tried to talk him out of it, he was adamnt and had even tried his best to make her understand………! But when she still was worried, he had given his final word, so Avantika had no choice but to accept……..he looked at Angad and sighed……..

D: Angad…..?

A: Ji papa, mujhe bhi koi aitraaj nahi………I am ok with your decision too……..He said slowly……..What else could he say? If he rejected Kripa then Kripa would feel bad………It was not as if he did not like her or anything like that, nor was he in love with anyone, but still, she was still in college and all and he was not sure about all this..…….and he never saw her in that way……..She had been a family member just like Aliyah for them……..And they treated her with equal love and respect………And further he loved his family and when he looked in their eyes, he saw their dreams and hopes in his hands now………They had been loving parents, fulfilling his every wish since their childhood and he did not have heart to say them no to this……...May be just may be, he might start looking at Kripa as his wife and would love her one day, he thought with a sigh………..So he had no choice other than to say yes to this……….Dilip and Avantika smiled at Angad and Kripa with tears and hugged them both…………..Aliyah and Kartik starred at them a little stunned and Avantika chuckled at them both shaking them a little………

Av: Aab tum donon ko kya hua……….

Al: Mom, I can't believe this………Kripa, you are planning to marry off Kripa……..!! For God's sake she is even smaller than me……..She said a little stunned……….Kartik too looked at his mother with a frown not fully ready to see through this……….

Av: Mein usse shadi karke bhej nahi rahi hun, balki apni beti bana rahi hun, humesha ke liye, taki woh mujhe chod kar kahin nahi jaye………She said with a smile and looked at Kripa, who was still silent………Sach bolo Kripa, tum khush ho na………

Kripa looked up at her with a small smile and nodded

K: Ji Aunty……she whispered slowly…….and Avantika went to her kissing her forehead………

Av: Aab to mujhe ma keh sakti ho tum……..She said smiling at Kripa with tears……..Kripa looked away nervously with tears as well and a tear slipped her eye…….Avantika knew that she was remembering her mother and wiped her tears and hugged her closing her eyes……..Janti hun tumhare mama papa ki jagah koi nahi le sakta…...Aur aagar aaj woh yahan hote to hum sabki khushi dugni ho jati……..Par mujhe pura yakeen hai, ki woh jahan bhi ho, unka ashirwad humesha tumhare sath rahega……Kripa looked down smiling through her tears and nodded…...Kartik smiled slowly and went to Angad and hugged him patting his shoulders………..Happy for him and giving his consent to his dad………..

Al: Oh my God…….I can't believe this……….But I suppose this is good though………Aab do do bahu ghar aa rahe hain, to kum se kum mein chain se baith sakti hun……You won't keep bugging me to work all the time…….. She said grinning………….Kripa looked down shyly, while Avantika frowned……….

Av: Ji nahi Miss. Aliyah Khanna……….Iss shadi ka matlab ye ki aab Kripa ghar ka koi kaam nahi karegi aur sari shadi ki jimedari teri aur meri hain, aur uske baad to Kripa Angad ke sath US chali jayegi, aur Priya aur Kartik apna business sambhalenge……….To aab to tu hi hai, jo meri help karegi……So chaliye………She said holding her ears……….Kamchor kahin ki……….She said shaking her head and Aliyah made faces at her…….

Al: Mom not fair………

D: Ma thik keh rahi hai Aliyah………..Aab Kripa kisi kaam ko hath nahi lagayegi………Aab bahot kar liya Kripa ne ye saab, aab woh sirf apni padhai aur Angad ke sath apni nayi jindagi ki aur dhyan degi…….Usse abhi kaffi kuch aur bhi sikhna hai……You are completely responsible for all the work after this………..Aab apne bhaiyon ki shadi ki taiyari tumhe hi karni hai………Aab tum bhi apni jimedari nibhao……….Bahot kar li maan mani, ghar ke kaam bhi dilchaspi lo, age chalkar tumhe bhi ek din ghar sambhalna hai……..Aliyah made faces, while her dad went to Kripa...……Kripa beta, thank you so much for accepting our wishes and welcome in the family……….Aab to tum iss ghar ka hissa banane ja rahi ho………..Aaj tak tum rehti jaroor thi yahan, par mein tumhari jhijhak dekh sakta tha, par aab ye tumhara bhi parivar hai na………Aab to hum saab tumhare apne ho gaye, to aab tum bhi hume apna mano……….Kaho wada karogi humse, ki aab kabhi iss ghar ko paraya nahi manogi……..Apna maan kar hak se rahogi?………He said keeping a hand on her head……..Kripa looked up at him with tears not able to speak, but nodded, when she saw Dilip waiting for her answer………..Dilip took her in his arms and hugged her………..He kissed her forehead lightly…….Janta hun ki abhi tum choti ho, par mujhe tumhari kabiliyat par koi shak nahi hai………. aur tumhari padhai ki bhi chinta mat karo……….Angad aur mein tumhare college ka admission US mein kar denge…….Wahan mere dost bhi hai, jo lecturer hai college mein jinhone Angad ke admission ke liye help kiya tha……..Unse aaj hi baat karke saab arrange kar dunga mein……..Bas shayad tumhe kuch exams ki tayari karni hogi, aur shayad visa aur university ke interviews ki…...Tum wahin college pura karna………..Wahan Angad ke sath rahogi to usse jaan bhi jaogi aur tum donon ek dusare ke sath comfortable bhi rahoge……….Phir ek do saal ke baad to tum aur Angad wapas aa hi rahe ho…….Phir humesha sath hi rahenge………..He said patting her shoulder and Kripa smiled nodding and wiped her tears……….Angad kept staring at Kripa……….He tried to think of her from different angel, but he knew he needed time……….

Al: Kripa bhabhi……….!! Aliyah shouted loudly making everyone chuckle, while Kripa blushed and looked at her…….Aliyah laughed and went to her hugging her tightly……….I love your idea mom dad………..She said grinning……….Avantika and Dilip chuckled at that and Angad smiled slowly, thinking may be this was for the best……….He could see how much everyone loved her………….Their happiness was shining in their eyes……….Other hand, Kartik could see that Angad was still struggling to accept all this and patted his arm with a blink………Angad looked at him a little surprised and then nodded with a small smile…….

They all sat and had their breakfast talking about the marriage and about telling Priya's parents about this marriage as well…………Angad and Kripa were the only one who were silent in their own thoughts……..Kripa was a little nervous, while Angad worried……..He kept looking at Kripa once in a while, but she never looked at him………..He knew, he had to talk to her and assure her…………If truth be told, he knew her very well indeed……….She would never tell anything or say what is in her heart to anyone and he knew that she might be feeling a little insecure as well……….

At last Avantika asked Kripa to get ready for the college…………She quickly packed Kripa's lunch and gave it to her and asked her to call if she was going to get late in her music class………Kripa nodded taking her box and went off, still nervous about what just happened couple of hours back………..Her exams were over and she only had one more paper and couple of projects to submit by the month end and her vacations would start……….. She was deep in her thoughts all day through and could hardly concentrate on her studies………Her thoughts went back to Angad……….She had never thought of marriage and that too with Angad………But now that she had said yes, she did not know why but she was too nervous to even think about it………..She did not know if they were right for each other………She knew he was a good person and cared about her, but he was very different from her……..She had seen him during his college life and saw how open and fun loving person he was……….He was always surrounded with friends and was the center of attraction………..While she avoided going in public all the times……..She was her own person and hardly had any friends………..She loved her music, but never did she do any public performance, not even singing before Dilip and Avantika……….Though Aliyah had sometimes tried to make her sing, she said she was not that good and had diverted her………She was unsure about going to US leaving her safe sanctuary here……….Avantika though not her mother had loved her more than she loved her own children………..She had been a mother figure since last few years and Kripa was not sure about leaving her and going to US and settling there for couple of years and going to the unknown college, where there would be no one she knew………..How was she going to adjust there…….!! And Angad, what would he think of her, then…….!! Wouldn't he wish to have a better life partner who was his match………!!

She lacked self-confidence as well as did not give herself enough credit…………

It was her music class time and she went to her class silently………..Her music teacher was surprised to see that Kripa was not able to concentrate and asked her if she was ok…….Kripa smiled and apolozized and tried to concentrate, but then asked her teacher if they could skip this lesson and she would join in on the weekend……….She left the class soon and instead of going back home, she went to beach, which was near their house and sat there looking at the evening sky………She kept writing her name and erasing it for a long time, until she felt a hand on her shoulder……….Surprised she looked up and her eyes widened when she saw Angad standing there starring at her……..She sat up a little awkwardly and straightened her duppata with her nervous hands……….