The Great Hall of Ghai Mension, Kapurthala, was full of guests….clad in all kind of fineries. Sangeet was about to begin, and everybody was busy mingling among friends and relatives….Lassi, Jaljeera, Thandai, Kokam, and other cold drinks went around the hall…..
Huda and Yudi had arranged for an orchestra("kuch kar yaar, warna saari parjaaiyaan dholak le ke baith jaayengi!")……but they were still assembling their instruments.
Pooja looked pretty in her pink Lahenga, surrounded by her cousins and giggling friends….teasing and chatting with her….
Ali stood with Pooja's brother, Huda and Aalekh……while Yudi was out in the Varandah, busy on an important call from the academy(??).
Subedar Begh had forcibly dragged the very unwilling Colonial into the function…..showing him off to all his guests. And he stood in his usual charming formals, talking to Subedar Begh, with bubbly Meethi by his side….
The usual Punjabi wedding songs with Dholak were going on….ki bhangda te sajda, jab nache kudi da pra……the elderly women singing and girls dancing….
Aalekh's gaze kept shooting up on the staircase….he had already spotted Rajveer and was anxious for Naina….
It was when Aalekh looked on the staircase, he saw a face which made his heart miss a beat(in a negative sense)…..he wanted to run and stop Naina from coming out of her room….this was too much for her….he felt like throwing something…..Pooja pushed the candle stand near her with a "CLANG"!
Dr.Ritu Singh Shekhawat was standing at the top of the stairs….an now descending with a decieteful smirk on her face….in an exquisite blue saari and a halter blouse….she looked everything beautiful and glamorous….everyone in the hall looked up, surprised at the new arrival…Huda's fist tightened…..Ali looked down helplessly….surprised…..everyone….everyone…..helpless…..exce pt Aalekh….
The appearance of Dr.Ritu made his eyes shoot a look at Rajveer….he had his suspisions…..he saw that Rajveer continued chatting animatedly with Subedar Begh….completely unaffected by her arrival. After a while, he saw Pooja approaching towards then, taking to Meethi's …..Aalekh started walking away.
"Do musibat saathme…..apun nahin jhel sakta….", Aalekh tried to change the mood.
Pooja stopped him.
"Oye ruk Quaidi, Yeh kab se mujhe tum sab se theek se intro karvaane ko keh rahi hai…."
"Main janti thi Poojadi Army se hai….aur mera parivaar bhi…to mujhe laga shayad mujhe kuch naye dost mil jaye….", she looked at Aalekh.
"Sure thing girlie!", said Yudi.
"Yeh hai Yudi….", said Pooja, and Yudi raised his eyebrows… "…oops…Captain Yaduvansh Sahani….yeh KMA main padhate hai….."
"KMA….", Meethi seemed to be recollecting the name…
"Oye saadi Academy….Kanchanjunga Military Academy…"
"AH…", Meethi was about to say something, but Pooja continued…..
"…Aur yeh saada Jat…."
"…Oye Panjaban, apna intro, main kudiyon ko khud detaa hoon…..Main Captain Amardeep Huda….is waqt Gujarat border pe posted hoon…..aur aap mujhe dekh kar bahot khush hui….mujhe pata hai….Huda ko dekh kar kudiyaan aksar baukhlaa si jaati hai….ab..main kya karoon….personality hi kuch aisi hai Huda ki…"
All the others are are suppressing a laugh…but Meethi knew better of him….
"Shuru ho gaya……Nautanki….", Aalekh rolled his eyes, and made a bored face….and started walking away….
Meethi looked annyed seeing him going away….she had never met someone who was so rude like him…but she had never met someone like him too…..
"…aur yeh….?", she called out to Pooja.
"….aur yeh hain….Ma-", Pooja started…
"MAJOR AALEKH SHARMA!", said a voice from the top of the staircase….
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