CHAPTER 4
Prachi slowly woke up and opened her eyes. Where was she? Everything looked so unfamiliar. This wasn't her bedroom! Then she started remembering. Slowly, the events of yesterday started to unravel in her mind and she suddenly sank back into the bed and dived under the comforter, pulling it over her head trying to keep the memories at bay. All she wanted was to go back into her dreamless world again and forget everything.
And then, like a truck slamming into a tree, she shuddered as she remembered that she had married Milind instead of Neev yesterday. She slowly pulled the comforter down from her head and peeped across to the other side of the bed. It was empty and there was no sign that the sheets had been disturbed. So, Milind hadn't slept in the same bed. She sighed a huge sigh of relief and then suddenly threw the comforter over and quickly got out of bed as if something had just bitten her. As she did so, her attention fell on the end of the bed. There was a beautiful red saree with its matching blouse, petticoat and accessories lying on the bed with a note on it. She took the note and read 'I thought you would prefer a change of clothes so I chose this new saree from my cousin's wardrobe. She seems to think you are both the same size.' It was signed 'Milind'.
She stared down at herself and realized that she was still wearing the same outfit she had worn to marry Milind. All her jewelry was intact and so was the bun and veil on her head. She stood looking at the saree and assumed he wanted her to wear it as they had left her uncles' house without any of her wedding trousseau.
Suddenly, Milind burst into the bedroom. 'Damn and Blast!' he shouted. 'Your friend, Jaya has been ringing me every 15 minutes on my mobile phone. Where the hell did she get my number? She wants you to ring her. I said I will get you to call as soon as you were awake but it's nearly noon and I am fed up with her phone calls.' A wry twist touched his mouth. 'She's worrying in case I'm holding you here against your will, so you will have to assure her that I'm not ' - won't you?'
A challenge; she was receptive enough to note the challenge in his voice on that last question. And before she could answer him, he asked 'Do you like the saree?'
'I...yes...n-no...I don't know'' she blinked, her still shocked mind having difficulty keeping up with him half the time.
He frowned then walked over and gave her his mobile. 'Ring Jaya,' he commanded and then abruptly turned his back on her and left the room.
She rang Jaya as instructed, but reluctantly, because she still wasn't ready to speak to anyone ' Jaya perhaps least of all. Her friend was no fool. She'd been aware of how blissfully and blindly in love Prachi had been with Neev.
'What's going on, Prachi?' Jaya demanded the moment she knew who it was. 'It's nearly 12.00pm in the afternoon. I have been trying to reach you all day but Milind refused to let me talk to you. In the end I threatened to go to the press if he didn't.'
Prachi was horrified. "You didn't, did you?'
'Yes, I did.' Prachi caught the smug tone in her voice and smiled ruefully. 'Can you talk? Is Milind in the room?' Jaya demanded.
'I'm sorry, Jaya. But I have only just woken up. I must have been more tired than I thought. And...no Milind is not in the room so we can talk freely'
'OK...I'll take your word that he's not listening to our conversation.' There was dead silence on the other end and then Jaya just couldn't hold back any longer and barked 'For God's sake, Prachi what's happening there? I was really getting worried about you. Your marriage to Milind is all over the media. And to make things worse, Milind has turned the Mishra house into a positive fortress. The news channels are reporting that the gates to the house have been locked to any visitors and from the pictures on tv it looks like the house is under siege from hundreds of reporters.'
Prachi shuddered and bit her bottom lip. 'Is it that bad?'
'You have no idea how bad it is. It's on the news almost 24/7. And, you know any news involving the Mishras is headline making news' she said abruptly.
There was silence from Prachi's end. Then Jaya said quietly, 'What are you trying to do, Prachi? You can't replace one brother with the other! It's a recipe for disaster!'
My life is a disaster, she thought tragically, and closed her eyes against the never far away threat of tears. 'It's what I want.' She stated quietly. 'It's what we both want.'
'But you don't even like Milind!' Jaya cried sounding angry and bewildered. 'You even admitted to being a little afraid of him!'
'I was afraid of the way he made me feel,' she argued, thinking it was close to the truth; she had always felt Milind was a threat to her happiness. 'You should be relieved, not angry. You always did hold Neev in contempt' she added dryly.
'Neev was devious.' Jaya defended her opinion. 'Someone who smiled as much as he did just had to be hiding something. But I never thought for one moment it would be another woman.'
That hurt, and Prachi flinched. 'Which just goes to show what a lucky escape we all had, then, doesn't it?' she said bitterly.
'I just hope you haven't jumped out of the frying pan into the fire' Jaya said slowly.
' Well, it's too late now anyway and I'll just have to live with my decision. I decided that Milind is the right person for me. Don't spoil it for me, Jaya.'
'All right.' Jaya's sigh was long-suffering but her manner and voice softened a little.
'Please don't worry about me, Jaya,' she pleaded over the phone. 'Milind will look after me.'
'Will he?' Jaya's said skeptically. 'He better had, or the Mishra brothers will have me to contend with.'
Prachi managed a smile at that, recognizing the threat for what it was... a weak one, since Jaya was in no position to do any harm to the Mishras. But the meaning was clear, Jaya was not fooled. She was puzzled, but not fooled, and she considered the Mishra family had done enough harm to her friend and didn't want them hurting her any more.
'OK...You have been through a lot and I'm not going to make things any more harder for you. But, If for any reason you need me for anything, you just call and I'll come. Even if I have to batter down the front gates of the Mishra House to do it. Understand?' Jaya said urgently. 'Anything at all.'
'Thanks, Jaya. You are a good friend to have.'
"And don't let Milind Mishra bully you. He's not your employer anymore. He's your husband. Just make sure he treats you right, or he will have me to deal with.' Jaya said.
Prachi grimaced and smiled ruefully. 'I'll keep that in mind. I have to go now. I still haven't had a shower and I have to get ready. I will talk to you later when things have settled down. Bye Jaya' and with that Prachi disconnected the call.
Prachi stood there for a while then heaved a big sigh and walked over to the bed. She picked up the saree and resolutely headed for the bathroom.
Half an hour later she came out of the bathroom in the red saree, drying her hair with a towel only to find Milind pacing back and forth in the bedroom. He stopped, shoved his hands into his pockets and glared at her then resumed pacing again like a caged animal. 'It's all arranged' he said. 'We leave at 2.00pm to go to your uncles' house. We are to stay briefly for 10 minutes and then head for the airport. We have a flight to catch at 3.00pm. Will you be ready for then.' He stopped pacing and looked at her again.
'Yes, I think so.' She said quietly.
'Good! You haven't had anything to eat since yesterday so I guess you must be hungry.' It was a statement not a question. 'I will send someone up with some lunch. Make sure you eat it.' He then strode out of the room again.
'Huh...so much for the talk they were going to have today.' Prachi thought sarcastically. She then walked into the adjacent drawing room and sat down on the sofa and resumed drying her hair with the towel.
Suddenly, she noticed the newspaper on the coffee table. She leaned over to pick it up, glanced at it and then went totally numb and stared at the news headlines - MISHRA BROTHERS SWAP BRIDES IN SENSATIONAL LOVE TUSSLE!
What a joke, Prachi thought bitterly. And what a pack of lies for the sake of a catchy headline. Milind didn't love her, and Ayesha had never been his bride.
Ayesha was now Neevs' bride, though, Prachi recalled dully. The article said so: 'Neev Mishra married Ayesha Singhania only an hour after he should have been marrying Prachi Shah'. Which meant that Neev must have been planning to let her down long before he sent her the note on her wedding day telling her he no longer wanted her.
There was more in the article, but Milind happened to walk in at that precise moment with his now very familiar aggressive stride. He was accompanied by one of his house staff who was holding a tray of food. He came to a dead stop, quickly took in scene then strode across the room and snatched the newspaper away from her hands. He was livid with fury and started cursing. He then turned to the servant and barked 'Who left this newspaper here. Did I not give specific instructions that no media material is to brought into this house for the next few days? I will have someone's head for this' he ranted.
The man with him cowered and said nothing. Milind looked at Prachi's numb expression and told the servant to leave the tray on the coffee table and take the newspaper when he left the room. The man took the newspaper and quickly exited the room thinking to himself 'if this is what marriage did to his usually kind and generous employer, then he himself was never going to get married!'
Milind came and sat next to Prachi and took her hand in his. 'Prachi' the bark hit her eardrums, making her wince, grating along her nerve-ends and she forced her eyes into focus to find him glaring at her.
'You have to learn to ignore what is said and written about this whole mess. I know it's going to be difficult, but will you try to think of things other than Neev, otherwise you will find it harder to deal with everything.'
Prachi looked into the depths of his dark eyes and something she saw there made her take a deep breath and nod in agreement.
'Good girl! Now eat your lunch. Ramu kaka has made it specially for you.' He said gently.
With that he placed the tray on her lap and quietly left the room. Prachi took another deep breath and started eating. She ate automatically because Milind had told her to...not because she wanted to.
Prachi could only manage a few mouthfuls then shoved the tray aside. At the same moment Milind strode back into the drawing room, making Prachi jump because it felt as if he had only just walked out before he was back again. But then, with the exception of the time it had taken her to get ready in the bathroom, and Jaya's phone call, he had not left her alone for more than a few minutes at a time since she had woken up.
I have instructed my aunt and cousin to use their personal shopper to pick out a new wedding trousseau for you from some exclusive stores in Bandra. They have already left and will choose some suitable outfits for you, have them packed and brought directly to the plane before we leave. God knows,' he signed, 'neither you nor I dare step outside my blasted gates until this damned thing is over.'
Running a weary hand through his hair, he walked out of the room again, leaving her to chew pensively on her bottom lip, because she had suddenly realized that this must be just as big an ordeal for him as it was for her.
He was, she was coming to learn, the most amazingly determined man when he set his mind on something. From the moment she'd conceded to his crazy marriage proposal, he had not given her a single opportunity to withdraw from her agreement.
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
