Chapter 24 - Making Amends
Meher sat by her bedroom window, lost in thought. Bits and pieces of her argument with Preet were still running through her mind, when Shampa stopped by to see her.
"Meher", she said, "Mannie and I are about to leave for my appointment. We're going to get a brief tour of the maternity ward afterwards, so it'll be lunch time by the time we get back".
Shampa noticed that her friend wasn't paying attention. "What's wrong Meher? You've been really quiet since we came home from the wedding last night. And you didn't come down for breakfast this morning either. Is everything alright?"
"Yes Shampa, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit homesick I guess", replied Meher with a weak smile.
"Meher", said Shampa as she sat down next to her friend, "we've been best friends for as long as I can remember, so I won't beat around the bush. I saw you dancing with Preet last night. And I also saw him follow you out to the garden. Is everything okay between you two?"
Meher couldn't bear it any longer, and burst out in tears. "Oh Shampa!" she cried, giving into her friend's prodding. "Something incredible happened last night. Preet told me he loved me. He asked me to marry him!"
"I knew it!" cried Shampa excitedly. "And what did you say to him?"
"What did I say to him? What did I say...", Meher's voice trailed off. "I told him I hated him! That I never wanted to see him again!"
"What?!" exclaimed Shampa. "But why?! I thought the two of you were really hitting it off".
"So did I", replied Meher, "but that was before I overheard Ashlesha and Maya talking in the ladies room and learned that there was never really anything between us. This was all a joke. Preet had made a bet that he could make me fall for him. The Great Preet Juneja! Hmpf! How could I have let myself been fooled, especially after what I knew of him through Viren. Honestly I could kick myself!"
"Meher", said Shampa calmly. "I'd hardly go around trusting anything Ashlesha or Maya have to say. Their track record with you hasn't been so great. As for Viren...remember you said yourself that you only knew his side of the story, and would ask Preet about it as soon as the opportunity arose. You'd be a real simpleton if you let unverified information from Ashlesha, Maya or Viren cloud your judgement of a man 10 times their consequence".
"But it's not just that Shampa", protested Meher. She related to Shampa the entire detail of her conversation with Preet. "So you see...Preet himself admitted that he was responsible for separating Heer Didi and Prem. He insulted my family. Called us a bunch of gold diggers. And said that falling in love with me went against his better judgement!"
"Um...Meher...are you sure he proposed?" asked Shampa, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "It doesn't look like it from the sound of it".
"I know, right", agreed Meher. "So it serves him right that I let him have it".
"Then you should feel better right?" asked Shampa.
"Yes, I should...but I don't know why I don't", sighed Meher.
"Perhaps it's because you still have feelings for him", said Shampa. "Denying it is not going to change things". Shampa put a comforting hand on Meher's shoulder, before getting up to leave. Meher just stared at the open space in front of her. Her friend had just verbalized what she had been refusing to admit to herself.
Meanwhile...
"Preet!" cried Ashlesha. She had just answered the knock on her hotel room's door, and and was pleasantly surprised to see Preet standing before her. "What a wonderful surprise darling! I just ordered some brunch from room service. Why don't you join me", she said, as she put her arms around Preet's neck.
Preet grabbed Ashlesha by both wrists and removed her hold around his neck. Ashlesha suddenly became afraid looking at the angry glare Preet was giving her. "Ouch Preet!" she squirmed trying to release herself from his grip. "You're hurting me! Yeh kya batameezi hai? (What kind of insolence is this?)"
"Batameezi? Batameezi toh maine abhi shuroo bhi nahin ki Ashlesha! (Insolence? I haven't even begun Ashlesha!)" said Preet gritting his teeth as he pushed her away, making her stumble back into her room.
Ashlesha rubbed her wrists, which were now red from the force Preet had held her with. "Tum yeh kya keh rahe ho? Pagal ho gaye ho kya!" she cried. (What are you doing? Have you gone mad!)
"Han main pagal ho gaya hoon!" yelled Preet. "Tumne hi Meher ko Delhi ke club mein ditch kiya tha na?" he said walking towards Ashlesha and poking her in the shoulder with his finger with each accusation. "Tumne hi Sam ki party mein usko sharab pilayi. Hain na? Tumne restaurant mein uski beizzati ki...Par ab to tumne hadh kar di Ash". (Yes I've gone mad! You ditched Meher in that club in Delhi. You made her drink alcohol at Sam's party. You insulted her in the restaurant, but now you've gone too far Ash).
"Wha...what are you talking about Preet?" cried Ashlesha. Preet had backed her up to the wall and was looking at her with a deadly glare.
"Humne Meher ke khilaf 'bet' kab lagyi thi Ash?! (When did we ever make a bet regarding Meher, Ash?)" Preet hissed angrily. Ashlesha's eyes widened hearing his question. "Main to usko apne pyar ke jaal mein phansa ke usko bomb ki tarah drop karne wala tha...hain na?" (According to you I was supposed to make her fall in love with me then drop her like a bomb right?)
"Tum...tumhe kaise pata..", stammered Ashlesha. (How dd you find out?)
"Meher ne mujhe sab kuch bata diya", said Preet. "Tum aur tumhari Maya memsaab ki zeharili baton ne apna asar kar dikhaya. Woh mujhse nafrat karti hai!" (Meher told me everything. You and Maya have succeeded. She hates me now!)
Ashlesha swallowed hard. "She's lying Preet, I swear! I never said anything! She's never liked you anyway, and now she's making up stuff to create misunderstandings between us!"
"Shut up Ash!" cried Preet. "Just shut up! He grabbed Ashlesha by the arm and dragged her over to where the phone was. "Phone milao...Abhi!!!" he ordered. "Meher ko tum aik aik cheez bato gi, aur woh bhi sach sach". (Pick up the phone right now! You're going to call Meher and tell her the truth). With Preet breathing fire down her neck, Ashlesha had no choice but to comply.
Meher was in the kitchen helping Shampa's mom prepare lunch when the phone rang. She almost hung up when she found Ashlesha speaking on the other end.
"Meher wait!" pleaded Ashlesha. "Please don't hang up! I know we haven't gotten along well in the past. And I've certainly given you cause not to trust me, but please...just hear me out this once".
Ashlesha explained to Meher how she had fabricated the entire 'bet' story, just so that Meher would end up hating Preet. That she had been jealous that despite her own efforts, she had not been able to attain the level of closeness Meher had achieved with Preet, and so she concocted the whole story to get rid of Meher from the picture once and for all.
"I don't understand", said Meher, "Why are you telling me all this?" It suddenly dawned on her that Ashlesha would never have called her and admitted the truth, unless...Preet, she thought. Preet must have put her up to this. Was Ashlesha telling the truth or was this just another effort to win the 'bet'? She began to get angry again.
"It doesn't matter Ashlesha", Meher continued coldly. "Preet ne toh kal raat ko hi mujhe bata diya tha ke tum jhoot bol rahi thi. Par ab toh main na uski baat pe vishwas karti hoon aur na hi tumhari. Waise bhi, usne jo kiya...uske liye main usko maaf nahin kar sakti. Khair chodo...tumhe chinta karne ki koi zaroorat nahin. Mere aur Preet ke darmiyan na kuch tha, aur na hi kuch ho ga". (Preet denied everything you said last night. But now I just don't trust him. Besides, after what he did, I just can't forgive him. Anyway, just forget it. You have nothing to worry about. There was never anything between Preet and me. Nor will there ever be).
Meher hung up the phone and let out a deep breath. Two more weeks, she thought. Two more weeks and I'll be home with Mama, Papaji and Heer Didi. And I'll never have to see, worry or think about Preet or any of the Junejas again.
Meher's last words were still ringing in Ashlesha's ears as she hung up the phone. "Tumhe chinta karne ki koi zaroorat nahin", Meher had said. "Mere aur Preet ke darmiyan na kuch tha, aur na hi kuch ho ga". (You have nothing to worry about. There was never anything between Preet and me. Nor will there ever be).
Ashlesha quickly wiped the smirk off her face and turned to give a solemn look to Preet. "Sorry Preet", she said with fake concern. "I tried my best. But Ms. Ambala ki akard to dekho, kuch sunne ke liye tayar hi nahi thi. Waise... itna bhi sar pe nahin charhana chahiye in gaoon ki gawar lardkiyon ko". (But Ms. Ambala was not willing to listen to anything. In any case, it's not good to give these lower class girls too much attention. They only wind up taking advantage of you).
But Preet wasn't listening. He sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. This was just the first of many steps I'll have to take in order to make amends, he thought. He turned and walked to the door in order to leave, when all of a sudden Ashlesha grabbed him in a hug from behind.
"Mujhe maaf kardo Preet!" she cried. "Main mere Preet ko naraz nahin karna chahti thi. Never! Main toh tumse bahut pyar karti hoon". (Forgive me Preet. I can't bear t see you upset like this. I love you a lot).
"Kya?!" asked Preet, shaking his head in disbelief, as he turned to look at Ashlesha. "Pyar? Tumhe is lafz ka matlab bhi pata hai? Tum agar waqai mujhse pyar karti, toh tum itni giri hui harkat na karti. Tumhare liye, apne se ziyada, meri khushi sab se ahem cheez hoti. (What? You love me? Do you even know the meaning of the word love? If you had really loved me, you would never have stooped so low as to lie about me. My happiness would have been important to you).
Nahin Ash...tum apne jootoon se, hand bags se, shopping sprees se, aur paise se pyar karti ho, par tum mujhse pyar nahin karti. Aur...tumne kaise soch bhi liya, ke main tumhe kabhi bhi pasand karoon ga"? (No Ash...you love your shoes, hand bags, shopping spres, and money, but you don't love me. And how did you ever imagine that I would ever like you in return?)
Ashlesha watched in anger as Preet once again pushed her away and left her staring after him. "Main bhi tumhe dekh loongi Preet (I'll see how long you'll reject me Preet)", said Ashlesha, as she picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hello mom..."
A Short While Later...
Meher had just gone out to the driveway to pick up the newspaper, when she saw Preet's car come around the corner. She quickly ran back inside the house and shut the door behind her with a slam, but not before Preet had gotten a glimpse of her running into the house. Shampa's mother came out of the kitchen to see what had happened, only to find a flustered Meher peeking out the window from behind the curtains. "Beta (Child), what's wrong?" she asked.
"Auntie ji!" cried Meher as she quickly left her place by the window and grabbed the startled lady by the shoulders. "Koi aaya hai. (Someone has come). But I don't want to see him. Just tell him I'm not well...No...Better yet, just say that I'm not home".
Why is he here? thought Meher, as she ran to her room. After all that was said and done last night, he's got some nerve. And why am I running from him like a scared rabbit? No...I'm not afraid...I just don't want to see him again and get into another argument. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to tell everything to Heer Didi. And I don't want to create a spectacle in front of Shampa's mother.
"Namaste Auntie ji", said Preet, as Shampa's mother answered the door. "I'm a...friend...of Meher's. Could you please let her know that Preet's here. I really need to speak with her".
"Um...Ah...sorry puttar...ghar pe koi nahin haiga. Sab bahar gaye hain (I'm sorry son...uh...no one is a t home. Everyone has gone out)", said Shampa's mom.
Preet looked at her questioningly. He could have sworn he saw Meher run into the house as he drove up. Shampa's mom was wringing her hands nervously and staring back and forth between Preet and the staircase leading to the rooms upstairs. Lying is obviously not her forte, thought Preet.
"I'm sorry Auntie ji", said Preet as he walked past the confused lady, "but I have to see her just one last time".
Meher was surprised to see Preet suddenly enter her room without so much as even a knock and quietly close the door behind him.
"Tum?!" she cried. "Tumhe andar anay ki ijazat kisne di? (You?! Who gave you the permission to come up here?)" She tried to give Preet as angry a look as she could, but swallowed nervously as she watched Preet close the distance between them.
"Mujhe pata hai ke mujhe is tarah tumhare kamre mein nahin aana chahiye (I know I shouldn't have come into your room like this)", said Preet, "But...".
"But what?" asked Meher. "Do you want to start another argument? Or have you come to convince me that you have so overcome your aversion to my family that you're still willing to marry into it".
"I'm leaving Meher...", said Preet quietly, as he looked into her surprised eyes. "I'm going back home tonight. And I had to see you...just one last time...and leave you this". Meher looked down to see Preet holding out an envelope for her.
Seeing her hesitate, Preet continued, "Don't worry, It's not a renewal of the sentiments you found so disgusting last night. Your feelings on that matter are crystal clear, and believe me...that chapter is definitely closed".
"Preet...I don't think...", she began.
"Meher please...", interrupted Preet, "I only want to address the offenses you laid against me".
Meher wasn't sure she wanted to accept anything from Preet, but he did seem determined. She quietly took the envelope and turned her back towards him. Preet sighed and walked to the door to leave.
"This is perhaps the last time I'll see you Meher", he said. "I hope you'll believe me when I say that I never meant for anyone to get hurt, and that you'll always have my good wishes with you".
With that he was gone from her room, from the house, and now perhaps forever from her life.
Hope you all liked it 😛. Please leave your feedback.
Chapter 25 Preview - Preet tells his side of the story
Link to next chapter:
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/49125043 Edited by ummesulaiman - 10 years ago
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