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"Bhagwaanji, tomorrow please perform a miracle and make my Papa marry Bani ki maa instead of Sankar." Sankar stopped midstep as she heard Tina's plaintive plea to the Almighty. She had been on her way to the kitchen but turned and headed to the mandir where Tina lay in supplication at Bhagwaanji's feet. Filled with ire she grabbed Tina by her ear, dragged her up and raised her open palm to give Tina a resounding smack. Her hand never got to Tina who had closed her eyes in anticipation. Instead Sankar felt waves of pain from the resounding thwack that she had been given instead. Furious she turned to the person who had dealt her the blow, Thapki.
"You. How dare you slap me? I will..."
"You will what? Try it let's see."Sankar stepped back unsure. This Thapki wasn't afraid and couldn't be threatened easily. It was fortunate that out of the corner of her eye she noticed Dhruv and Shradda walking into the house together. She held her smarting cheek then burst into a wail and pushed Thapki away from Tina
"No, no. You can hit me as many times as you want. You can even kill me but I won't let you hit Tina. She's gonna be my daughter tomorrow after I marry Bihaan and noone is allowed to lay a finger on her". Dhruv heard Sankar and felt incredible anger well up in him. He rushed over to where Thapki, Tina and Sankar stood, grabbed Thapki by the elbow and began manhandling her to the front door. Shradda looked on mouth agape and pleased as Punch while Sankar smirked. " I let you stay because Bihaan wanted you at his wedding but you couldn't even behave yourself being a guest in this house. I've had enough and I am throwing you out right now." By then they had reached the doorway. Suddenly Thapki whirled around. The resounding slap echoed eerily and took Dhruv by surprise.
" Bas. You hear me, bas. Enough is enough. How dare you manhandle me Dhruv Pandey? Might I remind you that I am your sister in law? Mrs Thapki Bihaan Pandey. Until Bihaan remarries, I am the legitimate bahu of this nivaas. You have no rights to lay your hands on me let alone kick me out of this house. Stay within your limits." The force of the slap had turned Dhruv's face to the side and stunned him into silence. He turned to face a fuming Thapki who was wagging a warning finger in his face. Shradda scampered over to where they were, ready to strike Thapki. "How dare you hit my husband? I have a good mind to..." She raised her hand intent on slapping Thapki but her hand was caught in the air and she was summarily shoved back.
"What husband? Whose wife are you? You are forgetting you are nothing in this house. You divorced him and he married my sister. That little nauntank marriage you staged holds no value as at the time he was legitimately married to my sister. He is not your husband and you are not his wife. " Thapki turned back to face Dhruv,
"Note that I am not the guest here. Rather she is and she is." Thapki pointed in turn at Shradda and then Sankar. Shradda's brain ran at lightning speed.
" See Dhruv. How many times have I told you let's solemnise our marriage. Look how I am being questioned and humiiated in what should be my own home. You have to marry me now. Right now ,this very minute" Dhruv' s back was against the wall. Thapki was right. Till she was Bihaan's wife he couldn't throw her out and Shradda also had no marital status. Till she was Bihaan's wife!!! Well that could be easily rectified His mouth puckered into a sneer before turning and addressing Shradda.
"She's right. You have no rights till I marry you but I am a widower see so I can marry whomever I want anytime I want. Also until she is Bihaan's wife she can lay claim to him and what's his, so I have a solution to end all this. Tomorrow at the same mandap where Bihaan will end all relations with her by marrying Sankar, I will renew relations with you by marrying you Shradda." With a final glare at Thapki Dhruv strode away and up the stairs. Shradda launched into a slow clap. "Thank you so much Thapki. In one minute you have succeeded in making Dhruv do what I failed to make him do for the past seven years. Once again I will be the legitimate Mrs Dhruv Pandey" She put her fingers to her lips as if sampling a delicacy. "Taste that,that's the sweet taste of victory. And you know what's even sweeter? You will lose all your rights because at the same moment Sankar here will snatch them all away." Shradda's cackle was echoed by Sankar's. "Come on Sankar. Let's go. We have weddings to prepare for and we have to look our absolute best."
Shradda and Sankar then turned and walked up the stairs. Thapki watched them go and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She had forgotten about the presence of Tina until she heard her quiet sniffles. She walked over worried and patted Tina's cheeks to dry her tears.
"Tina tum theeko , na?" Tina looked up at Bani's Maa awestruck by what had just transpired. The words came out unbidden.
"Are you really Thapki Bihaan Pandey? Are you my Papa's wife?" Thapki looked into Tina's tear filled eyes and nodded. Quickly and so happy Tina wrapped her arms aroud Thapki's waist.
"If you are my Papa's wife that makes you my Maa, na?" She relinquished Thapki's waist and turned to Bhagwaanji " Bhohot , bhohot daanuwad. You've made my wish come true "
"Tina yes I am your Papa's wife and thus your Maa but let's keep it a secret for now. Bani and your Papa don't know. I want your Papa to know when he is well again. If he finds out now his health might take a turn for the worse and we don't want that, do we?"
"I won't tell. It will remain a secret" Tina was ecstatic Bhagwaanji had answered her prayers. Thapki watched her as she happily skipped up the stairs.
"Somehow I have to prevent Sankar from marrying Bihaan tomorrow but how?"
She herself then went up the stairs thinking deeply of a plan.
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Mahadev And Sons
Cricket
