Part 18:
Present (In the Mandap):
After that incident, Shaurya didn't contact her. Mehak too got busy with her wedding preparations. Everyone around her was happy except her. She had very convincingly put up an act of being happy for the sake of her family. How she wished in those ten days for this wedding to be called off. May be she was destined to be Mrs. Mehak Ajay Parmar.
In those ten days, Shaurya made no effort to talk to her or reach out to her and now, he wanted her to call off her wedding with Ajay that too on the day of the wedding. When she had seen him in her room, she knew the reason of him being there. He had finally realized his feelings for her. He begged her to give him a chance but she wasn't willing to give him that.
She had seen how her chachas had mortgaged their shops to pay for her wedding. She didn't have enough money in her account to repay them. Probably, going ahead with this wedding was her only way of repaying them for their love and care that they had showered her all these years after the death of her parents.
The pandit started reciting the Sanskrit mantras. The mantras were being read but Mehak couldn't hear anything. Everything was falling apart. She didn't want this but there was no choice. She couldn't turn back the events in her life. Wish she had a time turner, she could change everything and the first thing she would like to change would be her meeting with Shaurya. How she wished she had never met him, never worked for him and never fallen in love with him.
A lone tear escaped her eye. Sonal looked at her suspiciously but Mehak smiled at her assuring that everything was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
The pandit asked the bride and groom to stand and start the pheras. Kaanta chachi helped Mehak to get up for the pheras. Ajay was holding her hand and she was following him like a dutiful wife. Everyone showered the bride and groom with flowers.
They had completed the third phera when someone shouted from behind: Stop this wedding right now!
Everyone turned around looking for the source of the voice. A girl dressed in green saree entered the mandap with an envelope in her hand.
Kaanta chachi noticed the drastic change in Pammi's facial expressions. Before Kaanta chachi could approach the girl, Pammi sprinted next to the girl holding her hand: How dare you! Get out of here right now...Its my son's wedding. Don't create a scene here. Samjhi!
The girl pushed Pammi and walked to Mehak: Please don't marry this guy Mehak. He is a fraud.
Ajay's face turned pale after hearing what the girl said.
Kaanta chachi worriedly asked the girl: Who are you and what are you talking about?
Ajay nervously: Chachi please don't listen to her. We don't know her. Throw her out of the mandap.
There was definitely something odd about how Pammi and Ajay had reacted when the girl had made some accusations at them. Chachi knew that they were hiding something but just what it was not certain. The way the mother-son duo exchanged glances at each other made her all the more suspicious. She didn't want to take any chances with her daughter's life.
She approached the girl and said: Bacche, tell me what is it? Why did you call our would be son in law a fraud?
Fearing that the girl would blurt out something that would harm their reputation, Pammi tried to intervene but Kaanta chachi stopped her saying: I want to hear what this girl has to say and I don't want anyone to interrupt her. Go ahead Bacche.
The girl seemed relieved hearing chachi's words. She came forward and handed her the envelope: Chachi, I am Jaspreet Makkar. Two months back, Ajay and his mother had come to our family through a marriage bureau for a marriage proposal. My parents and I agreed to this alliance and had a roka ceremony in the gurudwara. It was decided that we would get married next month but Pammi aunty insisted that we wait for sometime as her son worked in Canada and that he needed to talk to his firm for leaves for the wedding. In the meanwhile, Pammi aunty and his son had asked a lot of things from my parents in dowry which my father happily gave them. We agreed waiting for them to call us and fix a date for the wedding but they didn't. Two days back, I came to know tht Ajay was getting married to your niece and that they had been engaged for six months. Chachi, please believe me this guy has cheated on me as well as your daughter. He isn't trustworthy.
Pammi shouted at her: Ae ladki, stop your nonsense. My son isn't trustworthy, oh really? And why should I believe you? Who are you? Kaanta she is a liar. She is taking revenge from us coz we rejected her marriage proposal for Ajay. So now she has come here to defame us. Get out of here.
She was about to push her when Jaspreet held her hand: I knew nobody would trust me but I have got all the proofs. Chachiji, if you don't trust me you can see the pics of our roka that we had in the gurudwara. Its in that envelope.
Pammi snatched the envelope from Kaanta's hand and said: Why should we see all this? The Sharmas trust us and we trust them. We don't need to see any pics.
She was about to tear them when chachi stopped her saying: Pammi behenji, wait a second! I don't know about others but I want to see those pics. Give me the envelope now!
Pammi half smiled feigning sweetness: Kaanta don't you trust your samdhan..
Kaanta smiled: I do but I cant play with my daughter's life. I wouldn't want to take a chance with her life.
Saying so, she grabbed the envelope from Pammi's hand and opened it to see the pics. She was shocked seeing the pics. They were indeed the roka pics of Jaspreet and Ajay. All the Sharmas gathered around chachi to see them. Mehak too saw the pics and looked at Ajay who was hiding behind Pammi.
Pammi smilingly: I hope you don't believe these pics Kaanta...Someone might have photoshoped them..Its very common these days.
Mehak spoke from behind: The same way you had done when you showed me and Shaurya on a scandalous poster during my ISC stint...Hai na Pammi chachi?
There were no proofs required now. It was known that the Parmars had cheated both the families. Before someone could throw accusations at them, Pammi went to PD crying incoherently: PD, I am sorry...Paise ke lalaach me maine yeh sab kiya..I am so sorry but I love Mehak as my daughter and Ajay too loves her. PD teen phere ho chuke hai..Let them get married, they both love each other. You can punish me as much as you want but please do not punish the kids and spoil their lives.
PD hit her on the arm saying: Spoil their lives? Arre if my laddoo marries ur son, for sure her life will be spoiled. I never liked you and your son but I kept quiet for the sake of my Mehak. And now that I know your true colors, I wont let you or your son come near my daughter...Ravi and Jeevan throw these fools out of my house...Meri laddoo deserves someone better not your langooor son..Uth baby elephant and get out of my house!!
Sonal and Nehal went to Mehak consoling her in this situation. Mehak was undeniably hurt not with Ajay's betrayal but how her family was humiliated again because of her. Ravi and Mohit insulted Pammi and her relatives and threw them out of their house. Chachi couldn't control her tears anymore. She folded her hands and looked at Jaspreet: Thank you beta..You saved my daughter's life. I don't know what we would have done had she got married to Ajay. I just don't kno...
Kaanta chachi collapsed on the floor crying thinking how she was to be blamed for Mehak's condition today. Mehak and PD went to chachi and held her asking her to stop crying.
Kaanta chachi crying: I am so sorry. I have ruined your life. Everyone had advised me to not go with this alliance but my ego and pride made me blind to see their real faces...I am so sorry beta. Please forgive your chachi!! I am ...
Mehak couldn't stop her tears either: Chachi please don't say that...You are not to be blamed..Please chachi, don't ask for forgiveness.
PD held Kaanta's shoulders and said: Ha Kaanta, why are you saying sorry? Look at the brighter side...Maata Rani had sent this girl at the right time...Had she not come to the mandap, our laddoo would have surely got married to that rascal Ajay...Stop blaming yourself and thank Maata Rani that our Mehak is fine and I know Maata Rani will send a prince charming for my laddoo!! So everyone please stop crying.
Mehak went to Jaspreet and hugged her thanking her for saving her life. The Sharmas thanked her and said that since she had saved their daughter's life from being ruined, they considered her as their daughter and would always be there whenever she would need them. Jaspreet took their blessings and left for her home.
All the guests had left by now. Mansi chachi was consoling Kaanta. Sonal and Nehal were beside Mehak holding her hand. Earlier, Nehal disliked Mehak as she thought that her parents only cared about Mehak and not her. But slowly, she realized that her sister truly loved her and she had been so wrong about her all these years. The thought that her sister's life would have been ruined had she got married to Ajay scared her so much that she hugged her tight. Mehak held her shoulders telling her that she was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
It had been two hours that the Sharmas were sitting in the mandap thinking about all that happened today. PD got irritated and got up from the couch and went to Mehak. She held her arm and brought her to the centre of the hall. Mehak looked at her surprisingly.
PD: Ab please yeh maatank ka mahaol na banao yahan. Look at our bacchi. Why aren't you guys seeing the brighter side of all that happened today? She didn't get married to that scoundrel. Hamari bacchi hamare paas hi hai. So stop crying!!
Dadaji: But PD what about Mehak's future now? Who will marry her? The news will spread like wild fire about our daughter's marriage..Do you think any other guy would be willing to marry her?
PD looked at him and hit him on the arm with her walking stick. Dadaji winced in pain.
PD irritatingly: Agar kuch accha nahi bol sakta toh bura bhi mat bolo...Why are you thinking about the future? And we all know that isme Mehak ki koi galti nahi thi so why should our child suffer? I m sure there would be someone who would understand her and love her irrespective of what has happened today..So now you will get up and go to your rooms to rest..Bahut ho gaya rona dhona. Bacche, you are Mehak...You bring freshness in our boring mundane lives. You are the reason for our smiles and tu bhi udaas hai..Are goli maar us Ajay and uss baby elephant ko! We are always with you and we love you.
Mehak looked at her lovingly and hugged her. The rest of the Sharmas too joined them smilingly. After some time, Kaanta chachi accompanied Mehak to her room. She insisted that she would stay with her for the night. She feared that she would try to harm herself. Mehak understood her fears. She cupped her face and said: Chachi your Mehak is very strong. I love you and my family a lot and main kisike liye bhi apni family ko dukh nahi dungi...Please chachi trust me...I wont try to commit sui..
Kaanta chachi hugged her and cried: Sorry beta, its not that I don't trust you but as a mother, I fear for my daughter's life...I am really sorry. Forget about everything and start a new life from tomorrow. Consider this as a bad chapter of your life..Thik hai!
Mehak broke the hug and wiped her tears. She asked chachi to rest too as it was a tiring day for all of them.
Mehak closed the door and collapsed on the bed crying. She had been controlling her tears for too long trying to hide the pain and hurt. She was sobbing uncontrollably when she sensed a moment in her room.
Without looking up, she said: Why are you still here? Didn't I ask you to leave? Arent you happy with what happened today?
Note: So we are back to present...Just to let you know that I havent written the next part so please expect a delay. Please let me know ur thoughts for this chapter..Criticism welcomed!!!
Cricket
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Bigg Boss 19
