MehRya FF: Discovering the Magic #2: Chapter #45 Teaser pg62 11/29 - Page 32

Chapter #39

Despite being aware that she was bringing undue attention to herself, and she supposed, increasing Kanta Chachi's suspicions, Mehek's eyes betrayed her when they trailed down again to the gleaming gold bangle encircling her wrist. Barely, she managed to hold in her sigh, but had no defense against the smile that would not leave her face. She just could not keep her eyes off her gift. It was absolutely beautiful, she thought as she admired the piece that already held a special place in her heart. Biting her bottom lip, she felt her cheeks warm as she recalled its giving. He had taken such a chance coming to meet her, but in hindsight she could find no complaint in the impetuous nature of the man who would dare so much. She was surely one of the luckiest of women to be loved as much as Shaurya did her. Silently, she shook her head. Was there anything he was incapable of, she wondered as she reached out unwittingly to fiddle with the bracelet.

"I've never seen you so fascinated by a piece of jewelry beta. In fact, it's a wonder that you ever misplaced it in the first place."

Her tone of voice reaching her told Mehek that her aunt was more than a little skeptical; something that was plainly expressed on her face, when the comment drew her attention back to the older woman riding along with her in the car.

"How tragic it would have been to have lost it as attached as you are to it. Where did you get it... or perhaps the better question would be who purchased it for you?" She watched her niece's hesitation, and her eyes narrowed further in suspicion. "Mehek..."

Automatically reacting to the increasing sternness in her Aunt's voice, Mehek opened her mouth to respond.

"Nahi Bhabhi... you promised bhai...everyone...we agreed that you wouldn't..."

Her mouth ajar, Mehek's head whipped in the direction of her uncle, driving the car, when he harshly interrupted his sister-in-law, before her attention switched back to the now sullen visage of her aunt.

"As her mother, I have every right to question her," Kanta countered sharply to her husband's younger brother.

"Haan you absolutely do, but you are not the only one concerned for her wellbeing and after the last time..." he tapered off in a clear attempt to spare Mehak the remainder of his thoughts. His accusation most likely, Mehek presumed. She froze. She was ashamed to admit, that in these past weeks that she hadn't really considered the possible fallout her aunt would have faced by aiding her. "Chacha...Chachi, please...please do not fight on my accord. I have no issue with telling..."

Ravi looked back at her via the rear-view mirror and plastered a smile on his face. "It's good to have you home again, Mehek. There will be time enough to speak when we arrive home, beta... just rest for now thik hai?"

After a moment's hesitation, Mehek nodded, stealing another look at her aunt. Her countenance showed her impatience for the familial discord that clearly still existed weeks later. Obviously, supporting Mehek when she chose to take off without informing anyone had not sit well with the family, and now the turn of events that had led to her return had only added to the issue. While Mehek completely understood Kanta's Chachi's stance in the situation, her uncle's reaction was far more difficult to comprehend. Was the ire he had expressed solely indicative of the family's discontent with Kanta over the absolute decision she had encouraged her niece to take some weeks back, or were her elders in complete agreement with Kanta, and sought to express such as a unified group? Meekly, Mehek turned her focus to the scenery outside the window, all thoughts now on the forthcoming meeting with the rest of her family. In that moment, her confidence waned just a bit and she suddenly found it necessary to take a few deep breaths to calm herself as she thought what was to come. It was never going to be an easy task, but because her mind, very much like her heart, was set, there was only one course that she could take. She could do this, she thought to herself. Even without Shaurya physically at her side for this initial conversation with her family, she knew that in spirit it would be as if he was right there with her. His thoughts, she knew would be on her, and if that wasn't enough to buoy her, proof of his love where literally within arm's reach. Again, she reached for the bangle, a move that did not go unnoticed.

In fact, to Kanta it appeared that the now sobered Mehek, as opposed to her almost giddy response to it, had found comfort in the bracelet, almost as if it was her own, personal talisman.

Twenty minutes later, when the car pulled up to their lane, Mehek followed her aunt out and stood back when her Uncle Jeevan appeared out of nowhere, ready to retrieve his niece's luggage from the boot. Before he could, she quickly genuflected to him, and beamed when she received his blessings. "Welcome back, Mehek. How were your flights, beta?"

"Long; and a bit tiring, but none of that seems to matter now that I am here. I am so happy to be home Chacha."

Jeevan studied the young woman whose upbringing he had seen as one of his highest of priorities and gtinned at her. "Not as happy as we all are, beti. Everyone is anxiously awaiting you inside; PD especially." Jeevan recognized his niece's remorse at the mere mention of her grandmother, and moved to reassure Mehek, when out of the corner of his eye he spied his wife, who rather than reaching home, was instead engaged in an animated conversation with their neighbor. When Kanta turned suddenly and motioned in their general direction, the genial expression reserved for his niece froze giving way to one that instantly put Mehek on her guard. "You are being hailed, beti. Chalo, Mehek; let's get this over as quickly as possible" Jeevan muttered tersely.

"Ji Uncle," Mehek replied, uncertain as to his sudden change in demeanor.

"Aacha there she is, our resident star-in-the-making! Welcome home, Mehek beta, welcome home!"

Warily, Mehek approached the spot where her aunt and Pammi, their long-time neighbor stood together. Assuming her aunt to be simply appeasing the neighborhood busybody, Mehek followed suit and politely folded her hands to the boisterous woman, whose aim in life was forever to be the center of attention. "Namaste Aunty- ji, how are you?"

"Clearly not as well as you, beta. Oh, Kanta she has practically blossomed these last few months. I cannot believe that this beautiful angel before us is our sweet little Laddoo."

Next to her, handling her luggage, Jevan coughed; vocalizing the reaction, that only the good manners instilled by her family prevented Mehek from mimicking. She had never been Pammi Aunty's little laddoo or anything else sweet for that matter. If anything, over the years, the woman had made no secret of her aversion to both her and her siblings: those Sharma urchins, she had referred to them, often within earshot of one, if not all of them. It, along with numerous other hateful things, had been a bone of contention between the braggart and the over-protective Kanta, who refused to bow down to the woman who believed herself a leading member of their locality. However today, it looked as that may have changed, when Kanta wholeheartedly concurred with her. "Indeed, you are right Pammi. The time abroad has been wonderful for Mehek in so many ways, and she has a very bright future ahead of her."

The woman, who was now giving Mehek a thorough inspection, nodded. "I am not at all surprised Kanta ji, even from young, I could see the potential she had inside her."

Jevan, who had had enough of the woman's preposterous exaggerations, suddenly cleared his throat, "Kanta it is getting later by the minute, and Mehek has been on the go for almost a full twenty-four hours..."

Their neighbor evidently was not finished extolling the qualities of the young lady in front of her, interrupted Jeevan. "You would never know that to be a fact, as fresh and beautiful as you look this afternoon, beta. But I expect that you should go in and get some rest," she added with what she probably thought was maternal concern. "In a day or so, once you have rested, and have sorted your schedule, you must come over for a visit, Mehek. You will bring her won't you Kanta ji?" Her beady eyes flashed with glee when Kanta readily agreed. "Of course, we shall, but Jeevan is correct, we should go in."

"Until a few days then," Pammi continued, her intense gaze having returned to Mehek. "Goodbye Beta."

Completely mystified by the singular attention being paid to her, Mehek quietly bade the woman farewell, and turned in the hopes of getting away from her and her extremely odd behavior. Evidently Mehek wasn't the only one to find the encounter bizarre. Just as soon as they were out of ear-shot, Jeevan asked his wife to explain why she felt the need to engage the nosy woman in conversation at all, let alone encourage further interaction by agreeing to socialize with her. A fleeting sense of dread creeped up Mehek's spine as she listened to her aunt's hushed defense of her action. The fact that the older woman signaled her husband to halt, did nothing to ease her alarm, however, before she could come to some sort of conclusion as to what was going on, her attention was drawn by the piercing shriek reaching her from the direction of her house. The shrill noise was her only warning before Nehal and Sonal reached her, and excitedly began pulling her along towards the Sharma home. Disregarding her complaints that she should await their relatives, Nehal finally hushed her when she informed to come with them as PD wished to speak to her immediately, and preferably before the others: before Kanta Chachi especially, came. Mehek stared at her cousin-sister first and then at her best friend. Sonal nodded, confirming the truth of what had been disclosed. With both her worry and her curiosity piqued, Mehek quickened her pace.

She found her great-grandmother perched comfortably in her favorite chair, waiting anxiously for her. Even from the distance across the room, Mehek immediately saw and felt the love that she always associated with PD, and she left her two companions, dashing the final steps that would bring her in proximity to her beloved PD. Arms that had comforted her since childhood enveloped her and, within them as they always did, every single one of Mehek's qualms faded into the background.

"Laddoo; my sweet Laddoo."

Mehek's own hold on the elderly woman tightened along with her effort to keep control of her emotions. "I'm sorry PD, forgive me for not ... for leaving without telling you...for worrying...you...I..." She choked on her words, and felt tears she hadn't expected, begin to form when the slight hand began gently stroking her back.

"Look at me Laddoo."

Obeying her grandmother, Mehek leaned back and blinked back the moisture pooling in her eyes. PD took care of the couple of tears that escaped with one hand, and then studied her grandchild. "Everyone has their own journey to take in life, Beta. Yours, it seems, is destined to be one of the more interesting ones." She watched as Mehek's eyes shied away and her color rose. This understanding, while welcomed, was thoroughly unexpected. And then it struck her that somehow PD knew...if not everything, then enough. Straight away, her attention came back to her grandmother. The elderly woman's next words basically confirmed it. "Do not mistake my words for approval...not yet. I am, however, willing to let matters proceed as naturally as possible, and give him at least the chance to prove his worth. Others, I'm afraid, in their haste... and because of their fears, may not be so inclined, right now." She clasped Mehek's hands when alarm entered her granddaughter's eyes. "Nahi, beta do not worry. Go and freshen up, beta, and then go directly to your room and rest for a while, I will handle matters at home for now."

"PD, I came home to tell everyone, I had no intention of hiding anything..."

"Like I said, beta: yours is one of the more interesting stories," PD said with a smile. "I do hope that everything pans out for the best, but only the coming days will tell." Behind them, they heard the voices of the approaching couple who had finally reached home. The fact that they were bickering did not bode well to Mehek's ears, but as she always managed, PD managed to allay some of her fears. "My beautiful Laddoo...love looks good on you, beti... now go and do what I have asked."

Chapter 40