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From the author's desk: Ok, thanks for accepting this slight change in Payal's character- I thought that both Payal and Akaash being meeky would be boring- atleast one of them should be little bold to bring in some worthy story for them- And most of you have been asking for Kushi's entry- She will make her glorious presence in Chapter 3- practice patience until then!
P.S. PMs later after I have done the proof reading... this one is for the impatient heads!
Happy reading!
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Chapter 2: Lovebirds in despair
Part 2: The battle of Sharmas
The elder ladies were having a quiet tea when a very cross Manorama came in join them in the family lounge for tea.
"What happened Manorama? why are you upset?" Nani asked her Daughter in law
"Ask your dear son- He saves other's heart- but hurts my heart. Hello hi bye bye" Manorama quipped biting a biscuit with more force than necessary
"what did mama do now Mamiji? tell me, I will fight for your justice- Nandkishore Singh Raizada will never tolerate injustice metted out to the women folks" Nk said as he joined them all
"NK bitwa, you know what? poor Anjali bitiya she was feeling all gloomy- and so I took her out... and your mama told me off for doing that"
"Manohar is right. Anjali is a girl and you are spoiling her" Dadi intervened
"But it is her birthday tomorrow... you all know how she feels whenever her birthday approaches... thinking how her mother died two days after she was born.. and now her father died four days before her birthday- she was feeling all unlucky and upset- I had to take her out to cheer her up" Mami argued with Dadi
"She is an educated girl- she should know better than to believe in all those unlucky stuff- besides tomorrow when she gets married to another family- people there will blame us for bringing her up to be such a spoiled brat" Dadi told curtly shutting up mami.
NK raised his eyebrows and quietly settled in one of the sofas as Anjali came down for tea.
"Hi NK, Mami, Dadi, Nani..."
NK tired to gesture her it was not the right moment for her to join the group now as he was sure that she was going to talk about her birthday and they would get back properly from Dadi but she didnt get it
"What?" she asked him
"nothing" he mumbled.
"Mami, I asked Payal to come tomorrow for the party" Anjali started off the conversation "I told her we are having only a family gathering and she is a part of our family anyways- so"
"Payal will not be coming here" Dadi snapped at Anjali
"Why?" Anjali asked "She came here today na?"
NK gestured her to stay quiet again and Anjali was looking at him baffled.
"Yes she was here and I sent her back- we cannot entertain her anymore if her mother doesnt want ay kind of rishta with this family" Dadi told her
"But she is already upsta---" Anjali started to say when NK jumped in to do damage control
"Anjali I am ordering cake for you- which one do you need this time?" he said throwing draggers at her to make her shut up right then. Anjali finally kept quiet though she didnt understand the reason.
"Hmm.. the other day, we tasted the red velvet cake na-- it was marvellous... I thought I could have that for my birthday- but then Arnav told he didnt like it much... hmm- so I think I will settle down for chocolate marble truffle cake..."
"ok chocolcate marble truffle then.. NK said- do you want vanilla twirls on top of it?" he asked as he browsed his IPhone to place an online order.
"hmm No problem" she said as they all heard the door bell go.
Ramu Kaka, their male servant, went to answer the door and escorted a highly agitated Mr and Mrs Sharma to the family lounge. After the initial greetings were shared, which was a little colder from the Sharmas side than on the Raizadas side, Mrs. Sharma directly got to point, denying Nani's invite to join them for tea.
"We have given you all enough decent clues that we are not anymore interested in a rishta between Payal and Akaash. I dont understand why you people still encourage my daughter with any such intentions" Mrs.Sharma directly asked the elderly ladies
"We are not unwise to not notice your clues Susheela, When you dont want our son, we dont want your daughter too- We have class- and we are arrogantly proud of it" Dadi answered her smugly
"But still, you let her inside this house? for what reason may I ask?" Susheela leered
"What bakwas is this? You daughter came running here in the afternoon and I sent her promptly back" Dadi told her as NK and Anjali who stood there exchanged uneasy glances
"Bakwas? Have you started lying as well? She has been missing from afternoon and we know she is in this house right now and I have come here to take my daughter home" Mrs.Sharma told them rudely.
"But she is not here Susheela- didnt you hear me? how dare you say I lied to you? Look if your daughter ran away somewhere - it doesnt mean she is here" Dadi told her.
"I suppose your grandchildren know otherwise" Sharad Sharma pointed out, acutely picking the tensed faces of Anjali and NK
Dadi turned back abruptly and looked at them. She immediately knew that they both were concealing something
"Is Payal here?" She asked, her voice was dangerously low, the tone she undertook when she was not happy with their behaviour.
"I am here Dadi" payal's low voice reached her from another entrance to the lounge. Akaash stood behind her, with an apologitic look. Dadi was so shocked that she stood there with shamed silence.
"Now what do you say Subadra Ji" Susheela asked with a sneer of her face.
"Auntyji- Dadi doesnt know Payal was here- it was not her fault" Akaash told her
"Doesnt know? she doesnt know who comes in and goes out- What kind of responsible elder is she?"
"So what if she doesnt know I was here? She asked me to go back, it was I who sneeked back in- dont blame others for what your daughter did" payal shouted across the room to her mother.
"Dont take that tone with your mother Payal" Sharad reprimanded her
"First tell her not to take that tone to my future grandparent in laws... first of all what kind of responsible elder is she if she doesnt know how to talk to elders? What if my inlaws think that I might have taken after her and reject my proposal to Akaash?" Payal asked her father as Anjali snickered and NK showed her a thumbs up.
Dadi turned to look at the two, quietening them. Akaash on the other side was getting uneasy with Payal's impoliteness to her parents in front of his Dadi- He sure didnt want Dadi to think Payal was disrespectful and was not suitable to be a Raizada bahu.
"As if they would dare to- Dont you understand? they want you to be the Bahu of this house badly now- knowing how much money comes with you" Susheela didnt mind hurting them as she hurled those accusations on Dadi and Nani
"What are you tlking Susheela aunty, you think Akaash loves Payal for her money? how can you say so?" Anjali asked confused but fell silent as Nani gave her a threatening look.
"Oh- My Mom loses her mind sometimes Anji- dont mind her" Payal commented
"How dare you talk like this? Where are your manners Payal?" Her Mom screamed at her as she took a few steps forward towards her daughter
"Its gone in search of yours Momma- as you lost yours already" Payal gave back quickly
"Sushi, this is not the time to get into fights- It was our fault we gave her so much freedom of speech" Sharad calmed down his wife.
"good one dad- we should'nt blame others for our mistakes- we need to take ownership- and by the way I have to clear this doubt in your mind Mom- Akaash is more wealthier than me to fall for my money" Payal commented nonchalently
"Wealthier than you? Hasnt he told you yet? that they have lost most of the property to their reckless father's fantasies? and the rest are on the way to the market to be pledged or sold?" Susheela spat out mercilessly wounding Dadi and Nani standing there. Anjali was shocked to hear this as was Payal as she looked into Akaash's eyes.
"So? what if its the case? I love him and not his money"
"Look how they have influenced our daughter Sharad" Susheela turned to Sharad and let out a cry.
"No one needs to influence me- I have a working brain" Payal cried out angrily.
"Payal please stay calm" Akaash muttered to her
"Why should I Akaash? either you speak or you let me speak- for god's sake they have been talking about getting me married to some stranger- what am I? a freaking 6 year old asking Momma what flavour of icecream to order in a icecream shop- and change my options just because my Momma doesnt like the flavour that I chose? I am 22 and I am entitled to choose whom to marry- and I have decided that this is my sasural- no one can change it"
"Actually even 6 year olds dont listen to their parents these days" Nk provided points to Payal to which she nodded thankfully whereas Dadi and Nani stared at him
"what the hell is happening here?" Arnav's commanding voice rang across the lounge. All of them turned to look at him.
"oh there comes the acting male head of the Raizada clan" Susheela let out a cynical comment
"we have come to take our daughter home Arnav, and it seems that your family is not co-operating" Sharad informed him curtly
"My family? have you already considered Payal to be a Raizada?" Arnav asked back smirking at him "-because all I can see is- your own daughter is not willing to accompany you"
"She has been ill-advised" Susheela spat at him
"Is it? to whom do you endorse this credit to Mrs. Sharma? because as far as I know her, Payal is capable enough to make her own decisions"
"Arnav- we have had enough of this, we want our daughter to come with us- no arguments on it- no hard feelings. Send her with us" Sharad spoke at last
"Go Payal bitiya- you have to go with your parents- whatever be the reason it is not right on your part to stay here without being married" Nani spoke her mind too, tired of what was happening in front of her.
Payal who was standing a step in front of Akaash immediately moved towards him, taking his hand and adamantly shook her head.
Arnav went near Payal and stood facing her.
"Payal do you trust me?" He asked in an almost whisper
Payal took some time to answer
"I do but if you are asking me to go with-" Payal started but Arnav cut her quickly
"Do you trust me or not?"
"yes" she said finally "but I trust Akaash a little more than I trust you since I am in love with him- is that ok? " she pouted as Arnav smiled at last and Akaash looked at her disbelievingly
"yeah thats alright" Arnav told her taking her other hand in his "Now leave with your parents- I am taking responsibility to get you married to my brother- can you trust me in this?"
"you are asking too much from me - but I suppose thats ok- My life depends on your promise Arnav- if you dont keep this promise, I will somehow find some way to marry your brother and then take my revenge on you" she uttered casually as she crossed the brothers and walked past the onlooking elderly ladies, curious and biwildered Anjali and Nk and reached her parents.
"What are you waiting for? Do you suppose they will serve you dinner if you stayed any longer? come along they had put up with our boring family drama for quiet enough time" she told her parents as she walked past them.
"Bye Akaash- see you soon darling" Payal called out as she reached the door and her fuming parents followed her.
Akaash cringed looking at Dadi as Payal's darling floated towards the lounge. Nk and Anjali exchanged looks and grinned at eachother and so did Arnav as he patted his brother on his back.
"Dadi" Akaash called out but his Dadi put up her hand quietening him
"We have had enough insult for today by that disrespectful girl and her parents- I dont want to endure much more now" she said as she intended to walk back to her room
"But Dadi, Payal was not disrespectful, she infact supported our family"
"Enough done- enough said" Dadi left the place after that.
"Nani- Payal is not like that - she only-" Akaash called out
"I know Payal is good at heart bitwa- but when her parents dont want her to get married to you, we cannot force them- can we?" Nani asked before she too left the place.
Hmm seems like payal has royally ruined her image in front of Dadi now- Will Arnav be able to keep up his promise? Stay tuned to know more
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Edited by abavi - 11 years ago
