When the tide turned .MithviFF-Part 17 updt Pg32 - Page 20

😆 ...Thanks you Bennu ... I enjoyed writing this part as much as you enjoyed reading it ... and I'm as crazy of Mithvi as you are ...

Now hope to see some good scenes in the serial too ...

Thank you Tammie ... 😃

Thanks for reading and liking Kiran ... I really really like the Pandit - Prithvi friendship, glad you liked my take in it !

Will update soon ... 😊

Thank you Shelly ... your kind words boost my morale no end ! 😊

Thanks Sana dear ... 🤗

Thank you sooo much Parm ... 🤗

You dont know how much it means to me to hear from you ...

I really like the Prithvi-Pandit-Jeevan Lal trio ... and I sooo want to give them some good scenes ...

Of course, the whole point of this story is to get great Mithvi scenes ...😆

This is all I ask from a story ... some humour and some romance ... and I'll be the happiest person ... really really cant stand too much of negativity !

Thanks again for your kind words ! 👍🏼

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Part 15 '''''''.

A couple of minutes later her cell rang and it was Akash. With a silent prayer she answered the call, "Hello, Aka..."

"What the hell is going on Miu ?" shouted Akash, not allowing her to speak. "Mama says you are married to that muscle-man Prithvi ! "

Meera went rigid with shock. Seeing her reaction Prithvi stopped the jeep immediately.

She got off and walked away from the jeep. Akash was yelling at her from the other end.

"A relative of our gardener is from your village and looking at your picture in our house he told Mama that you are his Datha's daughter and that you and Prithvi were married as children. He even went to the extent of telling Mama that she should cancel our wedding now. Can you tell me what's all this rubbish about your child marriage? ".

Meera haltingly told him the entire story. "You see, that's why till Mama is settled in the haveli I need to pretend that I have accepted this marriage. Later on I will return to Delhi and we can get married."

There was a prolonged silence at the other end.

"So you think you will be able to walk away from your 'husband' ?" asked Akash grimly.

"What do you mean Akash ? Don't tell me you believe in this ridiculous child marriage stuff" said Meera incredulously.

"A marriage is a marriage Miu" said Akash forbiddingly. "Especially in a village. You just cannot walk away. And I dread to think how my parents will react to this."

"But, Akash, I want so much to get my parents together, you know that" beseeched Meera.

"Yes, it's always been what you wanted Meera, and never what I wanted. I have to go now. I'll call you in the evening" and the line went dead.

Meera stared at the phone in dismay; this was all going terribly wrong. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that Akash will believe in something as preposterous as a child marriage !

Slowly she walked towards the jeep. Prithvi looked at her enquiringly. She just shook her head and got into the jeep.

Without a word he started the jeep and they were racing towards the haveli.

Meera's mind was in a turmoil.

When they reached the haveli, there was a large crowd there. Everyone were animatedly discussing something.

As Prithvi & Meera got out of the jeep, there was a hushed silence and everyone was staring at them.

"They know," Prithvi groaned under his breath.

Meera wished she could disappear into thin air.

When they reached the patio of the haveli, Datha walked over and put his arm round Meera and led her up the steps.

He then turned to the gathering and announced, "This is my daughter Meera !".

Once again the crowd began murmuring among themselves.

"Can I go now, Papa ?" asked Meera embarrassed.

"Sure" said Datha, "The worst part is over now" he smiled reassuringly.

Without a backward glance, Meera fled inside the haveli.

She ran straight to the kitchen and found Sunheri and Prabha. On seeing her, Prabha opened her arms and Meera ran into them and hid her face in folds of her sari, "Oh Aunty, it was horrible, everyone was staring at me" she wailed.

"There, there, it's over now" said Prabha patting her back reassuringly.

"The whole village is excited about Sudha Aunty's return. You should have seen the uproar when the ex-sarpanch's gun-man told them about his misdeeds, it was only Datha's presence that saved him. They would have lynched him otherwise" said Sunheri excitedly.

Meera breathed a sigh of relief "Finally, Mama's name has been cleared; I can't wait to go and get her back".

" They're planning a big celebration to receive her" said Sunheri. "And they also want to '"

"Meera, why you don't go and freshen up, it's time for lunch now" interjected Prabha throwing a warning glance at Sunheri.

Meera looked from Prabha to Sunheri , "Are you two hiding something from me ?" she asked suspiciously.

"No Di, Come on lets go" Sunheri grabbed Meera's hand and pulled her to their room.

Once inside she grinned conspiratorially at Meera and said "Guess what? They are planning to celebrate your wedding with Prithvi in a proper way now that you two are grown up and past the legal marriageable age."

Meera looked at her in shock, "But ..." she gulped, "They can't do that, I'm engaged to Akash"

"Akash who?" said a puzzled Sunheri.

"My fiance, we are to wed next month"

It was Sunheri's turn to be shocked, "Good Heavens, what did you go and get engaged to Akash for ? And what will poor Prithvi do now ?"

Meera thwacked her on the head and said "I never knew about Prithvi, remember ? And Akash and I decided to get married long before I planned to come here"

"And why 'poor Prithvi', you should be saying 'poor Meera' " she told Sunheri accusingly.

"Oh well, too bad you won't be marrying Prithvi, I was looking forward to the most romantic wedding I've ever seen".

"Keep quiet, will you" ordered Meera, "I need to talk to Papa and stop this silly business".

"Are you sure you do not want to marry Prithvi ? " asked Sunheri imploringly.

"Stop it" yelled Meera and threw a cushion at her.

Just then Datha entered the room, he looked quite worried.

Meera rushed to his side, "Papa, what's this business of celebrating my wedding with Prithvi all over again? You know I can't do that!"

"I'm sorry beta, I tried to convince the panchayat, but the people are adamant that this wedding is their way of making amends for the injustice meted out to Sudha & you. They all want to be a part of your happiness"

"I refuse to do this" said Meera belligerently. "I'll tell them, I do not consider Prithvi my husband and that I am going to marry Akash".

"Hush dear" said Datha soothingly. "Let me think of something. You just stay put here".

Datha left the room and Meera began pacing about the room. "This cannot happen, I need to talk to Prithvi. The villagers will manage to convince Papa and then I'll be in soup !"

"Sunheri, will you do me a favour ? Please ask Prithvi to meet me near the storeroom." She asked.

"Sure" said a grinning Sunheri "I would be delighted" and dodging at the cushion thrown by Meera, she ran out of the room.

Meera hurried out of the room and silently made her way to the storeroom.

She ran along the corridor began calling, "Prithvi, where are you ?

Prithvi slowly emerged from behind a pillar in the corridor; he was looking at her peculiarly.

"Oh, there you are ! We need to talk '." she began in an urgent voice.

"Meera ' shush", said Prithvi expressionlessly.

"What ??", she asked bewildered at his reaction.

He nodded towards her left gesturing her to turn around.

She whirled and the sight before her made her squirm, at least a dozen villagers were sitting in the side garden watching them with amusement.

"Making up for lost time eh, Prithvi ?" shouted one of them and the rest burst out in boisterous laughter.

Prithvi glared at them while Meera turned beet-red. With a fleeting glance at Prithvi she fled from there.

Back in her room, she began scolding poor Sunheri "Couldn't you tell him, I wanted to see him alone ? The whole village was there and that idiot didn't even warn me !" she ranted.

"For God's sake Di, relax ! Prithvi will come for you, you don't have to go waltzing all over the house to see him". said Sunheri with exasperation.

"It's easy for you to say, you are not being forced into marriage! " wailed Meera.

"Well, if the guy is Prithvi, I wouldn't mind" said Sunheri tongue-in-cheek.

That led to another chase around the room, with Miu threatening Sunheri with dire consequences.

Dodging Meera, Sunheri ran out of the room. Meera in an effort to catch her rushed to the door and collided head-long with an astounded Prithvi.

Gathering her in his arms he staggered as he tried to keep his balance, with Meera clutching his kurtha as she tried to remain upright.

"You two should shut the door if you're going to behave like this "said a cheeky Sunheri as she banged the door shut.

The two of them immediately sprang apart. Meera walked to the other side of the room as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Why did you want to see me?" asked Prithvi expressionlessly.

"Oh Prithvi", wailed Meera, "These dumb villagers want to celebrate our wedding all over again. What am I going to do now?"

Prithvi went rigid. "Who told you this?" he asked in a tight voice.

"Father. He seemed helpless too. "

Prithvi walked up to her and said, "I think we should let Datha handle this".

Meera looked at him surprised, "You mean, I should sit tight and let others run my life for me?" she asked indignantly.

"Not anyone, just your dad, he knows how to handle the villagers. He'll get us out of this with no or minimum collateral damage".

"You sure think the world of him, don't you?" said Meera with a soft smile.

He stared at her for a moment taking in her beautiful and innocent face.

Then he collected himself and said, "He is my world, he is the sole reason I am here today" he said gravely. "I'll go and see him now; you just stay here and try not to worry too much".

He turned on his heel and strode towards the door, there he turned, looked her in the eye and said, "Call you fiance; he has to know all about this from you directly. Don't wait till the news reached him through other sources."

And before she could reply he was gone. She threw herself on the bed and buried her face in the pillow, "He already knows, Prithvi" she whispered unhappily.

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There ... that's done .. how was it ???

cont soon