OS - Amarprem - Chapter 42 - Part 2 - Page 2 - Page 2

Part 2

'What ? the bride has got fever?' exclaimed a distant relative of Pratigya , to a very irritated manjula ... 'yes, she...emmm...she ate too much icecream yesterday n we landed with this ...' she said as she stood in the front of Pratigya's room , blocking the door...'its just fever na...it will subside by tmw... can we just see her ...' said another women, craning her neck to see past the slightly ajar door... 'yeah, n she has got so many rasams to do ...poor girl, her mother is already bed ridden n now she also is unwell...' sighed another woman... 'err...i suppose we should not disturb her...let her take rest... 'said manjula pointedly ... 'n the shagun is yet to arrive... we will have to wait until then... just let her take rest till then... come on , u haven't seen the jewellery ! come I will show u...this way...' manjula closed the door indicating the women to walk to the adjancent corridor ... the women retreated murmuring , some girls eyeing the door with pure loathing as one of them gritted her teeth 'how did she do that ? 'yeah...she is not even back home a month n he just decides to marry her!!!' another seethed ...'i think she tricked him... may be she didn't take any precautions n ended up pregnant ...!' 'eeeww...have u seen her?! Such a behanji types... no dressing sense at all...! she did some hocus pocus on him I tell u...' bristled another one...

The voices faded away as pratigya let out a roar of rage n anger ... she sat up in her bed , the feeling to vomit overwhelming her... she ran to the bathroom n splashed water over her face , breathing heavily ...she looked at her reflection ... she looked horrible... her look suited the hell she was in ... her fever had subsided considerably n it was nearing noon... she felt like being pierced with daggers when she thought of the evening n life ahead ... she came back n sagged into her bed ... she wished she could just die... there was a knock at the door n she looked up startled ... manjula entered along with a high profile beautician n her assistant ... pratigya felt relieved oddly seeing that this time it was a different beautician n her assistant looked nice for god's sake ... 'just get her ready for haldi... that's all... elaborate makeup could wait... may be before sangeet... n Pratigya, ' she called in a falsely sweet voice ...Pratigya looked at her in disgust ...'I know u r feeling a bit tired , but co-operate ...n don't worry dear, I will be checking on ur mother from time to time...' manjula leered at her n went out of the room... closing the door with a snap... the beautician smiled warmly at Pratigya n Pratigya found herself relaxing inspite of herself...'oh, don't be scared ... it happens with girls ... n even with boys...the nerves...!' she laughed good naturedly , patting pratigya's head ... Pratigya couldn't smile , but the woman seemed not to mind...'i think we will have to adjust with some dress from ur wardrobe now as I understand the marriage is happening all of a sudden n u wouldn't have time to arrange dresses for all functions...' she gushed, opening Pratigya's wardrobe n selecting a simple salwaar...

Pratigya changed mechanically in the bathroom n allowed the women to work on her face n hair... her stone like composure was a bit unnerving to the beautician n her assistant , but they managed to hide their confusion... once they were finished they assured Pratigya out of her room ...manjula was waiting outside ...a group of elderly women crowded behind her... she took pratigya by hand n led her downstairs ... the guests looked up as the bride descended ... Pratigya could feel their eyes scrutinizing her as manjula smiled at everybody n steered her towards the courtyard ... she made Pratigya sit on cushioned stool in the middle of the courtyard , glaring at her to behave properly ... Pratigya could not see or hear anything...it was as though she was in a straight jacket...choking ... 'the shagun has arrived ' she heard someone shout to her left ...some women were giggling as she felt the cloth over her hands n legs pulled up...'no...pls...I don't like...don't want...' Pratigya said , her voice hoarse ... 'its really romantic u know..' she heard a girl saying to her left... 'she will be smeared with the haldi used on him...!.ha! how i wish I were in that bitch's place!' ...Pratigya clenched her fists in anger ... there was a haze of movements infront of her n she saw manjula's form bending over her with a vessel... oh, the shagun... what? They r going to smear her with that?! ... no way! ... 'I ...I am not feeling well, buaji...' Pratigya said in a strong clear voice ... manjula tried not to look angry ...'yeah , I know beti, but this is the rasam... just 15 mins...after that u can take rest... here...' she held the vessel in her left hand n held Pratigya's chin in her right hand , her eyes slits on her... 'arrey... wait just a sec more Pratigya... when the haldi touches u , all ur tiredness will be gone in a jiffy... after all , ur man has send his love for u... ' ...what? oh! So she is getting to smear herself in what was his leftover!...he will be revelling at the fact n here they r saying that its his love!!!...

Pratigya looked around her ... she will be tortured to death like this ... there were atleast hundred of women surrounding her n all of them looked set to smear her with the haldi, not to mention mouth all kinds of things to her n in general...she wanted to get out of this hell, now!... Pratigya looked at the vessel in manjula's hand ... its now or never... what she intend to do was just to topple it over accidently on purpose but instead , to her utter shock , she found herself dipping her hand into the haldi ... there was a collective intake of breath around her as she pulled out her hand as though burned ...oh, what did she do just now? Pratigya thought frantically ...'I... I think this will be enough...won't it?' she said, her voice sounding alien to herself , n felt her hand coming up to smear the haldi over her cheeks... she closed her eyes tightly as she felt his fingers caressing her cheeks , as he did on the now many occasions they met... she opened her eyes to look in to his , a twinkle in his eyes , as he rubbed his fingers along her right cheek , a little roughly n yet lovingly...he was bending over her , oblivious to the hoard of women surrounding them...she felt her lips stretch in a smile , as she looked in his eyes... 'oh, looks like the bride can't wait to wear his token of love... see, she beat all of us to grab her shagun... ' giggled some woman n Pratigya looked around startled ... he was gone... she felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment , anger ...n shyness... manjula glared at Pratigya as Pratigya hastily stood up, saying 'I ...I really feel still tired... I need some sleep... pls...excuse me... ' 'oh yes' said an old woman, nodding ...'the rasam is over now, n the girl rightly looks still ill... she need to be ready for her man by tmw night...' she pinched Pratigya over her waist , as she continued to the loud giggles of women n jealous glares of girls surrounding the circle...'...u see the groom will be asking us for an explanation if his bride sleeps through the night... so lets just let her go n take rest ... ' the women giggled away at the old woman's words as manjula looked relieved that the situation somehow is under control... Pratigya could feel herself boiling in anger , as she almost ran out of the courtyard...

Pratigya ran up the stairs, her face glowing in embarrassment ……… she bolted the door n leaned against it , breathing heavily ………….what had she done? She had accepted his shagun!…….there was no other way to describe the atrocity of what she just did……wasn't she going to knock that stupid vessel over?… she slowly raised her trembling right palm in front of her eyes………. It looked oddly beautiful , smeared all yellow……. She ran to the bathroom n almost pulled out the pipe in her angry haste to open it…………… n then she stood dumb ,her mind a whirl as she fought the urge to look up at herself in the mirror………… surely she remembered smearing the haldi over her cheeks……….. no! don't look…….. just wash it off……… don't ……look!... she looked up n saw her eager eyes looking back at her………. N her face………. Her cheeks were covered in yellow n also a tinge of red……. Stop blushing!!! ……….. she found herself raising her hand n touching her right cheek……….. she gasped wildly as she saw him reflected behind her, smiling crookedly at her………… 'u look beautiful…' he said , leaning against the granite wall , hands in his pockets n legs crossed ………. He looked nothing less than breathtaking………….. she turned sharply to face him, angry at his guts to step inside her bathroom n found herself looking at the empty stretch of wall………..'u?' …she blinked n turned to look at the mirror, foolishly , her eyes searching for him, behind her………… stop looking for him!... her mind screamed at her…….. oh! God! She is becoming pathetic ………. Pratigya cleaned her palm under the water n splashed some over her face, rigorously washing away what she felt like was his touch over her cheeks………her mind was blank….

Krishna looked at the yellow water pooling in the basin as he washed his palm……… he caressed his still yellow fingers , thinking about what went through his mind when he immersed his hand into the haldi……………he felt like touching her…….. smearing her with his shagun………. Krishna shook his head like being irritated by some fly……… she is proving to be a very difficult situation to handle….

Shailendra hissed into the phone 'I don't want to hear anything Ma sahib'….he was standing in his study , after excusing himself for some minutes from the hall… 'I am coming there to personally invite Thakur sahib n his devil of a son for the sangeet ceremony at my house…. I am fed up of ignoring the snide comments made by the opposition party members! Or even my own party members ……….they r saying that thakur sahib , not to mention his son, is treating me as a mere dog! N not as a samdhi…….. the Thakur sahib's lack of interest during the engagement ceremony was noticed by all………..I won't let my pride take a beating………no! …. I am coming there to invite them….. he can't say no infront of all the important people………!' 'OK OK….make sure u have durjjan n his sons n ur wife out of ur way………..we don't want a last minute problem' said gayatri through gritted teeth……..she cut the phone , tensed n irritated ….. she need to handle things carefully , gayatri thought..………

Hope u liked it 😳