FF - |As Fate Would Have It| Chapter 9 June17 - Page 16

Another great update. Love your description of Yash observing Aarti as she walked to the car and the final section which was really emotional. You're a great writer.

CHAPTER 9

Relationships are, to put it gently, interesting. Apart from the relationships one has that require unconditional love , such as that with family, most relationships are formed willingly but boast of the same, pure love. Such was the love Yash had for Paridi. In the true sense, she was the kid sister he never had, and loved to pamper.

Ever since Prateek had introduced her to his family close to 3 years ago, both had taken an instant liking for each other, and Yash had fought endlessly for the sake of Prateek and Paridi with his family. Every rakshabandhan since, Paridi had taken it upon herself to indulge in a little brother-sister love with Yash and tied a rakhi on his wrist, signifying strength between a brother and sister, extracting a promise from him to always support her, while she also promised him the same.

Their bond was so pure, so real that when Yash and Arpita had broken up, it was perhaps Paridi who had shed the first tears over their broken relationship - even before the couple themselves! When Yash's marriage with Aarti fixed, it was her who had decided to lead the baarat with the singing and the dancing, and taken part in the festivities with full gutso.

Sometimes, as they proved, there need not be blood to have a strong between two people. And so, when Paridi had listened in on the conversation of Aarti bhabi and Maansi, it was natural that she feel so emotional.

Her intentions on going to check up on the girls were innocent: she had gone in to indulge in some marriage gossip. Even though she had been in a relationship with Prateek for several years, she was as pure as Aarti. And so, she had wanted to tease Aarti bhabi, while taking a minute to gain insight from two married women, for her wedding was coming up. What best way to know of the trysts of the night than to ask women of experience, she thought. However what she heard broke her heart completely.

As someone who knew that Yash and Arpita no longer meant anything to each other, and to know that Yash had, somehow very foolishly, mentioned the taboo of his ex during his wedding night, Paridi could not make out any reason. Not meaning to eavesdrop, but not being able to move, she heard everything Aarti had to say, and then when both women started to cry she quickly left.

Unable to hide the war of emotions engulfing her entire being, she quickly made way to the Schindia boys. Excusing them both from the conversation with the Dubeys, she pulled both aside to the garden area.

"What the hell did you do?!" Clearly not one to sugarcoat reality, and for the sake of time, she went right into it.

If it were culturally okay for men in their late twenties to pale and be reduced to lean on the wall for support, perhaps Yash would have done the same. For it killed when someone you adored, someone you considered your friend, and ally, your confident, to look at you with such peiricng and accusing eyes.

"How did you find out?" he managed.

Prateek, who was silently listening to their tete-a-tete close to keep his mouth shut, for he knew better than to interfere when his fiance and his brother were having a discussion. To say he was amazed at their relationship was undermining it, for he could remember the distinct moment wherein he had introduced his bhai to his love, and they had, quite surprising hit off right away.

Remembering back, Prateek was unsure of how Paridi would be received, for even though she was the same religion as them – a Schindia requirement – she was not that well versed with the practices. It was Yash, who was already facing a relationship strain 3 years ago due to the family's disapproval of Arpita, who had stood up for her and said that Paridi would be his brother's wife, and whatever she needed to learn to be the ideal Schindia bahu, she would learn from their house alone! As her guard, he had walked to stand beside her, showing the rest of the Schindia's where his loyalties stood: first with his brother, and because of his relationship with Paridi, now with her.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Prateek took a tiny step back and let them continue.

"I heard," came the response.

"Look, Pari," Yash reasonsed, "I need to know what was said. I need to make this better. You understand, don't you?"

"Look, bhai," she countered rolling her eyes, "why don't you tell me what were you thinking?"

If their tones were not so serious, perhaps Prateek would have burst out laughing. Yash bhaiyya only ever called her "Pari" when he needed her to do his bidding, and Paridi only ever called him "bhai" when she wanted to skin him alive.

Taking a deep expurgating breath, Yash briefed both of them of the activities of the night before. When he was done, he waited for a verbal reaction from either party, but none came. Prateek was too shocked to process words to be coherent, and Paridi too angry to say anything. Seeing that no one was going to say anything, Yash continued, "Look, I know I messed up. But guys! I freaked out okay. I'm human after all. Not even a month ago, I was still trying to convince myself that Aprita and I had a future and that our broken relationship was going to magically fix itself. I'm not saying i would go back to her, or her to me, but we were together for so long. It was only a natural expectation. We practically became adults together! I know I was wrong, but when I walked in on Aarti as my bride, all dressed up I reacted before I thought of my actions. And that is why I wanted to come with her alone here. I needed to clear the misunderstanding. And now I fear it is all too late, and don't know how to do it."

Paridi, despite her love for Yash, wanted him to grovel for Aarti's sake. But to his credit he did look miserable, and choosing to make him suffer, at such a point in his life, would be wrong. But Paridi also wanted Aarti to feel loved; to feel like she was number one in Yash's life. And so she chose her next few words carefully.

"Yash bhaiyya, while i understand what you have had to deal with, I cannot help but bring in a little prescriptive from Aarti bhabi. I'm not sure you know," she said in a voice that was purposefully bitter, "that she was adopted. Perhaps if you were more involved in your wedding discussions you would have. Bua had made a comment about not wanting an adopted lady as the Schindia Bahu, but BauJi had told her that it was religion he cared for, not one's linage." Seeing Yash's mouth tighten in anger at Bua's words pleased her – it meant that even though he did not realize, Aarti had started to mean something to him.

Thoroughly satisfied with her little detective work, Paridi chose to continue, "Bhabi has had a tough time growing up. I cannot tell you what she has had to deal with – for only you can, and should!, unravel her secrets – but finding out, on her wedding night of all times, that she has been upped by another lady, or unfortunately reduced to being seconds to the same lady - did nothing to heal her battered past. A wedding is the beginning of a new journey, and you started it by showing her, once again, that she did not matter. If I can give you any advice, let it be that you need to woo her; you need to show her that she matters to you – matters most to you – because she needs that."

When she finished, she gently placed her hand within Prateek's and started to walk back inside the house. Right before entering in, she turned and said, "I believe that you are just what Aarti bhabi needs, for I know how gentle, and amazing you are, but she does not. Prove it to her, first with your actions, and then with your words that both of you deserve each other. No one's pain diminishes over a fortnight, but together you can be medicine to each's heart." Sharing an encouraging smile she walked into the house, leaving Yash to ponder over her words.