Chapter 51
Vidhi was on her way out with her pooja thali, just then she heard the screeching sound of tyres, she wondered who it could be coming over at this early hour. She did not have to wait for long to know the answer for that. Vidhi came to a standstill when she saw three people make their way upto the door and come to a halt. To her immense shock she saw standing before her their ex-driver dressed up as a groom, with him there was that girl whom Yash had almost married. What was her name...yes Ishita she recalled who was dressed just as she had on that day of her all most marriage and then close to the couple was an elderly woman probably Aakash's mother who had come to their house recently and created quite a storm according to her husband Pankaj.
"What are all of you doing here this early in the morning?" Vidhi asked, instinctively knowing that something big and ugly is going to take place again right then.
"Subh prabhat bhabhiji...won't you welcome your devar and his newly married wife inside. Ah! I see you already have a thali in place, so what's stopping you?" Aakash asked looking at a stunned looking Vidhi.
Vidhi reacted immediately...she knew she had to call on everyone over to put an end to this farce, to indulge in any dialogue with the new arrivals was just dragging the inevitable show she knew they had come prepared for.
"Mummyji...bauji...everyone please come to the front door. We seem to have some uninvited intruders at our door"Vidhi relayed.
Aakash did not budge or even show panic at the prospect of having to face the Scindia clan. After all he had a right to this place, to this house and he would not leave without a fight. Seeing a minister's daughter as his wife knew would definitely scare the Scindia like nothing else and would give his voice the required power.
"Vidhi bahu what is going on? Who has comeover that your tone of voice has changed so much" Gayatri came to where the action was going on.
She had one look at the door and came to her conclusions immediately, with the men of the house joining her. All reacted to varying degree of curiosity to outright animosity.
"You again. Don't you have any shame...obviously you do not. I hope you have good time in the jail as i go and call the police" Pankaj said immediately.
"Before you do anything hasty bade bhaiya think twice you could be risking public humiliation" Aakash said in a mocking voice.
"What...what are you going to do? You think we are going to get scared of your empty threats and whom did you tag along with you this time. Oh! a wife...God only knows how you trapped her"he started to charge towards Aakash.
"Just a minute Pankaj I do not want to waste our time with these people. Just pay them and set them back on their way" Suraj Pratap interrupted.
"Ji bauji" Pankaj responed.
"How much are you going to shell out to shut up your bas***d son Mr Scindia" Akash asked with growing anger. (He hated the condescending tone that his father was using while addressing them.) And i case you have not noticed I have married a rich woman so do not need your money in anyway, so just stuff it"
"Aakash what is the meaning of all this. What the hell are you talking about" Yash asked the ex-driver whom he had last seen to know more about Smriti's past. How did he end up married to the minister's daughter and claiming to be his father's illegitimate son. What a preposterous claim. Yash needed answers immediately.
"Don't pretend you are ignorant of my existence Yash Scindia. Go ask this father of yours how he ditched my innocent mother after using her"
"Shut up not a word out of your filthy mouth. We are done talking. Close our doors Pankaj I do not want to even share the same air as them." SP burst out in anger just as his legitimate sons too were seeing red on hearing Aakash's words.
As Pankaj tried to close the door Gayatri sprung into action. She took the thali from Vidhi's cold hands and lit the Aarti shocking everyone.She then proceeded to welcome the couple inside according to hindu traditions.
"Gayatri" SP's voice boomed not able to comprehend his wife's action.
"Vidhi get the kalash of rice and red water to complete the ritual" Gayatri told ignoring the warning in her husband's voice.
"I said Vidhi go and do as I say immediately"Gayatri spoke to Vidhi from over her shoulder prompting Vidhi into action.
Such open disrespect of Suraj Pratap by Gayatri was unseen by anyone there.
SP shook his head in resignation and immediately left the place as Vidhi followed her mother in laws inexplicable instruction. Vidhi assumed a reaction contrasting this from her mother in law in a situation like this. How could she be so calm and welcoming faced with her saut and her family? Vidhi knew now was not a time for seeking answers. From the look of determination she had seen on her mother in law's face she knew that she had to be listened to, right at the moment.
Pankaj was grinding his teeth in frustration and anger, yet he did not go away. He wanted to remember this so that when he threw these people out he would rejoice with the same joy as he now was boiling with hatered.
Yash remained clueless. What was taking place was not something he would have imagined happening in a million years and Smirit the mute spectator so far knew that she would have to speak to Radha maa to get to the bottom of this.
Gayatri led the entourage behind her who wordlessly followed her. She showed them their rooms and was about to go away when Radha came out to speak to Gayatri.
"I don't know what to say. Your actions have left me speechless"
"Don't think too much Radha. Everything I am doing... is for a reason. Your arrival here had just pre-empted my actions. So don't over analyse and settle yourself in"
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In their personal room Ishita casually sat on the bed. Put her weight on the heels of her hands and let a suppressed and pentup laugh out.
Aakash gave her a look and then joined her in her gleeful laughter. They had succeeded in doing what they had set out for. Step one of their plan was accomplished, very very easily, now all that was left was to proceed with the remaining sequence of the plan.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
