Oct 7th, 2008
I know it was a sad and depressing episode. *sigh* we will have to get used to the fact that there will be no Prem for a while...till we get him back that is!
In an effort to cheer you all, I am updating my FF. Hope you like it. Enjoy!Chapter 4
Prem studied his dad, wondering what
was so important that it could not wait till tomorrow morning. He asked his dad
to sit, but Lalit shook his head.
'Prem, I am here to talk to you
about something really important. But before I start on that, I wanted to tell
you that I am proud I have a son like you.'
'Dad'what is the matter?'
Lalit walked over to his son and
patted is shoulder. 'I know we have a difference in opinion sometimes, but I
want this understood. No matter what, you are a really good son.'
Prem was not sure where this was
leading to, but remained silent.
'I know I have told you about my
friend and Heer's father, Balraj. He and I were the best of friends. Our fates
decided that our paths would veer away from one another. Through the years we
tried to keep in touch, but somehow did not do justice to our friendship. When I decided to come back to India , I wanted
to spend the last days of my life re-living my childhood. ' Lalit walked over
to the window and looked out, but his mind was far away.
'I did not know that Balraj would
leave this world before I could tell him what he meant to me, more than a friend,
a brother. And then god gave me his two precious possessions to take care of,
Heer and Meher. There is nothing I would not do for those two girls, not just because
they are Balraj' daughters, but also because Gayatri and I have come to love
them as our own.'
Lalit looked at his son and said, 'I
know you are wondering why I am telling you all this. The thing is, Prem, I
need to ask something of you and I want you to think carefully before giving me
an answer.'
Prem looked puzzled. Lalit
continued. 'Your mother and I want you marry Heer.'
Preet and Meher were enjoying the
new James Bond movie to the hilt. Heer was tired so she was sitting with her
head resting on a pillow and dozing.
'Di,
kya aap bhi?' Meher nudged her sister. 'You're going to miss all the best
parts of the movie!'
Heer stood up and yawned. 'I am
going to bed. You guys watch the movie.' She was still a little drowsy, so she
walked back slowly to her room. She came up to Prem's study and noticed that
the door was half closed. Thinking nothing of it, she had barely passed the
door, when she heard Prem speak. 'Dad'how can I marry Heer?'
Heer stood there frozen to the spot.
What was going on? All thought of sleep fled as she debated what to do.
'She is such a nice girl, very kind
and loving. Your mother and I both like her a lot.' Lalit said, sounding almost
defensive. 'Not to mention very pretty, don't you think?'
'There is nothing wrong with Heer,
but did you consider the fact that I may not want to marry her?'
'Well, why the hell not?' Lalit
asked a tad too loudly.
Prem ignored the challenge he heard
in his father's voice and mustered patience. 'Well, for one, I don't know her.
And secondly, I am not sure if we could even make it work. Thirdly, what if I
was in love with someone else?' he said and added as he saw his father losing
his patience. 'No, before you ask, I am not. Fourthly, did you even ask Heer's
opinion about what she wants?'
Heer was still standing by the door,
unable to move. This was really embarrassing. How could Lalit-chachu ask Prem
to marry her? Did he think he was obligated to her father in some way, just
because they had been friends? What was she going to do?
'No, I did not ask Heer, because she
will not go against my wishes,' he said, almost sounding proud.
'Unlike me, you mean,' Prem said. He
sighed and walked over to his desk. 'Do you know what kind of position you are
putting me in? Why now? What happened that made you want to suddenly ask this
of me?'
Heer heard the frustration in Prem's
voice. She felt tears prickle in the back of her eyes. Did they know how it
made her feel that Lalit had to force Prem into marrying her? And what would
Prem do? Agree to make his parents happy? What kind of life would she have with
him, knowing that he would spend the rest of his life with someone he didn't
love?
Lalit softened a little bit. 'I just
think it is time you settled down. Your mother and I are getting old. We want
to see our oldest son married, play with our grandchildren. And we think that
Heer is going to make you a good wife. Balraj will rest in peace if he knows
his daughter is in good hands and I know you will take care of her.'
'What about Meher? Are you sure you
don't want one of your other sons to marry her as well?' Prem asked, with faint
sarcasm.
Lalit laughed. 'Meher is a
sweetheart. She is strong willed and is confident about herself, because Heer
is her strength. It is Heer that I worry about the most.'
Prem sighed, 'I don't know what to
tell you. I need time to think about this.'
'Ok'fine. I will give you time till
I have a chance to talk to Heer. Once she has agreed, then you will have to
accept her as your wife. It's not like you are in love with someone else, so
you have nothing to lose,' Lalit turned around to walk away.
'What if I'let's say'fall in love,
with someone else, before then?'
The look Lalit gave his son was steely.
'Then you better have the courage to tell me before I make the announcement to
the family. Because once I have done that, then there will be no turning back'
This last statement brought Heer to
reality and thinking that she had heard more than enough, silently hurried to
her room. What was she going to do now? What would she tell Lalit-chachu when
he asked her what she thought of marrying Prem? Even if she had not heard the
father-son conversation today, she would have been very surprised that Prem
would have agreed to marry her. They barely spoke to each other at the best of
times and had nothing in common. She was a simple person with simple tastes.
Prem needed someone who was like him, worldly, glamorous'someone who could
stand by his side and make him proud. Heer did not think she could ever be that
person, did not think she had the confidence to be his wife. And knowing how
happy Lalit had sounded at the prospect of their marriage, Heer did not think
she had the courage to say no and disappoint him.
Now, after finding out that Prem had
to be forced'she wiped her tears. No, she was not going to let that happen. He
deserved to be married to someone he loved and for that matter, so did she. She
knew Lalit and Gayatri meant well and maybe felt some obligation and found the
need to put Prem in such a situation. Slowly she changed into her night
clothes. Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow I will talk to Prem.
< =Edited by sshekar - 15 years ago
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