Rewarding failure
As expected Mr Narang called him within an hour
"Mom kya keh rahin hain aapki?" he asked calmly
"shes right I married that girl" he said
"You cared about what I said... enough to get married but not to the woman I wanted you to" she said blandly
"No I didnt, I married her because I dont have to marry the girl of your choice"
"You dont have a great track record of living upto expctations anyway" Sharanbir choked
"I dont" he said quietly
"Your mother's heart has broken to pieces. I am sure you are aware of that" he was told
He had no comeback to that one
The old man knew how to go for the jugular
He was in a marriage with a woman he did not like want or love.
She was in his home now
His grandpa was taking it rather well...
It bothered him. there was no outburst no explosion no dismissal
He almost feared what was coming next
His belly churned tightly.
If this was all going to be wasted on him Ashvin wondered why the hell did he even plan this grand scheme
"She said you married the daughter of Prakash Shanbag?" he asked
"I did" he said after a pause
"Hope everything has come full circle for you. Hope you took the decision with a sane mind" he said conclusively
ashvin wanted to scream he had done it to drag his reputation through dirt
To shame him in front of his friend Rajat
But none of that happened on that call that afternoon
"Your mother has lived every minute of her life after Vishwas's passing worrying about you two. I am disappointed you treated her so badly"
"This wasnt done to hurt her" Ashvin was furious
"I know you did it to enrage me. But you forgot the conduit in between... your mother
Now it really hurt Ashvin
"she knows me"
"Yes, she must. She must know you dont take it easy when you feel slighted and you do extreme things" he said hanging up
Ashvin lay back on the white sectional outdoor sofa, yanked a half white half navy rectangle cushion from under his back and flung it across the balcony
"Pool?" Chirag texted
"Umm.. sure" he texted back
"Cues & Cards?" an eatery/pub/youngpeople hangout at UB City
"Sure"
"Are you OK? you took two days off?" he questioned
"I got married" he said
"Abey I am not your grandpa, wake up" he sent a ROFL
"No I mean it"
"WHATT?" he called
"I did" Ashvin mumbled
"To WHO?" Chirag asked completely in shock
"A girl" he wisecracked
"That rich chick?"
"No, Trisha Shanbag" he texted
" U are a sick bas***d" Chirag was FURIOUS
He liked her, Ashvin could tell
"Calm down" he said condescendingly
"HOW the hel did she marry you?" Chirag was angry now
"Lets say i worked it out"
"Lets skip pool today" he said and hung up
He tried calling his mother she wouldnt answer
Nothing was going according to plan... his grandfather's reaction was as good as if he had told
him "its going to rain today". He was prepared for a big showdown, a public flogging of sorts where he would be thrown out of everything the family owned. Emails would fly
around highlighting the ridiculously stupid thing he had done. His cousins would mock him. Cousins who already did not hold him in very high esteem anyway.
He had fantasized shunning everything and walking away only to be summoned back and forgiven.
This was definitely not anything he had prepped for in his wild scenarios.
Everything about this faux marriage was geared towards shaking up the status quo with Sharanbir
Nothing was intended to maintain it, yet everything remained stone cold now
The people he cared about were the greatest casualty
His mother was shattered, she was beyond disappointed, she was desecrated
His close friend of 5 years Chirag was disgusted
A feeling that he might have wrecked his own life wilfully slowly crept up inside
the bullet had missed its mark... and he had a unwanted wife as a reward.
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