The shark and the saint

4: What Did You Do

The cars arrived at the mandap, and Prerna and Mr. Bajaj got out. Veena helped Prerna collect her dress and walk up the stairs.

Mr. Bajaj sat down first, telling the pandit to start the chants.

"Take your time. Stress lene ki koi zaroorat nahi hai."

As Prerna stood watching the service, her mind kept going back to Anurag. How much he'd loved her, and how broken he would be without her. She was just thinking this when the pandit called her. Veena gently shook Prerna to snap back to reality, and Prerna swallowed her tears as she went to sit with Mr. Bajaj.

Veena helped do the rasams and tied the knot, after which they got up to do their phere. At every circle, a tear dropped from Prerna's eyes. She looked to the door every time, hoping he would come rescue her.

The phere were completed, and the couple sat down for the sindoor. Prerna closed her eyes as Mr. Bajaj lifted her tika, but before he could properly place the powder...

"Prerna!"

Everyone turned to see Anurag storm the mandap. They stood up as he strayed inside, mad and soaking wet. Before he could get too far, guards got him, but he screamed for them to let him go.

"Yeh, yeh sabh kya hai?"

"Enough, Mr. Basu," Mr. Bajaj warned him as he got closer.

Veena stood in his way this time. She reached for his arm, trying to calm him. "Anurag, aap-

"Aap beech mein mat boliye!" Anurag shook her off and Veena stumbled. Prerna gasped. No one could treat her mother like this. Mr. Bajaj was the closest to catch her.

"I said that's enough, Mr. Basu."

Anurag ignored him and went and grabbed a canteen of water, putting out the fire. Prerna had to step back as the water splashed her

"Kisi ne mujhe video dikhaya aur mene believe nahi kiya lekin... yeh sabh. Yeh? Huh? What is this?!" He accused her.

"Prerna apne life ki decisions le sakti hai," Mr. Bajaj spoke for her.

"Nahi le sakti!" Anurag screamed so matter of factly.

His tone of voice didn't sit well with Prerna. She was taking this decision, to save Anurag. Love or not, Prerna was her own person and could take her own decisions.

"...Yeh roq raha hai na tumhe?" Prerna heard him talking to her. "Prerna tumhe darne ki zaroorat nahi hai iss admi se. Main hoon na tumhare saath. Tum meri ho bus. Sirf meri," he grabbed her hand and searched around for the pot of sindoor. He grabbed a pinch and tossed up her tika, stopping mid way.

Confused, Prerna slowly brought her hand to her face, tepidly touching her maang to find it full already. Anurag reached out to wipe it off but Prerna grabbed his hand. As Anurag stood there watching his hand, Prerna slapped him.

"Darr mujhe abhi sirf tumse lag raha hai, Anurag. Tumhe mujh pe itna bhi trust nahi hai, ki main jo decision le rahi hoon woh hamare liye hai?

"Main apni decisions khud lene kha haq rakhti hoon. Maine Mr. Bajaj se shaadi ki hai, aur abh tumhara yahaan hona koi meaning nahi rakhta. Chale jao, Anurag. Chale jao!" She pushed him in the direction of the entrance.

Anurag stumbled backwards, watching everyone's faces. He even looked towards Veena, who was standing behind Bajaj, to plead his case. But no one helped him.

Mr. and Mrs. Bajaj finished their rituals, and Prerna got ashirwaat from her mom. Veena gave her her blessing and smiled at her, holding her face.

"Abh aage ka safar tujhe akelai karna hai. Lekin hamesha yaad rakhna, zaroorat parde to main tumhare saath hoon."