The shark and the saint

3: Reet Rivaaj

The morning came with a very loud Shivani informing the world of her sister's wedding. Prerna woke up holding her head, trying her best not to throw up.

"Aa gaya! Aa gaya! Wohi din, aa gaya!" Shivani sang. "Uttho, di! Tumne taiyar hone bhi jaana hai!" She sat down on the bed. "Mujhe laga aap to sabh se ziyada excited ho gi. Aap aur Anurag finally one hone jaa rahe ho."

Prerna say up, sickness and sadness overwhelming her. "Hut na, Shivi," Prerna pushed her aside and ran to the bathroom.

"Itni excitement!? Uff, accha aap aa jao, mein niche jaa rahi hoon."

Prerna didn't bother listening as she was busy throwing up. As she sat next to the toilet, she thought about her situation. Kisi ki patni, aur kisi ke bache ki maa. Prerna sniffled and got up. She quickly flushed and washed her face, then ran to her room to cry. Seeing her mother in the room, Prerna broke down.

"Abh tu ne yeh katthin faislah le hi liya hai, to nibhana bhi to pardhe ga na! Lekin tu..." Veena smiled and cupped Prerna's face, "akeli nahi hai. Main tumhare saath hoon. Hunh?" She cheerfully nodded and cried, trying to bring some happiness. "Main tumhare saath hoon."

"Agar aap dono ka love scene done ho, to jayen? Ya yahin khade rehna hai?" Shivani interrupted them from the door.

"Haan, haan," Prerna sniffled. "Main bus jaa hi rahi thi," she told Shivani and started looking for the suitcase.

"Uff oh!" Shivani got tired. She found the suitcase by the door and handed it to their mother. "Maa. Yeh khud nahi jaane vaali. Aap isko le kar jao." Shivani grabbed their hands and pushed them out of the room. "Aap ke kapde bhi niche hain. Mein yahaan dekh loon gi. Abh shaadi se pehle mujhe dikhai nahi dena."

Veena smiled at Shivani's antics and lead Prerna out. They took a taxi outside the street... and Prerna asked him to drive to Bajaj Manor.

The taxi dropped them outside the gates, and Prerna stood standing outside the front door, holding her suitcase.

"Chalo?" Veena placed a hand on her back and Prerna took a long breath before stepping up to ring the bell.

"Mr. Bajaj se kahiye Prerna aayi hai," she told the woman who opened the door.

"Sir aap hi ka wait kar rahe thai. Aayie," she ushered the women inside.

Soon to be Mrs. Bajaj looked to her mother and held her hand as they both stepped in together.

"Welcome, to your new home." The ladies turned to find Mr. Bajaj one floor up.

"Yahaan aane ka decision liya. Accha kiya," he noticed Prerna's mother and raised a curious brow.

"Aur mujhse shaadi karne ka decision bohat mehnga padhe ga aapko."

"I know. Rare cheezon ki qeemat hoti hi ziyada hai," he started speaking as he came down, "aur rare cheezon ko apni collection mein rakhna meri badi buri aadat hai." He smirked at the cigar in his hand and put it out before be went closer to his guests.

Rishabh made a half assed attempt to touch his future mother in law's feet, but she stepped away. "Guest list... aapne banayi thi na? Nobody from Basu or... your family?" He recalled.

"Beti ki shaadi mein maa na aye, yeh kaise ho sakta hai. Reet, rivaaj, pariwaar. Yeh sab aapko kya samajh aayein ge."

Rishabh sighed and pursed his lips. "Pariwaar to pata nahi, lekin reet rivaaj ki mujhe information hai. Abhi aap ki mehndi ho gi. 2 hours hain aapke paas. Uske baad sangeet hai aur phir kuldevi mandir mein hamari shaadi," he extended his arm beyond them and two dressed up women came to collect them.

"Shaadi mubarak ho," one obliviously said.

"Kitni pyari dulhan chunni hai sahab ne!"

The women took Prerna and her mother to a bright and wonderful bedroom, laden with gifts everywhere. They sat her on the bed and presented her with lavish jewelry to choose from, but Prerna denied them all until Mr. Bajaj himself came and made her pick one.

Sometime in, Anurag called Prerna and her mother helped her use the phone while the ladies started putting mehendi on her. Anurag told her how he had put mehendi on his hand, and asked her to put an A on her hand. He told her how much he loved her and asked her to say it back, but that's when Mr. Bajaj came back.

"Main baad mein baat karti hon, huh? Bye," she moved away from the phone and Veena turned it off.

"You should start getting ready now. We'll get late."

"Taqreeban taiyaar hai dulhan. Hum aatein hain." The women shooed Rishabh out and continued to get Prerna ready.

"Konsa shabd likhna hai, R, ya B?" The maid cheerfully asked, but Prerna went into deep thought before replying with B.

The ladies got Prerna ready and lead her out to Mr. Bajaj, who was waiting to take her to their sangeet. As she was getting ready, her mehndi accidentally smudged, making the B look like an R. The couple sat down on chairs and watched the sangeet. The people he had hired put on a decent display of dances for them before Rishabh decided it was time to go.

Veena wanted to sit with Prerna, but Mr. Mehra took her to sit with him instead. Prerna nodded to her mother and quietly sat with Rishabh.

"Your honesty has impressed me," Rishabh said to her in the car. At least aap fake smile ke saath yeh dikhane ki koshish to nahi kar rahi ki aapko is shaadi se koi problem nahi hai. If you had, I would have thought ki mein kisi galat insaan ko apni zindagi mein jaga de raha hoon."

"Itna sab kuch jaan gaye hain, to yeh bhi jaan lein ke mera dil sirf Anurag ke liye dhadke ka. Because I love him."

"I know. Mein jaanta hoon pyaar ka sauda nahi ho sakta. But loyalty? That is something I can buy. I'm not expecting a romantic relationship between us. But jaise ke mujhe yaqeen tha ke aap mujhse zaroor shaadi karein gi, waise hi mujhe pura yaqeen hai ki shadi ke baad aap loyal rahein gi, mere liye."