Serendipity

Chapter 6

"Let's go for piggyback ride." Raj smiled at her childish behavior and hooked his arms under her calfs. Adjusting her on his back they left the kitchen and in to the living room.

The Mishra family and Majumdar family were catching up on each other. They heard Riya giggling like a school girl.

"Mummy, Rj bought chocolates for me." Riya squealed happily and waved the chocolates to her parents. Everyone was amused to see Riya on Raj's back but their closeness didn't sit right with Ruchi. She was jealous.

"Raj, ate hi isse bigarna shuru kar diya." Sudha said in an angry tone but was glad to see that their bond is still strong.

"Sorry aunty but this isn't going to change. I'll spoil her for the rest of my life." Raj said grinning ear to ear while placing Riya carefully on the floor.

"Shaadi k baad toh inhe chhorna hoga hi." Ruchi said smiling sweetly at him.

"Itni jaldi nahi. Abhi toh ye aye hai, abhi kaise chale jayenge? Aur pahle toh bhai ki shaadi hogi. Kyun bhai?" Riya raised her eyebrow at Ujjwal and his pale face and pleading eyes said it all.

All the eyes were on Ujjwal and he knew that his secret was out now. Riya knew that she will pay for this but she had to do it.

"Papa...woh...darhasal..."  Ujjwal stuttered. Sensing her brothers discomfort Riya interrupted.

"Ye toh nahi bol payenge, main hi bol deti hu. He loves Rina di. 3 saal se chakkar chal rha hai aur abhi tak kisi ko nahi bataya."

Everyone looked at Riya like she had grown two heads. Raj was awestruck. Where is the shy little girl?

Sensing the silence Riya grew impatient and stomped her foot like a three year old. "Yaar mujh pe nahi inpe focus karo. Aur bhai don't you dare give me that look. Agar aaj nahi batate toh Rina di ki shaadi kisi aur se ho jayegi."

Realizing his sister's word Ujjwal towards his father and knelt down. "Dad, it's true. I love Rina and she loves me too. We want to get married but I wanted time to focus on my career. But now Rina's parents want her to get married but she is waiting for me." Ujjwal unclosed all his feelings.

Pradeep looked at him with emotionless face. Sudha's heartbeats increased with each passing second. She wanted her son's happiness.

Sandeep and Puja looked at each other with worried expression. They didn't had a son but Ujjwal was like their own.

All the sisters looked at Pradeep with pleading eyes. Though Ruchi was jealous of Riya but it didn't affect her love for Ujjwal. They all loved him dearly. He was like a father figure to them.

Even the Majumdar family wanted his welfare. Ujjwal had grown up in front of them.

Those 10 seconds of silence seemed like a decade. Finally Pradeep ended his staring contest with Ujjwal and looked at his daughter.

"Ye toh gadha hai, tu jaldi nahi bata sakti thi."  Everyone took a sigh of relief and laughed at his words.

"Papa main toh bata deti lekin inhone rok k rakha tha. Bichari Rina di inke chakkar mein adhi ho gayi hai."

"Chup kar." Ujjwal hissed at his sister.

"Meri Riya ko kuch mat kehna bhai. Isne toh ulta apki madat ki hai." Raj defended Riya and hugged her with one arm. Riya wrapped her both hands around his torsos and stuck her tongue out at Ujjwal.

"Jab tujhe pyaar hoga tab tu bhi nahi bol payegi." Ujjwal teased his sister.

"Oh just wait until I fall in love."