Imperfectly Perfect

8. Treatments and Truths.

Abir.

"I don't want to be roundabout. This is very much important to me and as well to you sir because it involves your daughter." Dad sounds serious even though we just came here to apologize. Everyone gave their full attention to him while I was busy looking at Mishti who is looking extraordinarily beautiful but that can be said later. She is likely to be married soon and I had no idea about that. How cool is that? Hell no.

"What about my daughter?"

"I'm here to ask your daughter's hand in marriage for my son Abir." What did he just say? I'm sure I heard it wrong.

-

"Sorry?" Mishti's father gets up from his chair and dad does the same.

"You have heard it right Anand sir. I'm here with a proposal. I really wish for my son to marry your daughter." He is indeed serious with what he is saying but why? Why is he doing it now?

"What are you talking sir? I'm still clueless as for you being here and now you are continuing to speak about marriage and all. Who are you first and what are talking about?" Anand sir is trying to be polite looking at both of us while Mishti is still trying to understand the situation just like me.

"Sorry that I'm being extremely foreright. I'm actually an ex army officer and for now after my voluntary retirement I'm running my own chain of resorts. About my son Abir, he's mainly a football player and is currently pursuing his degree in management in the same college as your daughter." Mishti's father looks at her and then at me, both of us stay silent.

"I know this is too soon for me to ask but I don't want to delay anything as I just came to know you were talking about marrying your daughter to someone else when the truth is she likes my son." Everyone there is absolutely taken aback from the words of my dad, including me. I never told him she liked me and this is not what I wanted for today. I just wanted to apologize and meet her because it has been weeks and I couldn't tolerate to wait any longer. Dad was insisting on accompanying me, I couldn't deny him. What on the earth he's talking now?

"Sir, you have to mistaken. That's not true. If Mishti had liked someone, she would have definitely told me. Here she was ready to get married to another man."

"Have you asked your daughter about it?" My dad asks him for which he looks down, meaning he didn't. So she wasn't willingly doing this.

He doesn't answers but turns towards Mishti and looks at her questionably. I did not mean to bring her even more problems. She's sullen as if too weak to handle things. I can see her struggling. Finally she shakes her head slowly to man who's in his twenties, probably her brother or someone who is querying about the happenings.

"Is this what you were doing away from us? What is he saying?" Her father asks her dejectedly while sitting on the couch near Mishti. God why are they making it way too dramatic?

"N...no Pa. It was... wasn't like that." Fidgeting, she goes on knees in front of her father. Tears flow off her cheeks. And I'm hating myself now.

"Then?" Mishti's father raises his voice. I look at my dad for help. It was all because of him.

"Sir, let's not..."

"I'm talking to my daughter." My dad goes silent after that.

"Tell me Mishti, what's all this? You know about our family. Is this what we have taught you?" He's overreacting and I instantly remember Aditi's father.

"Pa.. I can explain." She continues to sob silently while trying to talk.

"What are you going to explain now Mishti? Is there anything else I should know or should I wait for someone to walk up to my home and shock me?" Anand sir gets up to leave the place and Mishti tries to stop him by holding his hands.