"But I thought you proposed her!" Shardul's mom frowned.
"No," Shardul shook his head. "That will take some time mom."
"How much time?" mom asked. "Just tell me when you are planning to get married so we can start preparations," she wrapped her arms around Naina's shoulders.
"Mom," Shardul said gently. "Marriage is not in picture right now."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Mom looking over his shoulder to his grandfather.
"We are not-"
"You do know right?" Mom fired. "Rupal's mother matched your Kundalis and even got a Muhurat for wedding?" Naina narrowed her eyes at him but he ignored her.
"You shouldn't have let them," Shardul frowned. "I never agr-"
"Have you forgotten how insisting they were?" Dad sighed. "I finally had to tell Wadhwa that you are seeing someone to get rid of that marriage proposal. And now you are saying-"
"I told Rupal's mother you are engaged," Mom added. "That is when she dropped the plan of wedding."
"We are not engaged," Shardul groaned.
"So when you say you are moving in-" Dad asked critically.
"Moving in as flatmates."
"Before marriage?" dad frowned.
"I haven't-. We don't have that much time for wedding functions right now, alright? You know I have a big acquisition in process and Naina is on probation."
"I don't understand," Mom troubled. She slowly released Naina and step back. "You would anyways live together after the marriage. Why do you want to move in now?"
"Because we want to spend time together," Naina spoke for the first time since they told his family about their made-up live-in relationship. Which part of 'be quiet and let me handle this' had she not understood, he wondered.
"Firstly, shut up," Mom snapped. Sudden switch from Mom's warm attitude to cold one, made Shardul sit up straight. "I am not talking to you. Secondly, Shardul is so busy that even I have to consult his secretary for spending time with him. If you think living with him will help you get time with him, you are wrong."
Naina returned her eyes back to the basket in her lap. Cotton meowed but she was ignored completely.
"Mom," Shardul reasoned.
"Aarti your argument is not making any sense," Dad mumbled. "It is basically supporting what Naina just said."
"This is not your court," Mom flashed her eyes at him. "Don't you dare take his side."
Dad heaved a sigh, "I am not. I am opposing this as much as you are."
"Then don't talk against me," she snarled. Shardul swallowed hard.
"If you allow, let me put forth some questions," Dad insisted.
"May I?" Dad asked Mom.
"Go ahead," Mom gave up. "Try to knock some sense in your son's thick head."
"Admit it," Shardul frowned at his parents. "You are against this just because you are worried about society."
"That is one part," Dad said sharply.
"Dad I-" Shardul started but Dad held up a hand and quietened him.
"Naina," he said and Naina jumped in her seat. "Do you have something to say?"
Naina looked at Shardul and then to his mother, who was glaring at her, at Baa who was shaking her head and continued watching Naina. It was something Baa was doing since the moment Shardul had introduced her and as far as his grandfather was concerned, he was walking in circles behind Shardul and Naina, making it hard for Shardul to decipher his reaction. Shardul glanced at Luv who was sitting beside Baa with his face buried in his hands. No help was going to come from him. Not today.
YOU ARE READING
Monsoon
RomanceWhen Naina flew from Delhi to Mumbai for a job interview, a weak bond had tugged at her heart, begging her to stay in this city for a bit longer. She wanted nothing more than ignore that pull. "Face the interview and jump on next flight out," was t...