Kismat

Chapter 6: Yes or No?

"Shourya? For our Meera?" Suraj asks, slightly confused.

"Aap logo ne yeh laga kya rakha hai? Zaara baatein mujhe. Kabhi aap kehte hai ki aapke Rohan ne shaadi kr li, toh use Meera ki shaadi nahi ho sakti. Abh aap keh rahe hai ki aapke ghar ki dusre bete se hum apni ghar ki beti ki shaadi krwade?"

(What have you guys going on here? Please do tell me. At one point you say your Rohan has gotten married so he cannot be married to our Meera. Now you guys are saying that we marry her off to your other son!?)

Virat is fuming with anger, even Anushka knows that her stepping in won't help. He needs to let it out, not to mention she is also upset at the proposal. Maybe her husband can take out the anger rising in her as well.

"Meri behen us ghar mein shaadi krke jaaye, aur roz us insaan ka samna kare jisne usko dhokha diya, uski biwi ka samna kare, jiske liye uske hone wale pati ne use choda?!"

(My sister will get married and go into that house, where she will face that person every day who has cheated on her, face his wife, for whom her soon-to-be husband left her?!)

"Virat, beta shaant." Rohini tries to console his son.

(Son be calm)

"We don't mean any harm beta ji, but what Rohan has done should not affect Meera's life and future. Everyone knows that there is an engagement being held on Sunday. Meera's engagement, our son turned out to be at fault, and he is being punished. But honestly, I think Meera is perfect for our house. Someone grounded, will keep the family together. My family needs that. And . . . . . and my son will take great care of her, give her everything she could ever need, he will always keep her happy."

Raj looks at Suraj and his wife, "Please Suraj, I know we aren't the most trustworthy right now. And you're within your rights to say no, truly. But you know Shourya, you've met multiple times over the years for multiple occasions. At least think about it."

Raj turns to Virat, "beta, take as long as you need to think, but do think about when you're calmer."

The Rao family exchanges some glances, but they're all silent. Until the Muskaan speaks up.

"I don't mind Shourya bhai as my jiju, only if he takes didi and me shopping." Her comment earns a few small laughs before Suraj says, "I'll speak to Meera, and then we'll think about it. Give us a few days."

(brother as my brother-in-law.)

Later in the evening:

Meera is sitting at her desk in her room. The twinkle lights are on, but the bigger light bulb is off so no one knows she's still awake, her mother has just left, the last to leave her room after they broke the news to her.

Sitting here, she's thinking about what she's been told, the man she was meant to get engaged to is married, probably sitting with his new bride in their brightly lit room at the Singhania Mansion. Meera should be sad, heartbroken, and in tears. But she's not. She was committed to this man for 5 years, but never spoke to him, they went to the same college, and he was a year ahead. But he would brush past her as if she was a stranger. 5 years. They knew they were destined to marry, initially, she would try to talk to him when her friends prompted her, but he would blatantly ignore her. So over time, she stopped trying.

Thinking back to the engagement preparations, all she remembers is coming home feeling tired and thinking of the things she had wanted but didn't get. Reema would call her, take her to boutiques and meet planners, but not once would she ask Meera what she likes. She just remembers hearing

"My Rohan's bride should be wearing white gold and diamonds"

Meera prefers yellow gold.

"My Rohan loves the colour blue, you should get the blue lehenga."

Meera's eyes were set on the deep, emerald, green one.

"My Rohan's engagement should have beautiful bright-coloured flower arrangements."

Meera had fallen in love with the white and pastel-pink flower arrangements.

"My Rohan would want his fiancée to be completely done up, hair and makeup and everything."

Meera's face started to itch after the makeup trial, and the hairspray took days to come out.

It was exhausting, she didn't like it one bit. It didn't feel like it was her.

Meera reaches over her desk to grab a folder she had made over the past few weeks, filled with everything she had liked when planning. She had managed to take photos of her preferred things, the flower arrangements, the cake designs, the stunning green lehenga, and even a black sherwani. She had even sketched how she would have liked the stage to look.

Meera sighed as she flicked through the folder, imagining if she would ever get any of this. Although, the engagement that was planned cost much more than the designs she has collected, that's not what she had wanted.

As she was looking at the sherwani, she thought back to what her baba was telling her.

"Beta, think about it. This time it's completely up to you." Were his words before he left.

Up to me this time she thought.

She had spoken to Shourya more often than Rohan. He had always been kind to her and her family, he never spoke much but he was always helpful.

How would he be as a fiancé? As a husband? Will he take care of me? Love me as I've dreamed? Be gentle, sweet, and caring? Will he be my knight in shining armour? My prince? Will he make my dreams come true? Meera thought. The kinds of thoughts she'd never had before, not even about Rohan.