Is Love Enough ??

Chapter 37

"What are you thinking about so seriously?"

The question brought Kamal back to the present. She had been deep in thought. Anoop...he must have returned after taking a quick bath and change of clothes. It was close to one thirty-five in the night. They had returned from the party somewhere around twelve thirty. She looked up from where she sat on her side of the bed.

"Nothing..." Kamal said unconvincingly, then seeing the slight frown on her husband's face quickly added, "everything went pretty well tonight, didn't it," she said and gave her husband a forced smile.

Anoop wondered if Kamal was telling the truth. Maybe she had been going over the evening's events and trying to determine if things had gone as desired. Maybe she wasn't sure, hence the serious worried look. Maybe she was concerned if Anika's in laws had been satisfied with the arrangements and gifts. When he had spoken to Gurpreet's father the man had seemed happy and impressed.

"I would say so, Gurpreet's father seemed happy," Anoop said as he settled down on his side of the bed, "did you happen to talk to his mother? Was there something someone said that has you concerned?" he asked casually.

"I spoke to Gurpreet's mother, she was satisfied but..." Kamal said and paused then looked at Anoop who sat in a half lying position looking at her with the question in his eyes, "she had wanted to meet Kirti's mother in law," she said hesitantly.

"And?" Anoop asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"I...I introduced her to Rupal," Kamal said and bit her lip.

"What else could you do in the circumstances," Anoop responded. His displeasure evident in his tone, "Ashok Introduced himself to Gurpreet's father," he informed Kamal with a humph, "what did Rupal say?" he asked glancing at his wife.

"She played along," Kamal replied on a sigh, "she was extremely polite and courteous. She also said that if she was to go looking for a girl for Aryaman, she would never have found anyone more suitable," she told Anoop.

"Just as well," Anoop replied satisfied, "I am glad the Khanna's didn't throw a tantrum upon suddenly seeing the two of them at the party," he said glancing at Kamal meaningfully, not taking Kirti and Aryaman's names, "and it is a blessing that despite eloping the two of them had some decency left to at least get married," he added, "not the way some have started living together without any social sanction," he said angrily, "bunch of fools I tell you Kamal, God knows what their parents teach them, no care for values or family reputation," he concluded.

Kamal felt herself turn a little pale at that. The lie she had told her husband, God only knew what would happen if Anoop found the truth before Kirti and Aryaman left here. She looked away lest Anoop saw the sudden tension on her face and pretended to fix the sheet around her. But Anoop wasn't even looking at her. His eyes already half closed with tiredness.

"Rupal is a clever one," he said with a half-smile, "she knows exactly what to say to whom and when," he went on unaware of the expression of curiosity mixed with envy on his wife's face, "her presence of mind in the most tricky situations sometimes surprises even me," he said a little warmly, "her perfection is an asset to Ashok, a woman lesser than Rupal would never have been able to keep up with a man like Ashok and all the illicit affairs he keeps having," he said distastefully, "or the almost autocratic way he deals with people, as if we are nothing before him," he said and scoffed crossly.

"Then why do we keep up with him," Kamal said trying to control her irritation. Every time Anoop met Ashok he would return and rattle on about all the negatives that man possessed. And yet in everything important to their family, occasions, festivals, and sometimes even personal matters Ashok Khanna was always invited. She remembered how Ashok Khanna had been present during the talks of separation between Anoop and Jeet. Of course, Ashok Khanna with his keen business sense and practicality in matters of finance had helped the brothers resolve their issues amicably. Though his help...or if she could say the need for his help had been greatly resented.