Is Love Enough ??

Chapter 46

"Enough," Kirti's voice boomed silencing all others.

Where her family was surprised to hear her strong voice, Maan felt guilty at placing Kirti in a spot where she would have to take yet another stand against her family.

"Why?" Kirti said angrily. "Why is it that Maan has been labelled as a villain when all he has ever been is honest," she said. It despaired her to no end to hear everyone talk in such manner about the one person she loved above all else. It was disheartening to see how misunderstood Maan was.

"Honest?" Anoop barked.

"Yes, papa, honest," Kirti responded stubbornly, "he is the only person I know who means what he says and says what he means," she went on even as Anoop scoffed, "unfortunately for him, his own people do not understand him," she said shaking her head.

"What is there to understand," Kamal spoke up looking angrily at Maan, "he thinks he knows all. What had we ever done to him that he disgraced us and our family name in society this way," she said complaining, "he made us a laughing stock and you helped him every inch of the way," she said looking disdainfully at Kirti, "your name meant fame...but all you brought to our doorstep is disrespect and even now you have the audacity to argue with us...for him," Kamal accused.

"I love him ma, I live with him," Kirti said strongly, "I know him better than any of you, even Veer for that matter who keeps claiming that he knows Maan best, sadly those are only claims," she said firmly as she looked at her brother who refused to meet her gaze after revealing the truth about her and Maan's relationship. It had to be told, she agreed but the way it had been brought up.... though she also knew why Veer had done that, to get the focus off him. She was so proud of Maan that he hadn't brought up Veer and Isha's affair knowing why he hadn't. She was right. In her decision. In her choice. "I have yet to meet someone who cares for me more, who knows my every mood, who understands me better than even me," she went on, "why wouldn't I want to be with him. He is loyal to a fault, he is honest, he never misled me into believing something that wasn't even there. I chose him and I am proud of my choice," she declared.

"Such insolence," Anoop yelled, "you have been tainted, by him. He has corrupted you completely," he said with such anger, his face turned red and his breathing became rapid as he tried to control the urge to bodily throw the two of them out. "I am right," he stressed, "they need to leave, now," he said again.

"I always knew him to be trouble," Kamal said, "I was never once appreciative of his friendship with Veer or his coming to our house," she said shaking her head in despair, then folded her hands in front of Kirti, "please spare us, we cannot understand your choice or his stand on anything," she said, "neither do we want to," she declared.

"Despite that you are friends with his family," Kirti pointed out. It hurt. But she would be damned if she let them get away with hurting Maan this way. She had been a different person the last time they had thrown her out, but she was a different person this time round. If she had to leave it would be because she wanted to.

"Why not? They are as ashamed of him as we are of you," Kamal said angling her chin in challenge.

Kirti wanted to scoff. But she didn't. Instead, she smiled. Her smile was sad. Her smile was knowing. She knew why they hadn't broken all relationships with the Khanna's despite whatever had transpired. Same as they did. But where she was honest in her knowledge they wanted to cover their reasons. She wouldn't let them. Not this time. Whether they agreed or not, she would at least bring things out in the open.

"Are they?" Kirti responded to her mother's challenging tone, "What makes you so sure ma?" Kirti asked her mother.

"What do you mean?" Kamal asked confused.