The Royal Match Making

Setting Goals

"And in the entertainment news, today we have a special segment, Jalaluddin Akbar and Rukaiya Begum said Qubool Hai!" Ajabdeh frowned at the news, which flashed pictures of the wedding as well as their honeymoon and turned off the television. She was happy that things went better than she planned but the talks of weddings were not her cup of tea. To her horror, that was the only thing Heer and Hansa talked of nowadays. She knew Heer had a thing for weddings unlike her. She feigned happiness for the sake of it. Her living room was in a mess, with papers scattered everywhere. She was finally on the couch with the final draft on her lap and her laptop on the centre table. She had to send the draft by the next day to the publishers. Brownie seemed too happy to be back home with his Humans and he was busy tearing up the pieces of paper Ajabdeh had scattered around the floor.

The wedding was a grand affair and Ajabdeh was happy for her reasons. For in the morning of the wedding, KB had gifted her the most precious thing she ever got, his diary of Shayaris unpublished and raw. To Heer's utter difficulty, Ajabdeh was lost in the notebook after the wedding and was mostly in her world. Even Kunwar Pratap had to call her twice because Ajabdeh had forgotten to charge her phone. The date of the Engagement had been set a fortnight away by the priests of the Sisodias.

With so much to be done in so little time, Heer frowned at her sister being lost in her world. She seemed to have no interest in her wedding plans. Heer was hopeful that once the drafts had been submitted Ajabdeh would probably get back the craziness she missed. Heer was looking after the business, while Hansa prepared for the double sagai with Jaivanta. With so much to do and Jalal and Rukaiya away for a mini honeymoon to the US, Shakti knew Heer needed help, even if she didn't ask for it.

Heer was delighted to find him sitting in her office in the evening, with the papers of their day's work neatly arranged, freshly brewed coffee and a smile to light up her day. She sank back in her chair, sighing.

"Don't overwork yourself." Shakti frowned at her tired pale face "You will fall sick." His worried voice made her smile.

"I was thinking..." she stopped staring at her coffee "About Baba." "What about him?" Shakti frowned.

"Well... I... He's..." Heer could not find the right words.

"I am not Ajabdeh, Heer." Shakti made her stop holding both her hands in his arms across the table. "You can admit to me what you feel; I know you were close to him, it is okay that you miss him."

A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she closed her eyes at his words. That prompted Shakti to walk over to her side and hug her. "Tell me." He persuaded

"You see Shakti, since we were kids I always thought I was the one who was the protector. I used to save her from things and get scolded too... I had no idea that Maasa and Jija were hiding so that I could have a normal family life."

She stared at him as he nodded in silence. "He has been a good father to me. I can't deny that. I can't deny the fact that he did love us, me and Jija. Jija never saw that. Perhaps because she knew what she did, but he is a good father... He gave us freedom and pampered..."

"You want him at the engagement?" Shakti made her stop.

"I want him at our engagement, for the both of us, I want him to bless both me and Jija..."

"I understand that." Shakti patted her head.

"You do? But...Will she?" Heer frowned, "I fear I will hurt Maasa or Jija by asking for this, or worse, lose Jija's trust over it." Shakti smiled faintly. "I just want Jija to bond with Baba for once. Before we..."

"You have no idea what Ajabdeh can do for you." He spoke up "I am sure she will understand this as well."

"What if she...?"