The Superstar

37

Salem's driver dropped Pari and her family back home. As soon as they reached home, Kabir and Priya looked at the elders with eager eyes, hinting at them to tell the both of them everything that happened.

"They are nice people. Especially his parents." Pari's mother said.

"Yes, see how they solved our every query patiently. And their hospitality....aisa toh koi apna bhi naa karein. (Even your own wouldn't do such an hospitality)

"Ji, what are you thinking?" Pari's mother asked her husband who was in deep thought since they had left Ahmed House.

Pari's father shook his head, "They are nice people. But how can we answer other family members? What should we say why we allowed her marriage with a person not from our religion?" Her father questioned.

"Our daughter didn't think of any consequences of her actions." Her mother said dejectedly.

"Let it go. Don't stress yourself. We will tell everyone it's a love marriage. And it is, isn't it? We are not lying." Pari's aunt tried to defuse the situation. She couldn't see her brother-in-law and sister-in-law in this state.

"I won't marry him." Pari barged in the living room and declared her decision making everyone shocked.

"Why?" Her mother asked silently.

"Bass, nahi karni mujhe." (Just because I don't want to.) Pari replied acting indifferent.

"The trouble and pain that you are putting us through, remember it is going to come back to you. You shouldn't hurt your parents." Pari's mother cried and said.

The aunt tried to console Pari's inconsolable mother.

"Are you cursing me? Who curses their own kid?" Pari talked back. She was furious over the marriage talk.

"I am not cursing you, you fool. It's the truth. Parents shouldn't be troubled like this. And I beg you, please get married and go from here." Pari's mother cried with folded hands.

"Pari! You know your problem isn't the marriage. You just want to go against everyone for the sake of it. If we hadn't agreed to getting you married to Salem, you would have created this drama. Now, when we agree, you want to say no and create a drama. You just want to go against our decision." Her aunt gave her a big lecture.

"Aunty, I like him but he is a womanizer. He must have done this with many girls before, now that doesn't mean he goes and marries everyone, does it?" Pari argued with a strong voice.

"Beta, not everyone has come on the front page for kissing him. Do you understand the difference?" Her aunty taunted her.

"Pari, I beg you, just get married and go from here. Till today, we have done everything for you. This one time, hear us and leave." Pari's mother cried in a broken voice.

"What?" Pari was enraged at her mother. "You have done everything for me? Just giving birth, two pairs of clothes and a shelter doesn't mean that you have given me everything. Mummy, if you have done things for me even I have adjusted for you guys." Pari snapped back.

"Pari. Control yourself." Priya stepped in the conversation, holding Pari's arm to stop her from saying more disrespectful things.

"Okay, you resent us for making you born in this poor household, right? Go to Salem's place. You saw how big of a house they have, they are rich as well. They will keep you happy. Bas humari Jaan chhod do tum." (Just leave us alone)  Her mother was at her wits end with Pari and her disrespectful words.

"Listen Pari, it's the first and the last time I am going to make this clear. The boy liked you in college and he had confessed to you. There must be something that made you go out with him, right? You went with him despite knowing his feelings. You forgot your values and got closer to him. You must feel something for him to allow him to get closer to you. Now, when we are trying to look past things and he has agreed to marry you, why are you making our life hell? Just marry him." Her mother's words hit her.