Upto Chance

Part 31

The next day, the Rajvansh family was seated in the living room of Professor Srivastav's house in Bangalore. The atmosphere was tense, and no one could decipher what Professor Srivastav was thinking. His stern expression remained unchanged as he sat quietly, observing the situation.

Dhara, sitting nervously beside her father, tried to speak up. "Baba..." she began, but stopped immediately when she caught the disapproving look on his face. Her heart sank as she realized just how upset he was.

Breaking the heavy silence,  Anditha spoke first, her voice steady but respectful. "Srivastav ji, what the kids did was indeed wrong. They should've informed us beforehand. But they like each other, and we have grown to like Dhara as well. It would be our luck if she became the bahu of our house."

Mihir nodded in agreement, trying to soften the mood. "Ji, our Arjun would be fortunate to have a partner like Dhara. She's a smart and kind girl, and they make a good pair."

But despite the kind words from the Rajvansh family, Professor Srivastav's expression didn't waver. He remained stone-faced, still processing everything. The tension in the room was palpable, with even Arjun and Dhara fidgeting nervously, glancing at each other for support.

Karanveer, seated next to Mihir and Anditha, exchanged a worried glance with each other. Even he, who was usually calm and in control, felt a bit uneasy under Professor Srivastav's cold stare.

Finally, the professor cleared his throat, breaking the silence. Everyone's attention snapped to him, waiting for his response with bated breath.

—---------------

Ragini walked out of Dada Ji's room after giving him his afternoon medicines, a slight frown of concern creasing her forehead. The entire morning had passed without any updates on Professor Srivastav's reaction, and despite her attempts to reach Karanveer, he hadn't answered her calls. She trusted that he and Anditha would manage the situation, but the silence was unsettling.

Last night, the family had agreed that Karanveer, Arjun, Mihir, Anditha, Dada Ji, and Ragini herself would go to Bangalore to meet the Srivastavs. But with Dada Ji feeling under the weather in the morning, and Manvi busy with college, so she decided to stay back.

The morning had been productive with work and chores, but now, the day felt painfully slow. Without Anditha or Manvi around to keep her company, the house felt unusually quiet. Usually, there was always someone or something to occupy her time, but today the minutes dragged on.

As she stepped into her room, she was greeted by a familiar sound: "Woof woof!" Ash bounded towards her, wagging his tail excitedly.

Seeing his enthusiastic greeting, Ragini smiled and bent down to scoop him up. "Oh, my baby's here to keep me company, huh?" she cooed, gently scratching behind his ears and ruffling his soft fur.

Ash nuzzled into her, his wagging tail making her laugh. "Looks like it's just you and me until they get back."

She sighed, letting herself relax a little. Despite the worry over what might be happening in Bangalore, Ash's playful energy helped lift her mood. 

She didn't realize when she fell asleep, Ash snuggled up beside her. Her nap was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She sat up, glancing at the screen—it was Karanveer.

"What took you so long, wife, to answer the call?" his gruff voice chased away any trace of sleep.

"I just fell asleep. How did everything go there?" she asked, her voice curious.

"Awful at first, but it's good now. The professor agreed to Dhara and Arjun's relationship. They've even called a pandit to match the kundalis."

"That's amazing news! I'm so happy for Dhara and Arjun," she said, her excitement clear. He smiled, hearing her joy.