A Young Love Story...

Part 16 - An Unforeseen Twist

Vishesh and Anu reached the hospital with Rishi.  To their utter surprise, Anu's parents were there. They had wanted to meet up with Rishi's father for long time, but they had been held up with other responsibilities. Today, Ananya's father decided to come home a little earlier during the lunch hour, and meet Rishi's father, and offer moral support to his mother and him. 

As soon as they saw Rishi and Ananya, and the other person (Vishesh), they all immediately got up, and smiled. 

Ananya said, "Ma, you never told me you planned to come here..."she was rather accusative, as if to hide her disappointment seeing her here. 

"Ananya, you didn't tell me either.. Right?" asked her mother, but she was smiling. Ananya found the smile rather out-of-place, given the current scenario. 

She looked at her mom and raised her eyebrows.. "Ma, this is Vishesh. We three are kind of friends. Today, exams got over, so we decided to come and see Uncle. Vishesh wanted to come earlier also because Rishi was so disturbed, but we decided after exams was the best time." 

"Yes, not just Vishesh, but you too were quite sad about Rishi being upset, right?"she had a strange smile as she asked this. 

"Yes, Ma, obviously I was also upset.. Who wouldn't be?" she asked, rather frustrated.

"Don't worry darling, we all know, others being upset from your being upset is different. We all also know how you have stood for Rishi, as a pillar of strength in these tough times. We all know the long chats on phone everyday. That is why, to provide some solace to Rishi and his family, in these troubled times, we all got together and decided something superb."she said, and paused rather dramatically.

While Ananya was getting a little uncomfortable, she looked at all their faces; they all wore strange smiles. Both Ananya and Rishi were looking at each other and getting worked up.

"Yes Ananya, we elders met up to discuss about you both young lovers. We have decided, we will not rush you people into marriage, but now that your graduation is completed, we will arrange an engagement, you both can decide when you want to get married..." she broke the ice, and looked radiantly at both Rishi and Ananya.

Ananya was speechless. Rishi was shocked. Vishesh was dumbfounded and gaping at everyone there. Ananya caught his eye, and spoke to him with his eyes, "Do something!"

Rishi's mom saw Ananya's face, and saw her stare at Vishesh. She immediately spoke up, "Don't worry Anu dear, he is your friend, he is Rishi's friend. He will not embarrass you people publicly, right?" She looked at Vishesh now. Vishesh was still under shock. "Err, ugh...yes aunty.. I won't let this out. Anyways, you people have your private celebration, I will see you all later..." he said, and was about to leave. Rishi called him.

"Vishesh, wait! Please!" Then he looked at everyone else, present. "Mom, I know when dad is so unwell, we should try to comfort him. But I can't provide any comfort to him, when someone else is uncomfortable. Ananya and Vishesh are my friends. There is nothing between us. Please don't rush into all these things. We are young. Not yet ready for this."

Ananya's mother was quick to react, "Young, I agree, but not ready? I don't agree. You are so mature Rishi. So responsible. You and Ananya are friends I agree, but you can always fall in love. It is not difficult. We all got married and then fell in love too! Right?" She looked at her husband and Rishi's mom for approval. They nodded in agreement. She continued, "Ananya is my pride. She will never give you any chance to complain. And I am confident about you too. I cannot imagine Ananya with anyone else ever!"

Vishesh said the same thing, but for him it was Anu! And he did not say it aloud. He was literally too shocked to speak anything, anyways. 

Ananya was now a little worked up, and wanted to tell her mom about Vishesh. She gathered courage, and said, "I want to tell something to you all." Both Rishi and Vishesh looked up at her instantaneously. Vishesh was not sure what she was about to say, but he feared if she spoke about him, her parents will never ever agree, and it will have some really bad repercussions. He wanted to signal Ananya to shut up for now. Rishi was also quite sure she would speak about her and Vishesh. 

Ananya spoke. "I am not ready for marriage, or even engagement yet. I want to study further. And I want to work. I am not ready to marry Rishi. He is a friend. I want to marry someone of my choice." 

Her parents, especially her mom, did not like this. She just spoke of Ananya being her pride, and now she was shaming her. 

"Ananya, you can study after engagement, and work after marriage too. What is the issue? And what do you mean by marry by your choice? Isn't Rishi a good choice?" She was glaring at her daughter. 

Rishi's mom came to her rescue. "Anu, take your time, and think over it. Do not feel pressurized. We are not rigid. We are happy with both your decision. You and Rishi spend sometime and think over this, okay?"she said. Ananya retorted, almost immediately, and quite rudely, "Aunty, please don't call me Anu. My parents also call me Ananya, Anu is actually a special name, only someone special calls me." 

Vishesh immediately bit his lip, "Aaah!!! there! She goofed it!"

"Someone special?" Ananya's mother was furious. Her dad was looking helplessly. 

"Err, Ma... I am seeing someone. Actually, i would have told you but you brought this up untimely. He is my classmate. His name is..."

"I don't care. Is he a Marwari?" immediately her mother asked. 

"No, mumma, he is a Bengali. But he is ready to quit non-.."

"Shut up! You senseless idiot! I had not sent you to college for this! You are going to shame us! I would prefer dying this moment, Ananya! You failed me, Ananya, you failed me!" This was her father. He was crying. 

There was a disturbing silence in the room. Rishi's father made a move, and called out for Rishi. He immediately rushed by the bedside and held his hand. 

"Be a good son. Take care of your mother, always!" he said. He tightened his grip on Rishi's hand, and within less than a minute, he leaned on the pillow sideways, to sleep forever. Rishi shouted, "Papa!" and dug his head deep into the dead man's chest and sobbed. His mother ran to the bed and joined her son, in hugging and crying. 

The others present were too shocked to react. They stood there speechlessly. Ananya's mother stared at her, and her eyes accused Ananya of killing an already dead person, quite cruelly.