Learning to Love

Chapter 18

Divorce! Even if Aman and Priya hadn’t known each other before they had gotten married, Priya never wanted a divorce.  Ending their marriage would mean so much more than simply leaving America and going back to India.  It would mean being single for the rest of her life.  No eligible bachelor would want to marry a girl who had already been divorced. It would mean having no family of her own.  It would mean leaving Aman.  Priya could no longer focus on the bits and pieces of the conversation Aman was having with her father.  She slowly back out of the room and left.  

Aman concentrated on the conversation he was having.  He hadn’t noticed that Priya left the room.  There was silence on the other end of the line.  Aman couldn’t believe that Priya and Payal’s father was actually deliberating on the matter.  What kind of father would ruin one daughter’s marriage just to get another daughter married to a much older, much worse guy?  

“Aman, listen to me.  Priya won’t be able to handle a divorce.  How can you break her heart like that?”  Priya’s father countered.  He was trying to guilt Aman into letting the whole thing go!

“Priya will be just fine.” Aman said sternly, “We’re talking about Payal.”  

“Payal is mature for her age.  She is ready to get married.”  Priya’s father continued.

“No! She’s barely an adult.  What kind of business deal have you worked out with Rakesh’s father?” Aman asked.

“Why does it matter?” Priya’s father replied.  

“My father is your business partner.” Aman said.

“What does that matter?  Your father is my business partner, not you.” Her father replied ruefully.  

“True, but when he retires in two weeks and hands over all of our companies’ assets to me, then I’ll be your business partner.  You can’t go making business deals without my approval.”  Aman smiled slyly.  He was the only who knew about his father’s retirement, and he wouldn’t let any deal with Rakesh or his family take place.  

“What? No...I’ll...have Priya divorce you.” Priya’s father tried desperately to counter.  

“So what? We never wanted to get married in the first place.” Aman said nonchalantly.  Truthfully, he hoped Priya wouldn’t be forced to give him a divorce even if he disliked being a married man.  He’d survive a divorce just fine even if he had to pay an alimony.  What he was worried about was the toll a divorce would take on Priya.  

“Aman, you can’t do this.” Priya’s father said hopelessly.  

“I can, and I will.  Payal isn’t getting married, not yet.  She should go to school here, but I’ll send her back to India if that’s what you want.  I take full responsibility of her marriage.  As your son-in-law, it’s the least I can do.” Aman said, smiling to himself.  

Priya’s father gave in and said he’ll allow Payal to stay there for a little while longer, but does want her back in India.  Aman was skeptical but decided he would deal with anything that might come up in the future later.  After he hung up the phone, he went searching for Priya and Payal to tell them the good news.  He found Payal first.  She was in the kitchen, sitting on the countertop with a worried expression on her face.

“Jija-ji!” she exclaimed upon seeing him.  She jumped off the countertop and rushed over to him.  “How did it go?”  

“Your father agreed to let you stay here and to not get married just yet.” Aman started.  

“Yes!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Payal shouted with happiness.  She started jumping up and down with excitement.  

“However,” Aman said, causing her to stop jumping with joy, “I told him I’d send you back to India soon.”