Phir le aya dil

Part 10

Karte hain hum aaj qabool kya kijay...

Nani knocked on Anjali's room before entering only to see her lost in thoughts.

"What's the matter bitiya?" She asked kindly.

Anjali shook her head feeling worried as well as scared for her Chote as he has left quite angrily in the morning and now it was evening. Still there was no sign of him. His cell was on voice mail and she didn't know where to look for him.

"Tell me Anjali bitiya. What is it? Maybe I could help?" Nani urged her.

"Nani, its-its Chote. He was really upset when I told him that Khushi's babuji refused to give her hand to him. He just -- left angrily. But I know better. He was really hurt inside."

Nani sighed.

"We had done our part bitiya. We went to their home asking for their daughters hand. They have to right to decide what's best for their girls. I can't blame them." She said softly.

Anjali blinked back the tears.

"But Nani, after years I have seen Chote asking something for himself.Particularly.After years I am seeing him really desperate to achieve it.He genuinely wants to make her the part of his life. I don't know what it would do to him if he didn't get her."

"Let's hope for the best bitiya. We have tried once. If needed we would go there again because the matter is of our Chote's happiness. If not at two, they might agree after several attempts?"

"I don't think so Nani." She shook her head."Haven't you seen the protectiveness that radiated from Shashi Uncle when he talked about NOT giving Khushi's hand to anyone until she turns Payal ji's age? It would be next to impossible to change his mind."

"Then I think we should wait for the right time bitiya. It's not that either Chote or Khushi are going anywhere. We would tell Shashi ji that whenever he thought of any prospective groom for his younger daughter he should think about our Chote first."

"Still Nani, years passing by couldn't reduce the age difference between Chote and Khushi ji can it? It was Shashi Uncle's one of the reasons to refuse."

"I am sure it can't but still it can change the perception of Khushi's father. Let's just hope for the best like I said."

"I just hope it's not too late by then. Didn't you see how Chote was all those years back? He despised the idea of marriage and after 14 years he actually asked to get married himself. I don't want him to go back to the way he was Nani. He is turning back to life, to light. If he-"

Nani cut her sternly.

"Bitiya, No. We will try our best for him. Won't we?" Nani gave her a kind, reassuring smile to which Anjali gave her a nod before placing her head on Nani's lap whilst Devyani ran her fingers in her hairs with a thoughtful look on her face.

"He loves her Nani." Anjali muttered, her tone lined with tears.

"Can you believe it? My Chote is in love!"

Devyani leaned to kiss her head with a smile.

"Miracles do happen bitiya. They still do."

"You know Nani when an year back he told me-" Anjali clicked her tongue stopping in mid. Straightening up she looked at her Nani sheepishly who had a known look on her face.