Lekha (Completed)

Lekha 70

The music started as soon as everyone got settled. They sang the 'barna and barni' just like the ones which had been sung at the palace wedding. Out of the blue, a feeling of sadness came over me. Even though I still couldn't understand the wordings fluently, the music was a reminder that it was all a farce of marriage as compared to the real one at the palace. The people around me sounded so happy as they made jests about Rudra and me but in truth, I was but a fraud. Again the guilty realization of the selfishness of the situation struck me as it was not just about us but the feelings of people around us were also associated. I had this sudden urge to flee and I cursed myself for returning back again.

I looked at maasa as she got up to join the dancers for the 'ghoomar' and on the other side, few of the young girls had even dragged taisa on the dance floor. Their faces glowed with happiness. Maasa still might have understood my situation as she knew I wasn't from here, so had a different thought process about certain things. It was taisa I was most worried about. Every time she looked at me her eyes glowed with happiness that her son had at last, agreed to marry me. Disappointment was not something I wanted her to feel towards me, especially if I somehow became the cause.

Then again I reminded myself that I was doing it for the betterment of her son and she would end up getting a daughter in law anyways. I wondered what story Rudra would concoct to save us from this predicament.

I wanted to tell maasa about the facts I had learnt from 'my time' but the things had already got so complicated that I didn't know how to tell her without messing up with Rudra's real love life. The only possible way I could do so was by warning Rudra and through him maasa.

I mentally kicked myself for not sticking firmly to my previous decision but then that irritating man refused to convey the message. Thinking in retrospect I felt amazed that he wasn't even a single bit curious about what urgent news brought me back. It could have been anything from a big natural calamity to world war. World war seemed a bit far-fetched but then it could have been any equally destructive war.

" Lekha... Lekha... where were you lost? " Vaishali said shaking me. " It's such a beautiful performance, who knew weddings in the past were so interesting even without a DJ and our kind of jazzy music.... ooo ...I am simply loving it "

"I want to go home" I whispered looking at her with troubled eyes.

" Home! ... but you are home"

" Nooo... Home" I repeated with gritted teeth.

" Not when you are so close to marrying your dream man ... you are not to think of going back ever"

" He doesn't love me. He loves ..." I whispered.

" What are you two whispering about?" Interrupted Vasundhara and then looked at Vaishali with a fake mean look and said " You are breaking our sisterhood pact and keeping secrets now"

Vaishali laughed at her and said " She is whining about her head aching. Must be because of the hit she got before"

At that moment my love for Vaishali increased double fold and also a sense of relief came over me that even though she maintained friendly relations with others her loyalty stayed with me. She could lie to them for me.

Vasundhara ever the observant one, peered at me for a second and declared " You are a coward"

I was taken aback but she kept on giving me that piercing all-knowing look, while again rebranded as the traitor Vaishali grinned from behind her.

" Don't you trust 'your family' to stand by you," Vasundhara said in an emotional voice making me feel guilty.

"It's not that ... I really...." I stammered.