Desert Rose

Chapter 14

ARNAV looked at the worried faces of Anjali and Akash, as they stepped into his room, Shyam in tow.He had arrived at the Haveli a few minutes ago and was just about to refresh himself before lunch.

'What happened?' he asked them, taking off his coat.

'Mamiji is dead against this match Chotte,' said Anjali in a low voice.

Arnav looked at Akash and asked him, 'Did you tell her Payal is expecting your baby?'

Akash was silent. 'Why the hell not?' demanded Arnav.

'As soon as I told her about Payal, she got hysterical and fainted,' said Akash, 'after that I didn't get a chance to tell her as she refuses to speak to me.'

In other words he hadn't been able to summon up the courage to stand up to his mother. 'What about Nani?' he asked.

'Nani has no problem with Payal,' Anjali said a little enthusiasm entering her voice. 'She met Payal and Khushiji and loved both the girls on sight. I guess their Lucknow connection worked in their favour here. But even she has been unable to convince mamiji.'

'You know what Akash?' Arnav said looking at the pale face of his brother, 'You told me the other day that you don't really need my blessings. I would suggest you say the same thing to your mother as well.'

'Bhai, I am sorry about that --- I really am,' he said with a catch in his throat, 'you have got to help me.'

'Why me? Arnav demanded, acrimoniously. 'Take the people who decided to bring mamiji here to solve the problem,' he said without looking at Anjali. He stepped into the bathroom and shut the door with a bang.

Later, that night, Arnav was summoned to mami's room. As he entered the room, he found nani, Anjali and Shyam assembled there. There seemed to be an awkward silence in the room, all their faces sombre, while his sister looked a shade paler.

'What happened?' he asked for the second time that day. 'Is this about Akash and Payal?'

'Arnav bitwa, all these people have been trying to convince me to get Akash married to that girl,' she lamented. 'You are one person who understands me very well. You have to help me here.'

'Well mami .....I think that ___' he began only to be cut off by mamiji.

'How can I get my only son married to a girl whose sister is so ....wanton?'

'What the ___?' said Arnav in disbelief.What the f@#$ was mami talking about?

'Chotte..... mamiji .... apparently heard some .....rumours from her relatives in Katariasar,' Anjali managed to say.

'What rumours?' he asked, his voice icy, his brown orbs glinting dangerously.

Anjali hesitated, looking utterly uncomfortable. But mamiji had no such trouble. 'It's about that girl and you,Arnav bitwa,'she began in her shrill voice,'I believe,you took her to Keshav's house for the Sangeet ceremony? Some relatives of mine, who happened to be present there, thought you had married and were offended that they were not invited to the wedding.'

'What the f@#$!' This time Arnav couldn't stop himself from swearing, expressing his exasperation.

'Chotte!' admonished nani, 'you forget that this is Raisar, not Delhi. Here you cannot simply take a girl out to other people's ceremonies unless you are married or betrothed to her. You come from a royal lineage and you have a certain reputation to maintain.'

'My relatives will not let me live this down,' cried mamiji, 'how am I going to show my face when I visit the next time?'

Arnav knew that mami was making a mountain out of a mole hill. If the situation was not so serious he would have laughed his head off. 'That's it? I can't take a girl to a ceremony?' Arnav asked his face wrought with disbelief, 'this is the 21st century for God's sake!'