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Moving on… ???
“Words in double quotes” – Talking
‘Words in single quotes’ – Thoughts
(Words in braces) – Telephone conversations
Chapter 2
“And when you serve the tea, you sho-”
“I should hand it to them with my right hand and with a smile. Yes, I remember Swara! You’ve repeated it almost a dozen of time already!” Ragini shouted in exasperation.
“Okay okay. Just making sure nothing goes wrong.” Swara said in defense. “Oh! Another thing. Don’t forget to sm-”
“To smile. But it shouldn’t be to broad, neither too small.” Ragini completed her sentence in irritation. ‘She’s the little sis. But she bosses me like I’m an unruly child!’
“Yep! Because Ragini, smiling too broad may show immaturity and too small might make them think you’re too stoic.”
“Yes. I remember. You mentally carved it by now in my brain with your constant repetitions!”
Swara pinched Ragini’s cheeks. “Aww…my big sister is finally showing signs of responsibility. Right now, no little sister in the world could be more proud than me!”
Ragini’s eye twitched in irritation. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
There was a knock on the door, making them look towards it. It was their mother.
“Ragini, come on. It’s show time!”
Ragini grabbed the tray and walked ahead. “Wish me luck Swara so that I mess up everything. And maybe if I’m lucky, they’ll reject me before they even talk to me.”
“You do anything such and I’ll tear up all the bike posters you have in your room. How’s that?” Shramishtha warned.
Ragini looked at her in horror. “You wouldn’t!”
Shramishtha let out an evil smirk. “I can and I will. If you try to act smart, I’ll have to be twice as cunning. After all, I am your mother.”
“OH WHY WOULD YOU DO TH-OW!” Ragini exclaimed as her mother hit her over the head.
“Stop wailing! The guests might hear.”
Ragini sniffed dramatically. “You’re not my mother are you? If you are, how can you do this to me? Did you pick me from a dustbin as a baby and hence you don’t love me as a daughter? Oh you cruel…cruel mother of mine!” she cried out, faking misery.
Shramishtha rolled her eyes at Ragini’s antics. “Whatever. Shut it and come out.” saying so, she left with her head held high.
“Meanie!” Ragini stuck out her tongue, but followed behind with a pout.
Swara sweat-dropped as she watched them go. ‘Maa may scold Ragini for being obnoxious. But she doesn’t realize that she has the same drama queen attributes. I think it’s from her that Ragini got these traits if you ask me.’
#Living room#
“I feel really lucky to get a marriage proposal from the Maheshwaris for my daughter. I’ve heard a lot about your family. Everyone who talks about the Maheshwaris speak of how benevolent and honorable your family is.”
“Hahaha…you praise us too much Shekhar.”
“Or maybe you are being too humble Ram.” Shekhar responded with a smile.
“Trust me when I say this Shekhar ji. My husband’s name and modest can never go in the same line.” joked Sujata, making Shekhar laugh out loud, while Ram chuckled good-naturedly.
Laksh looked at the elders chatting with a smile. ‘They seem to be getting along quite fine. Nice!’
However, his smile turned upside down when he saw Sanskar’s face. ‘And here is our residential epitome of gloom. The guy looks like someone just killed his puppy and stomped over it’s dead body.’
Laksh got up from his seat and sat near his brother on the couch. “Oi! Would stop with that look already?”
Sanskar turned to him with a confused look. “What look?”
“That look you’re giving. You’re acting like we’ve come here to attend a death ceremony instead of coming to fix your marriage.”
“I can’t help it. I’m miserable from inside right now.” Sanskar whispered back.
“Why so? Ragini will be a great life partner. Trust me!”
Sanskar looked at him in disbelief. “You’re the little brother who used to put fevicol on my brush and say its Colgate, the one who purposefully cut my pockets so that the money always fell off, the one who lied to me most times than not. And now? Now you want me to trust your word?”
Laksh gave a sheepish laugh. “Oh come on bro! That was when we were kids. That was my way of showing that I cared about you.” ?
“I think I would have survived the same with you not showing it.” ?
“Whatever! What I mean to say is that now I’m serious about this. Just hold on till you see her come out. You won’t be able to stop looking at her.”
Sanskar scoffed. “I already saw her picture. She’s beautiful, yeah. But looks aren’t enough to win my heart. I’m not that fickle.”
“Arre, at least lis-”
“Here she is!”
Both Sanskar and Laksh looked up as Shramishtha entered the room, with a girl following behind.
Sujata at once got up from her seat and came near them. “Ragini beta, how are you?”
‘Not good. I have to wear this freaking Saree because of you all! Why did you come visit?!’ Ragini thought in anger. However, she smiled when she felt her mother grip her hard. “I’m fine.” she spoke in a meek voice.
“Wah! Even her voice is so melodious! Come Ragini. Sit with me.” Sujata suggested.
Shramishtha took the tray from Ragini. “Go Ragini. I’ll serve the tea you made.” Shramishtha spoke in pride. Although she knew it was made by Swara.
Ragini politely went and sat down beside Sujata on the couch. Her eyes fell on Ram, Laksh and Sanskar. She was about to say ‘hi’, when she remembered her manners. She at once joined her hands and smiled at them. “Namaste.”
Ram nodded. “Nice to meet you Ragini.”
“I agree. It’s great to meet you, future bhabi of mine.” Laksh said with a playful smile.
‘Bhabi? Dude, who said I’ll say yes to your brother?’ Ragini thought in irritation. Nevertheless, as situations called, she looked down and tried to make it seem like she was blushing. ‘I think it’s easier to fake crying than blushing. How the heck am I supposed to make my cheeks go red?!’
“Aww…bhabi, are you blushing already? That is som-eep!” Laksh stopped mid sentence when he felt Sanskar stomp on his feet. He coughed to cover up his shout.
“Something wrong?”
“No, nothing Maa! We’re both just fit and fine!” Laksh smiled, although his leg was hurt.
Sanskar let out a sly smile on his little victory. However, his smile disappeared on his father’s next words.
“Beta, what do you think of Ragini?”
Sanskar gulped and looked directly into Ragini’s eyes.
Looking at her, Sanskar couldn’t deny the fact that she was indeed beautiful. A heart-shaped face, a well sculpted nose, pink soft lips, bright eyes and a beautiful smile. However, outward beauty wasn’t enough for him.
Sanskar knew people thought he didn’t waste time on useless dates. And they weren’t wrong. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have his own preferences.
Sanskar was a guy who wanted a girl with beauty and brains. s*xy didn’t appeal him. Smexy did. He wanted a girl that had her own opinions, own intelligence. He wanted someone who wouldn’t simply comply to each and every word of him like a dutiful wife. He wanted someone who would fight for dominance in their relation, one who would want equal freedom and power in their marriage.
The girl should love passionately, but not like a headless chicken. She should stand beside him when he is right, and have the courage to slap him if he is wrong. She should be a challenge to him, not simply a thing that he can easily achieve.
And looking at Ragini, he didn’t think he would find any such trait in her. ‘This girl is innocent. That I can tell. But I don’t want such innocence. I want challenge, thrill, assertiveness in my wife. Ragini seems like she would agree to my every word. I’m here to look for a wife, not a pet!’
Ragini, in turn, was having similar thoughts. ‘This guy looks like someone who always obeys their parents. A simpleton and a goody-two-shoes. Aiisshhhh! Marrying him would not only mean that I would ruin my life, but also ruin his. I mean, I can just imagine how he would cry out in frustration when he won’t be able to handle my obnoxious nature. He would be scared for life!’
“Ragini, I really think you are the right one for my Sanskar. I would be the happiest mother alive if you agree to be my son’s wife. You don’t have any objections, do you?” Sujata asked her.
‘Alright! I can’t keep up an innocent act forever. This won’t be fair to them or me.’ Ragini nodded to herself and turned to Sujata with a determined look. “Yes. I do have objections.”
Sujata gasped. “You…you do?”
“Yes, I do.” Ragini got up from her seat and let her hair loose. “Look! I’m only acting to be nice and a goody-two-shoes. I’m not like that. I’m a notorious tomboy who loves to do crazy things, play pranks on others and wear T-shirts and jeans. No way am I a traditional girl who would bow down to every request of her husband!”
Everyone gasped and stood up from their seats in shock. Shramishtha glared at her with utmost hate. “How dare you! How dare you Ragini!?”
“I’m only saying the truth Maa.”
Shramishtha looked like she would burst a vein. “RAGINI!” at once, she reached for something on the table.
Ragini’s eyes widened as she noticed what it was. “Maa no! Please no Maa!”
“Mwhahaha…you didn’t listen to me. Now I’m tearing up all these bike posters!”
“Maa NO!” Ragini tried to run to her mother, but she couldn’t reach her, no matter how much she ran.
“Hahaha…! She deserves it! Nice Shramishtha!” Shekhar complimented.
Ragini gasped as her parents’ head slowly grew big and looked at her with rage filled eyes, all the while tearing off her posters.
Ragini closed her eyes in despair. ‘No no no!’ she opened her eyes to watch the scene unfold. However, what greeted her, shocked her to the core.
Sujata wasn’t looking at her in disbelief. Rather, she was still looking at her quizzically.
Ragini looked around and saw her father chatting amicably with Ram. Laksh was sitting on the couch with a pout, while Sanskar was looking down in thought.
She looked towards where her mother stood, expecting her to be ripping the bike posters. However, there was no posters in her mother’s hand.
Ragini let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness I was imagining things!’ she was broken out of her thoughts by Sujata’s voice.
“Ragini beta, you didn’t answer my question. Do you have any objections?”
Ragini gulped as she remembered what could happen to her if she said yes. “N-no! Of course not. In fact, I would be lucky to get a mother-in-law like you.”
Sujata grinned from ear to ear and pulled Ragini into a hug. “I’m so happy! Thank you dear.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Ragini responded. “But I…I have a small request.”
Sujata broke the hug and nodded. “Sure dear. Anything.”
“I would like to talk alone to Sanskar. After all, I should know something about the person I’m about to spend my whole life with, shouldn’t I?”
Sujata chuckled. “Such a tiny request? Of course you can Ragini.” Sujata looked up towards Sanskar. “Sanskar beta.”
“Yes Maa?”
“Sanskar, why don’t you take Ragini for a drive? You two can spend some time together and get to know each other better.”
“Maa, I ca-” however, before he could make an excuse, Laksh butted in.
“Of course he will. He would love to!” Laksh exclaimed, making sure to keep a safe distance from Sanskar just in case he felt the urge to stomp his leg again.
Sanskar cursed in his mind. Nevertheless, he knew he was trapped. “Y-yea. What Lucky said.”
“Great! Go Ragini dear. Enjoy your time.” Sujata exclaimed happily.
Sanskar got up from his seat as well.
Ragini nodded and got up timidly.
“Um…after you.” Sanskar spoke as he let Ragini go first.
She smiled at him in gratefulness and moved ahead. ‘Awesome! Now I can have my way and break off this marriage.’ Ragini thought in excitement. ‘I can’t call off the marriage because of Maa, but he can. If I can plead to him or convince him to break off this marriage, maybe he will decide not to marry me.’ thinking so, she happily marched ahead.
Sanskar, on the other hand, was dreading while thinking about the time he would be spending with Ragini. ‘Girly talks, blushy face, shitty giggles, ear piercing squeals, ugh! Damn it! I have to bear all of it now!’ he huffed out in anger. ‘Well, I don’t give a damn about her feelings. I’ll say it to her face if I hate her. That’s it!’
With individual goals in mind, they both set out of the house towards Sanskar’s car, unaware of the big change that was about to follow in their lives.
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To be continued…
Next chapter – Exposure of their true selves to each other.
Hope you liked this chapter.
~ ? Mona ?