“And in the entertainment news, today we have a special
segment, Jalaluddin Akbar and Rukaiya Begum said Qubool Hai!” Ajabdeh frowned
at the news, which flashed pictures of the wedding as well as their honeymoon
and turned off the television. She was happy that things went better than she
planned, but the talk of weddings was definitely not her cup of tea. To her horror,
that was the only thing Heer and Hansa talked of nowadays. She knew Heer had a
thing for weddings, unlike her. She feigned happiness for the sake of it. Her
living room was a mess, with papers scattered everywhere. She was finally on
the couch with the final draft on her lap and her laptop on the centre table.
She had to send the draft by the next day to the publishers. Brownie seemed too
happy to be back home with his Humans, and he was busy tearing up the pieces of
paper Ajabdeh had scattered around the floor.
The wedding was a grand affair, and Ajabdeh was happy
for her own reasons. On the morning of the wedding, KB had gifted her the most
precious thing she had ever got, his diary of Shayeris' unpublished and raw. To
Heer’s utter difficulty, Ajabdeh was lost in the notebook after the
wedding and was mostly in her own world. Even Kunwar Pratap had to call her
twice because Ajabdeh had forgotten to charge her phone. The date of the
Engagement had been set a fortnight away by the priests of the Sisodias. With
so much to be done in so little time, Heer frowned at her sister being lost in
her own world. She seemed to have no interest in her own wedding plans. Heer
was hopeful that once the drafts had been submitted, Ajabdeh would probably get
back the craziness she missed. Heer was looking after the business, while Hansa
prepared for the double engagement with Jaivanta. With so much to do and Jalal and
Rukaiya away for a mini honeymoon to the US, Shakti knew Heer needed help, even
if she didn’t ask for it.
Heer was delighted to find him sitting in her office in
the evening, with the papers of their day’s work neatly arranged, freshly
brewed coffee and a smile to light up her day. She sank back in her chair,
sighing.
“Don’t overwork yourself.” Shakti frowned at her tired, pale face “You will fall sick.” His worried voice made her smile.
“I was thinking…” she stopped staring at her coffee, “About Baba.”
“What about him?” Shakti frowned.
“Well… I… He’s…” Heer could not find the right words.
“I am not Ajabdeh, Heer.” Shakti made her stop holding
both her hands in his across the table “You can admit to me what you feel; I
know you were close to him, it is okay that you miss him.”
A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she closed her
eyes at his words. That prompted Shakti to walk over to her side and hug her. “Tell me.” He persuaded.
“You see, Shakti, since we were kids, I always thought I
was the one who was the protector. I used to save her from things and get
scolded too… I had no idea that Maasa and Jija were actually hiding so much so
that I could have a normal family life.”
She stared at
him as he nodded in silence. “He had been a good father to me. I can’t deny
that. I can’t deny the fact that he actually did love us, me and Jija. Jija
never saw that. Perhaps because she knew what she did, but he is a good father…
He gave us freedom and pampered…”
“You want him at the engagement?” Shakti made her stop.
“I want him at our engagement, for both of us, I
want him to bless both me and Jija…”
“I understand that.” Shakti patted her head.
“You do? But…Will she?” Heer frowned “I fear I will
hurt Maasa or Jija by asking for this, or worse, lose Jija’s trust over it.”
Shakti smiled faintly. “I just want Jija to bond with Baba for once. Before
we…”
“You have no idea what Ajabdeh can do for you.” He
spoke up, “I am sure she will understand this as well.”
“What if she…?”
“Let me give you a better idea. Let me invite him. That
way, neither Ajabdeh nor Hansa Aunty has to talk to or invite him, and you can still
have him at the engagement. What do you say?”
“What if…” Heer sounded scared.
“Hum samhal lenge na, You never ask for anything Heer,
and what you have asked for now, is not wrong.” He reassured. “Your Baba will
be there at the Sagai. I promise.”
Ajabdeh had frowned at the doorbell. Once. Twice,
Thrice. The person on the other side surely had some urgency. To top it all,
Brownie had started to bark. She reluctantly left her spot on the sofa and
walked to the door, where Brownie was already sniffing.
“Tum?” Her disappointed frown was well contrasted by
Brownie’s happiness as he jumped on Pratap, wagging his tail. Pratap calmed the
excited animal down with a few pats before nodding, “Main. Can I come in?”
Ajabdeh moved from the door, still frowning, while Pratap entered the room and
stared at the mess.
“I was…” She waved her hand and was cut short by his “I
know.”
“Maasa is not here.” She announced, “In case you need
coffee or tea, feel free to make it yourself.”
“I know she is not here. Ranima met her for some plans
and shopping. I dropped them off at the mall and came by.” He sat down after
removing a few papers from the couch.
“Why?” She sat down, moving aside her laptop, on the
centre table, facing him. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?? You seem to have gone incognito, Ajab.
You don’t pick up calls, you are most of the time unreachable… and…” his tone
was complaining.
“I was reading.” She said matter-of-factly, “and
catering to a deadline.”
“I know that. I tried to keep off your space as much as
possible ever since we came back,” He shrugged.
“I appreciate that!” Ajabdeh genuinely meant it.
“But a lot has happened, and we need to talk.” Pratap
seemed disturbed.
“About what?” She frowned.
“Whom.” He corrected.
“Whom?” She repeated, clueless.
“I should tell Dadabhai about this,” Shakti spoke. “He
can make her understand that it’s your wish and…”
“But Kunwar Pratap? Are you sure he can…”
“If anyone can, Heer, we both know it’s him. Let me
call.” Shakti reassured.
Ajabdeh was laughing till her stomach ached and her eyes
teared up, much to Pratap’s annoyance. He had just informed her that Dheer Bua
had asked for Shallavan’s details the day they had arrived back in Surajgarh
before she headed home. Much to Pratap’s dismay, she found Shallavan to be a
perfect match for Maan, who, to his horror, was blushing at the idea. Pratap’s
throat felt dry. Not only because he could not come to terms with the fact that
the man he was keeping away from Ajab would practically be family now, but also
because his little sister was all grown up and ready to love someone. He freaked
out at the idea and wanted to talk to Ajab, who was lost in her own world. He
stared at her laugh again, grunting disapprovingly.
“Oh God, Princy!” She said at last, “This is good news.”
“Are you kidding me, Ajab? Shallavan? Of all the people
in the world? He is snobbish and flirty and…”
“Responsible and sincere…” She added, making him stop.
“You know what your problem is, Princy? He is just like you.”
“What? Never! I…” Pratap protested as Ajabdeh smiled at
him.
“She will be happy. Trust me.” Ajabdeh placed her hand
gently over his. “I like this possessive brother in you, though.” She smiled as
he sighed. Somehow, Ajabdeh always spoke what he wanted to hear, and she didn’t
fail to this time around, too. His phone rang as he walked away to receive it, while Ajabdeh entered the Kitchen with Brownie in tow.
Shakti and Heer had been greeted at the door by
Brownie, but there was no sign of their siblings. Frowning a little, Heer
sniffed the air. It smelled of something burning. She stared a little alarmed
at Shakti as they ran to the kitchen. The kitchen was smoky, and Pratap stood
terrified, scrutinising a black lump of food that had just come out of the
oven. Ajabdeh was in an apron, her face and hands covered with flour, while
she explained, “But the video told to…”
“Jija!” Heer’s alarming call made her stare at the
door.
“Look, Heer, I made a cake!” She smiled gleefully.
“She means a corpse. She made a corpse.” Pratap pointed
at the black lump that even Brownie refused to sniff at.
“It’s just a little burnt, Princy! You should have made
it instead.” She defended.
“Just a little?” Shakti smirked at it and then at
Pratap.
“I made tea, that too with masala.” He reminded her, “You
could drink that, in my defence.”
“Jija. You have never even made a cup of tea, so why did
you try to make a cake?” Heer stood in horror. She was thinking of the excuses
she had to make to her mother now on behalf of her sister.
“We are celebrating Maan’s….” Her words were cut short
by his, “We still don’t know if Shallavan will approve.” He wished the man
didn’t.
Shakti exchanged an amused glance with Ajabdeh while
Heer pushed the three of them out of the Kitchen in the living room and
started making some snacks to serve them with tea.
“Ajabdeh, we need to talk.” Shakti eyed Pratap as the
two brothers sat side by side in front of her. “Now what did I do?” She frowned.
“It’s about Heer.” Pratap was calm as he spoke, and in a
way, Shakti was happy that he was not doing the talking.
“What about…”
“I want to invite Ram Uncle to the Sagai.” Pratap studied
her face. It was emotionless, with only the smile on her face and her eyes faded. “Heer
wants her father to bless her, and it’s for…”
“If Heer is happy with that, it’s her choice. Her
father can come and bless her. I have nothing to say. And it’s also your
engagement, and you can call whoever you want to.” Ajabdeh stood up to find Heer
with a tray at the threshold. She stared at her sibling and then at Shakti and
added plainly, “As for me, that man is a stranger, don’t force me to talk or
meet him even if he is in the same room.” To Heer’s worry, Ajabdeh left for
their room and shut the door behind her. For a moment, the three of them sat
silently, lost in their thoughts.
“I will…” Pratap was the first to speak, “Leave. I have
to pick up Ranima and…”
“I will go with you.” Shakti nodded. “And call up…” He
stared at Heer, who was still silent.
“Don’t worry, Heer.” Pratap’s words made Shakti smile as
she stared at him “She just needs some time.” He was reassured as Heer nodded with
a faint smile. “Thank you.”
Ajabdeh had spent a sleepless night, and so had Heer.
After pretending to be asleep for a whole hour, Heer finally spoke to her.
“Jija?” Her voice was about to choke, and Ajabdeh grew
alarmed as she hugged her sister. “Don’t you dare cry!” She snapped.
“I am sorry, Jija, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just
wanted you and Ba…”
“Heer.” She drew away from the hug and wiped Heer’s
tears. “What you want from me can never be; I can never forget the kind of man
he was to Maasa.”
“But Jija, when we talk of second chances, can’t it
also be that Baba does repent what he had done, and he does want to apologise?”
Heer reasoned, “He had tried to reach out to me too many times, Jija and I just
want to know if I am right.”
“So be it.” Ajabdeh smiled at her sister, “I just don’t
want you to cry.”
“Me neither.” Heer smiled faintly as she hid her face
in Ajabdeh’s bosom, and she hugged her sister like a mother hugs a child.
The news of the engagement of the Princes of Surajgarh
was soon in the air. As a result of the sensational news, a crowd of reporters
honking and shouting outside the gates of the Punwar House woke a much sleep-deprived Ajabdeh. She sat staring at the mayhem outside with a frown. Heer
walked in with breakfast and smiled a “Good morning” before adding, “I took a
day off, Jija, it's you and me…”
“And them!” Ajabdeh pointed outside with a poker face.
“What do you want to do?” Heer smiled.
“We are not kids anymore, Dadabhai.” Shakti sulked.
“Come up with better ideas than playing Monopoly, please!” Pratap stared at his
brother sitting on the couch “It’s a day off; I want to do something with you.”
Heer was surprised. In fact, surprised would be
underrated; she was shocked. Ajabdeh had chosen to spend the day having cooking
lessons with her. Hansa had stared at her daughters laughing while making a
batter in the kitchen in the early hours of the morning, much to her surprise.
Heer observed how Kunwar Pratap’s existence changed Ajabdeh beyond her own
understanding. Heer was in a way pleased that her Jija, for once, had started
behaving like a more responsible adult ever since she met him.
“Then?” Heer was startled out of her thoughts at
Ajabdeh’s confused question.
“Then we bake this.” Heer poured the batter into the
bowl “Tell me, Jija, does Kunwarsa like cakes?”
“I don’t know.” Ajabdeh shrugged, “I love them!”
“If this one tastes well, we can take some to…” Heer
spoke up, setting the oven.
“To Shakti.” Ajabdeh smiled, “He will love it.”
“And Dadabhai Pratap,” Heer added.
“Oh, I know!” Ajabdeh clapped her hands, making Heer
stare “We can act all Masterchef and also ask them to guess who made which one.
Huh? Huh.” For once, Ajabdeh’s silly idea didn’t seem so silly to Heer. She
smiled.
“Are you scared, Shakti?” Pratap smirked, holding the
basketball. “I haven't lost yet.”
“I love to face challenges, Dadabhai. Bring
it on.” Udai and Jaivanta smiled at each other, watching the brothers at a game
of basketball.
“Wow! Mine looks better than Heer’s, right, Maasa?”
Hansa was staring at the two cakes laid before her. Heer had dressed hers with
icing on top, while Ajabdeh used Gems to decorate with a smiley. Both looked
edible as Hansa stared with an appreciative smile at Ajabdeh.
“I can’t believe you…” Hansa started as Heer smiled
proudly at Ajabdeh. Sometimes, in moments like these, Hansa often forgot which of
the two was older.
“I win! I Win! I WIN!!!!!” Shakti jumped in the air as
Pratap smiled, panting a little.
“Haan haan main toh jaan bujh ke haar gaya!” He
shrugged. Jaivanta came with two towels for her kids while they sat down on the
ground.
“Go and get ready, both of you!”
“Now who is coming home?” Shakti frowned, hoping that the
reporters had left.
“Heer and Ajabdeh.” Jaivanta smiled as the brothers
exchanged a surprised look “I invited them to lunch to celebrate the engagement
announcement.” She added.
“So basically, what if we…. Say wrong?” Shakti
scrutinised the faces of an over-excited Ajabdeh and a rather amused Heer. He
was scared.
“At your own risk,” Ajabdeh whispered with a devilish
smile.
“What is happening here?” Pratap frowned as he entered the
study to find Shakti sitting at a table with two boxes in front of him.
“Take a seat, Dadabhai.” Heer indicated at the chair
beside Shakti’s who looked perplexed. “We are just going to show you
something.”
“What if… we are wrong?” His words made Heer chuckle a
little as Ajabdeh smiled the devilish smile again, much to his fear.
“I am sure you won’t, Dadabhai”, Heer assured, totally
ignoring Shakti’s frown at her. Heer revealed the two cakes, while Ajabdeh
stood in excitement. Pratap and Shakti peeped into the boxes. One was a
perfect icing, with flowers on top, and another was a chocolate cake with a smiley face of Gems on top. They exchanged glances and stared at Heer, who shook her head
with “I told you so!”
Pratap and Shakti started laughing, much to the
annoyance of Ajabdeh “Aree! Hasne wali kaunsi baat ho gayi! Aree bolo na! Who made
which one?”
“Really, Ajabdeh?” Shakti managed between his chuckles.
“Anyone who has ever seen you can say this. A smiley, really? What are you?
Ten?”
Ajabdeh narrowed her eyes and promptly cut out a piece
of her cake, stuck out her tongue at the duo and said, “Chalo Heeriye!”
“Aree, wait.” Pratap stopped laughing as she
narrowed her eyes, “Let’s see if this one is, after all, a cake!”
“Haan!” Shakti agreed, “Dadabhai, you taste, I can’t risk
it!”
In the next ten seconds, Shakti’s shirt was smeared
with the piece of cake in Ajabdeh’s hand as Pratap stood wide-eyed, and Heer
helped him get it off.
“You don’t mess with Ajabdeh Punwar, Kunwar Shakti!”
She smiled a smile Pratap dreaded as Heer smiled at a helpless Shakti.
It was around dusk when Pratap was giving Heer a tour
of the about-to-be-inaugurated Heritage wing of the Hotel. Ajabdeh, on the
other hand, had managed to find a place on the roof of one of the still-in-construction cottages while Shakti sat near her, hearing her talk of Heer’s
childhood. Pratap stopped reaching the door of the Sheesh Mahal and turned away
briskly “And we are done here.” He said to Heer politely, “What do you think?”
“I love it.” Heer approved. “This Punwar Sisodia Mughal
alliance will be worth it!”
“Okay, let’s head back then.”
“Dadabhai…” Heer smiled faintly “I know about that.”
“About what?” Pratap frowned at her. She pointed at the
door as he turned a little awkwardly.
“That’s a sweet gesture.” She approved, making him smile
a little.
“I have never…” He stopped, unsure. Was it, after all, a
good idea to share his feelings with this one? Heer stood listening. He added, “Done this before…”
“Well, Dadabhai, not everyone was your soon-to-be wife.” Heer’s words rang like an alarm
in his head. It was not until that moment that Pratap realised the kind of
commitment he was getting into. Yes, he loved Ajabdeh. He never accepted that
aloud, but he did, and he didn’t want to lose her. But the mere word and tag of marriage were disturbing. Something
suddenly bothered him.
“You don’t get married every day, Ajabdeh!” Shakti
smiled, “Why not make the most of it?”
“I find it irrelevant to show off jewelery, clothes and
grandeur for the sake of it, Shakti. Had it not been Surajgarh, I would have
preferred a registry if at all.” Ajabdeh shrugged. “The money can be put to
better use.”
“If at all?” Shakti caught her words. “You mean you had
no plan of…”
“Not at all. Heeriye, on the other hand, always had that
dream.” Ajabdeh spoke rather seriously, making him frown, “I don’t feel marriage is necessary or, for that matter, enough for a relationship to thrive.
It’s just a way of pleasing society with our own lives.” Marriages fall apart, yet people stick by. She
had seen it all, and in some corner of her heart, as much as she loved and
trusted Pratap, she saw the past come to haunt her at times.
“Dadabhai said the same. Had it not been for our plan, you two wouldn’t have agreed!” Shakti chuckled as Ajabdeh snapped, “What plan?”
Shakti realised that words once spoken couldn’t be taken back. He gulped at her
cold stare.
“We need to talk!” Pratap and Ajabdeh frowned at their
words that came out simultaneously. Pratap stood in his pyjamas on the roof of
the Mahal, after a quiet dinner, when Jaivanta insisted the girls return home
the next morning. Now Ajabdeh was in one of Jaivanta’s flowing Kurtas.
“A plan?” Pratap had allowed Ajabdeh to speak first. He
couldn’t believe that their families had tricked them.
“There is no such rule that the one marrying first
will…” Ajabdeh shrugged matter-of-factly.
“What now?” Pratap frowned as he sat down.
“What was it that you wanted to talk about?” She asked.
“I… was… umm….” He stopped staring into her eager doe
eyes.
“You were?” She asked with a slight frown.
“I don’t know. It’s nothing.” He shook his head.
“Come on now, Princy, don’t play this game with me. We
both know you will say it anyway.”
“Well, I can, if you don’t get offended.” He asked, a
little alarmed.
“I won’t, I promise!”
“It's just that… remember the first day we talked about Marriages?”
“Umm Hmm”
“It’s just that I realised that my view on weddings is
still the same, Ajabdeh, it’s not about you or commitment or the fact that…” He
couldn’t find the right words.
“I understand.” She cut in, making him stare.
“You do?” He asked, a little surprised.
“Yes. I feel the same. We don’t need a socially approved marriage to validate our relationship; we can do it when we feel like it, if at
all, right?” Her words made him stare at her in admiration. She did reflect his
soul.
“So?” He asked, shrugging, holding her hand in his.
“So, we let those two get married. Give them their
dream wedding.” She smiled.
“What about us?” Pratap, for a moment, was scared.
Because Ajabdeh sounded like they were drifting apart.
“What about us?” She asked him instead. “We have the
families, our dreams, Brownie, Sheesh Mahal and each other. Am sure once we tell
the parents, they will understand. Everyone has their own ideas about life. Ours is
a bit different from theirs.” She assured him. He had nodded in approval.
“Let’s drink to that. I feel so much better now.”
Ajabdeh smiled. Pratap led her by the hand to the bar and served her his
favourite wine.
It was way past midnight when Pratap led Ajabdeh to
the Seesh Mahal. She smiled at the mirrors reflecting their images on the wall
and roof. He had led her to the adjoining apartments as well. The private area
of the Heritage wing was ready. She had smiled at each Jharokha and peeped through
them. She had twirled as he stood smiling.
“This feels the way I want to feel.” She had said in a
slightly tipsy tone.
“And that will be…?”
“A home made of Love.” She smiled. He held her hands
and pulled her into an embrace. Ajabdeh could feel his heartbeat as her head
rested on his chest.
“Ajab.” Pratap had found his voice. Ajabdeh had stared at
him, their noses touching. He removed the locks of hair from her face and
rubbed her warm cheeks with his cold hand. She leaned slightly at his touch as
his other arm entwined around her waist.
“Ajabdeh.” He whispered in her ears.
“Hmm?”
“Will you move in with me?” Pratap said it in an
impulse. Her eyes were confused at his words as he repeated them more like an
answer, “Move in with me, here. Together, we will make a dream home.” Ajabdeh’s
eyes widened. She knew he was serious.
“B…But… what about…”
“I will talk to everyone, just say yes. Until we feel it’s
the right time for nuptials, stay with me. Let’s share lives. I promise I won’t
disappoint you.” His grip around her waist had tightened like he didn’t want to
let her go. Ajabdeh’s hands rested on his collar. She could feel his breath as
deep as hers.
“Yes.” She whispered.
“Yes?” Pratap was not sure whether he had heard her
right.
“Yes!” This time, Ajabdeh’s answer was more confident as
her eyes smiled at his. Pratap, at the moment, cupped her face with the hand he
had rested on her cheek. He leaned to touch his lips softly and tenderly. Ajabdeh
inhaled. This was not the first kiss of their lives. Yet, the whole feeling of
it was new. He had stopped only to be pulled into a deeper and more passionate
smooch by her. When they stopped, Ajabdeh frowned at his eyes. They shone
like they had tears. Her hands travelled to his cheeks, a little worried.
“What happened?” She asked.
“This… This is what love feels like.” He said with a
lingering smile.
“I guess so.” She kissed his nose, making him smile.
Something in her eyes was so captivating that his
wandering heart had found a home. He knew he should stop, or perhaps move away, but he didn’t. Neither did she. His hands travelled over her back to the chain
of the long kurta. He stopped at it. Her kiss sealed the approval he needed. He
had, for the first time, carried someone to bed. Let her rule over him,
surrender to her desires before his. He had, for the first time, felt content
every time her body responded to his.
Ajabdeh didn’t know that she could actually feel shy or unsure. Neither did she ever imagine she would cry at the moment she felt
his love. Pratap was scared by her tears. Had he hurt her or crossed his
limits? He had stopped with worry swept across his face. Ajabdeh’s hug had
proved him otherwise.
“I love you.” They had smiled in unison and union.
He felt at peace as he watched her sleep. Her long hair
falling over her bare back and her content face made him feel that Home was…
where Ajabdeh was. He suddenly grew worried. He had a family to convince of their decision.
The first lights of dawn had fallen on Heer’s face
through the half-covered curtains. She frowned at the bed beside hers. By the
looks of it, Ajabdeh hadn’t come there all night. She frowned. A knock made her
stare at the clock. It was half past six.
Shakti entered with a frown and eyed the well-made bed
before turning to Heer.
“You don’t know where they are?” He sounded alarmed.
“Why are you so worried?” Heer stared suspiciously. “What
happened?”
“I kind of screwed it up.” He confessed, sitting on her
bed as Heer frowned, “What?”
Udai was pacing the study. Hansa and Jaivanta’s eyes
were fixed on the door. Shakti stood like a guilty person in a corner, sulking.
Heer eyed him coldly and rather disapprovingly. Jija hated lies; worse, Heer had
no idea where she was. Jalal and Rukaiya had walked to the scene with Bairam in
tow. Shakti had called them in an emergency. It was way past midday, and everyone
had just received a message from Pratap: “We need to talk. Palace Study. @2” Confused
and not knowing what to expect, Rukaiya had held Heer’s hands worried.
Khan Baba broke the silence, “What were you thinking?”
His voice had an accusing tone, not towards Shakti but the elders.
“I…” Udai spoke only to stop.
“First, you give your children the independence to
choose, and then you trick them like this? To marry? I mean, yes, they met each
other because of your matchmaking, but that does not mean you rule their lives?
They can get married when they want to.”
“But…” Jaivanta spoke rather worried, “Where are they?”
Ajabdeh startled awake at the unfamiliar
surroundings, and then she remembered everything as her cheeks grew hot and she
blushed. He was not there, and it made her frown. Dressing up, she stepped
out of the well-furnished room into the sheesh mahal. On the table was a note
with breakfast. “Be back soon," She frowned. Where was he? She ate the bread
and stared around the place. If they were going to make a home out of it,
things needed to be sorted, especially her library and a room for Brownie. She
was suddenly worried about how everyone, especially Ranima, would take it.
Pratap rushed to his office and finished up some
pending work to leave for the day. As he was leaving, an Instagram story from
Ajabdeh Punwar grabbed his attention. It was a selfie of theirs at the RukLal
wedding. #settinggoals made him smile. When he arrived back at the residential
wing, Ajabdeh was on the floor of the sheesh mahal, going through her emails.
“I have news.” He had almost startled her with a peck
on her cheek. “So do I.”
“You first.” He suggested.
“I am getting published this winter!!” She smiled.
“That’s like ten months from now.” She hugged him tightly as he smiled back.
“Now your turn”
“I called the elders to talk about an hour from now,” he
said, looking at his watch.
“What? So soon?” She frowned, surprised.
“Why? Are you thinking of changing your mind?” He asked, adding “You can if you…”
“No!” came a firm reply that made him smile, “Ekbar jo
hum commitment kar dete toh…”
“Bas! Bas!” he shook his head. “We will move in
after their wedding.”
“Done.” She hugged him back.
The door of the study opened as Ajabdeh walked in
rather confidently with Pratap in tow.
“Where were you?”Heer’s words were met by her smile.
“I am getting published this winter. And we decided
something, for ourselves” Jaivanta exchanged a scared look with Udai and
Hansa.
“Heer and Shakti are getting engaged and married,”
Pratap said rather monotonously.
“But”, Jalal was about to speak when Khan Baba stopped
him, amused at the rebels.
“What about…” Rukaiya spoke up.
“You two?” Shakti finished scared.
“Us?” Ajabdeh had stared at Pratap, who had held her
hand, making Hansa and Jaivanta stare at them.
“We are moving in together.” Pratap had said.
“What?” It was Hansa and Udai who had spoken in unison.
“We will get married when we want, how we want, IF we
want.” Ajabdeh spoke calmly, “We love each other; we have you all that is
enough. We feel our relationship doesn’t need social validation as of now.”
“It’s still a bird that doesn’t know how to fly; we
can’t cage it with Log Kya Kahenge. We never cared for that. Our families know
that too.” Ajabdeh was rather pleasantly surprised at Pratap’s use of a
metaphor.
“And that’s your final decision?” Udai asked with a
disapproving look.
“Yes, we are making a home out of the Residential suite
at the Heritage wing of the Hotel,” Pratap answered.
“But… But…” Hansa had stared at her firstborn.
“Maasa.” Ajabdeh had walked up to her mother. “We are
not saying we won’t ever get married, who knows, someday we will. But right
now…”
“Let us fly freely, together.” Pratap finished. Shakti stared in disbelief at what his words had caused. He expected Jaivanta to
be hurt. But instead, she smiled at her firstborn and hugged Ajabdeh.
“Whatever makes you happy.” She had said.
Khan Baba, on the other hand, let out a chuckle and
hugged a much-surprised Pratap and Ajabdeh.
“Well done! We need more children like you! Hansa Ji,
Udai, you should be proud of these kids.”
Pratap walked up to Heer “I know you won’t approve
of this, and you are overprotective of her, but I promise you, Heer, she won’t
regret this. And also …”
“There is a royal wedding on hand to take care of, so
be happy at least for yourselves.” Ajabdeh added and stared at Shakti, “You get married once, hopefully. Right, Shakti?”
“But… are you…” Heer asked with a frown.
“Sure?” Shakti finished as they stared at each other
briefly.
“Trust me when I say this, Bhai, I have never been this
sure in all my life.” Pratap held Shakti’s upper arms before hugging him.
“I do.” Heer hugged her back as everyone smiled at each
other.
