“Can you drive?” Ajabdeh’s mind was in a buzz when she heard his voice whisper almost into her ears once again, “Can you drive?” She nodded affirmatively. She could.
In front of them stood angrily, a humiliated groom’s side and a disappointed-looking bride’s side. Behind them, stood Nandini and Laura, hand in hand. How did she end up here?
The groom was a douchebag. Ajabdeh had inferred so the very first time she saw him. Yet a tiny bit of her hoped Nandini could make herself be heard. The plan backfired. Instead, the groom created a fiasco in front of the families saying that the makeup artist was actually the bride’s lesbian partner. What followed was a rain of words hurtled first by the groom’s side to Nandini’s parents and eventually to the Sisodiyas who intervened. And they then turned against Nandini who now stood with her hand in Laura’s and faced the wrath of her family.
While Ajabdeh was about to step in as a neutral person, because it would be inhumane of her to remain quiet just because she needed the money, she was surprised that someone else stepped up before her.
Pratap stood in front of the family, his back to a much-relieved cousin, protecting her. Shakti couldn’t believe it. Wasn’t he tagged the braver child? Yet he was too much in shock to react to the situation.
“You can’t force an adult into something. Not a marriage, definitely not changing her sexuality.” Pratap spoke up much to everyone’s surprise.
“Pratap!” His mother gave a disapproving glance. She wanted him to stop.
“She isn’t committing a crime you know?” Pratap glanced over his shoulder at the voice that came from behind him. It was Ajabdeh standing behind him, as she spoke “Let her live her life. And choose whom to love.”
“You encouraged her, didn’t you?” The bride’s mother spoke in disgust. “No, she didn’t.” Nandini protested “I chose Laura.”
“We are not going home without a bride tonight.” The Groom’s uncle interrupted “Even if we have to do so forcefully.”
“She will get married today.” Much to their dismay, Nandini’s parents agreed “She has caused enough shame already.”
That. That is how Ajabdeh ended up here.
“I can...” she whispered back “But...”
“No ifs and buts...” Pratap looked at the bodyguards approaching them “On the count of three... one ... two...”
Before Ajabdeh knew it, Pratap’s hand was in his pocket and he had thrown the key at her. She caught it and turned to hold Laura’s hand and say “Run!” She picked up her own long dress to her knees and ran behind them towards the parking lot. In a few moments, things happened too fast. There was a tug at her wrist, and as Pratap held it and dragged her to the car, she unlocked it and got on the wheels, he was beside her, the ladies at the back and they drove past the main gate before the guards could reach them.
“Where are we going?” asked a scared Laura once they were on the highway. Sooner or later the family goons would catch up.
“Somewhere they will never look for us?” Pratap wondered aloud. “Where?” Nandini asked, breathless.
“Bijoliya.” Pratap stared at the girl behind the wheels. Her face lit up. She smiled.
“They will never look for me in Bijoliya.” Ajabdeh spoke, “We know they are trying to sell the estate, so can Mr Pratap Singh Sisodiya not pay a visit?”
“What if they recognise you?” Pratap asked doubtfully.
“The ten-year-old Ajabdeh had curly hair and braces. She was shy, scared and always prim and proper.” She smiled “I can trick them a bit.”
Pratap dialled his secretary to inform the Punwars of his interest and that he might visit them. He then informed Jalal mostly because Ajabdeh was worried for Heer. They would surely look for her at her home. They turned left on the highway. Even if the goons followed, they wouldn’t know which bylanes they took for the short way.
“How powerful is this groom’s side?” Pratap asked as they stopped at the Bijoliya border for a pot of tea. He took the keys from Ajabdeh. It was his turn to drive.
“I heard they have a powerful political connection in the neighbouring state. Not sure how much hold they have here.” Nandini spoke.
“I’m a hungry babe.” Laura seemed to be the one most scared of this. Nandini took her hand and walked up to the Dhaba to buy something.
“You needn’t have done this, but you did so...” Pratap’s words made Ajabdeh frown.
“Humanity first.” She smiled. “I can’t let someone’s life be ruined to save my mother.” He nodded.
“So I need to change my name, they know my name.” She said thoughtfully “I can be your PA and they can be your inspection team?” Pratap nodded “Sounds perfect. Now we just need some clothes and a place to change.”
Ajabdeh smiled and opened up the map on her app. “Way ahead of you. There is a retail shop a few Kilometres away from the town and we can ask someone to let us use the loo.” She shrugged. Pratap stared at her amused.
“How many brides have you helped run away before?” He looked at her doubtfully. “Just this one.” Ajabdeh shrugged. “Any idea for a name?”
“Umm...Alisha?” He asked. She nodded.
“So when we are talking of your estate how big is it?” Pratap asked as they leaned against the car watching Laura and Nandini at a distance.
“Umm... when I last saw it we had a mansion, two vintage cars, both functioning. Two orchards, one especially for mangoes, a garden my grandmother loved, a front lawn with a fountain, the back lawn where Papa set up our swings in the summer holidays, a mandir, a farm with horses, hens, and cows...” She stopped watching Pratap take notes.
“We are just acting like we will buy it.” She chuckled amused “You aren’t actually buying it you know?”
“Oh, I just might. It sounds delightful.” His words made Ajabdeh shake her head. “It will cost a fortune.” She shrugged.
“I have one.” He smiled. “Let me check out the property at least.”
“You can’t be serious!” Ajabdeh exclaimed under her breath.
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