"What do you mean you married her?" Jaivanta looked shocked as she stood up from her chair. Her eyes scrutinised Pratap standing at the threshold of the entrance hall and then the luggage beside him. "Didn't we discuss this?" She fumed.
Udai Singh shook his head and got up to stand beside his wife.
"Why would you do something like that, Pratap? It will tarnish our reputation." His voice was composed "If you loved her…"
"No." Pratap looked up at his parents at this. "I don't…. It's not what you think. Let me explain."
"Oh, you don't?" Jaivanta gave out a sarcastic laugh. "Pratap Singh who was against my ideas of matrimony because he didn't want a loveless marriage." She shook her head "You are fooling us again."
"No, I am not. They are after her life. I did what I did as a human being to save another." He looked up at his father hoping he would understand "Like she saved me from Tara."
"It's a marriage." Udai Singh reminded his son. "It's not something you do in debt. It is for a lifetime."
"And I intend to make it work. We… intend to make it work." Pratap said firmly. "I just want you to know my intention was not to betray you."
"I can't accept that girl as my family." Jaivanta spoke " Whenever I see her I will remember what happened behind my back. My own son…"
"As much as she would like your acceptance Ranima, it can never change the fact that she is my wife now." Pratap cut her short. "And she will stay here."
"Where is she?" Udai Singh asked, looking at the luggage.
"In the car." Pratap added, "With Shakti."
"Two of them are betraying me." Jaivanta murmured "For a girl."
Udai looked concerned and asked, "Did you just do a social marriage? Because you know legally…"
"We just did it legally. There is no need for a social marriage." Pratap shook his head.
Udai Singh walked past his firstborn and signalled at his younger one to bring Ajabdeh inside.
Ajabdeh's heart made a funny leap as Shakti opened the door for her. The journey here was relatively quiet. Only Shakti reassured her with a smile as she let go of Heer's hand with teary eyes at the airport. She didn't know what to expect. But yet felt like her life was never going to be the same when she crossed that threshold.
"Where is the vermilion?" Ajabdeh was jolted by Jaivanta's first words directed at her. "What kind of a marriage is this?" She rebuked. "Today's generation has no regard for traditions."
For the first time in her life, Ajabdeh Punwar didn't answer back to someone using that tone on her. She inhaled and looked away.
"I told you it was legal." Pratap said plainly "Anything else is unnecessary."
"Now he decides everything," Jaivanta spoke. "Look I have to leave." Pratap spoke firmly "I am leaving her here, we will talk once I am back home. Please Ranima. Shakti…"
"There is nothing left to talk of." Jaivanta snapped.
"We will talk when we all calm down tomorrow." Udai Singh added.
"Yes, Dadabhai don't worry I'm here with Ajabdeh." Shakti nodded reassuringly.
Pratap nodded and walked away without looking either at his mother or Ajabdeh.
"Sajja!" Jaivanta shouted "Sajja."
"Yes, Ma'am." Sajja was standing beside the door the whole time and came running.
"Show Ajabdeh to the room next to Pratap's."
"A separate room?" Udai frowned.
"They are only half as good as married." Jaivanta spoke, " Besides I am sure I can talk some sense back to him."
Sajja had just picked up Ajabdeh's luggage urging her to follow with a warm smile.
"I hope she doesn't unpack. She will be out of here in twenty-four hours." She overheard Jaivanta tell Udai.
Sajja opened the lock of a relatively smaller room that was furnished in white with a wardrobe, a dressing table, a shelf, a four-poster bed with curtains, a writing desk and chair, and a very large window. The carpet on the floor was of pink and white floral shade matching the long curtains. Ajabdeh looked around the room and absorbed the sunlight coming through the glass window. It was almost time for sunset.
"You can see the sunset from here," Sajja spoke as she looked up at the sky.
Sajja walked towards the wardrobe and set down the luggage.
"Do you want me to help you unpack Ma'am?"
"Please call me Ajabdeh, Aunty." She looked awkward.
Sajja smiled. "That is against my protocol dear. If you don't like ma'am I can call you Baisa."
"Sounds better." Ajabdeh smiled. "And what do I call you?"
"The boys call me Sajja Kakisa." She smiled. "Both of them grew up in my arms. I can't believe Pratap got married." Her eyes shone with pride unlike Jaivanta's. "To you."
"Can I call you Sajja Ma?" Ajabdeh's words surprised her.
"I… just lost my mother and…" Ajabdeh's eyes shone. "I have no one here."
"That's not true, my dear." Sajja walked across the room, to her and held her hands in her own. "You have us. Kunwarsa. Chote Kunwarsa. And if you need any help you can come to me." She reassured Ajabdeh. Ajabdeh nodded a little relieved.
"Here, let me show you something." Sajja smiled, opening a door that was camouflaged well between the shelves. "This is Kunwarsa's room. I know you two should stay together but I must also follow Ranisa's instructions. So I thought…"
"Sajja Ma." Ajabdeh's cheeks felt warm "We are not… I mean…"
"I know." Sajja nodded smiling faintly "But he said he intends to make it work. I heard that too."
"He said that?" Ajabdeh looked up at Sajja who nodded. "He said we intend to make it work as well." She smiled.
Ajabdeh didn't know why but Sajja's words sounded reassuring.
"Are you sure you don't need help to unpack?" She asked again.
"I will call you if I need. Thanks." Ajabdeh nodded " I am used to doing my own things."
"Well, then get used to the Sisodiya way of life now. Dial 9 on that intercom if you need me." Sajja pointed at the intercom on the wall. "Have a good day."
As the door slammed behind Sajja the room was relatively quiet. Ajabdeh could hear the birds chirp and went over to the windows for the view. She had never been in this wing of the mansion. It was private. The view overlooked a lawn and a large Royal poinciana tree bloomed red. It reminded her of the tree back home in Bijoliya. She sighed. Turning, she inspected the paintings on the wall. Must be worth a fortune. She turned the doorknob to the washroom and saw a bathtub. The room was nothing less than a hotel room. She was curious about the open door. It was his room on the other side. She stopped at the threshold. The room was twice or perhaps even thrice as big as hers. In addition to a four-poster bed, there was a walk-in closet adjacent to a washroom and a separate area to change. There was a desk, with files and papers dumped on it. Pictures on the wall. A side table on each side with lamps, two large windows and a door leading out to an open balcony, a shelf of books, a life-size mirror standing beside it, and a table in a corner with a coffee maker. She was curious about the pictures but stopped at the threshold. Turning back, she shook her head and turned away from his room and closed the connecting door behind her. She sat down on the floor and emptied her hand purse for the phone.
The call reached Heer's voicemail.
"Hi, Heer." She checked her voice. "I am fine here. I just settled in a room. Hope you reach safely. Do inform me."
She then looked at her luggage. Remembering Jaivanta's words she kept it aside and opened her handbag and looked for a face wash. She then checked the washroom. There were new sets of toiletries neatly arranged and towels kept aside ready to be used. She wondered how they kept a room ready when they weren't even aware if someone was to arrive or not. This house had the ambience of a luxury hotel. Nevertheless, she locked the doors and turned the shower on. Adjusting the hot and cold water to her liking she relaxed under the running water and breathed heavily. A lot had happened in a day. She didn't expect a warm welcome and whatever happened was expected. Her mind kept wandering back to Jaivanta's words to Udai and Sajja's words about Pratap.
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped the bathrobe around herself and checked herself in the mirror. For the first time, she noticed the logo of the House of Sisodiya Songaras on it. Ajabdeh sighed. Jaivanta was right. She didn't belong here. Sooner or later Pratap would realise that too. Once the threat to her life was gone. She rubbed her wavy length of dripping wet hair with the towel thinking; that she shouldn't make herself too comfortable here. She was a guest.
After she took the first pair of cigar pants and a Kurti out of her trolley and dried up her hair she parted her hairline to comb it, her eyes fell on her own reflection in the mirror and she immediately remembered Jaivanta's words. There was no marriage without vermillion. Her mother would have said the same. But then, how normal was this marriage? She was unsure. A knock forced her out of her thoughts.
She unlocked the door and it was Shakti.
"Are you okay?" He asked with a polite smile. She nodded. "Please come in."
Shakti's eyes fell on the unpacked luggage as he stepped into her room.
"You didn't unpack?" He asked, narrowing his brows in doubt, "Should I call someone to help?"
"Oh no. I was offered help." Ajabdeh shook her head. "I…" Shakti understood.
"Don't take Ranima's words literally." Shakti spoke concerned " She is just disappointed as Dadabhai didn't listen to her. Please unpack and make yourself feel at home." He insisted. "This is your home now." Ajabdeh nodded. "I told Sajja Kaki to serve your dinner here." He added, "I gathered that way you will feel more relaxed."
"Thank you so much, Shakti." Ajabdeh was genuinely touched. "Umm… " she looked awkward so Shakti added "Dadabhai will be late. Don't wait for him unless he informs you." She looked up at his words as he turned to leave.
Sajja brought in a wheeled trolley full of options. Ajabdeh was a bit taken aback when she was told all of that was for her.
"Oh no." She shrugged. "I will just take some rice and veggies. Please take the rest away." Sajja smiled. "From tomorrow you can order your food from me. Would you like to order your breakfast now?" Ajabdeh looked a bit clueless.
"I thought… everyone eats what has been cooked." She fumbled "When we were guests…"
"Oh, you are not now Baisa." Sajja reminded her. "Ranisa takes care of the guest menus. But the family orders their food individually four times a day." Ajabdeh nodded gulping. How was she supposed to fit into this?
"And you can ask Kunwarsa. Ma'am orders Sir's meals. You can take care of him too." Sajja smiled, taking her to leave with a bow. "Please don't bow to me." Ajabdeh looked awkward.
Taking the first morsel, Ajabdeh realised she was hungry. She hasn't quite realised it in all that was happening throughout the day.
Pratap checked his watch turning off the engine of his car, as the mansion looked asleep. 1 AM. He sighed. He didn't have the time to think of anything else as soon as he stepped into the office. There was an important meeting. Then another. And a lot piled up at work. It was only when he was closer to home that he remembered he had left Ajabdeh alone for the day. Her first day at his place. He was unsure of how she had been treated. A sudden guilt crept in. He had worked late. He had never felt guilty about working late until today.
He walked up the few stairs of the porch and was greeted by Shakti in pyjamas.
"Is everything fine?" He asked worriedly.
The knock in her room made Ajabdeh look up at the clock. She opened the door, still in the pair of cigar pants and Kurti and saw him standing at her threshold.
"I… Saw the light turned on in your room and… I just returned." Pratap spoke formally.
"Oh. I was… working." She directed her hands to the stacks of paper and her laptop on the carpet.
"You didn't unpack?" He asked with a frown at her luggage. Ajabdeh stood silent. He folded up his sleeves and loosened his tie.
"Let's help you unpack first." He said looking at her suggestively.
"Oh no." Ajabdeh looked alarmed. "I will do it tomorrow. And Sajja ma can help." Pratap looked at her with a faint smile " So you bonded with Kakisa?"
She nodded "She is very kind."
"I am sorry the others aren't." He was quick to add.
"Oh no. I…" Before Ajabdeh could finish her sentence he had started to take her books and notebooks out of the half-opened bag and place them on the empty shelf. She was quick to react and help him with it.
"Did you have dinner?" He asked, handing her the things to put away in her wardrobe.
"Yes, Shakti said not to wait for you unless you informed me to." She said putting her clothes in neatly "I ate here in the room. It was like hotel service." She sounded a bit amused.
Pratap's hand stopped at her words. Of course, she spent her first dinner alone. He had completely forgotten about that, drowned in his work.
"I will be at dinner tomorrow. You can eat breakfast downstairs with us too." He spoke concerned.
"Oh no, that's okay. Shakti said I will be more comfortable up here." She was quick to add. "So he sent the dinner here." He nodded.
"I actually had a client meeting for dinner." He added, "It totally slipped my mind that it is your first day and…"
"That's okay." Ajabdeh cut him short. "Really. It is."
"Do you want coffee?" He offered. "I have a machine in my room and …"
"I know." Ajabdeh bit her lips at her reflex answer. "I mean Sajja ma showed…"
"My room?"
Ajabdeh nodded.
I bet it was her idea to set you up here and not on the guest wing. Ranima would want that." Pratap's words were followed by silence.
"Don't worry." He added, "When Ranima observes you, she will easily take a liking to you, once she cools down." Pratap reassured. Ajabdeh smiled.
"I don't think she will ever like me. And she has enough reasons to…"
"Trust me, let her know you genuinely up close. She will like you. Everyone likes you." Pratap spoke as Ajabdeh looked up at his words, he looked away awkwardly.
"Everyone except Veer Singh and Tara." She reminded him.
"Let me grab some coffee as we work. How do you like your coffee?" He asked putting up a framed picture of Hansa and the girls on the wall.
"Strong." She smiled. "Thank you."
Pratap stopped at the threshold of her door and turned. "I can use that door. Shouldn't alarm the guards walking around the corridor after the lights are off." He spoke almost to himself as he opened the connecting door and stepped into his room keeping the door open.
"Please come in." He said, gesturing to her on the couch. He took two cups and poured some steaming coffee. "Did anyone say anything?" He looked concerned.
"No." She shook her head. "Please don't worry. Even if someone does, I will handle it. Trust me." She said reassuringly " I just talked to the attorney about the hearing day after tomorrow." He nodded listening attentively. Another hour later Ajabdeh stopped talking of her late father, looking alarmed at the clock. "It's 3AM I should go. I am so sorry."
"Oh, it is?" He looked up at the clock "I'm sorry you must be tired."
"Thank you for the coffee. And the conversation" Ajabdeh spoke putting the cup down on the table.
"I think we should cut the thank yous. They take up a lot of time." Pratap smiled. "Goodnight Ajabdeh."
"Goodnight." She spoke as she pushed the connecting door behind her shut.
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